Some of the best romantic pairings have come from literature. As fangirls, the written word has often been a refuge for us, and reading about our favorite characters finding love can be a beautiful experience. In our third collab of the month, we share a few of our favorites.

(If you see a blank space, it's probably a spoiler. Highlight it to read.)

Izzy Stevenson

Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks

From the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Lupin (left) and Tonks (right). Illustration by Mary GrandPre.

I’ve always been a fan of characters who you would never expect to be a couple, but at the same time feel perfectly matched. When I first started shipping Lupin and Tonks at the start of Order of the Phoenix, I expected my OTP to be considered a crack ship. He was older, calm, and shy; she was youthful, outgoing, and rebellious. But I couldn’t help it. Something about it just felt right. You can imagine my surprise when the author revealed she also apparently felt they belonged together. Tonks and Lupin may have had some rocky patches in their relationship, to say the least; but to me, they’ll always be my miracle ship that became canon against all odds.

Marianne Dashwood and Colonel Brandon 

From Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Illustration of Col. Brandon visiting Marianne by C.E. Brock.

At the start of Sense and Sensibility, you would never think of pairing Marianne and Colonel Brandon. They young woman is frivolous and highly emotional, with her head in the clouds, and doesn’t think too highly of the calm and somber older man. Colonel Brandon on the other hand has fallen deeply in love with Marianne, though his dream of earning her heart seems hopeless. But as time goes on, and Brandon reveals more of his inner character, we see a depth of emotion inside of him that only Marianne can match. 

Sophie and Howl

From Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

The cover of the audio book for Howl’s Moving Castle

Sophie and Howl are, at the same time, the most lovable and most incorrigible people. Howl is independent, chaotic; and despite secretly being brave and kind, he has set himself up as a coward and a dangerous villain. Sophie is structured, bossy, clumsy, and refuses to stop interfering in Howl’s life even when her help consistently results in disaster. Needless to say, the two can’t stand each other or get enough of each other. Normally I’m not a huge fan of love/hate relationships, but it just works so well with them. Oh, and Sophie is also cursed to look like an old woman and needs Howl’s help to turn back into her normal self. As you can imagine, the resulting tale is both hilarious and endearing.

Jaime Heller

Ah, so many choices. Narrowing down all the possibilities to two or three is a lot harder than it looks!

Here are my recent favorites that just won’t leave my heart alone:

Luca and Lia from the River of Time Series (Lisa T. Bergren): These two. Oh my heart. I might be completely biased because Luca swept me off his feet as he swept Lia off her feet. What a heartthrob. But I feel that these two crazy kids balance each other and complement each other. Luca can make her laugh; and she stuns him with every action she makes. Talk about swoon-worthy.

art by lostie815

Cress and Throne from the Lunar Chronicles (Marissa Meyer): As much as I adore the other couples in the Lunar Chronicles (Scarlet and Wolf are a close second), my heart skips with joy when I think about Cress and Captain Carswell Throne. Cress is adorable with her hugecrush and fangirling over him; and Thorne is just the type of sly, charming man to make anybody happy. While I’m not sure how they’ll romance story will end up, my fingers are crossed that they do end up together. Because deep down—past his snarky scoundrel-ness—I think Thorne cares about Cress (or maybe that’s me hoping he cares for her).

Special BROTP mentions: Legolas and Gimli (obviously from Lord of the Rings), Liesel and Max (from The Book Thief), Lucy Pevensie and Mr. Tumnus (obviously from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).

Mirriam Neal

For some reasons, it’s harder for me to have a book OTP than it is to have an OTP from a TV show or  even a book-to-movie series. When I DO have a book OTP, it tends to be pretty unpopular (and sometimes blatantly illogical but WHO CARES, they have CHEMISTRY). So I hunkered down and came up with a proper list of the OTPs that wrecked my life.

art by Loki-Ellahell

Katniss Everdeen and Finnick Odair (The Hunger Games)

I know. I know. Everyone adores Finnick/Annie and Katniss/Peeta or Katniss/Gale. And I’ll admit, Finnick/Annie are beautiful and I love that pairing – but honestly, this is one of those ‘yeah, I know it doesn’t happen and yean, I know there’s no reason for me to ship this except I DO, DAGNABBIT’ OTPs. They’re both tributes and both emotionally damaged, suffering from PTSD and the loss of loved ones. They’re both emotionally needy even though they try to act as if they aren’t. They’re both selfless and have courage and skill in spades. They have beautiful chemistry (especially in the movies)…and so Katniss and Finnick (Kinnick? Finniss?) remain a sad, doomed, beautiful OTP close to my heart.

Gwindor and Finduilas (The Silmarillion)

He loves her. She doesn’t love him. He dies. I still can’t talk about it.

Rica Wiersema

(Spoilers present in white text: highlight to read.)

1. Ella of Frell and Prince Charmont of Kyrria

Book: Ella Enchanted

     Despite the horrendous mess of a movie that Miramax tried to create in 2004, this book was still one of my favorite fantasy reads growing up because it thoroughly fleshed out the originally-shallow legend of Cinderella (which I normally dislike, I might add. I would love to go into detail about why the movie Ever After is the best film adaptation of the Cinderella myth, but this is about book OTPs, so that's a tale for another time).

     Not only did Ella Enchanted allow the romance between Ella and Charming to start early and grow naturally, but it also included a phenomenal plot twist by placing Ella under an spell/curse of obedience to any and all commands. The breaking of the curse is one of the most romantic and beautiful moments of fairytale magic I’ve ever read… so of course, the movie horrifically changed it.

     In the book, Charmont eventually gets down on one knee and, unaware of the curse, says simply, “Marry me, Ella.” Though he didn’t mean it to be, it was an order… and one that Ella did want to follow. But she knew that if any of his enemies were ever to find out about the curse, they could force her to put him and the kingdom in danger — perhaps even murder Charmont. Because of this, she knew that she couldn't marry her true love and childhood friend at any cost, so she stood rooted to the spot and was put through horrific pain for trying to resist the spell… but at last she was able to put her foot down and shout, “NO! I WILL NOT MARRY YOU!”

With the spell broken, she’s at last able to run around the house, cheering and yelling over and over, “I won’t marry you!” to the confusion of many, many people… but of course, now that the curse is no longer a threat to Charmon’t safety, she’s free to marry him and live happily forever afterwards.

     The breaking of the curse in the book is such a phenomenal portrayal of a selfless love that so many people overlook in romance… and it’s so much better than the film adaptation. But it’s hard to understand unless you read for yourself.

2. Podo Helmer and Gwendolyn Igiby

Book[s]: The Monster In the Hollows, Book III of The Wingfeather Saga

     Frankly, where do I begin with these two? Half of their story wouldn’t even make sense without having read the entire series, and the other half of their story is practically wrought with major spoilers. Their entire romance is told as a flashback, in the third book of a four-book saga. But I’ll do my best:

     Podo Helmer was a largely self-made man who ran away from home to grow up as a thief in the East Bend of Skree. He spent much of his adult life as a peg-legged pirate of Symia, doing many things that he would eventually come to regret in his later years.

     One day when he came to the port city of Ban Rona, he saw a most beautiful woman and left the sea forever… but their story isn’t near as simple as that.

As it turns out, that beautiful woman had a pretty ugly personality, and during their courtship he fell in love with her gentle, homely housemaid Gwendolyn instead. However, to prove his love for Gwendolyn, he had to take a historic beating from the very closed-off, rough-and-tumble inhabitants of the Green Hollows.

     But in the end, Podo earned Gwendolyn’s hand. The wild pirate was slowly tamed by the plain young lady from Ban Rona, and she introduced him to a world of honor and selfless love for family that he hadn’t known growing up. Also, their daughter went on to marry the High King of Anneria.

     But then Gwendolyn was lost to battle when the great nameless evil, Gnag the Nameless, invaded from the east and attempted to destroy every kingdom in his path. Podo then became the central protector of his three grandchildren… particularly his pint-sized granddaughter Leeli, who sang like a songbird and had a lame leg just like him. She and her mother were the only pieces of Gwendolyn that he had left.

     Podo went on to guide his family through battles and betrayals as a wild-but-wizened old man, fighting to his last breath to keep his family safe… all because of the love that one woman taught him about all those years ago.

Sarah Munson

My truest OTP is me with a book. Yup. That right there is true love. Within the pages of countless novels, though, I’ve found so many couples to fall in love with. I could probably write my own book filled with my favorite fictional pairs, and all the reasons I ship them.

When I got Agent Sky’s email saying we were doing a collaborative post on book OTP’s, I was giddy, and also a little overwhelmed. There are so many good books, with so many stellar couples! How could I choose? I have at last narrowed my choices down to a couple of couples. (Which is my ridiculous way of saying I’ve selected two couples to talk about.)

The first is one from my favorite book series, the River of Time by Lisa T. Bergren. If you read my Valentine’s Day link-up post, you know where this is going. Yes, I am once again talking about Lia and Luca. I really tried to stop myself from picking them again, but what can I say? Luca and Lia are right at the top of my OTP scale. They instantly have a spark, but they know how to be friends first. They’re at ease with one another, and spend many scenes teasing and bantering. When Lia and Luca are together, laughter is often present. Yet they know how and when to be serious, and their mutual understanding is perhaps more attractive than their shared sense of humor. Each deeply trusts and respects the other; even when they disagree or fight, they don’t attack the other person’s weaknesses. I love that no matter what they face, these two are more than romantic partners; they are an enduring team. Also, when I was struggling to come up with a “celebrity” couple name for Lia and Luca for the link-up, Jaime came to my rescue and christened the pair Evangeluca. I think it’s perfect, just as Luca and Lia are for one another.

My second couple is more famous, being from one of the best-selling series of all time. I fully ship Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. I was cheering for Ginny from the moment she arrived at Hogwarts, though I was glad she and Harry don’t become romantically involved until the latter part of the series. Both have very strong, somewhat stubborn personalities. They’re fighters, brave even when they don’t want to be, and deeply devoted. Their connection to one another is far stronger than simple romance. They’re united in their values, experiences, and even some struggles. Harry and Ginny first get to know one another without the pressure of a relationship, so when they do eventually start going together, each already understands the other’s strengths and weaknesses. They look out for one another, making sacrifices and hard choices, even giving up their budding love for a time. Ginny and Harry do not have a smooth road, but overcoming every obstacle ultimately brings them closer together. And despite all the dark times, they still have fun together and know how to cheer one another up. Theirs is a love that grows gradually, continues steadfastly, and lasts eternally.

Sky Destrian

While I tend to ship people more in movies or TV shows, there are a couple book couples that have stolen my heart. 

1. Augustus Waters & Hazel Grace Lancaster

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Move over, Romeo and Juliet. This is the heartbreaking OTPs to end all OTPs. It really hit me how much I shipped them when I watched the movie. The way they connect and become deeper friends, then fall in love, is so beautiful. 

I related a lot to Hazel Grace--her quietness, her hesitancy to fall in love. Augustus is one of the sweetest boys. The way he cares for Hazel, even though she resists at first, is so beautiful. He reads Hazel Grace's favorite book and falls just as in love with it as she is, then takes her to Amsterdam so that they can find out the true ending.

If you are somehow unspoiled by the ending of this book and haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it. Then go watch the movie. There will be tears.

2. Sam & Grace

The Shiver Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater

(Heads up, I haven't read Linger and Forever yet.)

I read Shiver last month and fell head over heels in love. With the prose, yes, but also the main couple, Sam and Grace.

These two complete each other. Sam is an a sensitive, artistic boy, and Grace is pragmatic, good with numbers and figures. It shouldn't work, but it really does. Their slow descent into love is one of the most beautiful things I've read in a long time, and when they finally admitted to each other that they loved each other, my shipper's heart was completely happy. I look forward to reading the sequels. You'll be hearing more from me about it, I'm sure.

What are your book OTPs? Tell us below in the comments!

As a modern traveler, if there is one major thing I appreciate when flying, it’s the overpriced food places in the terminals. I know, I know--overpriced. Like outrageously so. But for me it’s totally worth having it and the hassle of airplanes as compared to what travel was a few hundred years ago (I’d love to go everywhere on horseback, though, if it were possible). Enjoying that last hotdog before heading back to Ireland for 5 months was great--and much better than cram.

Since he invented such a complete world, it’s no surprise that Tolkien included food and drink in his books. After all, he said, “'If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” And, since LOTR and The Hobbit are based around travel, there’s food for that too. No Five Guys or Starbucks like I have in my airport at home… but, close enough.

“Cram” is the main ready-to-go-in-convenient-all-new-packaging food that’s used by Bilbo and the dwarves in The Hobbit. They got it from the men of Dale, who make it as a filling, all-purpose sort of snack. According to Tolkien it was quite biscuit-like, and if you’re a fan of ancient texts on sea travel you’ll also probably recognise it as being a fictional cousin to hard tack. It was so unappealing that Bilbo and the dwarves spent time complaining about it as they went along. Honey-cake was similar but more delicious than cram, and was also mentioned in The Hobbit as being made by Beorn, although it made the consumer thirsty.

On the other hand, the wise and perfect Elves had their own version of a waybread that was good for traveling and filling one up over long distances. Lembas is the more famous, flavourful version of cram. It’s said to be more nuitritious and golden brown on the outside and cream coloured inside, and far more palatable than cram. Being made by the elves, lembas also has some interesting qualities (and not just in its ingredients, which are closely guarded and never really shared). We know that Tolkien was against allegory in his work, but that he openly admitted to using religion as inspiration for his writings (along with a lot of mythology). Lembas had a quality about it that made it very repulsive to creatures of an “inherently” evil nautre, thus why Gollum was disgusted by it and spit it out after being offered it in The Return of the King. Many have made the point that it was very similar to the Eucharist (because of the aforementioned reason), which is the ritual of taking the body and blood of Christ in the form of bread and wine in the Roman Catholic church. Like the Eucharist, which represents the spiritual bread of life, lembas sustains one’s strength and will. Tolkien apparently confirmed all of this in a private letter, which I don’t yet have a source on (if you find it in his published book of letters, let me know!).

In place of your Starbucks, ent-draught, miruvor, and the orc’s vitality potion are all good options for re-energizing in Middle-earth. The two more appealing ones, ent-draught and miruvor, are both known for being invigorating and strength-giving. Ent-draught was an ent special, and it was taken from the waters of the ent springs (which are the source of the famous river, the Entwash). Ent-draught, as far as we know, was not typically consumed by anyone other than the ents, since they were known to keep pretty much to themselves. However, Treebeard does give Merry and Pippin some upon learning that they are not “little orcs” up to mischief, and it has positive effects on them too, like making them taller and growing out their hair. The best part is that even though it’s not specifically mentioned, it’s implied that because of consuming so much ent-draught, they became the tallest hobbits in hobbit history, surpassing the 4’5” hobbit on record, Bandobras Took.

Miruvor was also said by Tolkien to be “mead” but instead of getting someone outrageously sloshed, it usually served, like ent-draught, to increase vitality and strength--like when Gandalf gave a few drops to the Fellowship on Caradhras to warm them up from the cold. Tolkien also compared it to the mythological Greek nectar of the gods, and called it a “death-defeater”. That’s the kind of stuff I’d like to have handy when I’m dying of boredom on a four-hour layover. Maybe it would pay to travel on my own two feet, like the Fellowship, and simply use miruvor for warming up my bones (I could have used it during that Irish winter). Sometimes, earlier times were simpler.

(Have you made your own Lembas before? Tell me about it in the comments, and include your favourite recipe if you can!)

Galadriel is one of Tolkien’s most complex and continually changing characters. She is by far the oldest of all the women who have a part in The Lord of the Rings, and there’s much more to her than first meets the eye. While she was important and aided the Fellowship in LOTR, things like her powerful ring, silver water basin, and colony of elves that she lived in all have interesting backstories and contribute to her status as a well rounded character.

Before we get too far into discussing the merits of Galadriel and her position as a character and woman in LOTR, first, let’s get some background information set down. There are so many things to learn about her and her family tree that take place before LOTR begins. However, it can be tricky to really get a definitive narrative on Galadriel. In The Hobbit, Galadriel was only barely mentioned (and not specifically) but Tolkien had so many other narratives and pieces of writing on her and her husband, Celeborn, and changed things so many times that it was an ever evolving storyline.

In Unfinished Tales, Tolkien’s son, Christopher, wrote:

“There is no part of the history of Middle-earth more full of problems than the story of Galadriel and Celeborn, and it must be admitted that there are severe inconsistencies 'embedded in the traditions'; or, to look at the matter from another point of view, that the role and importance of Galadriel only emerged slowly, and that her story underwent continual refashionings."

[1]

I’m sure that Tolkien, as he created Middle-earth and started weaving so many people and stories together, was constantly finding that there were things that just didn’t line up. After all, he created Middle-earth as a very real place with a very real history, so the storyline and history wasn’t flexible, and this must have been hard to keep on the right timeline. It’s said that even though Galadriel wasn’t even referenced in The Hobbit, Tolkien edited it in 1955 (the year The Return of the King was published) using his special author’s power to indirectly include Galadriel in it as a part of the White Council [2].

Galadriel was born so long before The Hobbit began that she makes most elves look like small children in comparison--yet, like all elves, she ages supernaturally and doesn’t have an end to her years. Tolkien records that she was born somewhere around 1362 (which is during the Years of the Trees. Didn’t know Middle-earth had their version of the Chinese calendar, did you? [3]), which is the First Age of Middle-earth. The Fellowship arrived in Lothlorien (Galadriel’s home) in 3019 of the Third Age, to give you some context--she’s been around for a while.

Finarfin and Earwen were Galadriel’s parents, and they were of the Noldor--basically, they lived in the Undying Lands, and Galadriel goes so far back in history that she actually had come over to Middle-earth from the Undying Lands and she is one of the last to leave Middle-earth. Among other famous relatives and acquaintances, it was Galadriel’s uncle Feanor who created the Silmarils, and she in turn was the grandmother of Arwen. Galadriel was also very close with the Maia, Melian, who taught her a lot about the history of Middle-earth (see, they passed the Bechdel test! [4]) .

So much more could be said about Galadriel’s family, friends, and travels before The Hobbit ever began (read The Silmarillion!) but for the sake of time, she and Celeborn ended up in Lothlorien, bringing a number of elves with them. Lothlorien was actually already inhabited by wood-elves, but there’s no mention of them putting up a fight against this take-over of their space (which they continued to live in).

In our next post: Who is Galadriel, the woman? What is her character? Why the special ring? There’s so much to be learned about her--I knew she was a complex character and remembered she had a long backstory, but it’s even more than I imagined and completely tangled up with the rest of Middle-earth (which is why Tolkien had some continuity issues). She was really quite an independent woman and had such a varied and interesting life, and was a leader and person in her own right. I think if everyone that criticised Tolkien’s writing as being too sexist should read about Galadriel because that would straighten things right out--whether you really love her as a character or not, she certainly deserves respect for being a well rounded, well written woman that shows Tolkien’s dedication to honestly trying to write powerful, realistic women.

Notes: First of all, if this was interesting to you, please read this entry on Galadriel (that is, if you don’t have time for the LOTR appendicies/Unfinished Tales/The Silmarillion) at The Thain’s Book. It is so interesting and chronicles the events in her life very well and clearly and has a lot more than I had time to fill in here.

[1] Unfinished Tales, J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien. 1980.

[2] I saw this on an article about why Galadriel was included in The Hobbit films which seemed to be factually correct about Tolkien editing The Hobbit in 1955. http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2014/11/25/why-are-saruman-radagast-and-galadriel-in-the-hobbit/

[3] Nah, not really, but I thought it was funny. Although certain years really *were* the Year of the Tree, but Middle-earth calendars are a topic for another series.

[4] The Bechdel test is a sort of test to use in works of fiction such as TV, movies, and literature. Do two female characters have a conversation about something other than a man? If so, they’ve passed the test. http://bechdeltest.com

By Susanna Olson

I go gaga for Russian literature. Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, and Chekhov rule literature with sideburns that are almost as intimidating as the length of their novels.

I discovered my love one day when I picked up War and Peace at the library to play a prank on my older brother. It happened to be a rather boring afternoon, so I decided to read the first chapter. I was immediately intrigued by the unbelievable realism. I’d never read an author who understood humanity so very well and could express human beings on paper with all our idiosyncrasies. I was hooked, and ended up taking a short hiatus from real life to plow through all 1,440 pages.

Instead of using it to play a prank on my brother, I begged him to read it. It is now our favorite novel. Three years later, we still spend a large chunk of our sibling time discussing its amazingness.

From then on, my life was not the same. I began to devour not only Tolstoy novels and short stories, but also the novels of other Russian geniuses.

(I should probably clarify: when I say Russian Literature, I really mean the one-of-a-kind, you’ll never find anything as wonderful, novels written by seven Russian geniuses in the 19th and early 20th centuries.)

I am hooked for life, no questions about that. Here are five reasons why you too, should give them a try:

1) They are not afraid to delve head-long into the deepest questions of life.

There are two kinds of good books in the world. There are books that make us feel happy and entertained and there are books that help explore humanity’s continuous quest for answers. Russian literature is the merging point. They are much easier to read than a lot of the classics of antiquity, and yet in simple language they explore some of humanity’s biggest questions. I’m talking about God, free will, determinism, fate, courage, honor, good vs. evil, absolute right and wrong, etc… These are questions we all face in our life. However, these questions can be more than a little intimidating to face alone. So along come seven Russian geniuses that write simple and entertaining stories that dive right into the depths of humanity in a profound way.

2) They are SO RELATABLE.

These guys rock at writing characters that are annoying, believable, beautifully flawed, unreasonable, ridiculous, and oxymoronish. In other words, their humans are human.

I’ve always enjoyed Charles Dickens. He is a master storyteller and brilliant writer of prose. However, his characters are like cartoons with exaggerated personalities. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, on the other hand, write villains and young girls, bold revolutionaries and stale aristocrats, with such realism and detail that I somehow find a way to relate to each and every character. They are so realistic it is scary.

3) They will make you a better person.

Research has shown that reading great classics actually helps children to develop social skills because they have to make inferences about other people. It also helps develop empathy, because you are thrown into circumstances and feel emotions that you would never have the chance to feel in your normal day life.

Maybe it is just me, but every time I close a great novel from 19th century Russian literature canon, I somehow feel like more of a person.

4) They offer an EPIC challenge

Quite a few of the great Russian classics are rather lengthy. *COUGH* War and Peace *COUGH*. However, the length is there for a reason. Leo Tolstoy mastered the EPIC novel. He is not afraid to take the time and words he needs to set up the backstory of every character and help you thoroughly visualize each city, village, road, and house.

The result is an almost unbelievable realism. Whenever I hop on my bed to continue reading, I feel as if I am being transported to another world. Every character, even the insignificant soldier who pops up once and is unimportant to the plot, is multidimensional. Every setting pops in my mind.

It isn’t always easy to slog through an epic novel, but in the end you enjoy an experience a shorter book just doesn’t have the ability to give you. Not to mention the fact that you will achieve a well earned sense of accomplishment when you do finish.

5) Quotes

Honestly, I don’t read these books for their stories, I read them for their characters and for their quotes. Ahh the quotes. Did I mention that these guys are geniuses? Throughout your reading you’ll hit little gems of wisdom or hilarity. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll find inspiration. Just a sampler of some of MY personal favorites:

(if you don’t like these particular quotes, don’t be daunted. Have you ever held a physical copy of War and Peace? There is enough room in there for a quote for EVERY kind of person)

Just in case you were inspired and would like to go ahead and get started, here are my ALL TIME FAVORITE bits of Russian literature.

War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy (The king of novels, ’nough said.)

Eugene Onegin, by Alexander Pushkin (Hilarious and written completely in poetry for 1000 bonus points.)

The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky (It follows a completely messed up and yet somehow relatable family.)

Family Happiness and Other short Stories, Leo Tolstoy (If you are not ready to dive into an epic novel, try a Tolstoy short story. They give you a taste of his essence and are about the length of a modern novel anyway.)

Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky (Not an easy novel to slog through so I wouldn’t recommend it for starters, but somehow it is just so worth it. Believe me. When the goings get tough, just keep reading.)

Side note: all these books were written in Russian, umm, quite obviously. That means that a good translation is essential. If you are reading Russian literature and find it utterly dry and boring, or get through an entire page without witnessing any major wit or genius, you should probably switch to another translation. Particularly when reading Pushkin (because he was a poet), do some research about which translation to pick before you get started.

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My name is Susanna and I do not play the banjo. I do, however, enjoy taking advantage of every opportunity life offers me. I had a set plan for my life, something like: homeschool, college, bible school, marriage, BLUB. But I have decided to step out of that one way street and spend a year having adventures. If you are interested in gap years and the like, I write about mine at The Misadventures of a Globetrotter in Training.

Twitter: @SuzOls
Instagram: WeatherEnthusiast
TheHobMob: Susanna Olson

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J.R.R. Tolkien was a great writer not just of epic adventures and worlds, but an author of people as well--he created characters that lived and breathed and developed in the pages of his books. However, many people complain that his biggest fault was that he didn’t write enough women and those women whom he did write weren’t developed enough (one must assume Peter Jackson falls into the complainer category, since he created Tauriel for the big screen and included Galadriel as well, due to the fact that The Hobbit had no women in it at all). It’s true, the ratio of women to men in Tolkien’s writing is very unbalanced, but he in fact did create women who drove the plot forward and weren’t just there for romantic involvement. The Professor even proved that over the years he was steadily working on creating believable, realistic women and incorporating them into every aspect of his writing--this, combined with the fact that he allowed women to step in and save the day (Eowyn!) proves to me that he wasn’t sexist or even a poor writer of women.

To understand the origins of Middle-earth and Tolkien’s inspiration, one must go back to the mythology that he derived his world from. Keeping it short, Tolkien’s writing was influenced by Nordic and Finnish mythology, Greek mythology, and Christianity (and, arguably, Celtic and Arthurian influences which he at times denied--but the parallels exist. Another topic for another day!). Tolkien continued the traditions of the epics (Beowulf, for example) in his own writing, which is one explanation to why there is a lack of female influence at first. A lot of epics and legends paint men as the primary character, the one with the most character development and who slays the beast and saves everyone in the end, usually with women playing a romantic role (even if they assist him in some way during the course of his quest). There are plenty of exceptions to this, in each realm of mythology, but they are still “exceptions” because female main characters just didn’t pop up as often. I’m not saying that it was right to leave women out (certainly not!) or not develop their plots as carefully, but rather I’d like to point out that it was historic, and this could be one reason that Tolkien’s stories turned out the way they did.

I’ve heard here and there (though I’m still looking for a source to back it up, so we can come back to it another time) that it’s evident in Tolkien’s letters that as time went on, he started developing the female characters more and gave them roles beyond being in the background of Middle-earth. It’s certainly true that he started paying more attention because, for example, he created a lot of background and wrote a fair amount of history on Dunedain women and women in the elven line of the Noldor, and there is no way they’d get that amount of time and history if Tolkien didn’t care about them.

In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, we only see a few characters who have speaking parts and/or contribute something to the plot: Eowyn, Arwen, Galadriel, Rosie Cotton, and Goldberry. And only three of them were really featured in the movies. Still, although it’s important to note they all had love interests, Tolkien didn’t make this their only interest. Eowyn, while she initially fell for Aragorn, didn’t make that the center of her life and learned to move on and accept the fact that he was engaged to Arwen. She was a self-sacrificial character, filled with love for her family, even to the point where she risked everything to save her uncle. In my opinion, she is one of the best female characters because she was feminine and she loved those around her, stayed on good terms with Aragorn, and still was strong and courageous and rode into battle fearlessly--and slayed a beast that would’ve made most men quake in their boots (saving tons of others in the process).

Arwen proves that Tolkien didn’t have a mould for his female characters; she was different than Eowyn, not just in race but in character. Arwen had a patience, a peace, a faithful spirit and was brave in her own ways, but differed from Eowyn’s headstrong, passionate nature. She chose someone else over herself, even if it was to be a relatively short time together--her love for him was greater than the desire she had to save herself.

Galadriel was a somewhat confusing character who also shared both Arwen’s and Eowyn’s goodness of heart (a theme that is quite prevalent with Tolkien characters; even though it may have been a bit overdone, it is truthful to ancient mythology and I like reading a book that has gentle, loving female characters--who, like Eowyn, can also get stuff done). She was one of the oldest elves in the book, having mysterious magical powers, mostly concentrated in a powerful ring called Nenya, and could predict the future (and often used a mirror to do it). Once I talk about the Nolder in depth at some point, the fact that she’s said to be one of the greatest of them will be much more significant. She’s powerful, and uses it, and although she’s married her and Celeborn can be compared to the real-life Queen of England and her husband, Prince Philip--he’s important, but she is definitely the ruler (and more so in Galadriel’s case, because she wasn’t just a figurehead).

I think that through these women, and other minor characters who have different backstories and roles, Tolkien proves that the women in Middle-earth are as well rounded as the men. No, there is not as many of them--but when we take into account the history Tolkien worked with, and the fact that he was a man (it’s true that men usually write more male characters, and vice versa with female authors), I think it would be fair to say he did well with the women he did include in his epic. Another final point to consider is the fact that regardless, we still love the characters--and I think even if we’re women, we can still find common ground and relate to male characters. We love the characters and how they struggled and developed and changed, not just for their gender. Tolkien proves that we can all learn a lot from them, no matter what race or gender they are.

(up next: More in depth character analysis! We talked briefly about the awesome female characters here, but over the next few weeks I’ll go into detail about each one. What are your thoughts on women in Middle-earth over all and who in particular would you like to see discussed?)

It’s almost too bad Tolkien didn’t create a dozen dwarves, otherwise we’d have one for each day of the 12 days of Christmas. However, since there are the twins Fíli and Kíli, I suppose they can count as one day. There’s not many posts left till Christmas, and The Battle of the Five Armies comes out in 3 days, but let’s discuss as many of the dwarves of The Hobbit as possible!

Reference to dwarven family trees is only made a couple of times in Peter Jackson’s film adaptations, and most of what movie-goers know is that Fíli and Kíli are Thorin Oakenshield’s nephews. They are all the direct descendents in the line of Durin; but there are also a few others in the company who are related as well. And those who aren’t are all related to some of the other dwarves in some way. With Christmas fast approaching and most of us preparing to host or visit family, would you trade that for a Durin family Christmas? (I mean, if it meant being in Middle-earth, I might take it. But on the other hand, I personally don’t like having a scratchy chin or spending a lot of time indoors/underground. Give me sunlight…).

What/who is the line of Durin, anyhow? Tolkien was a master at creating so many backstories and history, turning over (almost) every rock and giving us a lot of lineage and family tree information on the races in Middle-earth. Durin’s roots go right back to the foundations of Middle-earth. If you’re really interested in all the backstories and roots of this, go find a copy of The Silmarillion. To keep it short and simple (for now!), there were seven original dwarves created for Middle-earth by one of the Valar. The Complete Guide to Middle-earth describes the Valar as the “fourteen greatest (excluding Melkor) of the Ainur who chose to enter Ëa to fulfill the Vision of Ilúvatar” [1] (Ëa referencing the earth). Basically, the Valar are angelic servants (that take on physical form) of the creator, Ilúvatar. Aulë was the particular Valar who created the dwarves, Durin being one of the first seven.

From Durin, some of his most famous descendents came--Thorin (the second) and Fíli and Kíli (sons of Thorin’s sister), but also a few who made an appearance in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Balin, Dwalin, Óin, and Glóin were all on the family tree, although they were not as close genealogically to Thorin’s side. Balin and Dwalin were both brothers, as were Óin and Glóin. And--if you’ve kept careful watch in The Hobbit or anywhere in the books--Gimli is included in this family tree as well. Not only were the thirteen dwarves companions and comrades in arms, they shared a lot of Durin’s royal blood.

Tolkien didn’t write much about Thorin, his folk, and their traditions and life outside of his main works, especially before their quest, where we see most of their character development. After his grandfather being killed and the dwarves chased out of the mountain by Smaug, Thorin and Durin’s Folk eventually settled in the Blue Mountains until their quest began. Tolkien simply refers to this area as “Thorin’s Halls.” In both names and culture, we see Tolkien borrowing a lot from ancient Norse mythology and poetry, but you have to search his additional histories to piece together exact details. The same is true for the dwarves, even though you will find even less details on them--not even the only dwarven twins recorded in Tolkien’s histories are given much of a personality in The Hobbit. For all its faults pointed out by Tolkien purists, Jackson’s movies do a nice job of fleshing them out, paying particular attention to Kíli in particular. But the strong family ties are portrayed well; the twins are fiercely loyal to Thorin, and Fíli in particular is being trained to take over as the heir to the throne someday. Both brothers, like Thorin, possess stubborn pride (a very dwarf-like trait, it seems to me; or perhaps even more apparent in Durin’s Folk?) and loyalty to each other, which is a great portrayal of the dwarven race. It is rare to meet a Tolkien fan whose favorite race and obsession is the dwarves; even though many of us appreciate them, I’m pretty sure most of us would sign up for being elves without a second thought to what being one would really be like. There is something to be said for dwarves though. For all their pride and stubbornness, obsession with lineage, and hoarding of treasure, we see in both the movies and books both Durin’s Folk and other descendents of the original seven staying true to each other. There is a bond of brotherhood there, and as much as they seem to love their treasure I think when pushed, these dwarves would choose kin and friend immediately.

Durin’s line ended not long after Thorin was gone with Durin VII, a direct descendent and the last one, and as detailed as Tolkien usually got, the only explain that the world was growing old and the time of the dwarves was ending. We may see Jackson do something different than the inevitable ending of The Hobbit in his last movie (which most of us think has to happen, but also dread it. Tears will be shed) but other than the line of Durin being changed, I don’t see it as having any other real effect upon the dwarven race. Sure, there could be speculation about how Thorin’s character could change, or if the line would be continued longer, but I think the biggest change will be how the War of the Ring would be affected--and for Jackson to continue true to his adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, he can’t steer too far from the original. In The Lord of the Rings, we don’t see large numbers of dwarves, due to Sauron’s takeover of Middle-earth (the destruction of the dwarven settlement lead by Balin in the Mines of Moria being one of the disastrous effects)... and I wonder if Thorin had been around, if things would have been different. I have a feeling that he may have been entrenched in his mountain, protecting and hoarding his riches, even if Sauron’s forces came for him as well.

If you ever come to a point where you realize your hoarding and coveting habits are becoming too dwarf like, remember to stop before it’s too late and your greed backs you into a corner with no conceivable story plot out other than the inevitable, like poor Thorin. Tolkien’s work contains a lot of good life lessons, one of them being that the things that we want to last the longest either won’t fulfill us or they will outlast us--so choose wisely. And be thankful that you aren’t one of Durin’s doomed line.

Footnotes: 
[1] Foster, R. (2001). The complete guide to Middle-earth: From the Hobbit through the Lord of the rings and beyond. New York: Ballantine Books.