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1964 BBC Interview

2026-04-23T18:17:45Z

Armswort: Libray -> Library

'''1964 BBC Interview''' is a [[Index:Audio recordings of J.R.R. Tolkien|recorded interview]] in two parts with [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] on [[26 November|November 26]], [[1964]].
The first part of the interview was made by Irene Slade for the [[BBC]] radio programme ''Reluctant Olympians''. The other part of the interview was more informal, and was made by [[Denys Gueroult]] as a trial for an official interview that would later take place in 1965 (see ''[[1965 BBC Interview]]'').<ref>''[[The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide]]: Chronology'', p.625. [[Pieter Collier]] gives a slightly different account: he says that Denys Gueroult broadcast this interview in 1971 on the [[BBC]] Radio 4 program 'Now Read On' (see [http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/804-Tolkien_1971_BBC_Interview.php Tolkien Library (external link)]).</ref>

==Extract==

''The following transcription was made by [[Pieter Collier]]:<ref>[http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/804-Tolkien_1971_BBC_Interview.php Tolkien Library (external link)]</ref>''

J.R.R. Tolkien: Long before I wrote The Hobbit and long before I wrote this I had constructed this world mythology.

D. Gueroult: So you had some sort of scheme on which it was possible to work?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Immense sagas, yes … I got sucked into it as the Hobbit did itself, as you know The Hobbit was originally about these dwarves and as soon he it got moving out into the world he got moving and slipped into it.

D. Gueroult: So your characters and your story really took charge. [silence] I say took charge; I don't mean that you were completely under their spell or anything of this sort.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Oh no no, I don't wander about dreaming at all, no [laughs] no no, it isn't an obsession in any way. You have this sensation that at this point [ticks his pipe] A, B, C, D only A or one of them is right and you've got to wait until you see. I had maps of course. If you're going to have a complicated story you must work to a map, otherwise you can never make a map of it afterwards. The moons, I think, finally were the moons and sunset worked out according to what they were in this part of the world in 1942 actually. Must have been something around it.

D. Gueroult: You began in '42 did you, to write it?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Oh no, I began as soon as The Hobbit was out - in the '30s.

D. Gueroult: It was finally finished just before it was published.

J.R.R. Tolkien: I wrote the last ... in about 1949 - I remember I actually wept at the denouement. But then, of course, there was a tremendous lot of revision. I typed the whole of that work out twice and lots of it, many times, on a bed in an attic. I couldn't afford, of course, the typing. There's some mistakes still and also it amuses me to say, as I suppose, I'm in a position where it doesn't matter what people think of me now. There were some frightful mistakes in grammar, which from a Professor of English Language and Lit, are rather shocking.

D. Gueroult: I hadn't noticed any.

J.R.R. Tolkien: There was one where I used bestrode as the past participle of bestride! [laughs]

D. Gueroult: Do you feel any sense of guilt at all that as a philologist, as a Professor of English Language, with which you were concerned with the factual sources of language, you devoted a large part of your life to a fictional thing?

J.R.R. Tolkien: No. I'm sure it actually done the language a lot of good! There's quite a lot of linguistic wisdom in it. I don't feel any guilt complex about The Lord of the Rings.

D. Gueroult: Have you a particular fondness for these comfortable homely things of life that the Shire embodies: the home and pipe and fire and bed - the homely virtues?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Haven't you?

D. Gueroult: Haven't you Professor Tolkien?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Of course, yes yes yes.

D. Gueroult: You have a particular fondness then for Hobbits?

J.R.R. Tolkien: That's why I feel at home … look, The Shire is very like the kind of world in which I first became aware of things. Which was perhaps more poignant to me because I wasn't born in it. I was born in Bloomsdale in South Africa. I was very young when I got back, but at the same time it bites into your memory and imagination, even if you don't think it has. If your first Christmas tree is a wilting eucalyptus and if you're normally troubled by heat and sand … then, to have just at the age when imagination is opening out, suddenly find yourself in a quiet Warwickshire village, I think it engenders a particular love of what you might call central Midlands English countryside. Based on good water, stones and elm trees and small quiet rivers and so on, and of course, rustic people about.

D. Gueroult: At what age did you come to England?

J.R.R. Tolkien: I suppose … I was about three and a half. Pretty poignant of course, because one of the things why people say they don't remember is, it's like constantly photographing the same thing on the same plate. Slight changes simply make a blur. But if a child had a sudden break like that, it's conscious. What it tries to do is to fit the new memories onto the old. I've got a perfectly clear vivid picture of a house that I now know is in fact a beautifully worked out pastiche of my own home in Bloemfontein and my grandmother's house in Birmingham. I can still remember going down the road in Birmingham and wondering what had happened to the big gallery, what happened to the balcony. Consequently I do remember things extremely well, I can remember bathing in the Indian Ocean when I was not quite two and I remember it very clearly.

D. Gueroult: Frodo accepts the burden of the Ring and he embodies, as a character the virtues of long suffering and perseverance and by his actions one might almost say in the Buddhist sense he "acquires merit". He becomes, in fact, almost a Christ figure. Why did you choose a Halfling, a hobbit for this role?

J.R.R. Tolkien: I didn't. I didn't do much choosing, I wrote The Hobbit you see … all I was trying to do was carry on from the point where The Hobbit left off. I'd got hobbits on my hands hadn't I?

D. Gueroult: Indeed, but there's nothing particularly "Christ like” about Bilbo.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Oh no. No no.

D. Gueroult: But in the face of the most appalling danger he struggles on and continues, and wins through.

J.R.R. Tolkien: But that seems, I suppose, more like an allegory of the human race. I've always been impressed that we're here surviving because of the indomitable courage of quite small people against impossible odds: jungles, volcanoes, wild beasts... they struggle on, almost blindly in a way.

D. Gueroult: I thought that conceivably Midgard might be Middle-earth or have some connection?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Oh yes, they're the same word. Most people have made this mistake of thinking Middle-earth is a particular kind of earth or is another planet of the science fiction sort but it's just an old fashioned word for this world we live in, as imagined surrounded by the Ocean.

D. Gueroult: It seemed to me that Middle-earth was in a sense, as you say, this world we live in, but this world we live in at a different era.

J.R.R. Tolkien: No … at a different stage of imagination … yes.

D. Gueroult: Did you intend in Lord of the Rings that certain races should embody certain principles: the elves wisdom, the dwarves craftsmanship, men husbandry and battle and so forth?

J.R.R. Tolkien: I didn't intend it. But when you've got these people on your hands, you've got to make them different haven't you? Well of course, as we all know, ultimately we've only got humanity to work with. It's only clay we've got. We should all … or at least a large part of the human race … would like to have greater power of mind, greater power of art by which I mean, that the gap between the conception and the power of execution should be shortened, and we should, like a longer time if not indefinite time in which to go on knowing more and making more.

Therefore we make the Elves immortal in a sense. I had to use immortal, I didn't mean that they were eternally immortal, merely that they are very longeval and their longevity probably lasts as long as the inhabitability of the Earth.

The dwarves of course are quite obviously-

D. Gueroult [interrupting]: wouldn't you say that in many ways they remind you of the Jews?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Their words are Semitic obviously, constructed to be Semitic. Hobbits are just rustic English people, made small in size because it reflects (in general) the small reach of their imagination - not the small reach of their courage or latent power.

D. Gueroult: This seems to be one of the great strengths of the book, this enormous conglomeration of names - one doesn't get lost, at least after the first reading, after the second reading of the book.

J.R.R. Tolkien: I'm very glad you told me that because I took a great deal of trouble. Also it gives me great pleasure, a good name. I always in writing start with a name; give me a name and it produces a story, not the other way about normally.

D. Gueroult: Of the languages you know which were the greatest help to you in writing The Lord of the Rings?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Oh lor …yes… obviously the modern languages, I should have said Welsh has always attracted me. By it's style and sound more than any other, ever though I first only saw it on coal trucks, I always wanted to know what it was about.

D. Gueroult: It seems to me that certainly the music of Welsh comes through in the names you've chosen for mountains and for places in general. Do you acknowledge this?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Very much. But a much rarer but very potent influence on myself has been Finnish.

D. Gueroult: Is the book to be considered as an allegory?

J.R.R. Tolkien: No. I dislike allegory whenever I smell it.

D. Gueroult: Do you consider the world declining as the Third Age declines in your book? And do you see a Fourth Age for the world at the moment, our world?

J.R.R. Tolkien: At my age I'm exactly the kind of person who has lived through one of the most quickly changing periods known to history. Surely there could never be in seventy years so much change.

D. Gueroult: There's an autumnal quality throughout the whole of The Lord of the Rings, in one case a character says the story continues but I seem to have dropped out of it … however, everything is declining, fading, at least towards the end of the Third Age. Every choice tends to the upsetting of some tradition. Now this seems to me to be somewhat like Tennyson's "the old order changeth, yielding place to new, and God fulfills himself in many ways". Where is God in The Lord of the Rings?

J.R.R. Tolkien: He's mentioned once or twice.

D. Gueroult: Is he the One?

J.R.R. Tolkien: The One… yes.

D. Gueroult: Are you in fact a theist?

J.R.R. Tolkien: Oh, I'm a Roman Catholic! A devout Roman Catholic.

D. Gueroult: Do you wish to be remembered chiefly by your writings on philology and other matters or by The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit?

J.R.R. Tolkien: I shouldn't have thought there was much choice in the matter - if I'm remembered at all, it will be by The Lord of the Rings, I take it. Won't it be rather like the case of Longfellow? People remember Longfellow wrote Hiawatha, quite forget he was a Professor of Modern Languages!

{{references}}

[[Category:Interviews with J.R.R. Tolkien]]

Théoden

2024-12-09T11:45:43Z

Armswort: /* Etymology */

{{infobox character
| people=[[Rohirrim|Rohir]]
| name=Théoden
| image=Jenny Dolfen - Theoden King.jpg
| caption="Theoden King" by [[:Category:Images by Jenny Dolfen|Jenny Dolfen]]
| pronun=
| othernames=''Ednew'', [[Horsemaster]], [[Thengling]]
| titles=[[Kings of Rohan|King of Rohan]]
| position=
| location=[[Rohan]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Rohanese]], [[Westron]], [[Sindarin]]
| birth={{TA|2948}}
| birthlocation=[[Gondor]]<ref name="Mark"/>{{rp|1069}}
| rule={{TA|2980}} - {{TA|3019|n}}
| death=[[15 March]] {{TA|3019}}
| deathlocation=[[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]
| age=71
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Eorl]]
| parentage=[[Thengel]] & [[Morwen Steelsheen|Morwen]]
| siblings=[[Théodwyn]], three unnamed sisters<ref name="Mark"/><ref group="note">Under [[Thengel]] in [[Appendix A]] it states: "She bore him three children in Gondor, of whom Théoden, the second, was his only son. [...] Morwen bore him two more daughters in Rohan"</ref>
| spouse=[[Elfhild]]
| children=[[Théodred]]
| gender=Male
| height=Tall
| hair=Long, thick, braided white hair<ref name="Hall"/>
| eyes=Blue<ref name="Hall"/>
| clothing=
| weapons=[[Herugrim]]
| steed=[[Snowmane]]
}}
{{quote|Out of doubt, out of dark, to the day's rising he rode singing in the sun, sword unsheathing. Hope he rekindled, and in hope ended; over death, over dread, over doom lifted out of loss, out of life, unto long glory.|[[Gléowine]]'s [[Out of doubt, out of dark, to the day’s rising|poem]] in ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[Many Partings]]"}}

'''Théoden''' was the seventeenth [[Kings of Rohan|King of Rohan]], ruling for 39 years, from {{TA|2980}} until his death. He was the last of the Second Line.<ref name="Mark">{{App|Mark}}</ref>

==History==
===Early life===
Théoden was the only son of [[Thengel]], the heir of king [[Fengel]] of [[Rohan]], and [[Morwen of Lossarnach]], a descendant of a former [[Prince of Dol Amroth|prince]] of the fief of [[Belfalas]].<ref name="Mark" /><ref name="Linear">{{UT|Linear}}</ref> His father left Rohan when he came to manhood and lived long in Gondor. Théoden had been born in [[Gondor]] and spent at least the first five years of his life there with his mother and father until his father was called back to Rohan after the death of Théoden's grandfather Fengel.

[[Westron]],<ref name="DwarvesIntro">{{PM|XIntro}}</ref> the "speech of Gondor", was used in his father's house in Rohan<ref name="Mark" />{{rp|1069}}. Théoden spoke Westron as his native language<ref name="DwarvesIntro" /> and he also spoke [[Rohanese]] and [[Sindarin]].<ref>{{PM|XNotes}}, note 2, p. 316</ref> It is not known if Sindarin and Rohanese were his native languages or his acquired languages. His mother Morwen was a "lady of Gondor of high Númenórean descent".<ref name="Linear" /> In Gondor all men of high lineage and all those who learned how to read and write used Sindarin, even as a daily language, and it is said that in some families Sindarin was the native language.<ref>{{PM|Dwarves}}, p. 296</ref>

Théoden loved his sister [[Théodwyn]] dearly. After she and her husband both died he adopted her children [[Éomer]] and [[Éowyn]] as his own. He had a son, [[Théodred]], whose mother [[Elfhild]] died in childbirth.<ref name="Mark" />

Théoden became king after the death of his father in {{TA|2980}}.<ref name="Mark" />

In {{TA|3014}} Théoden's health began to fail. This was caused by the spells of [[Saruman|Saruman the White]].<ref name="Mark" /> This may have been due to natural causes as he was then sixty-six, though Rohirrim often lived past eighty, or it may have been induced or increased by subtle poisons administered by [[Gríma]].<ref>{{UT|Isen}}</ref> Gríma (or ''Wormtongue'' as most others in the [[Riddermark|Mark]] called him), was secretly in the employ of Saruman.

===War of the Ring===
As the war approached Théoden was increasingly misled by his chief adviser Gríma. In the last years before the War of the Ring, Théoden let his rule slip out of his hands completely, and Gríma became increasingly powerful. Rohan was troubled again by [[Orcs]] and [[Dunlendings]], who operated under the will of Saruman, ruling from [[Isengard]].

His only son, Théodred, had only recently been slain by Saruman's forces during the [[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]]. Théoden ordered Éomer against hunting Orcs that crossed Rohan but Éomer went to the foray against his orders.<ref name="appB">{{App|Great}}</ref> On Gríma's orders Éomer had been arrested and imprisoned for this.<ref name="Hall">{{TT|III6}}</ref>

When [[Gandalf]] and [[Aragorn]] appeared before him on [[2 March]], the [[Wizards|Wizard]] healed the king. He then restored his nephew, who would become his heir, took up his [[Herugrim|sword]], and led the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] to the [[Fords of Isen]], against Saruman.<ref name="appB" />

On their way, they received news that [[Second Battle of the Fords of Isen|the border was lost]] and he retreated into [[Helm's Deep]] where they were attacked by Saruman's forces on [[3 March]].<ref name="appB" /> Théoden won the [[Battle of the Hornburg]] and after this he became known as '''Théoden Ednew''', the Renewed,<ref name="Mark" /> because he had thrown off the yoke of Saruman.

After the [[Battle of the Hornburg]], Théoden visited [[Isengard]], where he witnessed [[Gandalf]] deposing Saruman from [[Wizards|their order]]. During the parley before the tower of [[Orthanc]], [[Saruman]] attempted to deceive Théoden with false offers of peace and friendship. When Théoden rejected him, [[Saruman]] mockingly referred to him as a "'''Horsemaster'''" as an insult<ref>{{TT|III10}}</ref><ref>{{App|B3}}</ref>. On their way back to Rohan, they stopped by the [[Helm's Deep]], where he noticed that the lonely [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] of their company, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] felt out of place, and offered to ride with him for the rest of the journey. The hobbit was delighted, as he felt useless among the Riders and offered Théoden his sword in service of Rohan.<ref>{{RK|V2}}</ref>

On [[6 March]] Théoden and the Riders left Hornburg for [[Harrowdale]] taking a safe path to Edoras, and soon after [[Aragorn]] left the Rohirrim's company for [[Dunharrow]].<ref name="appB" /> Near the outer hills of Rohan, Théoden dismissed Éomer's urge not to go to the war, and with the remaining Riders he rode to the Hold of Dunharrow where his people took shelter at [[Dunharrow]].<ref name="muster">{{RK|V3}}</ref>

===Fulfilling the Oath of Eorl===
[[File:Paula DiSante - The Red Arrow.JPG|thumb|[[Paula DiSante]] - ''The Red Arrow'']]
After reuniting with Éowyn and while resting, a [[Gondorian]] named [[Hirgon]] entered his tent, bringing the [[Red Arrow]] from [[Denethor]] II. Théoden responded to him that 6000 Riders would reach [[Minas Tirith]] in the week. Indeed they set off the [[Dawnless Day|next morning]]; before leaving he ordered his squire, Meriadoc, to stay behind at Edoras.<ref name="muster" />

On their way to Minas Tirith, Théoden's forces were alerted to a host of Orcs upon the road from the city moving towards them. A leader of the [[Woses]], [[Ghân-buri-Ghân]], offered to lead the Rohirrim by secret paths through the [[Drúadan Forest]] so they could avoid the Orcs. Taking the forgotten road down [[Stonewain Valley]] the riders of Rohan were able to come to the [[Pelennor Fields]] undetected.
[[File:Abe Papakhian - The Ride of the Rohirrim.jpg|thumb|left|[[Abe Papakhian]] - ''The Ride of the Rohirrim'']]
To his dismay, they found Hirgon dead and understood that the Gondorians were unaware of their arrival; Minas Tirith [[Siege of Gondor|was being destroyed]]. Théoden was reinvigorated by a sudden great flash of light from the city. He ordered to charge as the [[Storm of Mordor|Darkness]] was fading. He led the Rohirrim to the aid of Gondor at the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. In that battle he challenged a chieftain of the [[Haradrim]] who led their cavalry and had a standard with a "black serpent upon scarlet", and unhorsed him and hewed down his standard-bearer.<ref>{{RK|V5}}</ref>
[[File:Angus McBride - Eowyn against Witch-king.gif|thumb|[[Angus McBride]] - ''Eowyn against Witch-king'']]
The [[Witch-king|Lord of the Nazgûl]] attacked him, and he was mortally wounded when his horse [[Snowmane]] fell upon him after being frightened by the Ringwraith's [[Fell beasts|Fell beast]].

He was immediately avenged by Éowyn and the [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]], both of whom had ridden to war in secret. He claimed to Merry at his death on the field that he was satisfied, for he had felled the Black Serpent.<ref>{{RK|V6}}</ref>

==Legacy==
The body of Théoden the Renowned remained in the [[Hallows]] of Minas Tirith<ref>{{RK|Steward}}</ref> while [[Snowmane]] was buried where they fell.

His nephew Éomer succeeded him as King of Rohan. In [[July]] he returned to Minas Tirith and brought Théoden's body back to [[Edoras]]. On [[10 August]], the funeral of Théoden took place. [[Gléowine]] composed a poem for him and other Kings of the line of [[Eorl]].<ref name="partings">{{RK|VI6}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The [[Old English]] word ''[[Wiktionary:þeoden|þeoden]]'', means "lord, king", and contains the element ''þeod'' "people" (''[[éothéod]]'' "horse-people"). It is derived from from Proto-Germanic ''*[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/%C3%BEeudanaz þeudanaz],'' which comes from ''*[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/%C3%BEeud%C5%8D þeudō]'' (“people, tribe”) +‎ ''*[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-anaz -anaz] (''ending, meaning "ruler of"'')''. It is also related to the Old Norse word ''þjóðann'', meaning "Leader of the People" (i.e. "King").{{fact}}

The epithet ''Ednew'' in Old English means "renewed, restored", because he was freed from the spells of Saruman.

In Tolkien's fictional etymology, the name ''Théoden'' is an Old English translation of the original [[Rohanese]] ''Tûrac'', an old word for King.<ref name="PM">{{PM|Languages}}</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | FEN | | | | | | | | | | | | |FEN=[[Fengel]] ''{{TA|2870|n}} - {{TA|2953|n}}''}}
{{familytree | | | |,|-|-|-|(| | | | | | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | DAU | | THE |y| MOR | | | | | | | | |DAU=''two daughters'' ''unknown''|THE=[[Thengel]] ''{{TA|2905|n}} - {{TA|2980|n}}''|MOR=[[Morwen Steelsheen]] ''b. {{TA|2922|n}}''}}
{{familytree | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | ELF |y| THE | | DAU | | THW |y| EOM | | |ELF=[[Elfhild]] ''d. {{TA|2978|n}}''|THE='''THÉODEN''' ''{{TA|2948|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†|DAU=''three daughters'' ''unknown''|THW=[[Théodwyn]] ''{{TA|2963|n}} - {{TA|3002|n}}''|EOM=[[Éomund]] ''d. {{TA|3002|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | |!| | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|(| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | THE | | LOT |y| EOM | | EOW |y| FAR |THE=[[Théodred]] ''{{TA|2978|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†|LOT=[[Lothíriel]] ''b. {{TA|2999|n}}''|EOM=[[Éomer]] ''{{TA|2991|n}} - {{FoA|63}}''|EOW=[[Éowyn]] ''b. {{TA|2995|n}}''|FAR=[[Faramir]] ''{{TA|2983|n}} - {{FoA|82}}''}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | ELF | | | | | | ELB | | |ELF=[[Elfwine]] ''unknown''|ELB=[[Elboron]] ''unknown''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In one of Tolkien's early drafts, Théoden also had a daughter by the name of [[Idis]], but she was eventually removed when her character was eclipsed by that of Éowyn.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
<center><gallery>
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Théoden.JPG|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]</center>
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Théoden.png|<center>[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]</center>
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers - Théoden.jpeg|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]</center>
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Théoden.jpg|<center>''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''</center>
</gallery></center>

'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Valentine Dyall]] voiced the part of Théoden.

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:The voice of Théoden was provided by [[Philip Stone]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Erik Bauersfeld]] provided the voice of Théoden.

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:Théoden is voiced by [[Don Messick]], though he speaks very little. His death is narrated by [[John Huston]] as Gandalf.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Theoden played by [[Jack May]] appears much earlier in the narrative than in the book, allowing Gandalf to borrow a horse on his escape from Isengard.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Théoden is played by Werner Rundshagen.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:This film deviates from Tolkien's story by having Théoden (played by [[Bernard Hill]]) actually possessed by Saruman rather than simply deceived by Gríma. He then goes to [[Helm's Deep]] to take his people to safety rather than to make a stand against the enemy.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Théoden at first refuses to come to the aid of Gondor saying that Gondor did not come to the aid of Rohan at the [[Battle of the Hornburg]]. His death is placed after the coming of the [[Haradrim]], and is depicted differently; he is not crushed by [[Snowmane]], but wounded by the [[Fell beasts|fell beast]]. In general, his personality is changed from a "kindly old man" to that of a callous and somewhat obstinate character, though he has several tender moments at the grave of his son and near Éowyn.

'''2002-2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Théoden is provided by Ladislav Chudík.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Théoden is a hero in the Rohan faction. He is voiced by [[Phil Proctor]].

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Théoden is a hero in the Men faction. He is voiced by [[Phil Proctor]].

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:Théoden is voiced by [[Brian George]].

{{references|Notes}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=rohirrim
| house=[[House of Eorl]]
| born={{TA|2948}}
| died={{TA|3019}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Thengel]]
| list=17th [[Kings of Rohan|King of Rohan]]
| dates={{TA|2980}} – {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Éomer]]
}}
{{seq-end}}
{{rohankings}}
{{lordoftheringsfilms}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theoden}}
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Kings of Rohan]]
[[Category:Old English names]]
[[Category:Rohirrim]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Théoden]]
[[fi:Théoden]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/hommes/3a/hommes du nord/rohirrim/theoden]]

Théoden

2024-12-09T11:45:06Z

Armswort: /* Etymology */ reconstructed Proto-Germanic ethymology of Theoden - theudanaz: theudo "people, tribe" + -anaz "ruler of"

{{infobox character
| people=[[Rohirrim|Rohir]]
| name=Théoden
| image=Jenny Dolfen - Theoden King.jpg
| caption="Theoden King" by [[:Category:Images by Jenny Dolfen|Jenny Dolfen]]
| pronun=
| othernames=''Ednew'', [[Horsemaster]], [[Thengling]]
| titles=[[Kings of Rohan|King of Rohan]]
| position=
| location=[[Rohan]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Rohanese]], [[Westron]], [[Sindarin]]
| birth={{TA|2948}}
| birthlocation=[[Gondor]]<ref name="Mark"/>{{rp|1069}}
| rule={{TA|2980}} - {{TA|3019|n}}
| death=[[15 March]] {{TA|3019}}
| deathlocation=[[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]
| age=71
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Eorl]]
| parentage=[[Thengel]] & [[Morwen Steelsheen|Morwen]]
| siblings=[[Théodwyn]], three unnamed sisters<ref name="Mark"/><ref group="note">Under [[Thengel]] in [[Appendix A]] it states: "She bore him three children in Gondor, of whom Théoden, the second, was his only son. [...] Morwen bore him two more daughters in Rohan"</ref>
| spouse=[[Elfhild]]
| children=[[Théodred]]
| gender=Male
| height=Tall
| hair=Long, thick, braided white hair<ref name="Hall"/>
| eyes=Blue<ref name="Hall"/>
| clothing=
| weapons=[[Herugrim]]
| steed=[[Snowmane]]
}}
{{quote|Out of doubt, out of dark, to the day's rising he rode singing in the sun, sword unsheathing. Hope he rekindled, and in hope ended; over death, over dread, over doom lifted out of loss, out of life, unto long glory.|[[Gléowine]]'s [[Out of doubt, out of dark, to the day’s rising|poem]] in ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[Many Partings]]"}}

'''Théoden''' was the seventeenth [[Kings of Rohan|King of Rohan]], ruling for 39 years, from {{TA|2980}} until his death. He was the last of the Second Line.<ref name="Mark">{{App|Mark}}</ref>

==History==
===Early life===
Théoden was the only son of [[Thengel]], the heir of king [[Fengel]] of [[Rohan]], and [[Morwen of Lossarnach]], a descendant of a former [[Prince of Dol Amroth|prince]] of the fief of [[Belfalas]].<ref name="Mark" /><ref name="Linear">{{UT|Linear}}</ref> His father left Rohan when he came to manhood and lived long in Gondor. Théoden had been born in [[Gondor]] and spent at least the first five years of his life there with his mother and father until his father was called back to Rohan after the death of Théoden's grandfather Fengel.

[[Westron]],<ref name="DwarvesIntro">{{PM|XIntro}}</ref> the "speech of Gondor", was used in his father's house in Rohan<ref name="Mark" />{{rp|1069}}. Théoden spoke Westron as his native language<ref name="DwarvesIntro" /> and he also spoke [[Rohanese]] and [[Sindarin]].<ref>{{PM|XNotes}}, note 2, p. 316</ref> It is not known if Sindarin and Rohanese were his native languages or his acquired languages. His mother Morwen was a "lady of Gondor of high Númenórean descent".<ref name="Linear" /> In Gondor all men of high lineage and all those who learned how to read and write used Sindarin, even as a daily language, and it is said that in some families Sindarin was the native language.<ref>{{PM|Dwarves}}, p. 296</ref>

Théoden loved his sister [[Théodwyn]] dearly. After she and her husband both died he adopted her children [[Éomer]] and [[Éowyn]] as his own. He had a son, [[Théodred]], whose mother [[Elfhild]] died in childbirth.<ref name="Mark" />

Théoden became king after the death of his father in {{TA|2980}}.<ref name="Mark" />

In {{TA|3014}} Théoden's health began to fail. This was caused by the spells of [[Saruman|Saruman the White]].<ref name="Mark" /> This may have been due to natural causes as he was then sixty-six, though Rohirrim often lived past eighty, or it may have been induced or increased by subtle poisons administered by [[Gríma]].<ref>{{UT|Isen}}</ref> Gríma (or ''Wormtongue'' as most others in the [[Riddermark|Mark]] called him), was secretly in the employ of Saruman.

===War of the Ring===
As the war approached Théoden was increasingly misled by his chief adviser Gríma. In the last years before the War of the Ring, Théoden let his rule slip out of his hands completely, and Gríma became increasingly powerful. Rohan was troubled again by [[Orcs]] and [[Dunlendings]], who operated under the will of Saruman, ruling from [[Isengard]].

His only son, Théodred, had only recently been slain by Saruman's forces during the [[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]]. Théoden ordered Éomer against hunting Orcs that crossed Rohan but Éomer went to the foray against his orders.<ref name="appB">{{App|Great}}</ref> On Gríma's orders Éomer had been arrested and imprisoned for this.<ref name="Hall">{{TT|III6}}</ref>

When [[Gandalf]] and [[Aragorn]] appeared before him on [[2 March]], the [[Wizards|Wizard]] healed the king. He then restored his nephew, who would become his heir, took up his [[Herugrim|sword]], and led the [[Rohirrim|Riders of Rohan]] to the [[Fords of Isen]], against Saruman.<ref name="appB" />

On their way, they received news that [[Second Battle of the Fords of Isen|the border was lost]] and he retreated into [[Helm's Deep]] where they were attacked by Saruman's forces on [[3 March]].<ref name="appB" /> Théoden won the [[Battle of the Hornburg]] and after this he became known as '''Théoden Ednew''', the Renewed,<ref name="Mark" /> because he had thrown off the yoke of Saruman.

After the [[Battle of the Hornburg]], Théoden visited [[Isengard]], where he witnessed [[Gandalf]] deposing Saruman from [[Wizards|their order]]. During the parley before the tower of [[Orthanc]], [[Saruman]] attempted to deceive Théoden with false offers of peace and friendship. When Théoden rejected him, [[Saruman]] mockingly referred to him as a "'''Horsemaster'''" as an insult<ref>{{TT|III10}}</ref><ref>{{App|B3}}</ref>. On their way back to Rohan, they stopped by the [[Helm's Deep]], where he noticed that the lonely [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] of their company, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] felt out of place, and offered to ride with him for the rest of the journey. The hobbit was delighted, as he felt useless among the Riders and offered Théoden his sword in service of Rohan.<ref>{{RK|V2}}</ref>

On [[6 March]] Théoden and the Riders left Hornburg for [[Harrowdale]] taking a safe path to Edoras, and soon after [[Aragorn]] left the Rohirrim's company for [[Dunharrow]].<ref name="appB" /> Near the outer hills of Rohan, Théoden dismissed Éomer's urge not to go to the war, and with the remaining Riders he rode to the Hold of Dunharrow where his people took shelter at [[Dunharrow]].<ref name="muster">{{RK|V3}}</ref>

===Fulfilling the Oath of Eorl===
[[File:Paula DiSante - The Red Arrow.JPG|thumb|[[Paula DiSante]] - ''The Red Arrow'']]
After reuniting with Éowyn and while resting, a [[Gondorian]] named [[Hirgon]] entered his tent, bringing the [[Red Arrow]] from [[Denethor]] II. Théoden responded to him that 6000 Riders would reach [[Minas Tirith]] in the week. Indeed they set off the [[Dawnless Day|next morning]]; before leaving he ordered his squire, Meriadoc, to stay behind at Edoras.<ref name="muster" />

On their way to Minas Tirith, Théoden's forces were alerted to a host of Orcs upon the road from the city moving towards them. A leader of the [[Woses]], [[Ghân-buri-Ghân]], offered to lead the Rohirrim by secret paths through the [[Drúadan Forest]] so they could avoid the Orcs. Taking the forgotten road down [[Stonewain Valley]] the riders of Rohan were able to come to the [[Pelennor Fields]] undetected.
[[File:Abe Papakhian - The Ride of the Rohirrim.jpg|thumb|left|[[Abe Papakhian]] - ''The Ride of the Rohirrim'']]
To his dismay, they found Hirgon dead and understood that the Gondorians were unaware of their arrival; Minas Tirith [[Siege of Gondor|was being destroyed]]. Théoden was reinvigorated by a sudden great flash of light from the city. He ordered to charge as the [[Storm of Mordor|Darkness]] was fading. He led the Rohirrim to the aid of Gondor at the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. In that battle he challenged a chieftain of the [[Haradrim]] who led their cavalry and had a standard with a "black serpent upon scarlet", and unhorsed him and hewed down his standard-bearer.<ref>{{RK|V5}}</ref>
[[File:Angus McBride - Eowyn against Witch-king.gif|thumb|[[Angus McBride]] - ''Eowyn against Witch-king'']]
The [[Witch-king|Lord of the Nazgûl]] attacked him, and he was mortally wounded when his horse [[Snowmane]] fell upon him after being frightened by the Ringwraith's [[Fell beasts|Fell beast]].

He was immediately avenged by Éowyn and the [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]], both of whom had ridden to war in secret. He claimed to Merry at his death on the field that he was satisfied, for he had felled the Black Serpent.<ref>{{RK|V6}}</ref>

==Legacy==
The body of Théoden the Renowned remained in the [[Hallows]] of Minas Tirith<ref>{{RK|Steward}}</ref> while [[Snowmane]] was buried where they fell.

His nephew Éomer succeeded him as King of Rohan. In [[July]] he returned to Minas Tirith and brought Théoden's body back to [[Edoras]]. On [[10 August]], the funeral of Théoden took place. [[Gléowine]] composed a poem for him and other Kings of the line of [[Eorl]].<ref name="partings">{{RK|VI6}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The [[Old English]] word ''[[Wiktionary:þeoden|þeoden]]'', means "lord, king", and contains the element ''þeod'' "people" (''[[éothéod]]'' "horse-people"). It is derived from from Proto-Germanic ''*[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/%C3%BEeudanaz þeudanaz],'' which comes from ''*[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/%C3%BEeud%C5%8D þeudō]'' (“people, tribe”) +‎ ''*[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-anaz -anaz] (''ending "ruler of"'')''. It is also related to the Old Norse word ''þjóðann'', meaning "Leader of the People" (i.e. "King").{{fact}}

The epithet ''Ednew'' in Old English means "renewed, restored", because he was freed from the spells of Saruman.

In Tolkien's fictional etymology, the name ''Théoden'' is an Old English translation of the original [[Rohanese]] ''Tûrac'', an old word for King.<ref name="PM">{{PM|Languages}}</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | FEN | | | | | | | | | | | | |FEN=[[Fengel]] ''{{TA|2870|n}} - {{TA|2953|n}}''}}
{{familytree | | | |,|-|-|-|(| | | | | | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | DAU | | THE |y| MOR | | | | | | | | |DAU=''two daughters'' ''unknown''|THE=[[Thengel]] ''{{TA|2905|n}} - {{TA|2980|n}}''|MOR=[[Morwen Steelsheen]] ''b. {{TA|2922|n}}''}}
{{familytree | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | ELF |y| THE | | DAU | | THW |y| EOM | | |ELF=[[Elfhild]] ''d. {{TA|2978|n}}''|THE='''THÉODEN''' ''{{TA|2948|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†|DAU=''three daughters'' ''unknown''|THW=[[Théodwyn]] ''{{TA|2963|n}} - {{TA|3002|n}}''|EOM=[[Éomund]] ''d. {{TA|3002|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | |!| | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|(| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | THE | | LOT |y| EOM | | EOW |y| FAR |THE=[[Théodred]] ''{{TA|2978|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†|LOT=[[Lothíriel]] ''b. {{TA|2999|n}}''|EOM=[[Éomer]] ''{{TA|2991|n}} - {{FoA|63}}''|EOW=[[Éowyn]] ''b. {{TA|2995|n}}''|FAR=[[Faramir]] ''{{TA|2983|n}} - {{FoA|82}}''}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | ELF | | | | | | ELB | | |ELF=[[Elfwine]] ''unknown''|ELB=[[Elboron]] ''unknown''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In one of Tolkien's early drafts, Théoden also had a daughter by the name of [[Idis]], but she was eventually removed when her character was eclipsed by that of Éowyn.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
<center><gallery>
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Théoden.JPG|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]</center>
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Théoden.png|<center>[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]</center>
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers - Théoden.jpeg|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]</center>
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Théoden.jpg|<center>''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''</center>
</gallery></center>

'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Valentine Dyall]] voiced the part of Théoden.

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:The voice of Théoden was provided by [[Philip Stone]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Erik Bauersfeld]] provided the voice of Théoden.

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:Théoden is voiced by [[Don Messick]], though he speaks very little. His death is narrated by [[John Huston]] as Gandalf.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Theoden played by [[Jack May]] appears much earlier in the narrative than in the book, allowing Gandalf to borrow a horse on his escape from Isengard.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Théoden is played by Werner Rundshagen.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:This film deviates from Tolkien's story by having Théoden (played by [[Bernard Hill]]) actually possessed by Saruman rather than simply deceived by Gríma. He then goes to [[Helm's Deep]] to take his people to safety rather than to make a stand against the enemy.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Théoden at first refuses to come to the aid of Gondor saying that Gondor did not come to the aid of Rohan at the [[Battle of the Hornburg]]. His death is placed after the coming of the [[Haradrim]], and is depicted differently; he is not crushed by [[Snowmane]], but wounded by the [[Fell beasts|fell beast]]. In general, his personality is changed from a "kindly old man" to that of a callous and somewhat obstinate character, though he has several tender moments at the grave of his son and near Éowyn.

'''2002-2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Théoden is provided by Ladislav Chudík.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Théoden is a hero in the Rohan faction. He is voiced by [[Phil Proctor]].

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Théoden is a hero in the Men faction. He is voiced by [[Phil Proctor]].

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:Théoden is voiced by [[Brian George]].

{{references|Notes}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=rohirrim
| house=[[House of Eorl]]
| born={{TA|2948}}
| died={{TA|3019}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Thengel]]
| list=17th [[Kings of Rohan|King of Rohan]]
| dates={{TA|2980}} – {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Éomer]]
}}
{{seq-end}}
{{rohankings}}
{{lordoftheringsfilms}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theoden}}
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Kings of Rohan]]
[[Category:Old English names]]
[[Category:Rohirrim]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Théoden]]
[[fi:Théoden]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/hommes/3a/hommes du nord/rohirrim/theoden]]

File:Tolkien-family-1940.png

2024-06-26T11:12:24Z

Armswort: More detailed description according to Tolkien Estate caption of the photo

==Summary==
Tolkien family on holiday in Weston-super-Mare, April 1940: [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher]], [[Priscilla Tolkien|Priscilla]], [[Michael Tolkien|Michael]], [[Edith Tolkien|Edith Bratt]] and [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]

[[Category:Images of Christopher Tolkien‎]]
[[Category:Images of Edith Tolkien‎]]
[[Category:Images of J.R.R. Tolkien‎]]
[[Category:Images of John Tolkien]]
[[Category:Images of Priscilla Tolkien‎]]
[[Category:Images of the Tolkien family]]
==Licensing==
{{PD-expired}}