Quotes by J.R.R. Tolkien

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Now when Túrin learnt from Finduilas of what had passed, he was wrathful, and he said to Gwindor: 'In love I hold you for your rescue and sake-keeping. But now you have done ill to me, friend, to betray my right name, and call my doom upon me, from ...

J.R.R. Tolkien

Master of the Dark Shadow. For I also, Niniel, had my darkness, in which dear things were lost; but now I have overcome it, I deem.

J.R.R. Tolkien

On their deathbed men will speak true, they say.

J.R.R. Tolkien

But whenever I say that I will do this or that, it looks very different when the time comes.

J.R.R. Tolkien

A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Húrin soon marked that Túrin did not wear the knife, and he asked him whether his warning had made him fear it. Then Túrin answered: ‘No; but I gave the knife to Sador the woodwright.’ ‘Do you then scorn your father’s gift?’ said Morwen;...

J.R.R. Tolkien

Grief is a hone to a hard mind.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Perhaps it is better not to tell what you wish. if you cannot have it.

J.R.R. Tolkien

But to this Orc-work such a life as we lead has brought us. Lawless and fruitless all our deeds have been, serving only ourselves, and feeding hate in our hearts.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Why must you speak your thoughts? Silence, if fair words stick in your throat, would serve all our ends better.

J.R.R. Tolkien

This was the first of the sorrows of Turin.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Our language now has become quick-moving (in syllables), and may be very supple and nimble, but is rather thin in sound and in sense too often diffuse and vague. the language of our forefathers, especially in verse, was slow, not very nimble, but ver...

J.R.R. Tolkien

Oh! That was poetry!" said Pippin. "Do you really mean to start before the break of day?

J.R.R. Tolkien

Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.

J.R.R. Tolkien

He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Handsome is as handsome does

J.R.R. Tolkien

A few melancholy birds were pipping and wailing, until the round red sun sank slowly into the western shadows; then an empty silence fell

J.R.R. Tolkien

Have you thought of an ending?" "Yes, several, and all are dark and unpleasant." "Oh, that won't do! Books ought to have good endings. How would this do: and they all settled down and lived together happily ever after?" "It will do well, if it ever c...

J.R.R. Tolkien

I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history – true or feigned– with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of reade...

J.R.R. Tolkien

Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.

J.R.R. Tolkien

I will take the ring," he said," though I do not know the way." --Frodo Baggins

J.R.R. Tolkien