When Tony Abbott committed to his oath in blood, I had occasion to search for a literary allusion. Something to capture the melodrama.

The oath did have a touch of Macbeth, but Shakespeare can be so overdone, donchathink?

Then it dawned on me. Not Shakespeare, but Tolkien.

The slightly mad eyes, the gaunt cheeks, the skinny limbs, the strange walk, the ears.

Tony Abbot is Gollum reborn.

Proof, I found, in Gollum's very own words. "They’re thieves. They’re thieves, they’re filthy little thieves. Where is it? Where is it? They stole it from us. My Precious. Curse them, we hates them! It’s ours it is, and we wants it. "

'Precious' being of course, the key to the Lodge.

"Nasty Hobbitts. Keeping it from me. But we won't let them. Nooooo. We will lead them their Shire, into the fire and smoke. Yess, my precious."

Okay, Gollum didn't actually say that last bit. But he could've.

Tolkien always insisted that Lord of the Rings wasn't a metaphor. And he was right. It's a prophecy, a foretelling of early 21st Century Australian politics.

Mordor is what our planet will become if Gollum has his way onglobal warming.

The more I think on it, the better I understand the Tolkien's riddle.

Obviously, the Hobbits in the tale are the three independents.

Although, it is perhaps a stretch to see Tony Windsor as a Hobbit. But Andrew Wilkie? Perfect. I wonder if he has hairy feet.

Such a shame that Joe Hockey is on the other side. He'd make a good hobbit.

Andrew Robb is actually Sauron, the wizard. No need for science in his universe, for Sauron believes in magic. What need has he for science?

And all the while, Tony, er, Gollum, smiles his sly smile and whispers his riddles; saying one thing today and the opposite tomorrow.

I must say, he does the part rather well, doesn't he?

But in the prophesy, Gollum ultimately fails; his machinations come to nought.

And we have the triumphant return of the king.

Could it be? Nooooo. No way.

Kevin?

Dear Anthony,

Thank You. You've made me view Tolkien in a
different light.

The Return of The King?
No. Not Kevin.

Try Malcolm.

It may yet be Kevin Lexi
The knights gather and the round table is on its back.
Jostling for position is well under way.
Bill the white Knight is out there in full armor, Gillards knight Crean is too, but as is his usual, is holding his lance the wrong way.
Kevin is trotting around looking in fine form.
We will know soon.
Sir Malcolm the better is quietly musing if it is time, his oafish lance carrier is pushing him saying go get him bloke.
But that member for North Sydney has said such before.
In real life a life long mate,sitting on the other side of the house than Labor?
Told me face to face half the party consider Abbott an idiot?
Fear for the other half are they blind?
Shorten vs Turnbull 2013? yes think so.

Dear Belly,

I loved your "Knights of the Round Table" analogy.
And as I've stated in the past you know more about
the inner workings of party politics.

Shorten versus Malcolm in 2013?

From my perspective Shorten ain't long enough in the
tooth - yet.

But what do I know.

I'm with you, Lexi.
Belly's Knights of the Round Table works even better than Tolkien - wish I'd thought of it.
We could really have some fun with that.
Cheers,
Anthony
http://www.observationpost.com.au

nuthin like reposting old news
http://www.observationpoint.com.au/?p=251

what your blog didnt get a bite?
so we get stale topics?

And a very warm welcome to you too, under one god.
Cheers,
Anthony
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

Great Anthonyve,

…You sound bored! I am currently reading a book entitled “the story of the mind”, printed 1902, making the book 109 years old. So what is the point of this you say? Well, the point is, reflection. Here is a book written at the end of the Boer war in 1902, (South African secessionist war). A short educationalist manual on the study of psychology.

…The point you are attempting to convey, I feel, by assimilating our Tony into a Tolkien character, is to assist in the psychological analysis of the man. But to make any sense of the political direction of this country, one really needs to psychoanalyse the political system in which our Tony operates: that complex analysis needs to include consideration of scientific and technological advances; ones which have evolved over the period of time since my little book was written, observed through the time line of history, which includes two catastrophic global wars.

…The last war terminated by the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Japan in 1945 by the US of A: And the end of Nationalism (fascism), the end of Communism (China is not Communist in the technical sense), the end of the British Empire, The end of a unified Europe, and soon the end of the Capitalism, (presupposed).

…The world appears to be politically driven by simmering ideological hatred: And borrowing from the madness, people are born not to question their personal ideology and its side-effects on peace and harmony; burying their heads in the sands of everyday chaos, omitting time for reflection. And here is the “rub”, critical of a Political system and the by-products, (I.E. Abbotts, Gillards and all), and void of an understanding on why and how to change it!

…Political satire is all well and good, but it needs more than a drive of cynicism behind it. Satire must be intelligently directed towards better outcomes, not simply ridicule for the purpose of humour alone

Diver Dan your post got to me, it is the most interesting one I have read in ages.
It took me back to my education.
From far different back ground than most, school for me was a living hell.
It was so for all but one of my family.
Being the poor kids in a very small village, making up two thirds of the whole school in the 1950,s our family wanted out, to work.
Reading, after teaching myself became my path to education.
Must have read a house full of books twice.
So my understanding is not from formal education.
Here however are some views on why we are as we are.
Any chance we are being blinded by others, lets face it our tribalism in politics is blinding .
Right now believe me, life time Friends dislike me intensely because I see, with 20/20 vision my party needs redirection.
But on the evidence we see here every day, the other side too needs to do some self reviewing.
Am I just getting old? is it just the hung Parliament?
Or are we getting more interested in tribalism in politics than out comes.
Lexi Anthony has a crystal ball!
My days of shoulder rubbing are over nothing more X than an X.
But yes a challenge is on and yes Rudd looks in front BUT Bill Shorten, is no youth, his intellect is massive, as big as his ego, and he IS THE MAN WE THOUGHT RUDD WAS.
Be aware Crean will be pushed if Gillard gos,she must Simon must not lead,he is tainted by Latham.
Labor will change leader by end February.

Belly:

...Canberra might sing to its own praises in the antiphon of “O Sapientia” (wisdom). But you and I both know better! Hang in there, and all praise to you for your unflinching loyalty to a party that long, long ago abandoned to the wolves, loyalists such as yourself.

...“All Praise” indeed

Hi diver dan,
Thanks for a thought provoking post. I'll look out for 'the story of the mind'. I've been led to some great reading by Forum posts.
You're right, I was, whilst admittedly going for a laugh or two, making a serious point about Tony.
I find him - in his current iteration, quite fascinating.
I chose Gollum because he's always fascinated me as well. And I think the parrallel goes quite deep.
To me, Gollum's pursuit of his precious turned him into the ultimate outsider. He started life as a Hobbit but his obsession drove him away from his 'tribe' - a term that Belly uses most aptly, I think - until he owed allegiance to nothing and no one, except the subject of his obsession.
This in turn, made Gollum into the ultimate opportunist. Do anything, say anything to achieve his precious.
Turning to Abbott, I see something similar occuring. I don't believe he had any serious thought that he could become PM until he suddenly became Liberal leader almost by accident.
In his early, and even middle years as a politician, Abbot was driven by his conservatism and by his strong social consience. He was of the "Love him or hate him, you always know where he stands" stripe.
But, since he's seen that the ultimate prize has become possible, it seems to me that he has abandoned his once principled positions.
He now stands for whatever will further his aims. He's reversed his position on several once deeply held principles. Some of his views are difficult to reconcile with his Christian, conservative, and once compassionate background.
So I see that Abbotts' striving for his prceious is - and maybe this is too strong a word, but anyway - 'corrupting' him as precious did to Gollum.
On the other hand I could be - and probably am - totally over thinking it.
Cheers,
Anthony
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

Ah but Belly the servant and follower of that knight in not so shining armor follows still.
He has seen the other tent at the other end of the Field of battle and it frightens him still.
Left Field the tent of Sir Robert of the Green frog sits, it too concerns him.
The noises coming from said tent are scary.
What remains? Belly thinks he knows sir self interest has more knights than any but is still fixed , poor fellow, with the idea best remains best, even if the selection must come from the back bench so be it.
Abbott, not the fat jolly one from Sherwood Forrest, rather More Sheriff of Nottingham, shall not have Belly's last shilling.
And Belly would not be seen in the same paddock with Sir Robert.
So he is content to dream and hope and indeed to know.
The horse his shilling rides with is the best of a bad bunch.

Dear Diver Dan,

As Groucho Marx once said:

"If you find it hard to laugh at yourself,
I would be happy to do it for you."

Tony Abbott is one politician who totally
deserves a delightfully witty expose -
as the one given to us on this thread.
Abbott's such an expert at being
rude, contemptuous, and offensive towards others that
he's left himself open to this thread that exposes all
his vanity and hypocrisy. This is simply a tongue-in-cheek
revenge.
It's brilliantly done requiring a quick wit, and the
ability to extract the minutest of Abbott's weaknesses.

If you can't say it yourself. At least allow the rest of
us to enjoy the things that have been said.

Lexi:

...Tsk, tsk….Your subliminal has become sublime, really!

Anthonyve:

...I am guilty of not recognising the underexploited area of caricature: But characterizations was my minor point!

Ahh look, it's all good fun.
Who should we take the p**s out of next?
Any thoughts, anyone?
Cheers,
Anthony
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

What a shame to harness the thread.
I too was enjoying my dip in the pool of Satire.
In my defense my view of Tony Abbott and some on his team, needs me to Laugh.
Much more manly than to cry.
My mind sees strange things at the Meir mention of Bishop!
Good LAWD! to see either of these Lady approach the question box fills me with dread.
Prophecy?
O future reader forgive us all, these troubling times, hung Parliament, let them be blamed.
For as sure as the sun rises, Abbott's skilled pea and shell game will be unmasked.
And you my future reader will ask why so many saw only my sides wrong/invented wrongs.
Nave that I am , I mount my donkey and leave two Lady Bishops head this way I must flee or surely pee.

Dear Diver Dan,

If you think my "subliminal" has become "sublime,"
then you'll really approve of these examples of "tastefully
offensive Shakespearian insults." (Taken from a site on the
web):

Thou artless base-court apple-john.

Thou bawdy bat-fowling baggage.

Thou impertinent fool-born gudgeon.

Thou gleeking flap-mouthed foot-licker.

Thou fawning earth-vexing dewberry.

Thou craven common-kissing canker-blossom.

Thou blubbering beef-witted barnacle.

And so on.

It appears that you can take any words out of Shakespeare and
preface them with the word "Thou," to come up with
"Tastefully offensive," sentences that are really "sublime."

Gosh, Lexi....they are good!

I was tossing up which one I liked best...and I think I'll have to go with "Thou gleeking flap-mouthed foot-licker". (reminds me of Johnny Howard on a cringe-worthy visit to Bush in Washington : )

Ha ha ha very good but before you assign political entities to characters, you had better read their past history else the chacterisation falls over in a spectacular manner. One example . The day Bill shorten gets anywhere, we're all in Mordore. This guy was one of the biggest union thugs and standover criminals the union movement ever recruited, only other one above him in criminal tactics was victoria's John Halfpenny. If you had seen this guy speak at a closed union meeting, you would have pulled out a gun and shot him on the spot, I kid you not. He probably has a copy of 'mien kamph' as pride of place in his library. I'm over 60 and I remember this low life like it was yesterday.

Lexi:

From the subliminal to the supraliminal!

pepper this will be the last time we speak.
We have I think spoken before your lost nature has the DNA of another.
How long did it take you to fabricate your slander.
You never in your life heard this bloke, you understand nothing.
Halfpenny, if active in Shortens time would have been his mortal enemy.
Shorten like myself is from a faction of the Union/ALP that hates communism, me a follower he a leader.
I could say much ,you however would not understand.
On nothing but your post history you are the type who must come here because no one will listen in life.
Try truth, look now for an excuse, you will need one.
See Bill Shorten, man of the right, is and never was the lie you brand him with.
Your bitter slanders prove you care little for honesty truth understanding.
good by yet again.

Your enemy stands before you look in to the mirror

Dear Diver Dan,

So pleased that you agree.
Its far better than:
"From the sublime to the mindane!"

Cheers.

Dear Poirot,

Thanks. I loved them all!
And will use then again in future.