[Fellowship of the ring] Are those poems of significance

[photek]

I'm reading the LOTR - fellowship of the ring and are skipping over all those poems or songs that go for several stanzas long. Am I missing anything by skipping them. The book is good - especially the action/adventure parts.

Also is there any genealogy or family tree published for all the characters ?

Thanks

G

[Idril Celebrindal]

on family trees, in the appendices attached to the Return of the King there are several.

I admit that the first time I read LotR I did as you are. I just wanted to find out what happened next. I can't believe what I missed out on. Although of no special significance in some cases, the poems are amazing. In my defence, I was probably only about 10 and didn't really get poetry at the time. I know better now.

Welcome, btw, and I hope you like it here.

[Darth Tater]

I must strongly urge you to read those poems! Not only are they incredibly beautifull, but many of them give insites into the story. Tolkien certainly did not ignore the fact that history repeats itself, and the poems tell of tales that have many similarities with goings on in the books. I admit, the first time I read LOTR the poems bored me, but I now go back to them time and again, having seen how significant and beautifull they are

[Fat middle]

Don't read them, sing them!

now, i also did as you all, but for me there was a reason: in Spanish they sound extremely bad. When I discovered the original version i saw they was very nice verses and that tell you a lot of the nature of each character: hobbit's songs are far different from elven songs...

[ringbearer]

I read the poetry and Bombadil's songs...but most of them bore me to death(sorry!) Hope there is not to much singing in the movie!

[Ñólendil]

I imagine your boredom (ringbearer) occurs in the longer poems, especially those in which the referrence or meaning is not entirely clear on first reading.

For instance Bilbo's poem about Eärendil (the mightiest mariner of song) although (in my opinion) beautiful is very historical, and the history wasn't published before the Lord of the Rings. Who's the Elder King, one may very well ask -- and what is all that about Elwing -- and Ilmarin? What's it all about?

But there's only a few poems like this, long ones I mean. Not that I don't enjoy them. As a purist I've taken to the habit of defending Tolkien's Middle-earthian works and I actually do not really dislike anything within those bounds. Some writings are more dear to me than others, and some I am not interested in, that's pretty much the end of it.

Welcome photek! I hope you stay a while, this is a very active, fun place to be.

[cee2lee2]

Like the others, I didn't bother with them on my first time through. Just wanted to find out what was happening to all my heroes. And even now I don't read them all the time, but they can add to the enjoyment of the story.

I suggest that on your second time around, make a point of reading the songs. You might be surprised and find that you like them. And if you don't, then at least you know their substance and never have to read them again.

[galadriel]

I'd definitely recommend reading most of the poetry and songs in LOTR. A few of them *are* pretty annoying, like the repetitive songs of Tom Bombadil or the majority of the hobbits' walking songs, but it helps to at least skim these and get a sense of what the characters are like. Most of the poetry is wonderful, from Bilbo's verses on Earendil to Galadriel's songs of Valinor to the amusing inn song that Frodo sings at Bree. If you haven't read the verses initially, then make a point of reading it the next time you read the book!

[Wiggy_The_Young_Took]

The first time I read LOTR I also looked over the poems but know I find them great, especially after listening to the BBC radio production of LOTR which brings the poems to life, trust me the poems are beutiful with the music on that production.

[Theodred]

The first time I read LOTR, I read the poems, and I thought they were great. Especially the Elven songs, they were very powerful!

[thephantomcat]

I read them the first time, but some I enjoyed more than others. The SECOND time I read them, I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF THEM! Sorry for shouting. Do whatever helps you get through it and enjoy it.

[ladyisme]

Not only do the poems forshadow the plot and give insights into the characters, but they also act as a way to tie the story together. An example would be the walking song, whitch fist appears in The Hobbit and then it evolves and recures through out LOTR.

"The road goes ever on and on down from the door where it began."

P.S. If you really want to be impressed listen to the sung versions at Rivendell.

[hiku747]

wow, i cant believe all of you skipped over the songs or found them boring!! i love them, they are so incredibly beautiful! i wouldnt miss one word that tolkien wrote in a book! they let you in on so much history, i wish i could have some fair elven maiden sing them to me!!

[Idril Celebrindal]

I was younger, and poetry really didn't appeal... now, I love Tolkien's poems.