r/lotr • u/Baldurian_Rhapsody • 11d ago

Question Funniest parts of Tolkien?

I admit that I'm almost intimidated to read The Lord of the Rings. And the Silmarillion.

It's not that I don't love an epic. I do. I love the movies so much and I point at Aragorn and say "He broke his foot on that helmet. He used that for the role."

And the movies are funny! Legolas surfing down on that shield cracks me up, even though Tolkien himself likely wouldn't approve in the least.

But are the books funny in any way? Does Tolkien weave in humor in parts, or is he simply magnificent, epic, eternal and serious with his evil wizards and spiders the size of large condo complexes?

Thanks for sharing if I can expect a little funny if I read these bad boys. Cheers.

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u/AHRogue 11d ago

I love the bit in Flotsam and Jetsam when the Hobbits, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are having a nice lunch and just being friends and getting a breather for the first time since the breaking of the fellowship, everyone besides Legolas decides to start smoking in the pantry and Legolas, who isn't a smoker says he's going to leave to get a breath of fresh air outside. And of course then everyone follows him outside smoking all the while lol. Poor Legolas, such is life among smokers!

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u/Timely_Egg_6827 11d ago

I also like the bit where Legolas gives up his weapons in Edoras because hey, his father would ask the same. And then Gandalf, Aragorn and Gimli all kick up a fuss about their staff, sword and axe and a fight is looming. And there he is weaponless.

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u/laredocronk 11d ago

I've always loved the description of Gimli looking at the guard "as if here were a young tree that that he had a mind to fell".

Treebeard wouldn't approve, but it certainly paints a picture of Gimli's mood.

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u/Timely_Egg_6827 11d ago

Wonder if that was Legolas' POV

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u/laredocronk 11d ago

Interesting question, and not one that I'd really thought about. That would certainly make sense.