Ultimate Defining Quote

[matthew]

I know this is from the Sil, but I would say Mandos' line: (after the decision to bring the elves to valinor) "So it is doomed". Simple, but kinda prophetic. It grows on you.
Just from the LotR, I have to say "it was pity that stayed his hand". Because, after all (to be a little psychological), Frodo was victorious because of his kindness to Gollum. He was rewarded for it by 1) getting the ring in the fire and 2) going to Valinor. Although, you could say Eru determined it all in the beginning and made sure it would work out. Huh.
Here ends my rant. If it has passed from the high and the beautiful (and the unrelated) to darkness and ruin (and boring shrinkiness) then such of old was the fate of Arda Marred; and if any change shall come and the Marring (ranting) be amended, Manwe and Varda may know, but if so, they have not revealed it, and it is not included in the dooms of the Patriot act.

[zinnite]

I think the defining quote--the one that sums up the story as a whole-- is the first four lines from the poem (by Bilbo about Aragorn) that Valandil just posted:

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."

The second line, especially, most people know; I see it on buttons and t-shirts all over the place.

[Erkenbrand Of Rohan]

How about this one:

"Even the Wise cannot see all ends." - Gandalf, FOTR, Shadow of The Past.

I think it sums up what the War of The Ring was about. I don't think that many of the Wise and Great could have forseen two little hobbits and one 'gangrel creature' reaching into the heart of the Mighty Enemy himself. As we know, not even he could have imagined this and the thought never entered his darkest dreams. This quote also applies to the fact that Gollum, called by many as 'deserving of death', caused the downfall of Sauron and his realm.

[Rían]

Whew - I've been pondering this - many good quotes, of course, and the ring verse and "precious" prob. most well known, and the "many that die deserve life" quote one of my favorites, but as far as "defining" in terms of the theme of the book (interesting POV, Val - thanks!) - I think I might have to agree with this one that you posted:

Originally posted by Valandil
"I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way."

Because the whole book is how people "took up" whatever came to them and what they did with it ...

[Rían]

Of course, there's always one of Nolendil's favorite ....

"If that Frito weren't the seed of a crossbow wedding, then I don't know lunch from din-din!"



Or the slightly different translation of the ring inscription:

"This Ring, no other, is made by the elves,
Who'd pawn their own mother to grab it themselves.
Ruler of creeper, mortal, and scallop,
This is a sleeper that packs quite a wallop.
The power almighty rests in this Lone Ring.
The Power, almighty, for doing your Own Thing.
If broken or busted, it cannot be remade
If found, send to Sorhead (the postage is prepaid)."



And the stirring scene on the bridge:

"Aiyee, a ballhog!"
"Back, vile hoopster!"

[Beren3000]

Here is a quote I always thought is strongly related to the meaning of the story (I don't know it by heart: my LOTR book is with me now; but I like its meaning a lot):

"Indeed in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who still oppose him." Haldir, BookII Ch.VI, Lothlorien

[Valandil]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
Of course, there's always one of Nolendil's favorite ....

"If that Frito weren't the seed of a crossbow wedding, then I don't know lunch from din-din!"



Or the slightly different translation of the ring inscription:

"This Ring, no other, is made by the elves,
Who'd pawn their own mother to grab it themselves.
Ruler of creeper, mortal, and scallop,
This is a sleeper that packs quite a wallop.
The power almighty rests in this Lone Ring.
The Power, almighty, for doing your Own Thing.
If broken or busted, it cannot be remade
If found, send to Sorhead (the postage is prepaid)."



And the stirring scene on the bridge:

"Aiyee, a ballhog!"
"Back, vile hoopster!"

Yu...you...you're quoting from the WRONG BOOK!!!

*runs away from intense satire*

[Olmer]

Originally posted by Bombadillo
Beor, you picked a good one!
---- ---- ---- ----
"Roads go ever on and on,
under cloud and under star,
yet feet that wandering have gone
turn at last to home afar
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
and horror in the halls of stone
look at last on meadows green
and trees and hills they long have known."
----
"It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. [something about the road being like a river than can sweep you away if you don't firmly plant your feet.]"
---- ---- ---- ----

I'm siding with Bombadillo and Beor:
"The Roads go ever on and on" is the ultimate defining quote. I think , "generally summarizing", the whole conception of the story suggesting that the life is a neverending road, and you never know how far it could take you, whom you will meet and what is your final destination could be. And the true meaning of the life-long road's quest is to test the creations of God on durability and worthiness of continuation.

[edhelanna]

I'm not sure about a defining quote, lotr is so darn comlex to be summed up in a couple of lines but there are plenty of quotes I love.

"Why to think of it, we're in the same tale still! It's going on. Don't the great tales never end?"

"In sorrow we must go but not in despair."

"I have come...but I do not choose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The Ring is mine!"

I could go on and on, it's a masterpiece

[Attalus]

I would expand the Ring verse:

In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie.

I love that reiterated line.

[Meriadoc Brandybuck]

"Fool of a Took! This is a serious journey, not a hobbit-walking party! Throw yourself in next time, then you will be no further nuisance."

[Thain Peregrin Took I]

One of mine is the "Fool of a Took!" one. Can't think of any others right now.

[Thain Peregrin Took I]

'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them' would definatlly make most people think of Lord of the Rings.

[Meriadoc Brandybuck]

The "Many that live deserve life" one.

[Thain Peregrin Took I]

What about the 'All that is gold does not glitter...' one? Or maybe the hobbit bath song?

[Master_Samwise]

If it dosnt' have to come from the book, then "Frodo Lives" would work, or dose it have to come from the book??? How about.... ummm, i need to think about it. I now that it's been mentioned, but the "one ring to rule them all" is what I think would win.

[Ulmo]

Gandalf -

Yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour 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.

It's not as catchy as the Ring speech and it is certainly not as short as the others, but it summarizes what the book had to say - that's the theme in two lines. It's definitely my favourite quote.

[Rosie Gamgee]

I have a shirt with 'Frodo Lives' on the back. I think people get the idea when you say things like 'Gandalf for president' and stuff like that.
I think that a lot of lines from the books are recognizable now because of the movies- the easiest to recognize probably being 'One Ring to rule them all...' and anything said by Gollum.
Now, if you're asking about the book... 'Defining quote', eh? Because I would say that LotR's 'To be or not to be' counterpart would be the Ring poem. As for defining, I like that one that Sam says about the old stories never really ending. At least that one is good in terms of the story itself. Now if we're talking about what the story is really about, and what defines it, I would have to go with "I will take the Ring to Mordor, though I do not know the way." The whole story is about people making sacrifices, about people willing to take up burdens that by rights are not theirs, and that they may not be able to really bear. It's about simple folk earning a place among the wise, and about the humble being exalted for their sacrifice. I think that line really expesses the thought of devotion and self-sacrifce that is really the central theme of the book, and surely the core of every good character in the story.

[Halbarad of the Dunedain]

I think One ring to rule them all is the One quote to rule them all!!!
muahahahaha im so clever! Not! Yet it is the ultimate defining quote, all the others are nice and Tolkien wrote many incredible quotes! Yet this one is most recognized and can be most flexible as shown in my first sentence. When you say something like, "my cats cool!" "But my cat is the one cat to rule them all!" people know what your refering to!

As for defining, I like that one that Sam says about the old stories never really ending. At least that one is good in terms of the story itself

Also I dont think this was in the book, only in the film.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Indeed in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who still oppose him.
That is probably one of the best or some of the Gaffers proverbs.