September 11, 2020

18. Speak Softly and Be a Big Stick.

1 hour 6 minutes

Jared, Oriana and Ned talk about Jared’s choice of topic: the Ents. Like

many elements of The Lord of the Rings, Treebeard appeared suddenly in the

course of Tolkien actually writing it, and he himself wondered more about the

unusual creation he had introduced to his already long-standing legendarium

and how it fit within the whole. But whatever the impulse, Treebeard and his

people, seemingly the last defenders of a vanished world of trees and forests,

became one of the most beloved in the entirety of the book, though also one of

the most curious and, as the story clearly shows, even alien. What were some

of the impulses and feelings that went into Tolkien’s creation of the Ents,

and how much of them were based on a particular perception or assumption of

natural history rather than reality? How do the Ents regard the others in the

world they share, and what are their priorities? How does the specifically

gendered world of the Ents and the Entwives function as we know it, and how

does it either reconfirm or perhaps upend perceived stereotypes on that front?

What impulses of the Ents’ demonstrated capacity for almost terrifying

violence in defense of their world suggest for ours, whether it be the dark

spectre of ecofascism or the feeling of righteous rage against a broken

socioeconomic system’s environmental fallout? And will Jared’s attempt to

destroy us right at the start with a truly terrible pun succeed?

Show Notes.

Jared’s

Doodle, a

lovely and mysterious portrait.

Gennifer Hutchison being clear she has nothing to

share about the Amazon TV series.

Maybe Kaya Scodelario is on that TV series

now, maybe not, who knows…

I mean who could blame Hugo Weaving at this point.

Look if you really want to follow news of this Gollum video

game, fine by us.

A useful Ent summary via Tolkien

Gateway. And don’t forget the Huorns.

Beyond Bree is still around, and long may

they thrive!

The recent Tides of History episode by Patrick Wyman

mentioning how the ancient primeval forests of Europe aren’t THAT ancient,

comparatively.

The article Jared read on a related subject: “The Lost Forest Gardens of

Europe”

There are approximately eight million artistic depictions of

Treebeard

out there. But do any of them truly work? We leave that up to you.

The Entish language is its own

mystery.

(Hawaiian is not, and is

very much worthy of its own separate study if you’re interested.)

Treebeard’s speaking voice being modeled on C.S. Lewis is another part of

Lewis and Tolkien’s lengthy, complex

relationship.

The fate of the Entwives, as well

as the specific gender split in the species’s goals and drives, is at once

forcefully clear and sadly mysterious. Here’s a piece reflecting on it all

some more, including such details as the curious sighting of

a ‘walking’ tree in the Shire. (Per Oriana’s comparison, here’s the episode we

did on Aldarion and Erendis.)

Quickbeam, a favorite of ours.

Pity he didn’t make the film specifically.

So how do plants break down rocks and things anyway? There are answers of

course.

You’re more than welcome to read about Tom Cruise and Katie

Holmes. But not while listening to us, surely.

We did indeed have a few thoughts about

Galadriel last year.

Frankly the Treegarth of

Orthanc seems like it

would be a lovely place to visit.

Don’t be an ecofascist, it’s not a good look.

Quiet is disappearing, but there are attempts

otherwise.

There are indeed Ent-draught

recipes. Like this one. Or you could try the CBD

cocktail. (And here was our

episode on magic.)

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By Jared Pechaček, Oriana Scwindt, and Ned Raggett

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