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The Council of Westmarch
Public Group active 9 months, 2 weeks agoWe are a Montana-based Tolkien fan community dedicated to the Professor’s works, and to fellowship, friendship, and the community that links us together. Our late September Baggins’ birthday celebration is the highlight of our year at APoSM (A Party of Special Magnificence). Our podcast, “The Wardens of Westmarch,” can be heard Tuesdays on Middle-earth Network Radio. Feel free to use this forum for discussion. We can also use any donations you may feel compelled to give (securely via Paypal on our site). Please visit our website at http://cofwestmarch.mymiddleearth.com for pictures, movies, and more!
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Amber joined the group
The Council of Westmarch 9 months, 2 weeks ago -
Elvishmouse joined the group
The Council of Westmarch 9 months, 3 weeks ago -
harperella joined the group
The Council of Westmarch 10 months, 1 week ago -
Luthien replied to the forum topic The Council of Westmarch Needs a Theme Song! in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 3 months agoWas this ever finished? If not I could work on at least the tune part. Since this was months ago I’m assuming that it was already done, but I figured I’d offer just in case.
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Luthien joined the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 3 months ago -
victoria posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 3 months agogreat episodes!
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theviking posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 3 months agoBoy, was that worth the wait! Both epidsodes were really great, though for very different reasons.
ep5-thank you for talking about how Tolkien himself saw his work! Not that it is a problem with Tolkien fans but there is a huge trend towards total subjectivity in interpreting art. And then of course thepeople who say also act like theirs is…[Read more] -
theviking posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 3 months agoHey! Will the Wardens be beating the bounds again soon? The forces of evil are overrunning us!
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Very, very soon, methinks. We will start by making the long-lost Episode 5 available for download, then air the as yet unaired Episode 6, which will then be available for download right after.
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Good deal, my iPod is hungry!
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fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 4 months agoLook for the Council of Westmarch offcial site to eventually move over to the Middle-earth Network!
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Sounds good! So many cool changes in the last two weeks! Exciting!
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fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 4 months agoThe Wardens of Westmarch is going on a (hopefully) short hiatus due to apparently technical issues, until further notice. Fear not, faithful listeners; we will strive to get back up and airing as soon as we can! Thank you for your patience.
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Release the web elves! I needs my wardens lest the Westmarch fall!
Seriously, I hope you guys are back soon.-
Me too, my friend, me too.
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fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 4 months agoBe sure to tune in tonight at 7PM EST for The Wardens of Westmarch Episode 5! Our interview with John DiBartolo concludes, and he even performs for us!
The Council of Westmarch – A Montana-Based Tolkien Fan CommunityA Montana-Based Tolkien Fan Community -
Ted Nasmith joined the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 4 months ago -
theviking posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 5 months agoJust listened to episode 4 yesterday. THANK YOU for the mere mention of the word typology! It is definitely the best word to describe how Tolkien’s work relates to his faith, especially given how we was consciously set it up as an ancient, pre-Christian mythology.
There are too many people too eager to make allegorical readings of his work. …[Read more]-
Any mythological story written in our culture is going to have Judeo-Christian overtones, we’re just that steeped in it. But I think Galadriel is much too flawed to be a Mary parallel, even if allegory wasn’t abhorrent to Tolkien. She was one of the Noldor that rebelled during/after the Kinslaying. The key feature of Mary allegories is the…[Read more]
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You are of course right on all counts, though I can’t speak to the character similarities you mention since to my great shame I have yet to read the Kalevala or Volsungsaga. I shall have to fix that in the near future, especially given the whole viking moniker. :)
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Always glad for your great feedback! Tolkien, of course draws inspirations for his stories and characters, etc., from a wide variety of sources, but his worldview is ultimately a Christian one. His Letters provide the clearest elucidation of that, along with ”On Fairy Stories.”
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If you want to read excerpts of the Volsungsaga with a Tolkien voice, he reinterpreted the tale of Sigurd and Gudren.
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Good call!
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Actually, I have that one sitting on my shelf. I think I shall pick it up before the year is out…
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Let me know when you have! I don’t know anyone else who’s read it and I’m excited to discuss it with people who actually care! :D
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Will do! Probably be few months yet. I’ve got others to get through first.
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I have Sigurd and Gudren sitting unread on my shelf tool (Volsungsaga as well, from a college course 20 some years ago), maybe we could organize a read through of it over in MEN Bookworms (http://mymiddleearth.com/groups/men-bookworms/)?
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I’d be down with that once I get there.
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I think most of the Mary parallels come from reading LOTR on its own without the other works. If you only read LOTR, it is perhaps easier to make that connection. But even then, it is almost impossible to force her into a Marian allegorical box.
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I was thinking about this conversation the other day, particularly your mention of Tolkien’s typology and Goldberry’s reminder that Tolkien had influences other than Aquinas (which people like me are too prone to overlook) and an interesting thing occurred to me. Tolkien may well have seen the ancient pagan sagas he loved so much as having a…[Read more]
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That is actually very much touched on in Tolkien’s poem Mythopoeia.
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Well, I guess I’m just gonna have to re-read that aren’t I? ;)
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fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 5 months agoIf you listen to The Wardens of Westmarch, please take a little poll on the official site. For some reason it is always like pulling teeth to get people to vote on a poll. :)
The poll is just after the news headlines.
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You. With your ONESIE. You do realize the difference between footie pajamas and a onesie, right?
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Actually, no, I don’t. :)
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A onesie is very different from footie pajamas…. it’s like a body suit. Snaps at the crotch. Terribly unattractive on adults in the creepiest of ways. Footie pajamas, while dorky, would be slightly more dignified apparel for an adult.
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It’s all good with me. ;)
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I’ll take either, but I will still call it a onesie. :)
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I totally just went and voted for myself. We’re getting better.
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You, my friend, need a Wardens of Westmarch onesie. I have the embroidery skills required for this task. What size do you wear?
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Really? :) Well, I’m about 6’2”, and slim. 32 waist, 34 inseam. What else? :)
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Do you have freakishly long arms or normal ones?
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Um…I think pretty normal ones. I’m not a Cro-Magnon or anything. :)
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Poll = done. Although, if I could have chosen two sections, I would have picked both the Red Book and The Golden Perch.
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fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 5 months agoEpisode 4 is now available for download! Subscribe and don’t miss an episode!
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We would be most grateful for nice reviews in iTunes!
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Done!
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Well, thank you, sir! You have shown your quality; the very highest! ;)
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Ha! Nice!
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Listening the latest podcast now. :-) One thing I think a lot of people are missing on the “Cumberbatch possible spoiler” story is that the interview they’re referring to where he mentioned Smaug at the Battle of the 5 “Legions” was from August 2010 (http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1419). As you mentioned in your…[Read more]
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I will not be happy if that happens. Grrr. But I don’t think it will.
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Yes, that was an old interview indeed. We should have mentioned that. People are making too much of it, as they are of the brief clip of Gandalf and Galadriel in the trailer.
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Oh people freaking out over Galadriel touching Gandalf’s face is driving me insane. Everyone touches EVERYONE’S face movies. Its how people who affection, sympathy, and shared pain in film. The end. Or ya know, they were just totally making out. Cause Galadriel is secretly into beards. Its why she like Gimli.
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It’s no different than her touching Aragorn’s face in the movie or kissing Frodo on the forehead. She’s just being ”elven.”
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Agreed. I think it was harmless and suspect when we see the larger scene it will seem like nothing.
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As someone who sports a beard, I’m totally down with Galadriel being to beards! :-D Related, Gimli reminiscing about his request of a single hair from Galadriel’s head is one my favorite scenes in the films, I thought that was handled really well and was a nice break from the Gimli-as-joke theme that permeates the rest of the films (not that he…[Read more]
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Yes, that scene was beautifully played by John Rhys-Davies.
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Amen to all of that! Gimli, Galadriel/Gandalf scene, etc.
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fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 5 months agoCheck out our new logo!
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Designed by Arwen with some input from myself.
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Sweet!
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fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 5 months agoListen to The Wardens of Westmarch Episode 4 in about an hour from now on Middle-earth Network Radio! Shownotes here:
The Wardens of Westmarch » The Council of Westmarch – A Montana-Based Tolkien Fan CommunityA Montana-Based Tolkien Fan Community-
Btw. This is a great show you don’t want to miss. One of my personal favorites.
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Tyler Michael Jonsson joined the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 5 months ago -
fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 5 months agoLook out for our brand-new Episode 4 on Tuesday the 17th!
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Looking forward to it!
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Good! I missed it last week!
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Any ones you’ve missed are available for download at iTunes or Mevio. :)
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Already subscribed!
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Cool! Hope you enjoy!
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fingolphin posted an update in the group
The Council of Westmarch 1 year, 5 months agoThe Wardens of Westmarch Episode 3 is now available for download! Toast the Professor all over again!
The Wardens of Westmarch » The Council of Westmarch – A Montana-Based Tolkien Fan CommunityA Montana-Based Tolkien Fan Community-
Just finished listening. Another great show, especially the interview segment (which will probably always be my favorite). I also liked the discussion about Merry and Pippin.
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Thank you! I always appreciate you taking the time to comment.
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No sweat. Something else occurred to me as well. I think you’re right that there is at least a chance that Tolkien could have screwed up his own creation if he kept messing with it. I’m thinking about his plan to rework his cosmology to be scientifically accurate. That would have led to a very different Simarillion than the one we have now. …[Read more]
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Thanks, but I don’t think I said that. :) Was that in the Founders’ Tolkien birthday show perhaps? I remember someone saying it, also.
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Yeah, I think you’re right…Oh well, whoever it was, was right by golly!
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:)
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Why thank you, Victoria! :)