“The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say”

J. R. R. Tolkien - The Fellowship of the Ring

(All quotes and images are copyrighted to Tolkien's estate, unless credited otherwise)

Have you ever heard a beautiful melody or song, forgotten to note it down, and then tirelessly searched for the half-remembered piece? Maybe you find it, or maybe you find other lovely songs that distract you momentarily. But eventually, if you look hard enough, you stumble across that first piece you were looking for, and it's like losing something and finding something all at once. Because the searching was half of what you were chasing.

Maybe that doesn't make any sense, but it's as close as I can come to putting my feelings about The Lord of the Rings (and all of Tolkien's works), into words. Which is a strange place for a writer to be! But regardless, every time I pick up The Lord of the Rings, it's like coming home while catching an even worse case of wanderlust. But maybe I should clarify - it isn't just LOTR that does that to me - I feel the same way every time I come back from a trip to someplace exciting.

You see, I'm a wanderer by nature. I don't like to sit still, and as much as I love my home and my kitchen, I am endlessly fascinated by the thought of what might be outside my door. And Tolkien understood that feeling, and put it into words, better than I ever have:

“He used often to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: its springs were at every doorstep, and every path was its tributary. 'It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,' he used to say. 'You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.” The Fellowship of the Ring - J. R. R. Tolkien

But a love for wandering isn't the only writer's legacy that Tolkien left us. In fact, some of the things that I love best about him are just the things that get him criticized in modern circles. He wrote about the pure and the good, the truly evil, the morally complicated, and he had a deep understanding of the importance of all of those things. In other words, he was quite old-fashioned. And frankly, anyone who says that he had little variation/representation of female characters is only partly right - they've obviously never read The Silmarillion.

So to celebrate Hobbit Day (Bilbo and Frodo's birthday) here are my

Top Ten Favorite Things About Tolkien's Writing (with quotes and illustrations)

1. Middle Earth

I dare anyone to make it through his books and not be in love with Middle Earth. From Hobbiton to The Lonely Mountain, to Ancient Númenor, Middle Earth is the mythical place I "miss" the most. And I confess that New Zealand is on my top 5 places I must go, because of the movies.

“He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found them a place to live, a green alternative to each day's madness here in a poisoned world. We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers - thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.” ― Peter S. Beagle, The Tolkien Reader

2. Elves

People who know me were probably surprised that this isn't the first one on the list.

http://dalomacchi.deviantart.com/art/Brothers-in-Beleriand-289711180

I want to be an elf. Specifically, one of Tolkien's elves. Wise, deadly, gracious, elegant, enigmatic - I think you get the point. A little bit of the Celtic fay folk, a little bit of every wise but dangerous counselor in fairy tales, and a dash of danger make Tolkien's elves THE BEST. Even when parts of The Silmarillion practically had me shouting at them in anger (I'm looking at you, sons of Fëanor!), it was only because I loved them so much.

'And it is also said,' answered Frodo: 'Go not to the Elves for counsel for they will answer both no and yes.'
'Is it indeed?' laughed Gildor. 'Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.” The Fellowship of the Ring

3. Tolkien's Quiet Wisdom

I'll let him speak for himself here:

“There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” The Hobbit

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” The Fellowship of the Ring

“Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.” The Fellowship of the Ring

“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” The Two Towers

“It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end… because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing… this shadow. Even darkness must pass.” The Two Towers

“But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.” The Return of the King

“A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it.” The Children of Hurin

4. Tolkien's Love for Language and Words

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lorynbrantz/not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost#.arRMMY0by

Source

See #3 for examples. But what else would you expect from a philologist? The man was in love with language. And I have yet to read anyone who topped him in the invented languages department. It's more like he rediscovered something forgotten.

And speaking of languages - his translation of Beowulf is splendid (naturally). And if we're talking poetry and language, look at The Fall of Arthur, or The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun.

And the Tengwar - so gorgeous! Source

5. HOBBITS

I personally think that Freeman is a fabulous Bilbo.

No tribute to Tolkien would be complete without mentioning the small, brave, and simple folk of the Shire. Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen - they're wonderful characters, and they have more heart and courage than most. And they really do appreciate the good things in life. I'd like to be an elf, but deep down, I know I'm more of a hobbit. I suspect that goes for all of us!

"Good morning!" he said at last. "We don't want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water." By this he meant that the conversation was at an end."What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!" said Gandalf. "Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won't be good till I move off.” The Hobbit

6. All the Characters

From Tumblr.

I've mentioned elves and hobbits, but I haven't specifically mentioned Faramir, Eowyn, Boromir, Thranduil, Aragorn, Luthien, FINROD, Galadriel, Gandalf, Elrond, Elwing, and I could go on . . . Even the more evil characters (especially in the Silmarillion) are fascinating. And they're all epic. And epic = good.

7. The Aforementioned Values

“It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule.”

Tolkien had an immense appreciation for all that was great and good in the world: Courage, Honor, Duty, Fidelity. Call me Captain America, but I think we could use some more of it all. And Tolkien's characters always made me want to be noble, big-hearted, and selfless. There's a lot to be said for doing your best, being your best, and seeking the best in others.

8. Tolkien's Love for Nature

Tolkien was a self-proclaimed "tree-advocate." And all you have to do is read a few chapters of his works to see his love for the natural world. Just contrast the Elves and Orcs, and you'll see something interesting: Orcs rely on war machines and contraptions, while Elves tend and revere the earth. I don't know if I was always a nature girl, or if I can blame Professor Tolkien for that too, but it really doesn't matter. Tolkien was a great advocate of stewardship - of treating Creation with respect instead of taking it for granted. And I don't know if he really gets enough credit for that.

The leaves were long, the grass was green,
The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,
And in the glade a light was seen
Of stars in shadow shimmering.

9. The Worldbuilding

He is the Master of Worldbuilding. See #1. In fact, I was actually thinking of Tolkien when I named this blog. He's the worldbuilder I aspire to be like.* Look at 1-8, and you'll see evidence of this. Middle Earth is so vivid and real that thousands of us are homesick for it.

“Home is behind, the world ahead,And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.
Then world behind and home ahead,
We'll wander back and home to bed.
Mist and twilight, cloud and shade,
Away shall fade! Away shall fade!”

10. The Heart

I dare you to have dry eyes. One part that the movie did so well.

Again, I think this is pretty obvious from some of the other numbers on this list. But there is love for life, people, culture, history, lore, and all good things in Tolkien's writing. Don't believe me? Look at Sam Gamgee.

“Come, Mr. Frodo!' he cried. 'I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get! Come on, Mr. Frodo dear! Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he'll go” The Return of the King