Fighting the long defeat

[altariel]

Endurance being somehow on my mind today, I found myself drabbling on the theme on the way back from the library. This is the chapter 'The Window on the West' from LotR. A chapter dear to my heart, and not easy to reduce to 100 words. Comments welcome.



The Window on the West

Trials beneath the trees; tests of the heart in the garden of Gondor.

We fumble side-by-side in the darkness; our motives are obscure. We struggle to sidestep traps and snares. Dark visions have come between us – a grey boat’s passing down the river to the sea. Bright visions rise up before us – a great rush of water; a city of light bejewelled; our noontide. Glimpses of lost glory and lost lore. Temptations in the twilight hour.

The chance is taken. Faith is kept; light and wisdom linger in the West.

Break bread together. Hold fast together. It will be enough.

Comments

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

Ah. Fresh air.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Glad it felt like that :-)

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

Well, solemn and poetic fresh air, but fresh air nonetheless.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

solemn and poetic fresh air

That's our Faramir.

I really like your icon, btw.

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

I suspect Julie would find a lot to sing about at Henneth Annun.

Unaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. You know your name's in Spenser's Faerie Queene! I thought of you when I was reading up on the One True Church. :D

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I suspect Julie would find a lot to sing about at Henneth Annun.

"Raindrops in caverns, and whiskers on Rangers..."


You know your name's in Spenser's Faerie Queene!

I know! And me a good Irish Catholic girl! (yeah...)

[mgkellner.livejournal.com]

Very good. One of my favorite chapters as well. Distilling Window On The West to 100 words yields a heady spirit. One more place where a single person's choice strengthened the thread, when it could have easily snapped it. Noble is as noble does.

mk

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Mike. I had been mulling it around in my subconscious for a while, and then it took shape as I was walking home yesterday.

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

Break bread together. Hold fast together. It will be enough.

Wonderful. Thank you.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm very glad it works.

[aervir.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much. If someone had asked me to rewrite Window on the West in 100 words, I would have thought it was impossible, as it is one of the most "talkative" chapters, like The Council of Elrond. Well, it obviously is possible: Lovely!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you :-) There is an awful lot in the chapter. I was talking about it with a friend last week, and she mentioned the Last Supper elements to the chapter, and from there it was a short hop to the Garden of Gethsemane and the theme of trials and tests, which are key to the chapter, I think.

[aervir.livejournal.com]

...from there it was a short hop to the Garden of Gethsemane and the theme of trials and tests, which are key to the chapter, I think.
I knew that your drabble did remind me of something, but I am horribly slow on the uptake, I guess. I did not notice the Garden of Gethsemane reference until you pointed it out to me... Of course, you are right -- it indeed provides the theme which manages to hold your 100 little together.

[aervir.livejournal.com]

... and I can't write coherent sentences, either. The last sentence above should read: "... which manages to hold your 100 little words together."

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I tucked it away; wasn't sure whether it was a little too elliptical.

[kathyh]

That was lovely. Thanks.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you; I'm glad it worked OK. A big chapter to reduce to 100 words.

[genarti]

Break bread together. Hold fast together. It will be enough.

Thank you.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-)

[hardrada.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you read the fic, h. I'm very glad it worked for you.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hope it helped a little.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[windswept1.livejournal.com]

a grey boat’s passing down the river to the sea.

Ooh! Nice place to use that one...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I had nearly got the drabble done when I realized I hadn't mentioned the boat. Hope it doesn't feel too forced.