Ode to the Horses: Tolkien Reading Day 2023 (2)

A single soldier on his horse, during a cavalry patrol in World War I. From The Atlantic, courtesy of the National Library of Scotland

Horses and ponies appeared frequently in Middle-earth legendarium, and just like in any fantasy world or real world, characters could not achieve their goals without their presence. However, despite the fact that they were among the most important native animals of Middle-earth, horses here were mostly mentioned as means for the characters to reach their destinations. Even with the frequent mentions of notable horses and their deeds inform us that Tolkien had great appreciation toward these creatures beyond seeing them as beasts to ride.

Sorrowful Love, Hopeful Love (Tolkien Reading Day 2022)

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“For long years he (Amroth) had loved her, and taken no wife, since she would not wed with him. She loved him indeed, for he was beautiful even for one of the Eldar, and valiant and wise; but she was of the Silvan elves, and regretted the incoming of the Elves from the West, who (as she said) brought wars and destroyed the peace of old. She would speak only the Silvan tongue, even after it had fallen into disuse among the folk of Lorien; and she dwelt alone beside the falls of the river Nimrodel to which she gave her name.”

Unfinished Tales Part 2, Ch. 4: The History of Galadriel and Celeborn and of Amroth King of Lorien

Great love stories are tinged with sorrow. That’s one thing to notice when you read about the stories of lovers in Middle-earth legendarium. Even the legendary love tales, like between Beren and Lúthien, have this bittersweet quality that seeps into your heart, long after the story is supposed to end at the blissful “happily ever after”. Dig deeper into Tolkien’s “love stories”, and you will see characters languishing because of the lack of love, displaying the twisted form of “love”, or losing their loved ones. Many couples had their love unrequited, nipped at the bud, turned sour, or doomed.

Niphredil, Snowdrops: the Blooms of Courage and Hope

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The grass was studded with small golden flowers…. Among them, nodding on slender stalks, were other flowers, white and palest green: they glimmered as a mist amid the rich hue of the grass…. “Behold! You are come to Cerin Amroth…. Here ever bloom the winter flowers in the unfading grass: the yellow elanor, and the pale niphredil.”

J. R. R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 2, Chapter 6: Lothlórien

Following the theme of Courage and Hope in Tolkien Reading Day 2021, I found myself reverting from the grand ideas, preferring to peer at the smaller, humbler things that are also parts of Middle-earth legendarium. Just like how the home-loving Hobbits turned into unexpected heroes in Tolkien’s stories, the presence of small, seemingly insignificant objects like flowers symbolized grander meaning than their humble appearances. One that received meaningful treatments in Middle-earth legendarium is niphredil, a small white flower that first grew in the magically hidden land of Doriath, and could be found among the golden trees of Lothlórien.

Reflections of Eärendil and Túrin Turambar in a Bugis Mythical Hero

Eärendil, by alarie-tano

Shared themes are not unusual in the world of mythology and folklore. Tolkien created characters like Eärendil and Túrin Turambar to explore themes like voyage, unavoidable tragedy, and familial taboo. Readers could find pieces of these characters reflected in previously-famous figures, like Odyssey from Ancient Greece and Kullervo from Finnish Kalevala. However, a parallel can be drawn from even less culturally familiar source: an epic creation myth of the Bugis from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, titled La Galigo. Sawerigading, the central figure in the myth, is a rich and complicated character that has subtle parallel with Tolkien’s similarly iconic heroes.

Ulmo dan Maknanya Menjadi Penguasa Air

The Wrath of Ulmo, oleh Ralph Damiani

Dalam artikel sebelumnya, saya membahas laut secara spesifik terkait domain spesifik dari Ossë dan Uinen, makhluk spiritual tingkat rendah (Maiar) yang mewakili dua sifat laut yang saling berlawanan. Akan tetapi, jika dibandingkan dengan Ulmo, keduanya hanya mewakili sebagian kecil dari kekuatan air yang terkandung dalam dunia Tolkien. Melihat keterlibatan Ulmo dalam banyak peristiwa di Middle-earth, bahkan melebihi keterlibatan langsung Valar lain, menarik melihat apa makna sebenarnya menjadi “penguasa air” dalam legendarium Tolkien.

Ossë, Uinen, dan Dualitas Kekuatan Laut

Ossë and Uinen, oleh Kimberly

Mitologi modern ciptaan Tolkien mengusung karakter para Valar, sosok spiritual tinggi yang melaksanakan kehendak Iluvatar (sosok pencipta) di Middle-earth. Setiap Vala memiliki vassal (pengikut) berupa makhluk spiritual berkedudukan lebih rendah yang memiliki deskripsi tugas spesifik. Ulmo, Vala penguasa perairan yang termasuk dalam jajaran Valar terkuat, memiliki pengikut bernama Ossë dan Uinen yang berdomain di laut dan pesisir Middle-earth. Walau hanya disebut sangat sedikit dalam manuskrip Tolkien, kedua makhluk spiritual ini melambangkan sesuatu yang lebih dalam: dualitas dan kontradiksi yang ditunjukkan oleh lautan.

Tentang Berúthiel: Ratu Kucing dan Perwujudan Musim Dingin

Berúthiel mungkin adalah tokoh minor dalam legendarium Tolkien, namun sosoknya yang misterius adalah perwujudan sempurna dari tokoh wanita berkarakter menonjol yang kerap dilabeli “sulit dipahami”. Begitu kuat penggambarannya sehingga namanya menjadi sosok legenda, disebut secara sepintas oleh karakter dalam The Lord of the Rings sebagai referensi kuno, walau namanya telah dihapus dari kitab para raja dan ratu Gondor. “Kucing” dan “musim dingin” adalah dua kata yang terkait erat dengan sosok Berúthiel, dan penggambaran dirinya bahkan bisa ditarik ke inspirasi tokoh wanita unik lainnya dalam mitologi Nordik.

Which Batik Motifs Represent Specific Tolkien Characters?

Batik refers to a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to a fabric. The technique is popular in many countries, but Indonesian batik patterns are famous for their rich motifs. Batik is currently enjoying a revival in Indonesia after years of being considered old-fashioned. The word batik was first recorded in English in Encyclopedia Britannica in 1880 (spelled battik).

Batik has a unique philosophy in each of its motifs. In the past, some motifs were even considered exclusive (batik larangan = “forbidden batik”), and only certain people could wear them. This often makes me wonder: if Tolkien characters wore batik in their daily life, what kind of motif that will suit them? Here’s my simple take on them.

Tentang Legolas

Legolas adalah karakter dengan penggambaran unik dalam legendarium Middle-earth. Dia memiliki peran besar, namun pada saat yang sama, deskripsi eksplisit tentangnya relatif terbatas. Popularitasnya membuat para pembaca dan fans film The Lord of the Rings menciptakan sendiri gambaran tentangnya. Anda harus “membaca makna di balik tulisan” jika ingin mengetahui lebih jauh dimensi karakter Legolas.

Legolas Draws the Bow of Galadriel, oleh Michael Kaluta

Tentang Thranduil

Dari sekian banyak karakter yang hadir di dalam LOTR dan The Hobbit, Thranduil mungkin salah satu yang memancing teka-teki, terutama karena tidak banyak informasi tentang dirinya yang bisa dikorek jika hanya dari kedua buku tersebut. Pohon keluarganya pun sangat unik: hanya ada satu garis yang menghubungkan antara Thranduil dengan Oropher (ayahnya) dan Legolas (anaknya), dan tentu saja saya tidak mengharapkan mereka berkembang biak dengan membelah diri. Jadi, apa yang bisa kita ketahui dari karakter ini?