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J. R. R. Tolkien Quotes

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Famous J. R. R. Tolkien Quotes

“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. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.”

DoeLightFaithLostStrongFireInspireBrokenKingsSpringShadowRootsGoldRingsWanderAshesBladesFellowshipFrostGlitterStrength Of WillFrodoWitheringFellowship Of The RingMiddle EarthFrodo BagginsReturn Of The KingLord Of The RingShireDeep RootsSamwiseFantasy NovelsStriderWandering MindGondorStrong Roots
Book:The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne 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.”

MenLyingDiesThreeDarkLordDarknessSkyLandKingsShadowStonesSevenRingsNineMortalsHallsDoomedThronesGeekDwarfsDwarvesFellowship Of The RingMiddle EarthBooks And MoviesLord Of The RingMordor
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“I have claimed that Escape is one of the main functions of fairy-stories, and since I do not disapprove of them, it is plain that I do not accept the tone of scorn or pity with which 'Escape' is now so often used. Why should a man be scorned if, finding himself in prison, he tries to get out and go home? Or if he cannot do so, he thinks and talks about other topics than jailers and prison-walls?”

IfsThinkingMenShouldTryingStoriesHomeUsedAcceptingWallFindingsFunctionPrisonPityToneFairyTopicsScornEscapismScornedFairy StoriesJailerPrison WallsFantasy StoriesFiction Stories
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“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.”

NeedsSaidDeathGivenWishHappenedRingsMy TimeFellowshipFrodoFellowship Of The RingMiddle EarthFrodo BagginsTwo TowersLord Of The RingGaladrielGreat HobbitSauronDeciding What To Do
Book:The Lord of the Rings: One Volume
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“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.”

WarOur LivesGloryWarriorTowersArrowsDestroyersMiddle EarthSharpnessTwo TowersLord Of The RingSwiftnessSilmarillion
Book:The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folk of different race, even between Dwarves and Elves.' It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned,' said Gimli. I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves,' said Legolas. I have heard both,' said Gandalf[.]”

SaidStillsDifferentRaceHeardFaultsFolksDwarvesDifferent RacesHappier DaysClose FriendshipGimli
Book:The Lord of the Rings: One Volume
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“We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Indeed only by myth-making, only by becoming 'sub-creator' and inventing stories, can Man aspire to the state of perfection that he knew before the Fall. Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour, while materialistic 'progress' leads only to a yawning abyss and the Iron Crown of the power of evil.”

MenMayStatesPhilosophyStoriesLightFallEvilProgressBecomingEternalPerfectionErrorsCreatorMythIronCrownsAspireAbyssFragmentsInventingWovenMaterialisticSteersMisguidedHarbourYawningInventing Stories
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“And Gandalf said: "This is your realm, and the heart of the greater realm that shall be. The Third Age of the world is ended, and the new age is begun; and it is your task to order its beginning and to preserve what must be preserved. For though much has been saved, much must now pass away; and the power of the Three Rings also is ended. And all the lands that you see, and those that lie round about them, shall be dwellings of Men. For the time comes of the Dominion of Men, and the Elder Kindred shall fade or depart.”

MenWorldHeartHas BeensSaidAgeLyingOrderThreeGreaterLandTasksThirdsRoundsSavedRingsPreservesRealmsFadesNew AgeEldersDwellingDominionPassing AwayKindred
Book:The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings
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“The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet it is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: Small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.”

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Book:The Lord of the Rings: One Volume
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“In one thing you have not changed, dear friend," said Aragorn: "you still speak in riddles." "What? In riddles?" said Gandalf. "No! For I was talking aloud to myself. A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying.”

PersonsLongSaidStillsYoungSpeakTalkingOne ThingChangedNeededHabitDearExplanationWisestRiddleDear Friend
Book:The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“Fairy tale does not deny the existence of sorrow and failure: the possibility of these is necessary to the joy of deliverance. It denies (in the face of much evidence, if you will) universal final defeat...giving a fleeting glimpse of Joy; Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief.”

IfsWorldGivingDoeFacesJoyGriefExistencePossibilityWallSorrowEvidenceUniversalFinalsDefeatDenyTalesFairyFairy TaleGlimpseFleetingDeliverancePoignant
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“Kings built tombs more splendid than the houses of the living and counted the names of their descent dearer than the names of their sons. Childless lords sat in aged halls musing on heraldry or in high cold towers asking questions of the stars. And so the kingdom of Gondor sank into ruin, the line of kings failed, the white tree withered and the rule of Gondor was given over to lesser men.”

MenHouseNamesGivenStarsLinesWhiteLordTreeSonColdKingsBuiltAskingKingdomsRuinsSatHallsTowersSplendidTombsDescentAsking QuestionsMusingsWitheredGondor
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“Journey’s end In western lands beneath the Sun The flowers may rise in Spring, The trees may bud, the waters run, The merry finches sing. Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night, And swaying branches bear The Elven-stars as jewels white Amid their branching hair. Though here at journey's end I lie In darkness buried deep, Beyond all towers strong and high, Beyond all mountains steep, Above all shadows rides the Sun And Stars for ever dwell: I will not say the Day is done, Nor bid the Stars farewell.J.”

MayEndsDoneRunningLyingNightStrongStarsWaterWhiteDarknessSunTreeJourneyLandFlowerHairBearsMountainSpringShadowWesternBranchesBuriedTowersFarewellJewelsMerryBudSteepSwayingSun And StarsFinches
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“Ho! Ho! Ho! To the bottle I go To heal my heart and drown my woe Rain may fall, and wind may blow And many miles be still to go But under a tall tree will I lie And let the clouds go sailing by”

HeartMayStillsLyingFallTreeWindMy HeartRainDrinkingCloudsBlowAlcoholMilesHealTallBottlesSailingWoeLiquorFunny DrinkingDrinking FunnyTall Trees
Book:The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“Fare well we call to hearth and hall Though wind may blow and rain may fall We must away ere break of day Over the wood and mountain tall To Rivendell where Elves yet dwell In glades beneath the misty fell Through moor and waste we ride in haste And wither then we cannot tell With foes ahead behind us dread Beneath the sky shall be our bed Until at last our toil be sped Our journey done, our errand sped We must away! We must away! We ride before the break of day!”

WellsMayDoneLastsFallBehindsBreakJourneySkyWindBedMountainWasteRainBlowWoodsHallsTallDreadToilFoeHasteMistyErrandsMoorsSped
Book:The Lord of the Rings: One Volume
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