The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies E-Book

Greg Harvey

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Seitenzahl: 621

Beschreibung

J.R.R. Tolkien's novels of Middle-earth - The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Silmarillian - have become some of the most famous, and most beloved, literary works of the twentieth century. And the Lord of the Rings films by director Peter Jackson have re-ignited interest in Tolkien and his works, as well as introduced his stories to a new generation of fans. Even if you've never read the novels and have only seen the films, you know that the world of Middle-earth is a complicated one. Tolkien took great care in representing this world, from creating new languages to including very particular cultural details that add to the richness of the world's fabric. Many other books have been written about Tolkien and his works, but none have come close to providing the kind of reference needed to comprehend the world of Middle-earth. That's what veteran Dummies author and unabashed Tolkien fan Greg Harvey attempts to do in The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies. As the author says in his introduction to the book, this is not an encyclopedia or quick guide to all the diverse beings, languages, and history that make up Tolkien's Middle-earth. Nor is it a set of plot outlines for the novels. Rather, what you'll find in The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies is a basic guide to some of the possible linguistic and mythological origins of Middle-earth, plus a rudimentary analysis of its many themes and lessons for our world. This book can help enrich your reading (or re-reading) of Tolkien's novels, and it will challenge you to think about the themes inherent in Tolkien's Middle-earth and their implications in your own life. Here's just a sampling of the topics you'll find covered in The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies: * Exploring the main themes in Tolkien's works, including immortality and death; the heroic quest; love; fate and free will; and faith and redemption * Investigating the diverse lands of Middle-earth - including the Shire, Gondor, and Mordor - and their significance * Examining the different cultures of Middle-earth, such as Hobbits, Elves, Men, and those wily Wizards * Touring the history of Middle-earth * Understanding Tolkien's creation of new languages to enrich the story of Middle-earth * Top Ten lists on the battles in the War of the Ring, online resources, and the ways the films differ from the novels So, whether you're reading Tolkien's novels or watching the films for the first time, or you've been a fan for many years and are looking for a new take on Tolkien's works, The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies can help you enhance your reading or viewing experience for years to come.

Leseprobe

The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies

by Greg Harvey

The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2003 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2003105682

ISBN: 0-7645-4186-2

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the Author

Greg Harvey was born in Harvey, Illinois, in 1949 and attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. There, he achieved the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a major in Classics and Greek and Latin, with a double minor in History and French. After graduation, he pursued a number of careers, including engineering and drafting, teaching (receiving accreditation as a History and Computer Education teacher in secondary and adult education from San Francisco State University), and computer training. He is the author of numerous technical books, including the best-selling Excel 2003 For Dummies and Windows XP For Dummies Quick Reference. Greg received his Master’s Degree in the Humanities in the area of Philosophy and Religion with a concentration in Asian and Comparative Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco in 2000. Currently, he is working there on his Ph.D. in the same general area. His web site is at www.mindovermedia.com.

Dedication

I dedicate this work to all who’ve suffered loss and yet refuse to abandon hope.

“For such is the way of it: to find and lose, as it seems to those whose boat is on the running stream.”

—Legolas to Gimli upon saying farewell to Lothlórien: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Light Within

Oh Elbereth Gilthoniel, Who set the night-jewels over all, To rend the darkness that over Middle-earth holds sway, Till Eärendil’s gem appears on high as herald of the day.

Rekindle now the sparks of love in every heart below, To ignite a flame to guide us on each journey as we go, So we may be a light to all “when all other lights go out,” And worthy yet of a hero’s tale before our lives are naught.

—Greg Harvey for Ophelia, February 27, 2003

Aiya Elenion Ancalima!

Author’s Acknowledgments

Thanking everyone who helped make this project on Tolkien’s Middle-earth a reality would leave little room for the text itself. Nevertheless, I will try to acknowledge as many as possible (and to those not mentioned by name who kept telling me this book was a good idea and not to give up on it, just know that you have my unending thanks).

I want to begin by thanking the people whose belief in me and the potential of this project have meant everything in the world to me: Diane Steele, for initially letting me entice her with my renditions of Tolkien’s myths and their importance for the everyday world, and Kathy Cox, for her unflagging belief and encouragement in all the stages from inception to printing.

Next, I want to thank the people who actually got into the trenches and helped turn the straw of my rough text into gold ready for publishing: Corbin Collins, the ever-upbeat and creative project editor; Laura Peterson, the ever-vigilant copy editor; Melissa Bennett, editorial assistant and formatter extraordinaire; and Alfred Siewers, our tremendous technical editor. Special thanks to Donald Colby, regional director of gifts at the University of Illinois, for his general encouragement and his help in locating and interesting Professor Siewers in this project.

I also want to thank Melinda Bryant for her great maps of Middle-earth and Michael Bryant for holding down the fort by singlehandedly dealing with a simultaneous revision of one of my technical books.

Finally, I need to acknowledge and thank my professors of Asian Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies: Steven Goodman, who not only taught me Classical Tibetan, but also how and why to care about the meaning of a text; James Ryan, who taught me the rudiments of comparative religious analysis; and Yi Wu, who not only taught me Classical Chinese, but also opened me wide to the meanings of Zen and Taoist literature (hsieh hsieh).

In conclusion, there’s only one yet to thank, one who’s last but never least: my partner, Chris, melindo nin. Thank you for always being there.

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Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editor: Corbin Collins

Acquisitions Editor: Kathy Cox

Copy Editor: Laura Peterson

Editorial Project Assistant: Holly Grimes

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Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker

Editorial Assistant: Melissa Bennett

Cover Photos: Geoffrey Clifford/Getty Images/The Image Bank

Cartoons: Rich Tennant, www.the5thwave.com

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Special Art: Melinda Bryant

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Contents

Title

Introduction

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How to Use This Book

How This Book Is Organized

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I : The Geography of Middle-earth

Chapter 1: The Worlds of Middle-earth

Where in the World Is Middle-earth?

The Meaning of Middle-earth

Middle-earth as a Fantasy World

Middle-earth as a Mythic World

Middle-earth as a World of Diverse Beings

Middle-earth as a Historical World

Middle-earth as a World of Language

Chapter 2: The Lands of Middle-earth and Beyond

Eriador, the Home of the Shire

Khazad-dûm, or the Mines of Moria

Rhovanion, the Wilderland

Isengard, the Iron Enclosure

Rohan, Land of the Horse-lords

Gondor, the Land of Stone

Mordor, the Land of Shadow

Aman, the Western Paradise

Beleriand, the Original Western Middle-earth

Númenor, Tolkien’s Atlantis

Part II : The Beings of Middle-earth

Chapter 3: The Divine Ainur

Eru and His Angelic Ainur

The Mighty Valar

The Valiant Maiar

Chapter 4: The Fair Race of Elves

The Role of the Elves

The Great Journey to the Blessed Realm

The Origin of Tolkien’s Elves

The Downfall of the Elves

Legendary Elves of Middle-earth

Chapter 5: The Mortal Race of Men

Mankind’s Role in Middle-earth

The Awakening of Men

The Different Tribes of Men

Great Heroes of Middle-earth

Chapter 6: The Hardy Race of Dwarves

The Origin of Tolkien’s Dwarves

The Awakening of Aulë’s Children

The Role of Dwarves in Middle-earth

The Death and Rebirth of Dwarves

The Downfall of the Dwarves

Legendary Dwarves in the History of Middle-earth

Chapter 7: Those Homespun Hobbits

Concerning the Nature of Hobbits

Concerning the Origin of Hobbits

Concerning Hobbit Clans and Government

Legendary Hobbits of Middle-earth

Chapter 8: The Wily Wizards

The Wizards of Middle-earth

The Role of Tolkien’s Wizards

Chapter 9: Beorn, Tom Bombadil, and Treebeard

Understanding Tolkien’s Nature Beings

Beorn, the Skin Changer

The Role of Tom Bombadil

Ents, Tree-herds of the Forest

Chapter 10: The Enemy and His Minions

Melkor/Morgoth, Lord of Might and Darkness

Sauron, the Enemy of Freedom in Middle-earth

The Ringwraiths, Loyal Servants of Sauron

The Dragons of Middle-earth

The Two Giant Spiders, Ungoliant and Shelob

Of Balrogs, Trolls, and Orcs

On Werewolves, Vampires, Wargs, Wights, and Watchers

Part III : The History of Middle-earth

Chapter 11: The Valarian Ages

An Overview of the Valarian Ages

The Spring of Arda

The Days of the Bliss of Valinor

The Noontide of the Blessed Realm

Chapter 12: The First Three Ages and Then Some

“Here Comes the Sun . . .”

Highlights of Events in the Three Ages

The First Age and the War of the Silmarils

The Second Age and the Sinking of Númenor

The Third Age and the War of the Ring

Part IV : The Languages of Middle-earth

Chapter 13: Tolkien and Language

Tolkien as a Linguist

Euphony in Tolkien’s Languages

The Power of Sound

The Power of Words

Chapter 14: The Tongues of Tolkien

Why the Hobbits Seem to Speak English

Old English and the Languages of the Men of Middle-earth

Quenya and Sindarin: The Languages of the Elves

Guide to Middle-earth Pronunciation

Tolkien’s Scripts and Letters

Part V : The Themes and Mythology of Middle-earth

Chapter 15: The Struggle Between Good and Evil

The Nature of Evil

Good versus Evil

Frodo Lives!

Chapter 16: Immortality and Death

Relations Between Immortals and Mortals in Middle-earth

The Immortality of Elves

Elven Death in Middle-earth

Human Death in Middle-earth

The Hope in a Mortal Life

Chapter 17: The Heroic Quest

The Nature of the Heroic Quest

The Nature of Tolkien’s Heroes

Aragorn as Tolkien’s Classic Hero

Bilbo as the Hesitant Hero

Frodo as the Unwitting Hero

Sam as the Common Hero

Gollum as the Unintentional Hero

Chapter 18: Chivalry and True Love

Courtly Love in the Age of Chivalry

Romantic Love in the Modern Age

Tolkien’s True Love

The Love Story of Beren and Lúthien

Beren and Lúthien Reprised: The Love Story of Aragorn and Arwen

Chapter 19: Fate and Free Will

Fate and Free Will: A Matter of Choice

The Tragic Fate of Fëanor

The Tragedy of Túrin Turambar

The Power of Collective Fate

Chapter 20: Faith and Redemption

The Role of Faith in Tolkien’s Work

The Sin of Despair

Acts of Redemption

Chapter 21: Ring-related Myths

Ring Symbolism

The Powers of Tolkien’s Rings

Ring-related Sagas in Norse and Germanic Mythology

The Power of the One Ring in Modern Life

Chapter 22: Ecological Themes

The Fouling of the Shire

When the Ents Go to War

Chapter 23: Sex and Gender

Sex in Middle-earth?

Middle-earth as a Man’s Men’s World

Gender Selection among the Valar

Gender Role Reversal

Part VI : The Part of Tens

Chapter 24: Top Ten Battles in the War of the Ring

1. Ents March on Isengard (March 2)

2. Battle of the Hornburg (March 3-4)

3. Assaults on Lórien (March 11, 15, 22)

4. Battle for the Ships at Pelargir (March 13)

5. Battle of Pelennor Fields (March 13-15)

6. Battle under the Trees (March 15)

7. Battle of Dale and the Siege of Erebor (March 17-27)

8. Battle of Morannon (March 25)

9. Destruction of Dol Guldur (March 28)

10. Battle of Bywater (November 3)

Chapter 25: Top Ten Online Middle-earth Resources

1. Encyclopedia of Arda

2. The Lord of the Rings Maps

3. Lord of the Rings.net

4. Lord of the Rings.com

5. Tolkien Online

6. Houghton Mifflin’s Official Tolkien Page

7. The Tolkien Archives

8. A Tolkien Dictionary

9. Amanye Tenceli

10. Ardalambion

Chapter 26: Top Ten Ways the “Lord of the Rings” Books Differ from the Movies

1. The Forming of the Hobbit Company to Accompany Frodo

2. Tom Bombadil and Goldberry in the Old Forest

3. Frodo Encounters the Ringwraiths at Weathertop

4. Frodo’s Flight to the Ford of Bruinen to Escape the Ringwraiths

5. The Forming of the Fellowship of the Ring at the Council of Elrond

6. The Breaking up of the Fellowship of the Ring

7. The March of the Ents Against Saruman at Isengard

8. The Battle of the Hornburg at Helm’s Deep

9. Faramir Encountering the Hobbits and Gollum

10. The Stairway of Cirith Ungol

Introduction

T his book is the result of serendipity — a happy accident. One day in 2002 as I was returning from a business trip to my publisher (Wiley) in Indianapolis, I happened to turn to an in-flight channel that was playing the National Geographic program Beyond the Movie:The Lord of the RingsThe Fellowship of the Ring.The Lord of the RingsThe KalevalaThe Key to the Kalevala

Up to that time, I had been aware only of Tolkien’s scholarly study of the Old English epic poem Beowulf (another text I had been studying) and that it had influenced his Middle-earth mythology. This tie-in with The Kalevala sent me off on a new round of research and study, comparing my understanding of Tolkien’s Middle-earth with my knowledge of language, mythology, philosophy, and religion. This book is the result of that endeavor.

As a student of comparative philosophy and religion, and not comparative literature, I want to make clear my approach to this material. In place of standard literary analysis, which often emphasizes the author and his or her relationship with the material, I employ hermeneutics, a fancy word that means analyzing a text (usually a religious one like the Bible) and figuring out its possible meanings solely from the text itself. Therefore, in this book I’m much more likely to be looking for the internal meaning in Tolkien’s books — The Silmarillion,The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings specifically — than for what Tolkien said about the meaning of his own works, although that’s important, too.

Adopting this as the primary approach enables me to analyze the possible origins of Middle-earth or, at least, connections between it and other traditional mythologies and religions, without worrying exclusively about whether Tolkien himself was aware of these traditions or possible connections. Hermeneutics holds that the work stands apart from its author in such a way that it can be subjected to interpretations that the author neither deliberately intended nor was conscious of. If the work, taken as a whole, suggests a particular interpretation to an audience, then that interpretation is valid, even if the author would not necessarily agree with it. (Interestingly enough, Tolkien took a somewhat similar position in urging scholars to employ an organic rather than piecemeal interpretation of Beowulf.)

As mythology, Middle-earth and its lore are as real for me as the mythologies of the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Vikings, Germanic tribes, and Finnish peoples from whom Tolkien so heavily borrowed. I therefore analyze Tolkien’s tales with the same eye for meaning that I employ when exploring the meaning of The Kalevala or a Taoist philosophical text. It’s a testament to the tremendous talent and love that Tolkien poured into his work that it is so full of deep meaning, stands so well in comparison to other mythologies, and is so relevant to our lives.

About This Book

This book is a basic guide to some of the possible linguistic and mythological origins of Tolkien’s Middle-earth. It provides a rudimentary analysis of its many themes and lessons for our world. It is not — I repeat, not — an encyclopedia or quick guide to the diverse beings, languages, and history that make up Tolkien’s Middle-earth. It is also not a set of outlines or notes of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. If your intention in buying this book is to be able to converse intelligently with your friends or pass a literature course about Middle-earth without actually bothering to read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, you had best put this book back on the shelf right now.

If there’s a higher purpose to this book, it is simply to entice you and prepare you to get more enjoyment from reading or re-reading The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and possibly even The Silmarillion. This book is intended to enrich your understanding of Tolkien’s books on Middle-earth, but it is in no way a replacement for them. It’s especially targeted at you Lord of the Rings moviegoers who intend to delve into the books.

The basic method I employ to enhance your reading experience of Tolkien is to look at his world’s basic components — geography, beings, history, and underlying themes — through the richness of their language and myth. Often, examining the language and myth exposes a little of the hidden structure of Tolkien’s Middle-earth and provides a basis on which its meanings may be discussed and understood.

My final purpose in writing this book is to challenge you to think about the themes inherent in Tolkien’s stories about Middle-earth and their implications in your own life. I don’t really care whether you agree with any particular analysis I make. I will have reached my goal if I simply get you to start thinking about what you think and how you feel about it.

Foolish Assumptions

I have a few assumptions I make about you as a reader and I urge you to check them out before you check this book out at the cash register:

You’ve read The Lord of the Rings at least once (even if it was 20 years ago) or have seen Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies.

The basic storyline of the quest to destroy the One Ring of Power touched you at some level, even if you’re not sure why.

You’re intrigued by the characters, cultures, and languages of Middle-earth, even though they confuse you and border on being overwhelming.

You’re curious about where this fantasy world came from and why it’s so complex and intense, even if you’re not sure that you really want to get involved with its detail.

If my first assumption fits, and you can agree with at least one of the other ones, then I think that you’ve come to the right book. If, on the other hand, you don’t fit the profile outlined in the first point and are understandably hesitant to agree with any of the others, then you might want to hold off on this purchase (at least until you’ve seen the film version of The Lord of the Rings).

How to Use This Book

Tolkien’s writings rely heavily on new vocabulary, and much of that comes from languages he invented for Middle-earth. Keeping these names straight can be overwhelming to all but the most avid Middle-earth lore masters. I encourage you to make liberal use of this book’s index when you come up against an odd name and you’re just not sure who or what it is.

Still, I do expect that many of you may feel snowed under by the sheer weight of unfamiliar terms bandied about in the book. For this, I apologize ahead of time. It seems to be the nature of Tolkien’s beast to inundate the reader in complex storylines muddied by tons of Elvish names that are almost impossible to keep straight. I know that in my earlier days with The Silmarillion, I was fully convinced that I’d never be able to remember the difference between the Kingdom of Gondolin and Doriath — let alone keep Fingolfin straight from Finarfin or tell the Teleri Elves from the Noldor. In time, though, I gained the ability to realize the larger back story without being overwhelmed by the particular names and places involved. Slowly but surely I was able to plug in these details.

I advise you to adopt a similar strategy in dealing with this book’s material. As much as possible, don’t worry about keeping the character names and place names straight. Just accept that you won’t immediately understand all the references (and may not be able to keep them straight even after looking them up in the index). Instead, try to keep your focus on the larger point I’m making about the characters and places. In time, you may be surprised to find that you’re beginning to understand who and what and where and, more importantly, how they all fit together into the tapestry of Middle-earth (and when that day comes, if you’re like me, you’ll be amazed at the intricacy of Tolkien’s weaving).

How This Book Is Organized

This book is divided into six parts (so you get to enjoy six Rich Tennant cartoons). Each part addresses a different major component of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, from its geography to the major themes and myths it teaches. Two components, the beings and themes of Middle-earth in Parts II and V, respectively, are more complicated than the rest and so contain multiple chapters that you can visit in any order. Three others are two-chapter affairs in which the first chapter gives a more general overview, and the second goes into a little more detail. The last part offers three handy top ten lists.

Part I: The Geography of Middle-earth

This part tries to make you feel at home in Middle-earth by introducing you to its geography. Chapter 1 gives you a general orientation to Tolkien’s Middle-earth, including its possible linguistic origin and its existence as a world of fantasy, mythology, history, and language. Chapter 2 looks at specific lands of Middle-earth that feature prominently in Tolkien’s tales.

Part II: The Beings of Middle-earth

The eight chapters in this part acquaint you with the many different types of beings that populate the lands of Middle-earth (only some of whom are human), pairing them up with the lands they inhabit and pointing out their place in Tolkien tales.

Part III: The History of Middle-earth

This part gives an outline of the enormous history of Middle-earth. Chapter 11 covers the earlier ages, which appropriately are more like legend and mythology in nature than historical fact. Chapter 12 covers the three major historical ages that Tolkien imagined for his world.

Part IV: The Languages of Middle-earth

This part deals with the role of language in Middle-earth. Chapter 13 investigates Tolkien’s general use of language and how his ideas on its importance and power compare with traditional ideas held by ancient peoples. Chapter 14 examines the characteristics of the actual languages that Tolkien invented for the various races of Middle-earth.

Part V: The Themes and Mythology of Middle-earth

This part forms the core of the book. These nine chapters explore the major themes and mythologies embodied in Tolkien’s stories about Middle-earth. The topics here are diverse as the stories themselves: good and evil, death and immortality, true love, heroism, fate and free will, the Ring and its relation to other ring myths, environmental concerns, and gender and sex.

Part VI: The Part of Tens

This last part gives you a few at-a-glance chapters filled with facts for easy ingestion. Chapter 24 gives a blow-by-blow account of the top ten battles in the War of the Ring chronicled in The Lord of the Rings. Chapter 25 is a list of my top ten Web sites for learning more about Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Chapter 26 gives you my top ten differences between Tolkien’s book and Peter Jackson’s movie versions of The Lord of the Rings.

Icons Used in This Book

Icons warn of information of very narrow or specific interest. Most of them occur in front of the sidebars that are strewn throughout the text. They quickly identify the following types of extraneous information:

Indicates some sort of idea, character, symbol, or meaning that recurs in Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

Denotes obscure or strange facts about origins or connections that may or may not be of interest (depending on how deep you’re into this stuff).

Points out heavy-duty language associations that I’m trying to make. Stay clear if language isn’t your thing.

Signals a place where there is lot of specific detail or history. When you’re dealing with Tolkien, who revels in cross-associations and fine points, it can be a bit much for all except hardcore Tolkien enthusiasts.

Where to Go from Here

The immediate answer to this question is simple: Before you do anything else, check out the cartoons at the beginning of the six parts of the book. After that, it depends on what you want to know. Unlike Tolkien’s books, this one isn’t meant to be read from cover to cover. You can pick and choose according to what you’re keen to know about Middle-earth. If you tend not to skip around, I hope you find the progression of topics a natural one that gets you primed and ready to explore the major themes and mythologies. Enjoy!

Part I

The Geography of Middle-earth

In this part . . .

Where exactly is Tolkien’s Middle-earth, and what kind of world is it anyway? Part I provides answers to these questions by giving you a general introduction to the many realms and lands that Middle-earth encompasses and, in so doing, orients you to the rest of the book. This part investigates the relationship between the world of Middle-earth and our world, while giving you an overview of the wide and varied landscape that this world entails.

Chapter 1

The Worlds of Middle-earth

In This Chapter

The location and origin of Middle-earth

Tolkien’s idea of fantasy

The underlying mythology of Middle-earth

Tolkien’s strange and wonderful beings

The historical framework of Middle-earth

Middle-earth’s diverse languages

I n its broadest sense, geography is the study of the physical features of the world as well as its biological and cultural characteristics. When attempting to deal with the “geography” of a fantasy world like Middle-earth, as envisioned by J.R.R. Tolkien, you’re almost compelled to use this wider definition, even if your only goal is to get an overview of its many features. For Tolkien’s Middle-earth is never just one of physical geography filled with strange lands, weird creatures, and unfamiliar cultures. As Tolkien conceived it over the better part of his life, Middle-earth is also a world rich in its own mythology, history, and languages.