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J. R. R. Tolkien Quotes

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Famous J. R. R. Tolkien Quotes

“It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass.”

KnowsWorldWayWantEndsSometimesStoriesLordDarknessHappenedDangerShadowRingsPassingPassingsTowersWorth Fighting ForSun ShinesFrodoFrodo BagginsTwo TowersThings Worth Fighting ForSamwiseGreat HobbitFantasy StoriesSam Gamgee
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“I have in this War a burning private grudge — which would probably make me a better soldier at 49 than I was at 22: against that ruddy little ignoramus Adolf Hitler (for the odd thing about demonic inspiration and impetus is that it in no way enhances the purely intellectual stature: it chiefly affects the mere will). Ruining, perverting, misapplying, and making for ever accursed, that noble northern spirit, a supreme contribution to Europe, which I have ever loved, and tried to present in its true light.”

WayLittlesWarLightInspirationSpiritIntellectualEuropeMereSoldierNobleSupremeBurningOddContributionGrudgeStatureDemonicImpetusOdd Things
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“You are a set of deceitful scoundrels! But bless you! I give in. I will take Gildor's advice. If the danger were not so dark, I should dance for joy. Even so, I cannot help feeling happy; happier than I have felt for a long time.”

IfsGivingShouldLongHelpingFeelingsJoyLyingFeltDarkAdviceDangerLong TimeDeceitBlessScoundrelsDeceitfulFeeling Happy
Book:The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“Dear me! We Tooks and Brandybucks, we can't live long on the heights.' 'No,' said Merry. 'I can't. Not yet, at any rate. But at least, Pippin, we can now see them, and honour them. It is best to love first what you are fitted to love, I suppose: you must start somewhere and have some roots, and the soil of the Shire is deep. Still there are things deeper and higher; and not a gaffer could tend his garden in what he calls peace but for them, whether he knows about them or not.”

KnowsFirstsLongSaidStillsI CanHigherGardenRootsRateDearDeeperHeightSoilHonourMerryPippinShireDear Me
Book:The Lord of the Rings: One Volume
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“But Sam turned to Bywater, and so came back up the Hill, as day was ending once more. And he went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap. He drew a deep breath. ‘Well, I’m back,’ he said”

WellsLittlesSaidLightFireReadyBreathsRoseExpectedEveningHillsMealsChairsYellowLapDeep BreathI'm BackFire WithinYellow Light
Book:The Lord of the Rings: The return of the King
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“To the sea, to the sea! The white gulls are crying, The wind is blowing, and the white foam is flying. West, west away, the round sun is falling, Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling, The voices of my people that have gone before me? I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me; For our days are ending and our years failing. I will pass the wide waters lonely sailing. Long are the waves on the Last Shore falling, Sweet are the voices in the Lost Isle calling, In Eressea, in Elvenhome that no man can discover, Where the leaves fall not: land of my people forever!”

PeopleMenYearsLongLastsFallLostVoiceWaterWhiteSunGoneForeverFailingSeaLandCrySweetWindCallingLonelyWestRoundsWaveWoodsWideFlyingShipsShoreBoresSailingGreyFoamIsleGulls
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“A sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror, welled up in Bilbo's heart: a glimpse of endless unmarked days without light or hope of betterment, hard stone, cold fish, sneaking and whispering. All these thoughts passed in a flash of a second. He trembled. And then quite suddenly in another flash, as if lifted by a new strength and resolve, he leaped.”

IfsHeartHardLightUnderstandingColdHorrorStonesFishesEndlessPityResolveFlashGlimpseWhisperingBettermentStone Cold
Book:The Hobbit
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“Man, Sub-creator, the refracted light through whom is splintered from a single White to many hues, and endlessly combined in living shapes that move from mind to mind. Though all the crannies of the world we filled with Elves and Goblins, though we dared to build Gods and their houses out of dark and light, and sowed the seed of dragons, 'twas our right (used or misused). The right has not decayed. We make still by the law in which we're made.”

MenWorldMindMadeStillsLightMovingLawUsedHouseDarkWhiteShapesFilledCreatorSeedsDragonsHueMisusedGoblin
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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“Nay! Alas for us all! And for all that walk in the world in these after-days. For such is the way of it: to find and lose, as it seems to those whose boat is on the running stream. But I count you blessed [...] for your loss you suffer of your own free will, and you might have chosen otherwise. But you have not forsaken your companions, and the least reward that you shall have is that the memory of Lothlórien shall remain ever clear and unstained in your heart, and shall neither fade nor grow stale.”

WorldWayHeartSeemsMightRunningSufferingGrowsLosesMemoriesLossWalksClearBlessedRewardsChosenBoatStreamsFree WillCompanionFadesAlasStaleForsakenYour LossGimli
Book:The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are all alight. Then world behind and home ahead, We'll wander back and home to bed. Mist and twilight, cloud and shade, Away shall fade! Away shall fade!”

WorldHomeNightStarsBehindsPathBedShadowCloudsEdgesWanderShadeFadesTwilightMistFade AwayMany Paths
Book:The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“Then Frodo came forward and took the crown from Faramir and bore it to Gandalf; and Aragorn knelt, and Gandalf set the White Crown upon his head and said: Now come the days of the King, and may they be blessed while the thrones of the Valar endure!”

MaySaidWhiteKingsBlessedEndureCrownsBoresThronesBeing BlessedFrodoFrodo BagginsFaramir
Book:The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings
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“The woman turned and went slowly into the house. As she passed the doors she turned and looked back. Grave and thoughtful was her glance, as she looked on the king with cool pity in here eyes. Very fair was her face, and her long hair was like a river of gold. Slender and tall she was in her white robe girt with silver; but strong she seemed and stern as steel, a daughter of kings.”

LongEyeFacesHouseStrongWhiteDoorsHairKingsDaughterFairsRiversGoldGravesPityThoughtfulSilverTallSteelGlancesRobesSlenderLong HairEowyn
Book:The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“Thus Aragorn for the first time in the full light of day beheld Éowyn, Lady of Rohan, and thought her fair, fair and cold, like a morning of pale spring that is not yet come to womanhood. And she was now suddenly aware of him: tall heir of kings, wise with many winters, greycloaked, hiding a power that yet she felt. For a moment still as stone she stood, then turning swiftly she was gone.”

FirstsStillsMomentsLightFeltMorningGoneWiseColdKingsSpringFirst TimeFairsStonesWinterTallHidingPaleWomanhoodHeirsEowynRohan
Book:The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of The Lord of the Rings
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“And yet, Eomer, I say to you that she loves you more truly than me, for you she loves and knows; but in me she loves only a shadow and a thought: a hope of glory and great deeds, and lands far from the fields of Rohan. - Aragorn to Eomer, of Eowyn”

KnowsLandLove YouFieldsGloryShadowDeedsLove You MoreEowynRohan
Book:The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings
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“My friend, you had horses, and deed of arms, and the free fields; but she, being born in the body of a maid, had a spirit and courage at least the match of yours. Yet she was doomed to wait upon an old man, whom she loved as a father, and watch him falling into a mean dishonoured dotage; and her part seemed to her more ignoble than that of the staff he leaned on. -Gandalf to Eomer, of Eowyn”

MenMeanBodySpiritFallFatherWaitingBornWatchesFieldsArmsMy FriendsHorseDeedsOld ManStaffDoomedMaidsIgnobleEowyn
Book:The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings
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“Then, Éowyn of Rohan, I say to you that you are beautiful. In the valleys of our hills there are flowers fair and bright, and maidens fairer still; but neither flower nor lady have I seen till now in Gondor so lovely, and so sorrowful. It may be that only a few days are left ere darkness falls upon our world, and when it comes I hope to face it steadily; but it would ease my heart, if while the Sun yet shines, I could see you still. For you and I have both passed under the wings of the Shadow, and the same hand drew us back.”

IfsWorldHeartMayStillsHandsBeautifulFacesFallLeftDarknessSunFlowerMy HeartShadowFairsWingsShiningLovelyHillsEaseOur WorldValleysMaidensSorrowfulYou Are BeautifulGondorRohan
Author:J. R. R. Tolkien
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