In this epic novel, there's one ring to . Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and in this installment of MojoNotes, we'll be exploring ten things you should know about J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
#10: About the . Born in South Africa in 1892, J. R. R. Tolkien was taught to read by his mother. After studying English at Oxford, Tolkien served in World War I and took on various jobs while writing his own material. Thanks to his books' popularity, he in 1959. He in 1971.
#9: Influences and inspirations. Many different sources influenced Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. This included British , European , historical languages, and Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle of . His childhood in England and his time in the war also inspired multiple locations and themes in the high fantasy series.
#8: Settings and era. Serving as a sequel to Tolkien's The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings is split into three books. The story is in the magical made-up lands called , where men live alongside like hobbits, orcs, trolls, and wizards. Book one begins in the Shire, and from there, the three books follow the characters across the many locations of Middle Earth, all the way to the fiery lands of Mordor at the end of book three.
Watch the video from 0:00 to 1:45, and drag the missing words into the script (the film extracts are not in the script).Regarde la vidéo de 0:00 à 1:45, et fais glisser les mots manquants dans le script (les extraits de film n'y sont pas).
Watch the video from 1:45 to 5:17, and drag the missing words into the script (the film extracts are not in the script).Regarde la vidéo de 1:45 à 5:17, et fais glisser les mots manquants dans le script (les extraits de film n'y sont pas).
#7: Plot. Narrated by an all-knowing , The Lord of the Rings follows a hobbit named Frodo and his with Sam, Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas and others. As the of the Ring, they must the Dark Lord Sauron and the wizard Saruman from taking over their land. This can only be achieved if the Sauron-forged ring is destroyed in a in Mordor. During their quest for , they attack Isengard, and Frodo and Sam are separated after a creature called Gollum them. Sauron then launches an attack that triggers the War of the Ring. After being rescued by Sam, Frodo is overtaken by the ring's power, which leads to a fight with Gollum and the ring's destruction in the fire. Following the victory, takes his rightful place as King. Saruman tries to the Shire, but he's , and the war ends for good.
#6: Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee and Gollum. Because of his purity, Frodo is the hobbit chosen by his relative Bilbo Baggins to , as he's most likely to resist its temptations. He leads the mission for the ring's destruction and ultimately saves Middle Earth thanks to his and intelligence. Sam is a curious and pleasant hobbit whose , and compassion give him the courage to rescue Frodo. Formerly a hobbit named Smeagol, Gollum gets corrupted by the Ring's power. His new name represents his evil side. He is driven by the desire to get his « Precious » ring back.
#6: Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee and Gollum. Because of his purity, Frodo is the hobbit chosen by his relative Bilbo Baggins to , as he's most likely to resist its temptations. He leads the mission for the ring's destruction and ultimately saves Middle Earth thanks to his and intelligence. Sam is a curious and pleasant hobbit whose , and compassion give him the courage to rescue Frodo. Formerly a hobbit named Smeagol, Gollum gets corrupted by the Ring's power. His new name represents his evil side. He is driven by the desire to get his « Precious » ring back.
Watch the video from 5:17 to the end, and drag the missing words into the script (the film extracts are not in the script).Regarde la vidéo de 5:17 à the end, et fais glisser les mots manquants dans le script (les extraits de film n'y sont pas).
#5: Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. Gandalf is a wise and powerful angelic wizard who helps Middle Earth fight Sauron. Also called Strider and Elessar, Aragorn joins the hobbits and transforms from a into a strong leader during the journey. He eventually becomes King of the . Legolas the Elf and the Gimli are two other notable Fellowship members.
#4: Sauron and Saruman. Also known as the Lord of the Rings, Sauron is the one who made the Rings of Power with the Elves. He lives in Mordor and wants the One Ring to rule over Middle Earth. He sends his servants to it, but loses all his power when Gollum and the ring fall into the volcano fire. Originally sent to defeat Sauron, Saruman is a wizard like Gandalf. He with the Dark Lord when he becomes obsessed with the desire for power, but meets his end following Sauron's .
#3: Values and . Two of the book's main themes include the fight between and how power . Tolkien also makes stark contrasts between , death and eternal life, and , while exploring the of addiction and technology.
#2: Modern popularity. The Lord of the Rings was so successful that Tolkien is considered the father of modern and . His saga has and much literature, music, and multiple multimedia formats.
#1: Adaptations. Aside from and radio versions, Tolkien's books have also been adapted for film. Following the 1978 , there was the 21st century movie trilogy.
Do you agree with our list? What's your favourite piece of Lord of the Rings trivia? With new top 10s published daily, be sure to to WatchMojo.com.
#4: Sauron and Saruman. Also known as the Lord of the Rings, Sauron is the one who made the Rings of Power with the Elves. He lives in Mordor and wants the One Ring to rule over Middle Earth. He sends his servants to it, but loses all his power when Gollum and the ring fall into the volcano fire. Originally sent to defeat Sauron, Saruman is a wizard like Gandalf. He with the Dark Lord when he becomes obsessed with the desire for power, but meets his end following Sauron's .
#3: Values and . Two of the book's main themes include the fight between and how power . Tolkien also makes stark contrasts between , death and eternal life, and , while exploring the of addiction and technology.
#2: Modern popularity. The Lord of the Rings was so successful that Tolkien is considered the father of modern and . His saga has and much literature, music, and multiple multimedia formats.
#1: Adaptations. Aside from and radio versions, Tolkien's books have also been adapted for film. Following the 1978 , there was the 21st century movie trilogy.
Do you agree with our list? What's your favourite piece of Lord of the Rings trivia? With new top 10s published daily, be sure to to WatchMojo.com.
Read the rule, then write the verbs in the passive (the base verb is given).Lis la règle, puis écris les verbes au passif (le verbe de base est donné).
The passive: BE + past participle
The video is full of passives: the important thing is the action, or the person it happens to, not who does it.
Tolkien was taught to read by his mother · the story is set in Middle Earth · Frodo is overtaken by the ring's power · Tolkien is considered the father of fantasy.
The tense is carried by BE: is set (present) · was taught (preterite) · have been adapted (present perfect) · can only be achieved (modal + be + past participle).
by + the agent, only when it is useful: by his mother · by the ring's power.
get + past participle = a change (often informal): Gollum gets corrupted by the ring.
Careful: French « on » is often a passive in English: on le considère comme… = he is considered… · on lui a appris à lire = he was taught to read.
The video is full of passives: the important thing is the action, or the person it happens to, not who does it.
Tolkien was taught to read by his mother · the story is set in Middle Earth · Frodo is overtaken by the ring's power · Tolkien is considered the father of fantasy.
The tense is carried by BE: is set (present) · was taught (preterite) · have been adapted (present perfect) · can only be achieved (modal + be + past participle).
by + the agent, only when it is useful: by his mother · by the ring's power.
get + past participle = a change (often informal): Gollum gets corrupted by the ring.
Careful: French « on » is often a passive in English: on le considère comme… = he is considered… · on lui a appris à lire = he was taught to read.
Tolkien (teach) to read by his mother.
The Lord of the Rings (split) into three books.
The story (set) in the magical lands of Middle Earth.
The story (narrate) by an all-knowing third person.
This can only (achieve) if the ring is destroyed in a volcano.
Frodo and Sam (separate) after Gollum betrays them.
Frodo (overtake) by the ring's power.
Saruman tries to take over the Shire, but he (defeat).
Frodo (choose) by Bilbo to bear the ring.
Gollum (corrupt) by the ring's power.
The Rings of Power (make) by Sauron and the Elves.
Tolkien (consider) the father of high fantasy.
His books (adapt) for radio, stage and film.
The films (watch) by millions of people all over the world.
The Lord of the Rings (split) into three books.
The story (set) in the magical lands of Middle Earth.
The story (narrate) by an all-knowing third person.
This can only (achieve) if the ring is destroyed in a volcano.
Frodo and Sam (separate) after Gollum betrays them.
Frodo (overtake) by the ring's power.
Saruman tries to take over the Shire, but he (defeat).
Frodo (choose) by Bilbo to bear the ring.
Gollum (corrupt) by the ring's power.
The Rings of Power (make) by Sauron and the Elves.
Tolkien (consider) the father of high fantasy.
His books (adapt) for radio, stage and film.
The films (watch) by millions of people all over the world.
Your turn: talk, then write.À toi : discute, puis écris.
1. Think about it (discuss with a partner, or in class):
- « Power corrupts »: find examples in the story… and in real life.
- Why is the hero a small hobbit, and not a great warrior or a king?
- Which character would you like to be in the Fellowship? Why?
- Why do you think fantasy stories are so popular today (books, films, series, video games)?
Useful words: power · to corrupt · temptation · to resist · loyalty · courage · good and evil · a hero · an ordinary person · In my opinion… · What is more… · On the other hand…
2. Write (on a sheet of paper, 200 to 250 words). Choose one subject:
Subject 1 — « 5 things you should know about… » Present your favourite book, film,
series or video game, like WatchMojo: the author, the setting, the plot, the characters, the themes. Use at least
five passives (it is set in… · it was written by… · it has been adapted… · it is considered…).
Subject 2 — « Power corrupts. » Do you agree? Give examples from The Lord of the Rings
and from history or today's world.
You can also record your « top 5 » as a video, like WatchMojo!
General comprehension · The details · The script · The passive · Your turn · The words · Back to Art & media