Treebeard: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
No edit summary
mNo edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:John Howe - Treebeard.jpg|thumb|250px|''Treebeard'' by [[John Howe]].]]
{{Pronounce|Fangorn.mp3|Ardamir}}
[[Image:John Howe - Treebeard.jpg|thumb|250px|''Treebeard'' by [[John Howe]]]]
'''Treebeard''' or '''Fangorn''' (in [[Sindarin]]) is the oldest of the [[Ents]], a tree-like being who is a sort of "shepherd of trees". Very tall and stiff-limbed, with bark-like skin and leafy hair, he befriends [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] (Merry) and [[Peregrin Took]] (Pippin) after they escape from [[Orcs]]. He lives in [[Fangorn Forest]], which is named after him (or he after it).
'''Treebeard''' or '''Fangorn''' (in [[Sindarin]]) is the oldest of the [[Ents]], a tree-like being who is a sort of "shepherd of trees". Very tall and stiff-limbed, with bark-like skin and leafy hair, he befriends [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] (Merry) and [[Peregrin Took]] (Pippin) after they escape from [[Orcs]]. He lives in [[Fangorn Forest]], which is named after him (or he after it).


Line 7: Line 8:


== Portrayal in Adaptations ==
== Portrayal in Adaptations ==
[[Image:Treebeard.jpeg|thumb|''Treebeard'' in [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]].]]
In [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s 1978 animated adaptation of ''[[Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings|The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[John Westbrook]] provided the voice of Treebeard.  [[Stephen Thorne]] voiced the character in [[BBC Radio]]'s 1981 [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|serialisation]].
In [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s 1978 animated adaptation of ''[[Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings|The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[John Westbrook]] provided the voice of Treebeard.  [[Stephen Thorne]] voiced the character in [[BBC Radio]]'s 1981 [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|serialisation]].


[[Image:Treebeard.jpeg|thumb|left|''Treebeard'' in [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]]]]
In ''[[Peter Jackson's The Two Towers]]'' (2002) and ''[[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King|The Return of the King]]'' (2003), Treebeard is a combination of a large animatronic model and a CGI construct; his voice is performed by [[John Rhys-Davies]], who also plays [[Gimli]].
In ''[[Peter Jackson's The Two Towers]]'' (2002) and ''[[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King|The Return of the King]]'' (2003), Treebeard is a combination of a large animatronic model and a CGI construct; his voice is performed by [[John Rhys-Davies]], who also plays [[Gimli]].


In the movie "The Two Towers", the Ents at the Entmoot initially decline Merry and Pippin's request for help. Treebeard is carrying the hobbits through the forest, when Pippin gets an idea. He asks Treebeard to carry them towards [[Isengard]], because that is the last place [[Saruman]] would look for them. When Treebeard gets close to the forest's edge, he sees the devastation wrought by Saruman's orcs. The trees have all been chopped down to serve as fuel for Saruman's war machine. Treebeard then makes a momentous decision, and calls for the other Ents. They attack Isengard and manage to flood it. In the book, Treebeard and the ents decide to attack Saruman without any such coercion.
In the movie ''The Two Towers'', the Ents at the [[Entmoot]] initially decline Merry and Pippin's request for help. Treebeard is carrying the hobbits through the forest, when Pippin gets an idea. He asks Treebeard to carry them towards [[Isengard]], because that is the last place [[Saruman]] would look for them. When Treebeard gets close to the forest's edge, he sees the devastation wrought by Saruman's orcs. The trees have all been chopped down to serve as fuel for Saruman's war machine. Treebeard then makes a momentous decision, and calls for the other Ents. They attack Isengard and manage to flood it. In the book, Treebeard and the ents decide to attack Saruman without any such coercion.


===See also===
=== See Also ===
* [[:Category:Images of Treebeard|Images of Treebeard]]
* [[:Category:Images of Treebeard|Images of Treebeard]]


[[Category:Ents]]
[[Category:Ents]]

Revision as of 04:06, 3 May 2006

Treebeard by John Howe

Treebeard or Fangorn (in Sindarin) is the oldest of the Ents, a tree-like being who is a sort of "shepherd of trees". Very tall and stiff-limbed, with bark-like skin and leafy hair, he befriends Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry) and Peregrin Took (Pippin) after they escape from Orcs. He lives in Fangorn Forest, which is named after him (or he after it).

Like most Ents, Treebeard takes a long time to make up his mind. He repeatedly speaks of not "being hasty". Treebeard is described as the oldest being in Middle-earth, which is the cause of some confusion as Tom Bombadil is also called "Oldest". Treebeard however says that there are trees in Fangorn that are "older than he." The general consensus is that Treebeard is the oldest living thing in Middle-earth, as Tom Bombadil isn't exactly a member of any race.

It has been theorized that many of Treebeard's mannerisms were based on Tolkien's friend C.S. Lewis, a loud, bombastic man known for his powerful stride and overwhelming presence.

Portrayal in Adaptations

In Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, John Westbrook provided the voice of Treebeard. Stephen Thorne voiced the character in BBC Radio's 1981 serialisation.

In Peter Jackson's The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003), Treebeard is a combination of a large animatronic model and a CGI construct; his voice is performed by John Rhys-Davies, who also plays Gimli.

In the movie The Two Towers, the Ents at the Entmoot initially decline Merry and Pippin's request for help. Treebeard is carrying the hobbits through the forest, when Pippin gets an idea. He asks Treebeard to carry them towards Isengard, because that is the last place Saruman would look for them. When Treebeard gets close to the forest's edge, he sees the devastation wrought by Saruman's orcs. The trees have all been chopped down to serve as fuel for Saruman's war machine. Treebeard then makes a momentous decision, and calls for the other Ents. They attack Isengard and manage to flood it. In the book, Treebeard and the ents decide to attack Saruman without any such coercion.

See Also