How do you see them?

Kamyel · 01-10-2002, 02:37 AM

When your reading the trilogy, what do you picture the characters to look like? And those of you who have been fans for a while, do you see them the same as you did from the start? Or do you now see the actors who portray them in the movie?

afro-elf · 01-10-2002, 09:14 AM

Too tired to write now. I like the question,so I will be back.

emplynx · 01-10-2002, 06:09 PM

I don't really ever picture people when I read books, I picture things and places but not people.

Banazir · 01-10-2002, 06:51 PM

I also seldom picture people when I read, but somehow it's different with LotR. When I was reading it, I could visualize some of the characters quite vividly, and I must say that my mental image of them hasn't changed a bit in the last ten years or so since I read the book. And well, the movie was great, but it's completely different from how I see everyone, so I can't possibly imagine these actors as the characters, even if I try.

Marille · 01-10-2002, 09:30 PM

I also don't really picture people, just places and what not ... but I never pictured Gimli with a beard somehow LoL ..

ChildofEru · 01-10-2002, 11:40 PM

I find it almost impossible to picture a dwarf without a beard.
And when I do its always shaven off and the dwarf not being very pleased with it. lol

mirrille · 01-11-2002, 02:16 AM

I don't usually picture people. That's because I read too fast and tend to skip long descriptions, like physical character descriptions. But I do sometimes imagine their voices or speech rhythms. Am I weird or does anyone else do it this way?

athelas · 01-11-2002, 04:27 AM

The faces of the characters when I first read the books were somewhat fuzzy, they didn't seem to have a "set" face, except the Nazgul I think. Faceless things with black cloaks are easier to picture. Scenery is also easier to picture.

The actors portrayed the characters quite well. None of them left a terrible impression on me. But I do "see" some of their faces when I flip through the book. Not Arwen though, that would be totally out.

Arathorn · 01-11-2002, 04:45 AM

I agree.

Tolkien generally goes into long drawn out descriptions (up to so many pages) of the places and scenery and not much of the characters (at least that's what I remember when I read the books).

I guess that's why, after a good read, I'm usually in a dream state.

Laifalasiel · 01-11-2002, 10:34 PM

I have two visions of the characters. One of course is the movie version, AKA the actors from the film. The other is my own mental image, which is what I put on paper (I'm an artist, though not too good) My style has been a little influenced by the film, but not too much.

Eruviel Greenleaf · 01-12-2002, 03:10 AM

I have sort of a problem with my own images of most of the characters, because I read the books recently enough that there were images of the movie characters already in my mind, from what I had seen. But a few of the characters, I have my own pictures of in my mind.

Ñólendil · 01-12-2002, 04:50 AM

I'll alert the media afro-elf.

(that's something that was said to me once)

I'm sort of the opposite of Marille, I picture characters vividly, but I have trouble with the geography. Marille's way of seeing it is probably far more common as Tolkien described the landscapes much more thoroughly than he did the characters. I mean in most other fantasies you're given every detail of what a character looks like: his heighth and build, his hair colour and so forth. No one has any idea what colour beard Gimli had. He's just introduced as Glóin's son! But I guess it doesn't matter.

I don't see the actors when I'm reading the books. Well, I sometimes have trouble with Sam Gamgee; sometimes it's hard for me not to see Ralph Bakshi's short, pudgy, big-toothed, brown-skinned, fluffy haired Hobbit. But otherwise I'm able to form my own picture. If you go to the Lothlórien section on the Trail, into Chad Standlea's gallery you'll see my brother's art. They reflect much more his imagination than mine, but I nagged him over details (not that he didn't ask me for them). Everyone makes mistakes, of course, I told him to give Strider a mask. Anyway some of those are right on the money as far as my imagination goes. Tom Bombadil's portrait is exactly as I pictured him. I think he did great with getting across the ages of the different Hobbits too, and I love his Elves.

The way I picture Elves ... I'm sympathetic to anyone trying to actually depict them. They have to be unbelievably fair. They have to have long hair of exceptional beauty, and flawless skin full of light, and bright eyes, especially High-elves. One has to get the impression of beauty and nobility and ancient knowledge veiled by youth. My Elves aren't actors with pointed ears, if I may say so.

Marcus · 01-12-2002, 08:52 PM

i read the trilogy 4 years ago and i am in the middle of re reading it
i started it before the movie
i always stopped and pictured the hobbits do whaterver and the fellowship in my own little way.

but

the movie totally ruined it. not to say that i not a fan of the movie or wished that it had never been made
but i cant pop out of my head the characters from the book
very sad

Starr Polish · 01-13-2002, 06:01 PM

Well, since I saw the movie before reading the books, I'm sure I'll have a picture of the actors in my mind when I read it. Bilbo did look much like I had imagined him from the Hobbit, but older, of course.

I think they did a fair portrayal of elves, although of course not perfect. My own elves in my stories have always had pointed ears, and at least they weren't 'gargantuan'

Ah, yes, I am an Orlando Bloom fan heeh.

FrodoFriend · 01-13-2002, 06:12 PM

to me, gandalf, sam, and frodo look pretty much the same in my mind as they did in the movie. as for the others, when i read the book i still picture them the way i did originally.

Wow, not a capital letter in that!

Aragorn · 01-13-2002, 06:36 PM

Hey, dad! *Waves at Arathorn.* ((Actually, I don't know who Arathorn is, this is a complete joke))

Arathorn · 01-13-2002, 09:51 PM

Yes, Aragorn, I left Middle Earth after finding out that Arwen has been saying the same sweet nothings for generations of our bloodline. I could not face it. I have succumbed to the envious side of the force and shall move on to a new movie.

afro-elf · 01-15-2002, 07:03 PM

When I see the Hobbits I'm stuck with the animated RotK.

Though the Movie version of Of Frodo and Sam are cool with me.

The Dunadain both north and south I think of the following characters because the Prof. mentioned dark hair. The differences begining the Gondorians would clean shaven and rangers a little scruffy.

Alec Baldwin, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Johnathan Frakes. Gabriel Burns, Richard Gere, Harrison Ford, AdrianPaul maybe Russel Crow.

The Rohirrim

Val Kilmer, Rutger Hauer ( in the old days), Sean Bean

Elves are tough becuase of their preternatural beauty

Women

Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Andie Macdowell, Jill Hennessy,Natascha Henstriche(sp)
Would choose ( think) ballaerinas

Men
Brad Pit ( legends of that fall look), The guy who played the British Robin Hood from the 80's. Guy Pierce, the actor who played Sarack's when spock was born in the horrible Star Trek
5)

I'll probably add more when I've time to think it over.

01-10-2002, 02:37 AM	#1
Kamyel Hobbit Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: USA Posts: 29	How do you see them? When your reading the trilogy, what do you picture the characters to look like? And those of you who have been fans for a while, do you see them the same as you did from the start? Or do you now see the actors who portray them in the movie?

01-10-2002, 09:14 AM	#2
afro-elf Hoplite Nomad Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 3,931	Too tired to write now. I like the question,so I will be back. __________________ About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer.

01-10-2002, 06:51 PM	#4
Banazir Hobbit Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 40	I also seldom picture people when I read, but somehow it's different with LotR. When I was reading it, I could visualize some of the characters quite vividly, and I must say that my mental image of them hasn't changed a bit in the last ten years or so since I read the book. And well, the movie was great, but it's completely different from how I see everyone, so I can't possibly imagine these actors as the characters, even if I try. __________________ "...I love him, whether or no". Last edited by Banazir : 01-10-2002 at 06:53 PM.

01-10-2002, 09:30 PM	#5
Marille Hobbit Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: USA, GA Posts: 19	I also don't really picture people, just places and what not ... but I never pictured Gimli with a beard somehow LoL .. __________________ Gandalf- "Enough! For I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me!"

01-10-2002, 11:40 PM	#6
ChildofEru Hobbit Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 24	I find it almost impossible to picture a dwarf without a beard. And when I do its always shaven off and the dwarf not being very pleased with it. lol __________________ Theres a lesson here... its better to watch stuff then to do stuff - Homer Simpson

01-10-2002, 06:09 PM	#3
emplynx Self-Appointed Lord of the Free Peoples of the General Messages Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 1,214	I don't really ever picture people when I read books, I picture things and places but not people.

01-11-2002, 02:16 AM	#7
mirrille Elven Warrior Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 479	I don't usually picture people. That's because I read too fast and tend to skip long descriptions, like physical character descriptions. But I do sometimes imagine their voices or speech rhythms. Am I weird or does anyone else do it this way?

01-11-2002, 04:27 AM	#8
athelas Enting Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: The Twilight Meres Posts: 87	The faces of the characters when I first read the books were somewhat fuzzy, they didn't seem to have a "set" face, except the Nazgul I think. Faceless things with black cloaks are easier to picture. Scenery is also easier to picture. The actors portrayed the characters quite well. None of them left a terrible impression on me. But I do "see" some of their faces when I flip through the book. Not Arwen though, that would be totally out. __________________ Farewell sweet earth and nortern sky, for ever blest,since here did lie and here with lissom limbs did run beneath the Moon, beneath the Sun, Lùthien Tinùviel more fair than mortal tongue can tell. Though all to ruin fell the world and were dissolved and backward hurled unmade into old abyss, yet were its making good, for this-- the dusk, the dawn, the earth, the sea-- that Lùthien for a time should be. "I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam."-Frodo FRODO LIVES!!! (erm...Sam does too, right?)

01-11-2002, 04:45 AM	#9
Arathorn Bard of Mangled Songs Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: West of Middle Earth...oh alright...Manila Posts: 2,679	I agree. Tolkien generally goes into long drawn out descriptions (up to so many pages) of the places and scenery and not much of the characters (at least that's what I remember when I read the books). I guess that's why, after a good read, I'm usually in a dream state. __________________ Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible. -Missionaria Protectiva, Frank Herbert *Accio, Ash Nazg!* Elennuru s?la lúmenn' omentielvo* (The Death Star shines on the hour of our meeting) - Darth Arathorn Put aside the ranger... Start looking for Mumakil action figures...

01-11-2002, 10:34 PM	#10
Laifalasiel Sapling Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 6	I have two visions of the characters. One of course is the movie version, AKA the actors from the film. The other is my own mental image, which is what I put on paper (I'm an artist, though not too good) My style has been a little influenced by the film, but not too much.

01-12-2002, 03:10 AM	#11
Eruviel Greenleaf Alcoholic Villain-Fancying Elf Pirate Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Lyonesse Posts: 4,547	I have sort of a problem with my own images of most of the characters, because I read the books recently enough that there were images of the movie characters already in my mind, from what I had seen. But a few of the characters, I have my own pictures of in my mind.

01-12-2002, 04:50 AM	#12
Ñólendil Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: California Posts: 60,865	I'll alert the media afro-elf. (that's something that was said to me once) I'm sort of the opposite of Marille, I picture characters vividly, but I have trouble with the geography. Marille's way of seeing it is probably far more common as Tolkien described the landscapes much more thoroughly than he did the characters. I mean in most other fantasies you're given every detail of what a character looks like: his heighth and build, his hair colour and so forth. No one has any idea what colour beard Gimli had. He's just introduced as Glóin's son! But I guess it doesn't matter. I don't see the actors when I'm reading the books. Well, I sometimes have trouble with Sam Gamgee; sometimes it's hard for me not to see Ralph Bakshi's short, pudgy, big-toothed, brown-skinned, fluffy haired Hobbit. But otherwise I'm able to form my own picture. If you go to the Lothlórien section on the Trail, into Chad Standlea's gallery you'll see my brother's art. They reflect much more his imagination than mine, but I nagged him over details (not that he didn't ask me for them). Everyone makes mistakes, of course, I told him to give Strider a mask. Anyway some of those are right on the money as far as my imagination goes. Tom Bombadil's portrait is exactly as I pictured him. I think he did great with getting across the ages of the different Hobbits too, and I love his Elves. The way I picture Elves ... I'm sympathetic to anyone trying to actually depict them. They have to be unbelievably fair. They have to have long hair of exceptional beauty, and flawless skin full of light, and bright eyes, especially High-elves. One has to get the impression of beauty and nobility and ancient knowledge veiled by youth. My Elves aren't actors with pointed ears, if I may say so. __________________ Falmon -- Dylan

01-12-2002, 08:52 PM	#13
Marcus Hobbit Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 18	i read the trilogy 4 years ago and i am in the middle of re reading it i started it before the movie i always stopped and pictured the hobbits do whaterver and the fellowship in my own little way. but the movie totally ruined it. not to say that i not a fan of the movie or wished that it had never been made but i cant pop out of my head the characters from the book very sad

01-13-2002, 06:01 PM	#14
Starr Polish Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Slow down and I sail on the river, slow down and I walk to the hill Posts: 2,389	Well, since I saw the movie before reading the books, I'm sure I'll have a picture of the actors in my mind when I read it. Bilbo did look much like I had imagined him from the Hobbit, but older, of course. I think they did a fair portrayal of elves, although of course not perfect. My own elves in my stories have always had pointed ears, and at least they weren't 'gargantuan' Ah, yes, I am an Orlando Bloom fan heeh.

01-13-2002, 06:12 PM	#15
FrodoFriend Halfwitted Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Eryn Vorn Posts: 1,659	to me, gandalf, sam, and frodo look pretty much the same in my mind as they did in the movie. as for the others, when i read the book i still picture them the way i did originally. Wow, not a capital letter in that! __________________ Fingolfin lives! ... in my finger! The Crossroads of Arda - Warning. Halfwit content. Not appropriate for people with IQ of over 18. The Fellowship of the Message Board Nyáréonié - The Tale of Tears

01-13-2002, 06:36 PM	#16
Aragorn Elven Warrior Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Anywhere but where I should be. Posts: 369	Hey, dad! Waves at Arathorn. ((Actually, I don't know who Arathorn is, this is a complete joke)) __________________ And they carried them to the flatlands But they died along the way And they built up with their bare hands What we still can't do today. EIDRIORCQWSDAKLMEDDCWWTIWOATTOPWFIO till the day I die.

01-13-2002, 09:51 PM	#17
Arathorn Bard of Mangled Songs Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: West of Middle Earth...oh alright...Manila Posts: 2,679	Yes, Aragorn, I left Middle Earth after finding out that Arwen has been saying the same sweet nothings for generations of our bloodline. I could not face it. I have succumbed to the envious side of the force and shall move on to a new movie. __________________ Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible. -Missionaria Protectiva, Frank Herbert *Accio, Ash Nazg!* Elennuru s?la lúmenn' omentielvo* (The Death Star shines on the hour of our meeting) - Darth Arathorn Put aside the ranger... Start looking for Mumakil action figures...

01-15-2002, 07:03 PM	#18
afro-elf Hoplite Nomad Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 3,931	When I see the Hobbits I'm stuck with the animated RotK. Though the Movie version of Of Frodo and Sam are cool with me. The Dunadain both north and south I think of the following characters because the Prof. mentioned dark hair. The differences begining the Gondorians would clean shaven and rangers a little scruffy. Alec Baldwin, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Johnathan Frakes. Gabriel Burns, Richard Gere, Harrison Ford, AdrianPaul maybe Russel Crow. The Rohirrim Val Kilmer, Rutger Hauer ( in the old days), Sean Bean Elves are tough becuase of their preternatural beauty Women Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Andie Macdowell, Jill Hennessy,Natascha Henstriche(sp) Would choose ( think) ballaerinas Men Brad Pit ( legends of that fall look), The guy who played the British Robin Hood from the 80's. Guy Pierce, the actor who played Sarack's when spock was born in the horrible Star Trek 5) I'll probably add more when I've time to think it over. __________________ About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer.