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Elizabeth
Half-elven
Nov 8 2011, 7:37am
Post #1 of 6
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** Appendix A II The House of Eorl ** 1. Horse Lords
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'Eorl the Young was lord of the Men of Éothéod.' So begins the history of the people that we came to know as the Rohirrim (the Gondorian name for them). "Éothéod" translates to "horse people", a compound of the Old English words éoh ("horse" or "war horse") and théod ("people", "race"); it is cognate with Old Norse jóþjóð ("horse people"). Tolkien used the word to refer also to the land they occupied in the Vales of Anduin. This map, by Christopher Tolkien, shows the area in question.
The Éothéod apparently originated in the plains east of Mirkwood, and moved into the Vales of Anduin as that area became to infested with evil creatures. The map also clearly shows how feasible it would have been for their host to ride south to the Field of Celebrant to the relief of the Gondorians. As a reward for their service, Cirion, Steward of Gondor, gave them the underpopulated region that became Rohan. Thus Eorl became the first King of the Mark, and he chose for his dwelling a green hill before the feet of the White Mountains that were the south wall of his land.
1. Even though the land was under-populated, it wasn't deserted. What do you think happened to the remaining hereditary inhabitants? Was this gift of land appropriate?
Many of the proper names associated with this culture includes the prefix éoh, one most of the words in "Rohirric" have Old Norse and Anglo Saxon/Old English cognates. But the various Norse tribes, including those who settled England, used horses for transportation and farming, and fought on foot. As a mounted cavalry, the Éothéod appear to be culturally akin to the later Cossacks and other horse-based cultures of the steppes of what is now Russia and Ukraine.
2. What effect, if any, does the introduction of a horse-based culture have on LotR?
It's not surprising that Tolkien included a culture based on horses. According to John Garth (Tolkien and the Great War) Tolkien had a strong affinity with horses. As an undergraduate Tolkien trained with King Edward's Horse, a cavalry regiment, rather than the Officer Training Corps which many other students joined, although he left that unit before reporting to active duty in WWI.
This Appendix includes the charming tale of Eorl's taming of the great horse Felaróf, who had killed his father. His method was mainly by talking to the horse: Middle Earth animals all seem to respond to human speech. Felaróf became the first of the Mearas, of which Shadowfax is the latest incarnation.
3. What other tales of horse-taming can you think of, in history or literature? Why is this an attractive topic? Why is it included here?
The photo above shows (in the center) the hill used as the set for Edoras in the LotR movies. Many fans complained of the lack of deep grass in movie-Rohan, but when I visited there in February 2011 I saw this deep grass at the foot of "Edoras". The film was shot in spring (November), however, so as to get the maximum snow in the mountains.
4. Any comments on movie-Rohan?
Next: Tales of Helm Hammerhand.
Join us in the Reading Room as we discuss the LotR Appendices! The real stories behind the Numenorians, Rohirrim, Elves, and Dwarves!
Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather'
(This post was edited by Elizabeth on Nov 8 2011, 7:44am)
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PhantomS
Rohan
Nov 8 2011, 12:52pm
Post #2 of 6
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1. Even though the land was under-populated, it wasn't deserted. What do you think happened to the remaining hereditary inhabitants? Was this gift of land appropriate?
In Unfinished Tales there is a bit of discussion of this, and it concluded that Cirion was within his rights as ruler of Gondor and within a good strategy to have these new faithful allies close by. The real question might be why Sauron just didn't send another Great Plague to kill all the Rohirrim. In times of trouble people would run to urban places like Minas Tirith or a fortress like Helm's Deep, or refuges like Dunharrow- but the a latter is probably not possible, as Baldor and Brego were the ones who were looking for something like that.
There seemed to be a great de-population of Calenadhon, which didn't even have a mention in the book in terms of survivors or heirs. The forest of Druadan seemed to avoid the plague, as did the Gondorian held Isengard, whose heriditary guards remained a bit longer than others in the region. If there were anyone, they would have gone the way of Arnor and gone into the wild, or Ithillien and gone the way of the Rangers. There is nothing to suggest the Rohirrim didn't welcome any native Gondorians; Eomer's men and the guards of Edoras say that the men of Mundburg are quite welcome, and it sounds like a mantra. Any remainder would have been allowed to live in Rohan, eventually mixing with the locals, or eventually moving on to Gondor's western provinces like Morthond or the Anfalas.
2. What effect, if any, does the introduction of a horse-based culture have on LotR?
These are the first people we meet that are totally unusual- the Hunters, or rather Aragorn describe them as being very different-complete with a rendering of Eorl's poem in Rohirric. It's as if we've stumbled into Mongolia or Arabia after travelling through Europe- the norms change, the people change. The introduction of a horse people also brings Our Heroes to a new chapter- most of the book before this has everyone on foot! While Eriador is a wasteland that shouldn't be travelled on at night, Rohan is a large plain that is clearly alive, from Tolkien's writing style. On the map they look rather similar, but it's something about the way Tolkien illuminates Rohan and its people that contrasts the two.
It's not surprising that Tolkien included a culture based on horses. According to John Garth (Tolkien and the Great War) Tolkien had a strong affinity with horses. As an undergraduate Tolkien trained with King Edward's Horse, a cavalry regiment, rather than the Officer Training Corps which many other students joined, although he left that unit before reporting to active duty in WWI.
This Appendix includes the charming tale of Eorl's taming of the great horse Felaróf, who had killed his father. His method was mainly by talking to the horse: Middle Earth animals all seem to respond to human speech. Felaróf became the first of the Mearas, of which Shadowfax is the latest incarnation.
Tolkien explicitly stated that Felaróf 'understood the speech of Men'- Eagles and other talking animals aside, it is implied that Felaróf actually understands what Eorl said to him, as if he could talk back; a very unique trait for Middle Earth. Other animals either talk back or seem to exhibit expressions that others interpret as human- like Bill The Pony's feelings as seen by Sam, or Arod being afraid of the Paths Of The Dead. The Mearas seem to understand even implied speech, which is indeed something.
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Hamfast Gamgee
Tol Eressea
Nov 8 2011, 3:38pm
Post #3 of 6
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There was only ever one and now the people are immune to it.
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PhantomS
Rohan
Nov 9 2011, 1:55am
Post #4 of 6
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I suppose that it's like the 'Eagles drop ring into Mt Doom' question- some things just don't work, or don't work twice. In fact nothing special like that seems to happen more than once in Middle Earth, apart from military battles.
I would like to think that Sauron's plague making skills would be better, but perhaps it was something the WK cooked up, or someone like the Mouth of Sauron with his sorcery- wonder what the recepie was?
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Faenoriel
Tol Eressea
Nov 9 2011, 2:46am
Post #5 of 6
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Only horse-taming I can remember instantly is Alexander the Great "taming" Bukefalos. The horse hadn't previously let anyone ride him, but Alexander noticed it was because he was scared of his own shadow, and rode him so he couldn't see it. Or so I remember...
The trope itself has universal appeal. The usual "boy and his X" plot.
The movie!Rohan is splendidly beautiful, but it fails to captivate the greeness and fertility of the land. Whenever I think of Rohan, I think of Hungary, whose history and geography has many similarities to Rohan.
Give me the patience to endure the things which cannot be changed, the courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to know one from the other. - Oliver J. Hart
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Elizabeth
Half-elven
Nov 9 2011, 5:37pm
Post #6 of 6
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It's too bad it was so remote.
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The picture I showed above of blowing grass was as lush and green as one could imagine, and stretched across the entire valley. But it was in Feb. (=August in Northern Hemisphere), whereas when they were shooting in that area it was November (=May), and I guess the grass was just starting to grow.
Join us in the Reading Room as we discuss the LotR Appendices! The real stories behind the Numenorians, Rohirrim, Elves, and Dwarves!
Elizabeth is the TORnsib formerly known as 'erather'
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