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When Tolkien 1st Wrote FotR...
http://arwen-undomiel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9174		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Ivreniel [ June 22nd, 2006, 5:30 pm ]
Post subject:  When Tolkien 1st Wrote FotR...
It was very, very different from the FotR as we know it.

Some examples...all from Christopher Tolkien's ((JRR's son)) "The Return of the Shadow"


***The Chapter "A Long expected party"**
    Tolkien's 1st Draft of FotR chapter 1
In this draft, Bilbo's party takes place when he's in his 70s rather than 111 He also announces that when he goes, he's going to get married. Say WHAT!?!? :blink:
Quote:
When Bilbo, son of Bungo of the family of Baggins, prepared to celebrate his seventieth birthday...

It also continues on in his speech:
Quote:
Secondly to celebrate my birthday and the twenthieth year of my return. Lastly to make an Announcement.' He said this very loud and everybody sat up who could. 'Goodbye! I am going away after dinner. Also I am going to get married.'




    Tolkien's 3rd Draft of FotR chapter 1
In this draft, we're introduced to the character who would eventually become Frodo, but at this time is called Bingo, Bilbo's son. :P
Quote:
When Bingo, son of Bilbo, of the well-known Baggins family prepared to celebrate his seventy-second birthday...Bingo's father, as some still remembered, had once made quite a stir in Hobbiton and Bywater-he had disappeared one April 30th after breakfast, and had not reappeared until lunch-time on June 22nd in the following year...He wrote a book about it...


    Tolkien's 4th Draft
Bingo son of Bilbo becomes Bilbo's nephew, and his name is changed to Bolger-Baggins. Still no sign of Frodo as we know him.
-------------------------

***The chapter "Three is Company"***

    In the 1st draft
of the next chapter Frodo's name finally appears, but as Frodo Brandybuck! Remember, Frodo Baggins of our version is currently named Bingo Bolger-Baggins, Merry Brandybuck of our version is Frodo Brandybuck, Pippin as we know him is Odo Took and there's also Drogo Took.
Quote:
'Have you three any idea where we are going to?' said Bingo. 'None watever,' said Frodo... 'What we don't know,' put in Drogo, 'is how long it is going to take us on foot. Do you?' '..Actually I have always had some adventure every time I have taken the road to Rivendell' said Bingo...'Better turn in soon and make an early start,' said Odo (who was fond of bed).


    Version two
gets rid of Drogo Took and adds a character called Marmaduke Brandybuck, giving us Bingo, Odo, Frodo, and Marmaduke (called Merry for short now).

Quote:
'Then who are you and who is your lord?' said Bingo. 'I am Gildor,' said the Elf...'O wise people,' said Frodo, 'tell us about the Black Rider!' ...Odo...whispered to Bingo. 'I suppose we shall get a really good bed and supper?'


Even Strider isn't present yet.

    ***Arrival at Bree***

Quote:
Suddenly Bingo noticed that a queer-looking, brown-faced hobbit, sitting in the shadows behind the others, was also listening intently...'Who is that over there?' said Bingo, when he got a chance to whisper to Mr. Butterbur...'Him?' said Barnabas, cocking an eye without turning his head. 'O! that is one of the wild folk--rangers we call 'em'


So instead of the heir of Isildur, we have another hobbit whose name turns out to be TROTTER :P


Thus:

Frodo Baggins = Bingo Bolger-Baggins as Bilbo's newphew, or Bingo Baggins, Bilbo's son

Pippin Took = Odo Took
Merry Brandybuck = Marmaduke Brandybuck
Sam Gamgee = Frodo Took(?) or Drogo Brandybuck(?)
Strider Aragorn = Hobbit called Trotter who is a Ranger and wears shoes
Author:  Rinoa Amarth [ June 22nd, 2006, 6:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
............I'm confused now :lol:
That is so different, you may have already said this but, where did you find this?
Author:  Meldawen [ June 22nd, 2006, 8:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
I love Frodo's earlier alias, Bingo Bolger-Baggins. I love him so much. I wish Tolkien had made him a minor character so I could laugh at him!
Author:  Ivreniel [ June 22nd, 2006, 8:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes, I already said it, but I'll say it again. His son, Christopher Tolkien's book "The Return of the Shadow." Christopher Tolkien edited portions of JRR Tolkien's drafts to re-trace how LotR grew into the book we know. There are SEVERAL volumes, and Return of the Shadow is only one of them. It's currently published as the 6th volume in the History of Middle Earth series.
You can find out more about the book HERE
Author:  Ms.Gamgee [ June 22nd, 2006, 10:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Wow!
Gah, I'm so confuzzled!

That's so cool *checks out books*
Author:  Cuilwen [ June 23rd, 2006, 6:32 am ]
Post subject: 
*giggles* Bingo.. Stupid name... And a hobbit instead of our Strider. :lol:
Author:  Will [ June 23rd, 2006, 7:27 am ]
Post subject: 
^^ I could not imagine that...! A weather beaten hobbit :blink:

This wouldn't fit either

"What his real name is, I have never heard but 'round here he is known as Trotter"

Lol!! :lol:
Author:  Larael [ June 23rd, 2006, 8:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
Wow, that's totally different from the LotR we know today. Thos excerpts from earlier drafts seem so odd compared to the final draft we read today. It's because I'm so used to this "normal" version...

If Tolkien had stayed with the first plot line [excerpt #1] I don't know what I wouldv'e done. :P
Author:  GinevraEowynUndomiel [ June 23rd, 2006, 10:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
well, Larael, I don't think you'd be here today that's for sure. frodo, bingo, and trotter...wow... does anyone think that bingo may be sam's predercessor?
Author:  Meldawen [ June 24th, 2006, 12:03 am ]
Post subject: 
Bingo as Sam. How odd. I totally laugh at the idea of Trotter. I mean, can you imagine? A little hobbit running around fighting ringwraiths? I like our Strider sooo much better :P
Author:  eowynfaramir4eva [ June 24th, 2006, 3:43 pm ]
Post subject: 
:blink: WOW! I got confused trying to read all the versions that you just quoted!
Author:  Ivreniel [ June 24th, 2006, 7:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
Okay, I'll try to re-organize the first post to make it clearer.

*EDIT* There. Hope that helps.
Author:  brego145 [ June 24th, 2006, 7:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
That is so cool...I love the first part how many drafts, really confusing really.
Author:  Rinoa Amarth [ June 26th, 2006, 12:02 am ]
Post subject: 
Will wrote:
^^ I could not imagine that...! A weather beaten hobbit :blink:

This wouldn't fit either

"What his real name is, I have never heard but 'round here he is known as Trotter"

Lol!! :lol:

:laugh: :laugh: I watched that in my head and now I can't stop laughing. Thank you Will. :lol:

Thank you for giving me the link and re-telling me the name of the book Ivreniel :P I was so confused when I read it......and sleepy :duh: .
Author:  Arya Undomiel [ July 12th, 2006, 12:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
I can see what you mean. The current FotR seems a lot more different than the original. . .to me, the original seems confusing. :blink: Bingo instead of Frodo, Frodo as a Brandybuck, a hobbit called Trotter instead of Strider. . .very confusing. :yes: :duh: It makes my head spin! :blink: :huh:
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