It’s Hobbit Day, as all civilized Shirelings know. Specifically, it’s Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday, as well as the autumnal equinox. I recommend shepherd’s pie and persimmon pudding, which is how we celebrated yesterday. (Leftovers today!)
This morning I’m listening to the Weird Studies episode about Conan the Barbarian, mostly in preparation for an upcoming post. Of all the wonderful Weird Studies episodes, by the way, that is one of my favorites, both because it was a fun topic and because it bring back memories of one of my road trips, travelling between Corydon and Leavenworth.
In any case, J.F. says his favorite fantasy trope is where the characters live in a land with an evident but mostly forgotten ancient history. Hyboria and Middle Earth are similar in this way, he says.
It got me thinking about Middle Earth as it stood during the events of Lord of the Rings, at the end of the Third Age. Everyone knew something was changing. Even in the Shire, protected by the Dunedain Rangers, the hobbits heard rumors of trouble. The wisest of Middle Earth’s folk, though they knew a great deal about both path and present, could not predict how events would play out. In fact, it was only known in retrospect that they were living through the final days of the Third Age.
It’s always a good time to re-read LOTR–perhaps especially so now.