Lord of the Rings Bk1.Ch01.Pt11 » Mailbag » Proudfoots, Eleventy, Michel Delving, Winyard, and more!

[@KG004]

I did not think I would enjoy the mailbag episode. I started listening more as a sense of obligation, but what a great episode! Everyone had such great takes on the story, and it gave me much to ponder. It is time to read the books again, and I'm sure they will be even more enjoyable this time around thanks to everyone's insight. Well done, John and Greta.

[@TolkienRoad]

🙌❤️

[@pwmiles56]

Thank you for reading out my comments. This is great feedback for me too, reminding me to be extra nice, as we all should be. Thanks again, Patrick Miles of this parish &c &c

[@TolkienRoad]

Thank YOU, Patrick! 😀

[@kenpage3321]

Wow a totally non hasty 90 minute mailbag episode! And I’m half way through before I realise. Oh well I’m committed now. Just wanted to reflect on the English fireworks experience after hearing Greta talk about “driving” to a display. Where I live, the combination of Guy Fawkes night and Diwali festival of light means we have near continuous fireworks throughout November and there will always be a house somewhere setting them off. On the big nights you can walk the cold November streets, surrounded by the smell of gunpowder and it’s easy enough to walk to an organised local display in 20 minutes or so. There is a particular sensory experience that goes with it including winter barbecued meat, hearty soups and chillis and baked potatoes and the odd warming dram. And if you find the right viewpoint to walk to you can see the hole city’s fireworks laid out before you. A magical time and it’s easy to see why Tolkien chooses this imagery to show that we’re starting a journey into magic and mayhem that will ultimately enrich our lives. Keep up the Deep Tolkien!

[@TolkienRoad]

Fabulous anecdote and slice of local flavor - thanks Ken!

[@pwmiles56]

On the final point, how do the characters know what they know, Michael Drout (editor of theTolkien Encyclopedia) calls this the "epistemic regime". He has a great lecture about it here on KZbin titled "Lord of the Rings: How To Read J.R.R. Tolkien". It takes a while to get going but from 10 minutes in it's gold.

[@TolkienRoad]

Thanks for the tip!

[@octaviusmorlock]

Proud *feet!*

[@TolkienRoad]

😤🤣

[@Comeholyspirit26]

So on the subject of Bilbo making up the speech as he went... It reminds me of the story of Winston Churchill being told he was drunk and replying with a stinging quip. Very much the same as Bilbo maybe

[@TolkienRoad]

Haha - somehow I can see Tolkien doing the same thing…