Most moving moments in LotR

[hectorberlioz]

There are moments in LotR for me where the words jump off the page. The most powerful and poetic moment for me:

Originally Posted by JRRT

"And far away as Frodo put on the ring and claimed it for his own, even in Sammath Naur the very heart of his realm, the power in Barad-Dur was shaken, and the Tower trembled from its foundations to its proud and bitter crown. The Dark Lord was suddenly aware of him, and his Eye piercing all shadows looked across the plain to the door that he had made; and the magnitude of his own folly was revealed to him in a blinding flash, and all the devices of his enemy were at last laid bare. Then his wrath blazed in a consuming flame, but his fear rose like a vast black smoke to choke him. For he knew deadly peril and the thread upon which his doom now hung."

So, any other favorite powerful moments?

[Coffeehouse]

Good idea for a thread man.

I remember when I was 11 and read the Fellowship and I became really sad when I read this part:

Fellowship of the Ring, "The Departure of Boromir"
"As he ran the cries came louder, but fainter now and desperately the horn was blowing. Fierce and shrill rose the yells of the Orcs, and suddenly the horn-calls ceased. Aragorn raced down the last slope, but before he could reach the hill's foot, the sounds died away; and he turned to the left and ran towards them as they retreated, until at last he could hear them no more. Drawing his bright sword and crying Elendil! Elendil! he crashed through the trees."

[Earniel]

Oh, those parts are numerous. But here's one that I'll always remember, inspired by Hector's chose quote:

'I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam.’

[Jonathan]

My favourite moving moment is the ending, with its separation angst between Sam and Frodo.

“I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done.”

“So I thought too, once. 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: someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them. But you are my heir: all that I had and might have had I leave to you.
And also you have Rose, and Elanor; and Frodo-lad will come, and Rosie-lass, and Merry, and Goldilocks and Pippin, and perhaps more that I cannot see. Your hands and your wits will be needed everywhere. You will be Mayor, of course, as long as you want to be, and the most famous gardener in history; and you will read things out of the Red Book, and keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger, and so love their beloved land even more. And that will keep you as busy and as happy as anyone can be, as long as your part of the Story goes on

[Valarauko5]

I personally love the part in the movie (I'm not positive it's in the book, it's been too long since I read it) But where Aragorn says

"There may be a day, where to strength of men fails! Where friends betray eachother! But it is not this day!"

Not an exact quote I know, but as a fan of the military this is one of my favorite moments.

[Valarauko5]

hmmm. oops. didn't spell too well there sorry. *where the strength of men fails*

[The Gaffer]

Top thread, Hector.

Ride of the Rohirrim
The whole thing really, but especially:

With that he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightaway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains.

Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!

Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in this speed, and the front of the first éored roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and darkness was removed, and the host of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.

[Valarauko5]

Here we go. Sorry it took so long to find the exact quote. I had to write it down from the movie. So here it is.

"Hold your ground! Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! My brothers. I see in your eyes, the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come, when the courage of men fails. When we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day! An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! BUT IT IS NOT THIS DAY! THIS DAY WE FIGHT! By all that you hold dear, on this good earth. I bid you stand! MEN OF THE WEST!!"

I just love that part.

[Earniel]

I can tell you why you can't find an exact quote [EDIT] in the book[/EDIT]. Because this is not from the book at all, this quote -impressive though it'd be- is strictly a movie-addition.

[Coffeehouse]

Originally Posted by Valarauko5

Sorry it took so long to find the exact quote. I had to write it down from the movie.

Originally Posted by Eärniel

I can tell you why you can't find an exact quote. Because this is not from the book at all, this quote -impressive though it'd be- is strictly a movie-addition.

Except Valar found the exact quote right.. writing it down from the movie

[Earniel]

Right, let me amend my statement to 'finding the exact quote in the book', for clarity.

[Rosie Gamgee]

Some of the most moving moments for me are when poetry is recited. I can't find the poems I want online to quote them, and I don't have the book with me, but;

I love the poem at the end of the Battle of the Pellenor fields, which recounts the fall of Thoden and Snowmane, as well as Halbarad. I think there's a line in there about those who would never return to their homes... and that just kills me.

When Bilbo recites the poem, "I sit by the fire and think/ of all that I have seen/ in every wood in every spring there is a different green. For still there are so many things that I will know/ and people who will see a world that I will never know." Something like that. And that poem just seems so SAD to me. Even though you've lived 100+ years, there are still so many things that you will miss when you're gone.

Boromir's death is just so moving. Of course. And, related, the part where Faramir sees his brother's body floating on the Great River and tries to chase after it; that just breaks my heart. He cries, "Wither goest thou, O Boromir?" His brother is gone on without him, and cannot answer. So sad.


And as for stirring moments..

I love Theoden's speech before they charge Pellenor. I love Eowyn's big reveal (which is SOO incredibly well-written) when she confronts the witch-king.

I loved in Khazadum when they all rally on the bridge to come to Gandalf's aid against the Balrog.

And Gimili when he jumps down from the wall at Helm's Deep to save Aragorn. Pretty cool stuff.

Frodo, at the foot of Mount Doom, when Gollum tries to take the ring. Frodo stands over him, seemingly in gleaming white, and speaks some great words (all of which I have forgotten).

[Rían]

Originally Posted by The Gaffer

Top thread, Hector.

Ride of the Rohirrim
The whole thing really, but especially: ...

Definitely - my heart physically hurts during that part. When I was reading LOTR to the kids, I had to have my husband read that part - I lost my voice and couldn't read it.

[Gordis]

But lo! the mantle and hauberk were empty. Shapeless they lay now on the ground, torn and tumbled; and a cry went up into the shuddering air, and faded to a shrill wailing, passing with the wind, a voice bodiless and thin that died, and was swallowed up, and was never heard again in that age of this world.

poor Wiki...

[Valarauko5]

Hmm. My apologies. It is only in the movie. Great quote though. If you go strictly by the books, then my favorite part has to be where Boromir defends the hobbits and keeps blowing his horn for help that comes too little too late. The movie depicts this wonderfully with Boromir dying just as Aragorn kills Lurtz and Boromir's line is "I would have followed you my brother. My captain. My king." It's the best part of the whole first book if you ask me.

[The Dread Pirate Roberts]

I always choke up at the part where Sam's greatest strength, his fierce loyalty to Frodo, manifests as his greatest flaw, though it could have been no other way:

And so Gollum found them hours later, when he returned, crawling and creeping down the path out of the gloom ahead. Sam sat propped against the stone, his head dropping sideways and his breathing heavy. In his lap lay Frodo's head, drowned deep in sleep; upon his white forehead lay one of Sam's brown hands, and the other lay softly upon his master's breast. Peace was in both their faces.

Gollum looked at them. A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and grey, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away, peering back up towards the pass, shaking his head, as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo's knee – but almost the touch was a caress. For a fleeting moment, could one of the sleepers have seen him, they would have thought that they beheld an old weary hobbit, shrunken by the years that had carried him far beyond his time, beyond friends and kin, and the fields and streams of youth, an old starved pitiable thing.

But at that touch Frodo stirred and cried out softly in his sleep, and immediately Sam was wide awake. The first thing he saw was Gollum – `pawing at master,' as he thought.

`Hey you!' he said roughly. `What are you up to?'

'Nothing, nothing,' said Gollum softly. `Nice Master!'

`I daresay,' said Sam. 'But where have you been to – sneaking off and sneaking back, you old villain? '

Gollum withdrew himself, and a green glint flickered under his heavy lids. Almost spider-like he looked now, crouched back on his bent limbs, with his protruding eyes. The fleeting moment had passed, beyond recall. `Sneaking, sneaking!' he hissed. 'Hobbits always so polite, yes. O nice hobbits! Sméagol brings them up secret ways that nobody else could find. Tired he is, thirsty he is, yes thirsty; and he guides them and he searches for paths, and they say sneak, sneak. Very nice friends, O yes my precious, very nice.'

[Rían]

yes, that bit is wonderful - and brilliant.

[GrayMouser]

The moment of eucatastrophe....

Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the city, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of wizardry and war, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn.

And as if in answer, there came from far away another note. Horns,horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last

Still sends shivers down my spine after forty years.

[Earniel]

Ah, that indeed is a masterful moment... That one defiant rooster and then a a avalanche of horns in response. Words can not describe the impact of that scene.

[Scrooge]

Not a specific moment, to be sure, but I find the journey through Moria to be extremely compelling. Tolkien did a masterful job of conveying the feeling of trying to sneak through the darkness, praying to make it through unnoticed by the unknown evil lurking within, and the deep dread of the pebble and then the "tom-tap, tap-tom". Every time I read it, Moria is where I get fully pulled into the story.