real world connections

Here here. I loved LOR, but am happy about the women in HP.

The setting was different in regards to the times. Don't blame Tolkien. He'd have had to bring some Amazons in there to put a strong female presence in that scene.

True. Or a dwarf woman, but we might never would have known the dwarf was a woma. Of course Lewis managed to get some strong good women woven into his tales, but he had to use "time travel" to do it.

You mean those bearded dwarf women lol. How would you modern day beardless ladies relate to that though.

Aloha - I think you're looking for 'Fellowship of the Ring' as opposed to Union of the ring.

(also a big Tolkien fan)

Gringo - You are wise beyond your ears

Yes I meant to say that it was not a typo.

But "Fellowship" was the word that escaped me. Thanks.

Hitler's anti-semitism (from memory) came from his sense of 'Jews' having simply too much monopoly of business - this sentiment formulating most in his student days.

The Rounding up of muggles and assigning part-muggles with an identification Number is as close to 'nazi' practise as you can hope to get. but I don't think the remainder of the Death Eater activities were directly nazi inspired as such.

Incidentally - the Lord of the Rings... I always like to imagine which countries Tolkien is referring to....
Hobbiton - rural england
Rohan - Sweden/Norway (viking imagery)
Gondor - makes me think of Russia
Mordor - again - only the axis of evil springs to mind. so, perhaps Germany - WWI and WWII.

the LOTR sentiments about environmentalism....
the Harry Potter sentiments about elf rights...
the WWII sentiments about basic equality regardless of race or religion.

so many interesting parallels I think

My knowlege of history is patchy to put it mildly. But didn't Hitler appoint Hermann Goering as leader of the parliament/senate/government..I forgot which, while declaring himself Fuhrer. Voldemort didn't take charge of the Ministry himself either.

Voldie only had people infiltrate the ministry or control the ministry.
Voldie also arranged for the death of Scrimgeour & the Ministry fell.
pretty much amounts to 'changing governments'.
But I agree - he didn't try to use 'conventional methods'.

oh and teddy - eowyn is simply a wonderful character. Nothing magical. Just bittersweet and cold. driven with a sense of right and valour.
simply wonderful.

which - given the time the book was written - simply remarkable to be afforded the second highest honour - to rid the world of the Witch king. (she did not get rid of Sauron) only the destruction of the ring in the fires of mount doom sealed that deal.

(these are my two favourite series (books & film) of all time)