September 15, 2003

The Red Dawn Reference
Rune of Mirkwood

I have seen discussion on Legolas's brief but powerful line in The Two Towers and reference to "A red dawn rises...".

Throughout both movies, Peter Jackson and his writers have changed words, sentences, and even the characters who spoke "famous lines". For instance, in the Extended Version of the Fellowship, we see Celeborn speaking to Aragon on the edges of Lothlorien's waters, before embarking in the elvin boats given to them, and we hear Celeborn give warning to Aragon about "the orcs" (when in fact, they are Uruk-Hai..) quoting, "Seldom do Orcs journey in the open sun, yet these have done so." This sentence does not appear until The Two Towers Book and is actually, spoken by Aragon!

The line spoken by Legolas in the Two Towers book reads: "As before, Legolas was first afoot, if indeed he had ever slept. 'Awake! Awake! he cried. "It is a red dawn. Strange things await us by the eaves of the forest. Good or evil, I do not know; but we are called. Awake!"

So, I agree that Peter Jackson and his writers took the liberty (as was their right in making their movies -) of changing some of the wording and I, for one, think it is BETTER than the books' versions, in some cases.

In the movie when Legolas quotes this line and the sky is red behind him, I think it gave the movie more "Elvish depth" and tied in with The Three Hunters' hopes of possibly reaching their friends, the Hobbits, before anything serious happened to them.

Also, in maritime lore, there is a sailor's warning about a red sky and a storm approaching.

Just my thoughts.