Dear #Tolkien Fans,
It's hard to see the vision with which #TheRingsofPower is using the source material (#LOTR/#Silmarillion) to make visual/dramatic art.
But I say we ought to treat the source text with some skepticism as well. (1/5)
In the words of the late #HilaryMantel —
(2/5)
Tolkien was brilliant at writing Epics. It's why we love his works!
However, you are not giving Tolkien enough credit (as a global thinker) if you don't see that he wrote his works from the pov of certain characters that carry implicit biases; him included.
(3/5)
#LOTR— Written from the pov of Hobbits. Hobbits who were considered the least of the races of Middle-earth; they also saw themselves as less compared to others.
Why wouldn't they write Elrond as one of the most flawless/most wise/most honest Elf they've ever met?
(4/5)
#TheSilmarillion— Written from pov of an Elven historian, i.e., an Elven Herodotus who might be projecting Elven bias into text.
Why wouldn't he write Gil-galad as the greatest and wisest Elven-kings that ever lived?
(great + wise; doesn't mean he doesn't doubt)
(5/5)
#TheRingsOfPower isn't a 1:1 re-telling of Tolkien. It needn't be. It's a creative interpretation of Tolkien's works; thoughtful even. I think we should celebrate that.
If this show makes one more casual person a Tolkien reader, we have won a great battle against apathy.
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