 | |
| Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien | |
| "Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?" | |
|---|---|
| Poem Information | |
| Written | Between February and midsummer of 1942 |
| Revised | Between 1942 and 1954 |
| Published | The Two Towers, The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Subject(s) | Eorl |
"Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?" is the first line of a poem written by J.R.R. Tolkien about Eorl.
Poem excerpt
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?[1]
History
A forgotten poet of Rohan had originally written it about Eorl the Young and his horse Felaróf long before the War of the Ring.[1]
In the year T.A. 3019, Aragorn sang a lament to characterize the Rohirrim as he, Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli approached Edoras. He originally chanted it in Rohanese. After Legolas commented that the sound of the words resembled the land of Rohan, Aragorn recited his translation of it.[1]
Other versions of the legendarium
The earliest version of the poem, which may have been written "between February and midsummer" of 1942, "seems to be" more about "Eorl’s ride from the North" than the passing of time.[2] Subsequently in the next manuscript,[2] Tolkien utilized the style of The Wanderer,[2] which used a convention called Ubi sunt.[3]
In a revision to the earliest versions of the chapter "The King of the Golden Hall", Tolkien wrote the verse that Aragorn utters into the story, though Eorl is referred to as "the Old" rather than "the Young".[4]
Inspiration
In a note to an early draft, Christopher Tolkien wrote that the verse echoes line 92 of The Wanderer, an Old English poem.[5]
It is possible that the first two lines of Aragorn's were inspired by the poem because it contains the words "mathom-giver" and "theoden".[6]
Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? |
Where is the horse gone? Where the warrior? |
Portrayal in adaptations
2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:
- Before the beginning of the Battle of Helm's Deep, Théoden recites some lines of the poem, lamenting how alone the Rohirrim stand.
Where is the horse and the rider?
Where is the horn that was blowing?
They have passed like rain on the mountains,
like wind in the meadow.
The days have gone down in the West,
behind the hills... into Shadow. - The remaining lines are sung in Old English on the score in the background in the above and other scenes.
External links
- Clamavi De Profundis, "The Lament for the Rohirrim - Clamavi De Profundis" 31 March 2018, YouTube
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The King of the Golden Hall", p. 508
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien; Christina Scull, Wayne G. Hammond (eds.), The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, "166. Where Now the Horse and the Rider? (1938-54)"
- ↑ Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 399
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XXVI. The King of the Golden Hall", p. 443
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XXVI. The King of the Golden Hall", p. 449 (note 8)
- ↑ Stuart Lee & Elizabeth Solopova, The Keys of Middle-earth (Second edition), "The Lord of the Rings", pp. 273-4