Reverend Dr. Malcolm Guite

But there was a point at which, whether it was the Germans or the Russians, it doesn't matter which particular odious set of people it was, were just basically saying, starving the very people that produce the food. And there's a bit of that going on.

But there was a point at which, whether it was the Germans or the Russians, it doesn't matter which particular odious set of people it was, were just basically saying, starving the very people that produce the food. And there's a bit of that going on.

But there was a point at which, whether it was the Germans or the Russians, it doesn't matter which particular odious set of people it was, were just basically saying, starving the very people that produce the food. And there's a bit of that going on.

So what happens is, even though they're outnumbered, the four hobbits, who you'd think would be entitled to a break after having just saved the whole of Middle-earth, have to come back. But in a way, they're more than... I won't say man enough. They're more than hobbit enough for the job by the time they get back. And there's a horn blowing and various... So the Shire has a kind of...

So what happens is, even though they're outnumbered, the four hobbits, who you'd think would be entitled to a break after having just saved the whole of Middle-earth, have to come back. But in a way, they're more than... I won't say man enough. They're more than hobbit enough for the job by the time they get back. And there's a horn blowing and various... So the Shire has a kind of...

So what happens is, even though they're outnumbered, the four hobbits, who you'd think would be entitled to a break after having just saved the whole of Middle-earth, have to come back. But in a way, they're more than... I won't say man enough. They're more than hobbit enough for the job by the time they get back. And there's a horn blowing and various... So the Shire has a kind of...

uprising against a kind of, if you like, a kind of horrible piece of centralized economic planning by Saruman. And Saruman, in the end, is very justly stabbed by the person whom he has used as a traitor anyway, and so on. And he's nicknamed Sharky, and it happens in Bagshot Row, so then that's nicknamed Sharky's End. So there's a recovery and a restoration.

uprising against a kind of, if you like, a kind of horrible piece of centralized economic planning by Saruman. And Saruman, in the end, is very justly stabbed by the person whom he has used as a traitor anyway, and so on. And he's nicknamed Sharky, and it happens in Bagshot Row, so then that's nicknamed Sharky's End. So there's a recovery and a restoration.

uprising against a kind of, if you like, a kind of horrible piece of centralized economic planning by Saruman. And Saruman, in the end, is very justly stabbed by the person whom he has used as a traitor anyway, and so on. And he's nicknamed Sharky, and it happens in Bagshot Row, so then that's nicknamed Sharky's End. So there's a recovery and a restoration.

Now, scouring is a really interesting word. I mean, I have a private theory about why it's called the scouring of the Shire. There's a very great poem by G.K. Chesterton called The Ballad of the White Horse, which was about how King Alfred fought off the Danes and created the Kingdom of Wessex and effectively what became England. It's really Alfred the Great.

Now, scouring is a really interesting word. I mean, I have a private theory about why it's called the scouring of the Shire. There's a very great poem by G.K. Chesterton called The Ballad of the White Horse, which was about how King Alfred fought off the Danes and created the Kingdom of Wessex and effectively what became England. It's really Alfred the Great.

Now, scouring is a really interesting word. I mean, I have a private theory about why it's called the scouring of the Shire. There's a very great poem by G.K. Chesterton called The Ballad of the White Horse, which was about how King Alfred fought off the Danes and created the Kingdom of Wessex and effectively what became England. It's really Alfred the Great.

And Alfred the Great believed that Christians were the best people to look after not only Christian things, but pagan things as well. He actually, so in this, there's a final book of the Ballad of the White Horse, it's called The Scouring of the White Horse. And it's about cleaning off all the mold and grime that has grown over this beautiful, ancient chalk carving on the hill.

And Alfred the Great believed that Christians were the best people to look after not only Christian things, but pagan things as well. He actually, so in this, there's a final book of the Ballad of the White Horse, it's called The Scouring of the White Horse. And it's about cleaning off all the mold and grime that has grown over this beautiful, ancient chalk carving on the hill.

And Alfred the Great believed that Christians were the best people to look after not only Christian things, but pagan things as well. He actually, so in this, there's a final book of the Ballad of the White Horse, it's called The Scouring of the White Horse. And it's about cleaning off all the mold and grime that has grown over this beautiful, ancient chalk carving on the hill.

And so there are some political things there. But I think we should be very wary. I mean, I know just quite a lot of commentators on my, you know, I have a YouTube where I read bits of the Lord of the Rings occasionally and other poems. And I know just quite a lot of political commentary on that, which I mostly stay out of. But one of the few cases where we know of a direct...

And so there are some political things there. But I think we should be very wary. I mean, I know just quite a lot of commentators on my, you know, I have a YouTube where I read bits of the Lord of the Rings occasionally and other poems. And I know just quite a lot of political commentary on that, which I mostly stay out of. But one of the few cases where we know of a direct...

And so there are some political things there. But I think we should be very wary. I mean, I know just quite a lot of commentators on my, you know, I have a YouTube where I read bits of the Lord of the Rings occasionally and other poems. And I know just quite a lot of political commentary on that, which I mostly stay out of. But one of the few cases where we know of a direct...

political statement at some cost to himself from Tolkien comes in the 1930s. It was 38 or something like that when somebody decided it'd be great to have a German translation of the Hobbit, right? So whoever the Nazi apparatchik that was dealing with the licensing of books in that state writes this letter to Tolkien, literally trying to double check that he's fully Aryan.

political statement at some cost to himself from Tolkien comes in the 1930s. It was 38 or something like that when somebody decided it'd be great to have a German translation of the Hobbit, right? So whoever the Nazi apparatchik that was dealing with the licensing of books in that state writes this letter to Tolkien, literally trying to double check that he's fully Aryan.