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squire
Half-elven
Sep 18 2017, 12:21am
Post #1 of 6
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**Party Time!** The Two Tomes: A QUIZ
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We have a remarkable pair of anniversaries to celebrate this month: the publication of two of Professor Tolkien’s most important books, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. The first was released in Great Britain on September 21, 1937, 80 years ago. The second was edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher, on September 15, 1977, 40 years ago.
For fun, here are the book reviews from the NY Times:
The Hobbit, reviewed by Anne Eaton, March 13, 1938 (the U.S. release was the following spring). I love that they used the trolls illustration! It starts, “THIS is one of the most freshly original and delightfully imaginative books for children that have appeared in many a long day….”
The Silmarillion, reviewed by John Gardner, October 23, 1977, with a neat illustration of Morgoth and the Silmarils. He opens with “THE power and beauty of J. R. R. Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ guarantees in advance the importance and interest of ‘The Silmarillion’, his account of all that happened earlier in his imaginary kingdom of towers, dwarfs, elves and men.”
What I never knew until I got my feet wet on TORn was that The Silmarillion, although published so much later, was actually being written in the same years as The Hobbit. Its roots go much further back, as you may know – all the way to World War I. But Tolkien rewrote his older tales several times, and very much of what finally appeared in 1977 had been fully written down in the 1930s.
Hmmm. Same author. Same fantasy universe, more or less. Same time of composition. How the heck are we supposed to tell these two books apart??
Oh, easy, you say. The Hobbit is of course a children’s adventure book with a hobbit in it. The Sil, on the other hand, is an elevated Elvish mythology with an epic tone. Ah, so easy, then, that you will have no problem with this commemorative quiz.
Can you identify which of the two books the following ten passages come from? You may even be able to identify where in the books the passages come from, but we’ll call that ‘extra credit’. Just do the easy part. Answers, whited out, will be provided at the end, of course.
1. Their gloaming hair was twined with flowers; green and white gems glinted on their collars and their belts; and their faces and their songs were filled with mirth.
2. They built a bridge of stone over the river, by which alone the gates could be entered. Beyond the gates wide passages ran down to high halls and chambers far below that were hewn in the living stone.
3. It was as if a globe had been filled with moonlight and hung before them in a net woven of the glint of frosty stars.
4. The ancient race of the northern mountains were the greatest of all birds; they were proud and strong and noble-hearted.
5. There stood a single hill of great extent and gentle slopes, but seeming mightier than it was, for it stood alone.
6. They dwelt most often by the edges of the woods, from which they could escape at times to hunt, or to ride and run over the open lands by moonlight or starlight; and after the coming of Men they took ever more and more to the gloaming and the dusk.
7. There were fountains of silver, and basins of marble, and floors of many-coloured stones. Carven figures of beasts and birds there ran upon the walls, or climbed upon the pillars, or peered among the branches entwined with many flowers.
8. Then the Dwarves looked upon the work of their fathers, and they beheld with wonder the shining jewel.
9. But cropping out of the ground, right in the path of the stream which looped itself about it, was a great rock, almost a hill of stone, like a last outpost of the distant mountains.
10. The bridge then he broke down and cast into the foam … and being thus secure he gathered all the hoard and riches … and heaped them, and lay upon them in the innermost hall, and rested a while.
If you thought you saw any stylistic or thematic clues that made it ever so easy to tell these two books apart, please share your ideas! I have my own take on that subject, but what did you think?
ANSWERS
Oh, at least try a few of them!
1. Hobbit 8; The feast of the Wood-elves of Mirkwood
2. Silmarillion 10; Dwarves build Menegroth for Thingol
3. Hobbit 16; Bard and the Elvenking behold the Arkenstone
4. Hobbit 6; Trapped in the trees by wargs and goblins
5. Silmarillion 14; Description of Amon Ereb in Beleriand
6. Hobbit 8; The Wood-elves of Mirkwood
7. Silmarillion 10; Thingol’s palace, Menegroth
8. Silmarillion 22; The Dwarves are to set the Silmaril into the necklace of the Nauglamir
9. Hobbit 7; Approaching the Carrock
10. Silmarillion 21; Glaurung takes over Nargothrond
Thanks for playing! Now go read the books again!
squire online:
RR Discussions: The Valaquenta, A Shortcut to Mushrooms, and Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit
Lights! Action! Discuss on the Movie board!: 'A Journey in the Dark'. and 'Designing The Two Towers'.
Archive: All the TORn Reading Room Book Discussions (including the 1st BotR Discussion!) and Footerama: "Tolkien would have LOVED it!"
Dr. Squire introduces the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: A Reader's Diary
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(This post was edited by squire on Sep 18 2017, 12:21am)
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Sep 18 2017, 12:26pm
Post #2 of 6
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*mods up* Love the Reviews! :D
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I'm so used to having these stories around, I forget that they were brand new once upon a time and open to reviews positive and negative.
GREAT QUIZ!!! Thanks squire!
Many of these I guessed at because I think I know The Hobbit more than The Silmarillion... but I still predicted humiliation that proved to be true after checking the answers ;) It's amazing how many of these could be from either story!
So many of these excerpts are equally wonderful at describing the intriguing beauty or wonder of something; which is why, for me, Tolkien's stories are so rich and enchanting.
1. Their gloaming hair was twined with flowers; green and white gems glinted on their collars and their belts; and their faces and their songs were filled with mirth.
...Hobbit – Wood-elves feasting in Mirkwood when the Company finds them
2. They built a bridge of stone over the river, by which alone the gates could be entered. Beyond the gates wide passages ran down to high halls and chambers far below that were hewn in the living stone.
...Hobbit – entrance to Thranduil's caves
3. It was as if a globe had been filled with moonlight and hung before them in a net woven of the glint of frosty stars.
...Hobbit – description of the Arkenstone
4. The ancient race of the northern mountains were the greatest of all birds; they were proud and strong and noble-hearted.
...Hobbit – description of the Eagles
5. There stood a single hill of great extent and gentle slopes, but seeming mightier than it was, for it stood alone.
...Sil
6. They dwelt most often by the edges of the woods, from which they could escape at times to hunt, or to ride and run over the open lands by moonlight or starlight; and after the coming of Men they took ever more and more to the gloaming and the dusk.
...Hobbit – more description of the Wood-elves
7. There were fountains of silver, and basins of marble, and floors of many-coloured stones. Carven figures of beasts and birds there ran upon the walls, or climbed upon the pillars, or peered among the branches entwined with many flowers.
...Sil... although it sounds like it could be Thranduil's Throne room
8. Then the Dwarves looked upon the work of their fathers, and they beheld with wonder the shining jewel.
...Sil – again... could fit The Hobbit, but the first time The Hobbit dwarves saw the Arkenstone was in Gandalf's hand outside the gate.
9. But cropping out of the ground, right in the path of the stream which looped itself about it, was a great rock, almost a hill of stone, like a last outpost of the distant mountains.
...Hobbit – the Carrock
10. The bridge then he broke down and cast into the foam … and being thus secure he gathered all the hoard and riches … and heaped them, and lay upon them in the innermost hall, and rested a while. ...Sil
We have been there and back again.
TIME Google Calendar
6th draft of TH:AUJ Geeky Observations List - November 28, 2013
4th draft of TH:DOS Geeky Observations List - May 15, 2014
5th draft of TH:BotFA Geeky Observations List - January 30, 2015
TORn's Geeky Observations Lists for LotR and The Hobbit
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Bracegirdle
Valinor
Sep 18 2017, 4:25pm
Post #3 of 6
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I haven't read The sil for moons on end, but I'll give my best shot. (Well, I haven't made a fool out of myself yet today. But then this is my first post  ...)
Thanks for a tough quiz with a tough twist.
1. The Elves of the Woodland Realm..
2. The Sil. Dwarf stone-work?
3. Want to say a silmaril -- but I won't, I won't! Was the Arkenstone round?
4. Best shot - The Hobbit - The Eagles
5. Gotta be Erebor.. but "gentle slopes" - I guess not
6. Wanted to say "Woodmen of Mirkwood" but nay "coming of men" shoots that.
7. Looks Sil-y to me... Guess
8. I think I got this - the nauglamir with silmaril...maybe
9. Thanks, for a fairly easy one. Carrock..
10. Gotta be from The Sil. cause I can't think of any big-baddies that broke down bridges in The Hobbit.. (process of elimination)
And now the inevitable peekee . . . 
‘. . . the rule of no realm is mine . . .
But all worthy things that are in peril . . . those are my care.
For I also am a steward. Did you not know?'
Gandalf to Denethor
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Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Sep 18 2017, 9:26pm
Post #4 of 6
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because I've never read the Sil. I'm guessing 2, 4 & 10 were from "The Hobbit," but that's all I can think of. Been awhile since I've read TH.
Check out my new book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521753377
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Eruvandi
Tol Eressea
Sep 19 2017, 4:35pm
Post #5 of 6
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I love seeing the old reviews!
My answers to the quiz:
1. The Hobbit
The green and white gems give this one away since the Mirkwood elves like those and also were having their feast and being all mirthful when the dwarves/Bilbo found them.
2. The Silmarillion
Almost thought this was Thranduil’s hall, but the “hewn in living stone” part makes me think Silmarillion and Thingol’s halls instead.
3. Silmarillion
The “net woven of the glint of frosty stars” makes me think this is the Nauglamir?
4. Hobbit
The eagles!
5. Hobbit
Wild guess. Sounds like Ravenhill, maybe?
6. Hobbit
I love this description of the wood elves, so I remembered it.
7. Silmarillion
Sounds like a fancier elven hall than was ever described in The Hobbit, so I’m thinking it might be Thingol’s. (Also Donato Giancola’s painting of Beren and Luthien in Thingol’s halls—which I have saved to my computer and often appears in my wallpaper slideshow—features all these things because he’s that good with detail!)
8. Hobbit
Sounds Arkenstone-like.
9. Silmarillion
Wild guess.
10. Silmarillion
The bridge made me think of Nargothrond and Glaurung.
*peeks at answers* Whoops, looks like I missed 4 out of 10. I'm actually re-reading the Hobbit now, but it's been over a year since my last read and I haven't gotten to the parts referred to in the quiz quite yet, LOL! :p
I'm still here
Hope is rising, waking up my soul
I'm still here
All my broken, turning beautiful
'Cause I feel my heartbeat beating
And my lungs breathe breathing
Guess my God's not done with me yet
I'm still here
All my yesterdays are gone
And the best is yet to come.
~"I'm Still Here" Mandisa
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Sep 20 2017, 2:20am
Post #6 of 6
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This is going to be a bit tricksy, I think! My guesses:
1. Their gloaming hair was twined with flowers; green and white gems glinted on their collars and their belts; and their faces and their songs were filled with mirth.
The non-tra-la-la-lally Sil.
2. They built a bridge of stone over the river, by which alone the gates could be entered. Beyond the gates wide passages ran down to high halls and chambers far below that were hewn in the living stone.
The Hobbit: the Elvenking's halls.
3. It was as if a globe had been filled with moonlight and hung before them in a net woven of the glint of frosty stars.
The Hobbit, I think: the description of the Arkenstone.
4. The ancient race of the northern mountains were the greatest of all birds; they were proud and strong and noble-hearted.
The Hobbit, the description of the Eagles.
5. There stood a single hill of great extent and gentle slopes, but seeming mightier than it was, for it stood alone.
The Sil, but I'm not what's being described.
6. They dwelt most often by the edges of the woods, from which they could escape at times to hunt, or to ride and run over the open lands by moonlight or starlight; and after the coming of Men they took ever more and more to the gloaming and the dusk.
Almost sounds like the Elvenking's folk, but I think this is from the Sil.
7. There were fountains of silver, and basins of marble, and floors of many-coloured stones. Carven figures of beasts and birds there ran upon the walls, or climbed upon the pillars, or peered among the branches entwined with many flowers.
Not sure why, but I think this is the Hobbit.
8. Then the Dwarves looked upon the work of their fathers, and they beheld with wonder the shining jewel.
The Sil.
9. But cropping out of the ground, right in the path of the stream which looped itself about it, was a great rock, almost a hill of stone, like a last outpost of the distant mountains.
Ravenhill, The Hobbit.
10. The bridge then he broke down and cast into the foam … and being thus secure he gathered all the hoard and riches … and heaped them, and lay upon them in the innermost hall, and rested a while.
Smaug, in The Hobbit.
Now to check the answers...Yikes! 5 out of 10 (and I got the place for #9 wrong)!
Thank you for the quiz, squire, but it looks like I need to do a re-read!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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