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Misconceptions

2012-06-17T12:18:41Z

Klow: /* Dorwinion */

'''Misconceptions''' have arisen and circulated over numerous concepts within [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]] as a result of mistakes made by secondary authors and of changes made by adaptations.

==Definition of First Age; Third Age "of the Sun"==
*The [[First Age]] began with the first sunrise over [[Middle-earth]] and the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' took place in the ''Third Age of the Sun''.
**Actually, Tolkien never described his ages as being linked to the Sun and specifically wrote that the "First Age of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]" began with the [[Awakening of the Elves]], long before the first sunrise. Despite this, many fans believe the 'Ages of the Sun' version is ''correct'' because it has been repeated so often. For example, it is found in ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]], whose books are generally considered unreliable (as by Conrad Dunkerson and Steuard Jensen<ref>{{webcite|
author=Steuard Jensen|articleurl=http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/DayBooks.html|articlename=Notes on David Day's Tolkien Books|dated=|website=Tolkien metaFAQ|accessed=}}</ref>).

==The Arkenstone was a Silmaril==
*The [[Arkenstone]] was a [[Silmaril]], probably the one thrown into a fiery pit by Maedhros, and found its way (geologically?) to the north, to be rediscovered by the [[Khazad]] of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. Tolkien wrote that the two lost Silmarils would remain lost until the end of Arda. However, in a partial translation of early Silmarillion texts into Old English Tolkien used the etymologically related term 'Eorclanstanas' ('holy stones') to translate 'Silmarils' - suggesting that he may have borrowed the name and other concepts from the Silmarils in describing the Arkenstone.

==Arwen, the lastborn of the Elves==
*Arwen was the last Elf born in Middle-earth.
**This concept derives from being the youngest Elf whose birth is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]], and perhaps from publicity for the films; but is never stated in the films or the books.

==Legolas' age==
*Legolas is 2931 years old during the [[War of the Ring]], and thus was born in T.A. 87.
**This information also comes from film publicity and is never stated in the films or books. It may derive from the fact that ''Aragorn'' was born in the ''year'' T.A. 2931. The date of T.A. 87 for Legolas' birth agrees with another common fan theory, namely that Legolas was born during the period of peace at the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Tolkien never wrote about Legolas' birthdate.

==Legolas' hair color==
*Legolas is blond.
**This is a visual tradition dating back to the works of the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] in the 1970s and followed in both the [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|animated]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy|live action]] LotR films. However, Tolkien never specifies Legolas' hair color (although ''[[The Hobbit]]'' mentions that [[Thranduil]], Legolas' father, was blond). Legolas' hair color is one of the most enduring controversies in [[Tolkien fandom]].

==Names of the Nazgûl==
*The names of all nine [[Nazgûl]] are known: Er-Murazor (the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]), [[Khamûl]], Dwar of Waw, Ji Indur Dawndeath, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel the Quiet (female), Ren the Unclean and Uvatha the Horseman.
**In fact Tolkien recorded the name of only one Nazgûl: Khamûl, the [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] who barely missed catching the [[Hobbits]] at [[Bucklebury Ferry]]. Even the personal name of the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] was not given by Tolkien, although some fans refer to him as "[[Angmar]]". The names for the eight Nazgûl other than Khamûl which some fans think were coined by Tolkien were actually invented for the [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game (MERP) published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] (ICE).

It should be also noted that Tolkien's texts seemingly contradict the idea that one of the Nazgûl was a woman, with their consistent references as "Men" and "kings", although it could be argued that "Men" includes women and "kings" includes queens. Unsurprisingly, the film version of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' shows all nine Nazgûl as men when they received their [[Rings of Power]].

==The War in the North==
*The [[War of the Ring]] included a "War in the North", which involved fighting in [[Eriador]] and around [[Rivendell]].
**This has been stated as fact by the writers of the films in a DVD commentary and has formed the basis for parts of the computer games ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North]]''. However, although Tolkien mentions violent incidents around [[Bree]] during the War (not to mention the [[Scouring of the Shire]]), no extensive military campaign in Eriador is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]] in Appendix B of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Since the Tale of Years does mention the [[Battle of Dale]] and the fighting around [[Lothlórien]], it is clear that it would also have mentioned the "War in the North" if it had been part of Tolkien's conception. Moreover, the section of Appendix A on the Dwarves includes comments by [[Gandalf]] to the effect that extensive, destructive fighting in Eriador was averted by the death of [[Smaug]] and the Battles of [[Battle of Five Armies|Five Armies]] and of [[Dale]].

==Hobbit feet==
*Hobbits have comparatively large, hairy feet.
**Tolkien wrote: "their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair, much like the hair of their heads". Besides the hair, Tolkien doesn't mention that the size of their feet is disproportionally large; they are portrayed so in several adaptations, such as illustrations by the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] and the movies, where the feet are actually prosthetics.

==Déagol/Sméagol relationship==
*Déagol is Sméagol's cousin.
**Tolkien only calls him Sméagol's ''friend'' in ''The Lord of the Rings'', though in ''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'' he writes that Déagol was "evidently a relative (as no doubt all the members of the small community were)" of Sméagol’s. This misconception probably dates from ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' by [[Robert Foster]] and ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]].<ref>[http://greenbooks.theonering.net/questions/files/020101.html]</ref>

==Gollum's age==
*Sméagol was born in the year 2430 of the Third Age, found the Ring on his 33rd birthday in 2463, and thus was 589 years old when he died in 3019.
**33 is the age a Shire Hobbit becomes officially an adult. Sméagol "found" the Ring on his birthday. The filmmakers evidently decided that the day Sméagol found the Ring was his 33rd birthday. However: Sméagol was not a Shire Hobbit, but a Stoor, and these had different customs - Tolkien states that the Stoors of Rhovanion received, and did not give gifts on their birthdays (in ''Unfinished Tales'', ''The History of Middle-earth'' and ''Letters''); and T.A. 2463 as the date of the discovery of the Ring is an approximate, not a precise date. Thus, there is no exact indication of Gollum's age in Tolkien's books. [http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html See http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html]

==Tengwar on Sting==
*The [[Sindarin]] words ''Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im'' are engraved on the blade of [[Sting]]. The worlds translate as "Maegnas (Sharp-point) is my name, I am the spider's bane".
*The origin of this inscription is the depiction in the movies. In the books, Tolkien describes Sting as a rather plain weapon with a simple leather sheath. Unlike [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], it bears no runes for [[Elrond]] to translate in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. It first receives a name from [[Bilbo Baggins]] after he uses it against the giant spiders of [[Mirkwood]].

==Saruman, the creator of Uruk-hai==
Saruman is believed to be the creator of the race of [[Uruk-hai]] (Uruks), the larger, stronger breed of [[Orcs]]. This is visualized in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy]]'' which further established this view. The movie also established wrongly that "Uruk-hai" are a stronger race of Orcs, while in reality it is simply a [[Black Speech]] term for the Orcs proper themselves (excluding the [[Snaga]]).

In reality, the Uruks first appeared out of [[Mordor]] in the last years of Steward [[Denethor I]], before {{TA|2475}} and before Saruman settles in [[Orthanc]]<ref>{{HM|AA}}</ref>.

The misconception originates from the fact that Saruman perhaps created a race of Orc-men or Men-Orcs in his service<ref>http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Creatures.html#Urukhai</ref>. However these aren't the same as the Uruk-hai.

== Dorwinion ==
[[Dorwinion]] was only mentioned in passing until it appeared on [[Pauline Baynes]]' [[1969]] map, where it was placed on the western shore of the [[Sea of Rhûn]]. But contrary to popular belief, its location was not decided by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], but by Baynes. Tolkien had asked her to place several locations on the map, but did not specify the location. Baynes picked the location, and Tolkien agreed, though it was not the location he originally had in mind - several references to it place it in "the South". [[Christopher Tolkien]] later commented:
{{quote|Dorwinion is marked on the decorated map by Pauline Baynes, as a region on the North-western shores of the Sea of Rhun. It must be presumed that this, like other names on that map, was communicated to her by my father, but its placing seems surprising.|<ref>{{LB|Hurin}}</ref>}}

==Money==
*It is thought that Middle-earth is a utopia with no finance based economy.
**This misconception is noted by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Money"</ref>. The misconception originates from the very few times any transactions or the word "[[money]]" are mentioned in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' or ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; most mentions of wealth are vague or in the form of [[gold]] or treasures. However in [[Bree]] both golden pieces and silver pennies appear. Furthermore, in a draft of "[[The Appendix on Languages]]" published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' some details of the coins of [[Gondor]] are given.

==Gwaihir is the Great Eagle==
*The (unnamed) [[Lord of the Eagles]] from ''The Hobbit'' is identified in the ''Lord of the Rings'' as [[Gwaihir]], as they are the same person.
**This interpretation is stated by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' entry "Gwaihir"</ref> and perhaps originates from the meaning of Gwaihir's name, which translates as "Windlord". However Tolkien never states that Gwaihir was the [[Lord of the Eagles]] and [[King of All Birds]]. Furthermore there are some problems with conflating the two characters:
***The Great Eagle of ''The Hobbit'' is said to wear a golden crown<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> after the end of the book, but Gwaihir is not wearing one.
***Near the end of ''Lord of the Rings'' Gandalf mentions that Gwaihir has carried him ''two'' times<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref> (once from [[Orthanc]] and once from [[Celebdil]]); if Gwaihir was the Great Eagle, that would make it at least ''three'' times.

==Gil-galad's father==
*[[Fingon]] was Gil-galad's father
**Not really a misconception as it was at one point considered so by Tolkien, as in ''[[Aldarion and Erendis]]'', and it is mentioned so in ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. However [[Christopher Tolkien]] admitted that it was a rushed choice as in his father's final scripts ''[[Orodreth]]'' was Gil-galad's father, and Fingon had no wife: even in ''The Silmarillion'', Fingon was succeeded by [[Turgon]] as [[High King of the Noldor]] instead of his "son".
==Ingwe, Finwe and Elwe awoke at Cuiviénen==
*[[Ingwe]], [[Finwe]] and [[Elwe]], the three ambassadors of the Elves to [[Aman]], and later Kings of their people, were among the first 144 Elves who [[awakening of the Elves|awoke]] at [[Cuiviénen]].
**''[[The Silmarillion]]'' only says that [[Orome]] visited the Elves at Cuiviénen but does not clarify whether the Three Ambassadors were indeed firstborn. According to the [[Grey Annals]], Orome found the Elves 500 [[coranar|years]] after the Awakening, a gap which would leave ample time for the firstborn Elves to procreate and for Elven children to be born and grow. Nothing states that the three Ambassadors could not have been born during that time, thus belonging to a second or third generation of Elves.
**Furthermore, the Silmarillion is clear that Elwe, [[Olwe]] (and [[Elmo]]) were brothers, and that Olwe was younger than Elwe. This can't be easily understood if Elwe was a Firstborn (i.e. without parents). The [[Cuivienyarna]] mentions that Elwe was ''born'' at Cuiviénen.<ref>{{WJ|Appendix}}</ref>

==[[Middle-earth]] is an underground world similar to the Hollow Earth==
*Middle-earth is a world that exists inside the Earth. Tolkien's stories are a kind of [[Wikipedia:Subterranean fiction|Subterranean fiction]] as they happen underground, at the center of the Hollow Earth.<ref>[http://www.esoterica.gr/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1714 Example article] in a Greek occult forum</ref>
**The misconception circulates mainly among the Greek audience and is explained by the Greek translation "[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B7_%CE%93%CE%B7 Μέση-γη]". Although the translation is accurate, the stem "μέσ-" can also be understood as ''inside'' by the occasional reader. The notion was popularised mainly by the Greek press, especially concerned with the occult or the paranormal. Those sources leave open the possibility that Tolkien possessed some esoteric or occult knowledge, whereas the fantasy [[races]] of Middle-earth are identified as the beings said to populate [[Wikipedia:Agartha|Agartha]].
**It is made clear in the ''Silmarillion'' that the Earth is called ''Arda'' floating in space with atmospheric layers such as [[Ilmen]], [[Vaiya]] and [[Vista]]; and Middle-earth is a continent.<ref>{{S|Ainu}}</ref> The term Middle-earth refers to "our earth" and is explained geographically as "surrounded by the ocean"<ref>[[Dennis Gerrolt]], [http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp Tolkien's interview] to BBC, 1971</ref> and not being inside something.
==The [[Seven Rings]] were made for the Dwarves and the [[Nine Rings]] for Men==
*The Elves of [[Eregion]] made specifically [[Seven Rings]] especially for the Dwarves, and [[Nine Rings]] for the Men. Occasionally it is believed that each group had its own powers to be used accordingly by Elves, Dwarves and Men. The [[Ring Verse]] ("...'''for''' the Elven-kings, ...'''for''' the Dwarf-Lords") indicates their purpose and destination as when [[Celebrimbor]] himself gave [[Thror's Ring|a ring]] to King [[Durin III]]<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref>.
*Some adaptations, such as [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Lord of the Rings]]'' and [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' show a similar notion: in both movies the prologue shows that the Elf smiths made the Rings '''for''' the Elves, Dwarves and Men, before Sauron makes war to seize them. Furthermore, in Jackson's adaptation, each group has a distinct visual style (eg. the Seven have a definite "Dwarvish" design).
**Nowhere in Tolkien's books is mentioned that the Seven and the Nine were different from each others nor that they were made for the Dwarves and Men. Everything shows that the Rings were produced massively and were designed by the Elves for themselves. The Ring that Celebrimbor gave to Durin was a notable exception. Only the Three were created distinctly outside the other 16.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Differ How did the Seven and the Nine differ?] and [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Intent Were the Seven and Nine Rings originally intended for Dwarves and Men?]</ref>
**It is made clear in the Silmarillion, that (besides Durin's Ring) it was Sauron who gave the Rings to the Dwarves and Men, and that was only after the Elves repented.
{{References}}

[[Category:Debates]]

Misconceptions

2012-06-17T12:16:22Z

Klow: /* Déagol/Sméagol relationship */

'''Misconceptions''' have arisen and circulated over numerous concepts within [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]] as a result of mistakes made by secondary authors and of changes made by adaptations.

==Definition of First Age; Third Age "of the Sun"==
*The [[First Age]] began with the first sunrise over [[Middle-earth]] and the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' took place in the ''Third Age of the Sun''.
**Actually, Tolkien never described his ages as being linked to the Sun and specifically wrote that the "First Age of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]" began with the [[Awakening of the Elves]], long before the first sunrise. Despite this, many fans believe the 'Ages of the Sun' version is ''correct'' because it has been repeated so often. For example, it is found in ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]], whose books are generally considered unreliable (as by Conrad Dunkerson and Steuard Jensen<ref>{{webcite|
author=Steuard Jensen|articleurl=http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/DayBooks.html|articlename=Notes on David Day's Tolkien Books|dated=|website=Tolkien metaFAQ|accessed=}}</ref>).

==The Arkenstone was a Silmaril==
*The [[Arkenstone]] was a [[Silmaril]], probably the one thrown into a fiery pit by Maedhros, and found its way (geologically?) to the north, to be rediscovered by the [[Khazad]] of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. Tolkien wrote that the two lost Silmarils would remain lost until the end of Arda. However, in a partial translation of early Silmarillion texts into Old English Tolkien used the etymologically related term 'Eorclanstanas' ('holy stones') to translate 'Silmarils' - suggesting that he may have borrowed the name and other concepts from the Silmarils in describing the Arkenstone.

==Arwen, the lastborn of the Elves==
*Arwen was the last Elf born in Middle-earth.
**This concept derives from being the youngest Elf whose birth is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]], and perhaps from publicity for the films; but is never stated in the films or the books.

==Legolas' age==
*Legolas is 2931 years old during the [[War of the Ring]], and thus was born in T.A. 87.
**This information also comes from film publicity and is never stated in the films or books. It may derive from the fact that ''Aragorn'' was born in the ''year'' T.A. 2931. The date of T.A. 87 for Legolas' birth agrees with another common fan theory, namely that Legolas was born during the period of peace at the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Tolkien never wrote about Legolas' birthdate.

==Legolas' hair color==
*Legolas is blond.
**This is a visual tradition dating back to the works of the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] in the 1970s and followed in both the [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|animated]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy|live action]] LotR films. However, Tolkien never specifies Legolas' hair color (although ''[[The Hobbit]]'' mentions that [[Thranduil]], Legolas' father, was blond). Legolas' hair color is one of the most enduring controversies in [[Tolkien fandom]].

==Names of the Nazgûl==
*The names of all nine [[Nazgûl]] are known: Er-Murazor (the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]), [[Khamûl]], Dwar of Waw, Ji Indur Dawndeath, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel the Quiet (female), Ren the Unclean and Uvatha the Horseman.
**In fact Tolkien recorded the name of only one Nazgûl: Khamûl, the [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] who barely missed catching the [[Hobbits]] at [[Bucklebury Ferry]]. Even the personal name of the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] was not given by Tolkien, although some fans refer to him as "[[Angmar]]". The names for the eight Nazgûl other than Khamûl which some fans think were coined by Tolkien were actually invented for the [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game (MERP) published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] (ICE).

It should be also noted that Tolkien's texts seemingly contradict the idea that one of the Nazgûl was a woman, with their consistent references as "Men" and "kings", although it could be argued that "Men" includes women and "kings" includes queens. Unsurprisingly, the film version of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' shows all nine Nazgûl as men when they received their [[Rings of Power]].

==The War in the North==
*The [[War of the Ring]] included a "War in the North", which involved fighting in [[Eriador]] and around [[Rivendell]].
**This has been stated as fact by the writers of the films in a DVD commentary and has formed the basis for parts of the computer games ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North]]''. However, although Tolkien mentions violent incidents around [[Bree]] during the War (not to mention the [[Scouring of the Shire]]), no extensive military campaign in Eriador is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]] in Appendix B of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Since the Tale of Years does mention the [[Battle of Dale]] and the fighting around [[Lothlórien]], it is clear that it would also have mentioned the "War in the North" if it had been part of Tolkien's conception. Moreover, the section of Appendix A on the Dwarves includes comments by [[Gandalf]] to the effect that extensive, destructive fighting in Eriador was averted by the death of [[Smaug]] and the Battles of [[Battle of Five Armies|Five Armies]] and of [[Dale]].

==Hobbit feet==
*Hobbits have comparatively large, hairy feet.
**Tolkien wrote: "their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair, much like the hair of their heads". Besides the hair, Tolkien doesn't mention that the size of their feet is disproportionally large; they are portrayed so in several adaptations, such as illustrations by the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] and the movies, where the feet are actually prosthetics.

==Déagol/Sméagol relationship==
*Déagol is Sméagol's cousin.
**Tolkien only calls him Sméagol's ''friend'' in ''The Lord of the Rings'', though in ''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'' he writes that Déagol was "evidently a relative (as no doubt all the members of the small community were)" of Sméagol’s. This misconception probably dates from ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' by [[Robert Foster]] and ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]].<ref>[http://greenbooks.theonering.net/questions/files/020101.html]</ref>

==Gollum's age==
*Sméagol was born in the year 2430 of the Third Age, found the Ring on his 33rd birthday in 2463, and thus was 589 years old when he died in 3019.
**33 is the age a Shire Hobbit becomes officially an adult. Sméagol "found" the Ring on his birthday. The filmmakers evidently decided that the day Sméagol found the Ring was his 33rd birthday. However: Sméagol was not a Shire Hobbit, but a Stoor, and these had different customs - Tolkien states that the Stoors of Rhovanion received, and did not give gifts on their birthdays (in ''Unfinished Tales'', ''The History of Middle-earth'' and ''Letters''); and T.A. 2463 as the date of the discovery of the Ring is an approximate, not a precise date. Thus, there is no exact indication of Gollum's age in Tolkien's books. [http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html See http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html]

==Tengwar on Sting==
*The [[Sindarin]] words ''Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im'' are engraved on the blade of [[Sting]]. The worlds translate as "Maegnas (Sharp-point) is my name, I am the spider's bane".
*The origin of this inscription is the depiction in the movies. In the books, Tolkien describes Sting as a rather plain weapon with a simple leather sheath. Unlike [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], it bears no runes for [[Elrond]] to translate in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. It first receives a name from [[Bilbo Baggins]] after he uses it against the giant spiders of [[Mirkwood]].

==Saruman, the creator of Uruk-hai==
Saruman is believed to be the creator of the race of [[Uruk-hai]] (Uruks), the larger, stronger breed of [[Orcs]]. This is visualized in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy]]'' which further established this view. The movie also established wrongly that "Uruk-hai" are a stronger race of Orcs, while in reality it is simply a [[Black Speech]] term for the Orcs proper themselves (excluding the [[Snaga]]).

In reality, the Uruks first appeared out of [[Mordor]] in the last years of Steward [[Denethor I]], before {{TA|2475}} and before Saruman settles in [[Orthanc]]<ref>{{HM|AA}}</ref>.

The misconception originates from the fact that Saruman perhaps created a race of Orc-men or Men-Orcs in his service<ref>http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Creatures.html#Urukhai</ref>. However these aren't the same as the Uruk-hai.

== Dorwinion ==
[[Dorwinion]] was only mentioned in passing until it appeared on [[Pauline Baynes]]' [[1969]] map, where it was placed on the western shore of the [[Sea of Rhûn]]. But contrary to popular belief, it's location was not decided by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], but by Baynes. Tolkien had asked her to place several locations on the map, but did not specify the location. Baynes picked the location, and Tolkien agreed, though it was not the location he originally had in mind - several references to it place it in "the South". [[Christopher Tolkien]] later commented:
{{quote|Dorwinion is marked on the decorated map by Pauline Baynes, as a region on the North-western shores of the Sea of Rhun. It must be presumed that this, like other names on that map, was communicated to her by my father, but its placing seems surprising.|<ref>{{LB|Hurin}}</ref>}}

==Money==
*It is thought that Middle-earth is a utopia with no finance based economy.
**This misconception is noted by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Money"</ref>. The misconception originates from the very few times any transactions or the word "[[money]]" are mentioned in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' or ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; most mentions of wealth are vague or in the form of [[gold]] or treasures. However in [[Bree]] both golden pieces and silver pennies appear. Furthermore, in a draft of "[[The Appendix on Languages]]" published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' some details of the coins of [[Gondor]] are given.

==Gwaihir is the Great Eagle==
*The (unnamed) [[Lord of the Eagles]] from ''The Hobbit'' is identified in the ''Lord of the Rings'' as [[Gwaihir]], as they are the same person.
**This interpretation is stated by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' entry "Gwaihir"</ref> and perhaps originates from the meaning of Gwaihir's name, which translates as "Windlord". However Tolkien never states that Gwaihir was the [[Lord of the Eagles]] and [[King of All Birds]]. Furthermore there are some problems with conflating the two characters:
***The Great Eagle of ''The Hobbit'' is said to wear a golden crown<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> after the end of the book, but Gwaihir is not wearing one.
***Near the end of ''Lord of the Rings'' Gandalf mentions that Gwaihir has carried him ''two'' times<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref> (once from [[Orthanc]] and once from [[Celebdil]]); if Gwaihir was the Great Eagle, that would make it at least ''three'' times.

==Gil-galad's father==
*[[Fingon]] was Gil-galad's father
**Not really a misconception as it was at one point considered so by Tolkien, as in ''[[Aldarion and Erendis]]'', and it is mentioned so in ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. However [[Christopher Tolkien]] admitted that it was a rushed choice as in his father's final scripts ''[[Orodreth]]'' was Gil-galad's father, and Fingon had no wife: even in ''The Silmarillion'', Fingon was succeeded by [[Turgon]] as [[High King of the Noldor]] instead of his "son".
==Ingwe, Finwe and Elwe awoke at Cuiviénen==
*[[Ingwe]], [[Finwe]] and [[Elwe]], the three ambassadors of the Elves to [[Aman]], and later Kings of their people, were among the first 144 Elves who [[awakening of the Elves|awoke]] at [[Cuiviénen]].
**''[[The Silmarillion]]'' only says that [[Orome]] visited the Elves at Cuiviénen but does not clarify whether the Three Ambassadors were indeed firstborn. According to the [[Grey Annals]], Orome found the Elves 500 [[coranar|years]] after the Awakening, a gap which would leave ample time for the firstborn Elves to procreate and for Elven children to be born and grow. Nothing states that the three Ambassadors could not have been born during that time, thus belonging to a second or third generation of Elves.
**Furthermore, the Silmarillion is clear that Elwe, [[Olwe]] (and [[Elmo]]) were brothers, and that Olwe was younger than Elwe. This can't be easily understood if Elwe was a Firstborn (i.e. without parents). The [[Cuivienyarna]] mentions that Elwe was ''born'' at Cuiviénen.<ref>{{WJ|Appendix}}</ref>

==[[Middle-earth]] is an underground world similar to the Hollow Earth==
*Middle-earth is a world that exists inside the Earth. Tolkien's stories are a kind of [[Wikipedia:Subterranean fiction|Subterranean fiction]] as they happen underground, at the center of the Hollow Earth.<ref>[http://www.esoterica.gr/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1714 Example article] in a Greek occult forum</ref>
**The misconception circulates mainly among the Greek audience and is explained by the Greek translation "[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B7_%CE%93%CE%B7 Μέση-γη]". Although the translation is accurate, the stem "μέσ-" can also be understood as ''inside'' by the occasional reader. The notion was popularised mainly by the Greek press, especially concerned with the occult or the paranormal. Those sources leave open the possibility that Tolkien possessed some esoteric or occult knowledge, whereas the fantasy [[races]] of Middle-earth are identified as the beings said to populate [[Wikipedia:Agartha|Agartha]].
**It is made clear in the ''Silmarillion'' that the Earth is called ''Arda'' floating in space with atmospheric layers such as [[Ilmen]], [[Vaiya]] and [[Vista]]; and Middle-earth is a continent.<ref>{{S|Ainu}}</ref> The term Middle-earth refers to "our earth" and is explained geographically as "surrounded by the ocean"<ref>[[Dennis Gerrolt]], [http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp Tolkien's interview] to BBC, 1971</ref> and not being inside something.
==The [[Seven Rings]] were made for the Dwarves and the [[Nine Rings]] for Men==
*The Elves of [[Eregion]] made specifically [[Seven Rings]] especially for the Dwarves, and [[Nine Rings]] for the Men. Occasionally it is believed that each group had its own powers to be used accordingly by Elves, Dwarves and Men. The [[Ring Verse]] ("...'''for''' the Elven-kings, ...'''for''' the Dwarf-Lords") indicates their purpose and destination as when [[Celebrimbor]] himself gave [[Thror's Ring|a ring]] to King [[Durin III]]<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref>.
*Some adaptations, such as [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Lord of the Rings]]'' and [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' show a similar notion: in both movies the prologue shows that the Elf smiths made the Rings '''for''' the Elves, Dwarves and Men, before Sauron makes war to seize them. Furthermore, in Jackson's adaptation, each group has a distinct visual style (eg. the Seven have a definite "Dwarvish" design).
**Nowhere in Tolkien's books is mentioned that the Seven and the Nine were different from each others nor that they were made for the Dwarves and Men. Everything shows that the Rings were produced massively and were designed by the Elves for themselves. The Ring that Celebrimbor gave to Durin was a notable exception. Only the Three were created distinctly outside the other 16.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Differ How did the Seven and the Nine differ?] and [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Intent Were the Seven and Nine Rings originally intended for Dwarves and Men?]</ref>
**It is made clear in the Silmarillion, that (besides Durin's Ring) it was Sauron who gave the Rings to the Dwarves and Men, and that was only after the Elves repented.
{{References}}

[[Category:Debates]]

Misconceptions

2012-06-17T12:13:10Z

Klow: /* Legolas hair color */

'''Misconceptions''' have arisen and circulated over numerous concepts within [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]] as a result of mistakes made by secondary authors and of changes made by adaptations.

==Definition of First Age; Third Age "of the Sun"==
*The [[First Age]] began with the first sunrise over [[Middle-earth]] and the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' took place in the ''Third Age of the Sun''.
**Actually, Tolkien never described his ages as being linked to the Sun and specifically wrote that the "First Age of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]" began with the [[Awakening of the Elves]], long before the first sunrise. Despite this, many fans believe the 'Ages of the Sun' version is ''correct'' because it has been repeated so often. For example, it is found in ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]], whose books are generally considered unreliable (as by Conrad Dunkerson and Steuard Jensen<ref>{{webcite|
author=Steuard Jensen|articleurl=http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/DayBooks.html|articlename=Notes on David Day's Tolkien Books|dated=|website=Tolkien metaFAQ|accessed=}}</ref>).

==The Arkenstone was a Silmaril==
*The [[Arkenstone]] was a [[Silmaril]], probably the one thrown into a fiery pit by Maedhros, and found its way (geologically?) to the north, to be rediscovered by the [[Khazad]] of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. Tolkien wrote that the two lost Silmarils would remain lost until the end of Arda. However, in a partial translation of early Silmarillion texts into Old English Tolkien used the etymologically related term 'Eorclanstanas' ('holy stones') to translate 'Silmarils' - suggesting that he may have borrowed the name and other concepts from the Silmarils in describing the Arkenstone.

==Arwen, the lastborn of the Elves==
*Arwen was the last Elf born in Middle-earth.
**This concept derives from being the youngest Elf whose birth is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]], and perhaps from publicity for the films; but is never stated in the films or the books.

==Legolas' age==
*Legolas is 2931 years old during the [[War of the Ring]], and thus was born in T.A. 87.
**This information also comes from film publicity and is never stated in the films or books. It may derive from the fact that ''Aragorn'' was born in the ''year'' T.A. 2931. The date of T.A. 87 for Legolas' birth agrees with another common fan theory, namely that Legolas was born during the period of peace at the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Tolkien never wrote about Legolas' birthdate.

==Legolas' hair color==
*Legolas is blond.
**This is a visual tradition dating back to the works of the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] in the 1970s and followed in both the [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|animated]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy|live action]] LotR films. However, Tolkien never specifies Legolas' hair color (although ''[[The Hobbit]]'' mentions that [[Thranduil]], Legolas' father, was blond). Legolas' hair color is one of the most enduring controversies in [[Tolkien fandom]].

==Names of the Nazgûl==
*The names of all nine [[Nazgûl]] are known: Er-Murazor (the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]), [[Khamûl]], Dwar of Waw, Ji Indur Dawndeath, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel the Quiet (female), Ren the Unclean and Uvatha the Horseman.
**In fact Tolkien recorded the name of only one Nazgûl: Khamûl, the [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] who barely missed catching the [[Hobbits]] at [[Bucklebury Ferry]]. Even the personal name of the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] was not given by Tolkien, although some fans refer to him as "[[Angmar]]". The names for the eight Nazgûl other than Khamûl which some fans think were coined by Tolkien were actually invented for the [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game (MERP) published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] (ICE).

It should be also noted that Tolkien's texts seemingly contradict the idea that one of the Nazgûl was a woman, with their consistent references as "Men" and "kings", although it could be argued that "Men" includes women and "kings" includes queens. Unsurprisingly, the film version of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' shows all nine Nazgûl as men when they received their [[Rings of Power]].

==The War in the North==
*The [[War of the Ring]] included a "War in the North", which involved fighting in [[Eriador]] and around [[Rivendell]].
**This has been stated as fact by the writers of the films in a DVD commentary and has formed the basis for parts of the computer games ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North]]''. However, although Tolkien mentions violent incidents around [[Bree]] during the War (not to mention the [[Scouring of the Shire]]), no extensive military campaign in Eriador is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]] in Appendix B of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Since the Tale of Years does mention the [[Battle of Dale]] and the fighting around [[Lothlórien]], it is clear that it would also have mentioned the "War in the North" if it had been part of Tolkien's conception. Moreover, the section of Appendix A on the Dwarves includes comments by [[Gandalf]] to the effect that extensive, destructive fighting in Eriador was averted by the death of [[Smaug]] and the Battles of [[Battle of Five Armies|Five Armies]] and of [[Dale]].

==Hobbit feet==
*Hobbits have comparatively large, hairy feet.
**Tolkien wrote: "their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair, much like the hair of their heads". Besides the hair, Tolkien doesn't mention that the size of their feet is disproportionally large; they are portrayed so in several adaptations, such as illustrations by the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] and the movies, where the feet are actually prosthetics.

==Déagol/Sméagol relationship==
*Déagol is Sméagol's cousin.
**Tolkien only calls him Sméagol's ''friend'' in ''The Lord of the Rings'', though in ''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'' he writes that Déagol was "evidently a relative (as no doubt all the members of the small community were)" of Sméagol’s. This misconception probably dates from ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' by [[Robert Foster]] and ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]]. [http://greenbooks.theonering.net/questions/files/020101.html]

==Gollum's age==
*Sméagol was born in the year 2430 of the Third Age, found the Ring on his 33rd birthday in 2463, and thus was 589 years old when he died in 3019.
**33 is the age a Shire Hobbit becomes officially an adult. Sméagol "found" the Ring on his birthday. The filmmakers evidently decided that the day Sméagol found the Ring was his 33rd birthday. However: Sméagol was not a Shire Hobbit, but a Stoor, and these had different customs - Tolkien states that the Stoors of Rhovanion received, and did not give gifts on their birthdays (in ''Unfinished Tales'', ''The History of Middle-earth'' and ''Letters''); and T.A. 2463 as the date of the discovery of the Ring is an approximate, not a precise date. Thus, there is no exact indication of Gollum's age in Tolkien's books. [http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html See http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html]

==Tengwar on Sting==
*The [[Sindarin]] words ''Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im'' are engraved on the blade of [[Sting]]. The worlds translate as "Maegnas (Sharp-point) is my name, I am the spider's bane".
*The origin of this inscription is the depiction in the movies. In the books, Tolkien describes Sting as a rather plain weapon with a simple leather sheath. Unlike [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], it bears no runes for [[Elrond]] to translate in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. It first receives a name from [[Bilbo Baggins]] after he uses it against the giant spiders of [[Mirkwood]].

==Saruman, the creator of Uruk-hai==
Saruman is believed to be the creator of the race of [[Uruk-hai]] (Uruks), the larger, stronger breed of [[Orcs]]. This is visualized in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy]]'' which further established this view. The movie also established wrongly that "Uruk-hai" are a stronger race of Orcs, while in reality it is simply a [[Black Speech]] term for the Orcs proper themselves (excluding the [[Snaga]]).

In reality, the Uruks first appeared out of [[Mordor]] in the last years of Steward [[Denethor I]], before {{TA|2475}} and before Saruman settles in [[Orthanc]]<ref>{{HM|AA}}</ref>.

The misconception originates from the fact that Saruman perhaps created a race of Orc-men or Men-Orcs in his service<ref>http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Creatures.html#Urukhai</ref>. However these aren't the same as the Uruk-hai.

== Dorwinion ==
[[Dorwinion]] was only mentioned in passing until it appeared on [[Pauline Baynes]]' [[1969]] map, where it was placed on the western shore of the [[Sea of Rhûn]]. But contrary to popular belief, it's location was not decided by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], but by Baynes. Tolkien had asked her to place several locations on the map, but did not specify the location. Baynes picked the location, and Tolkien agreed, though it was not the location he originally had in mind - several references to it place it in "the South". [[Christopher Tolkien]] later commented:
{{quote|Dorwinion is marked on the decorated map by Pauline Baynes, as a region on the North-western shores of the Sea of Rhun. It must be presumed that this, like other names on that map, was communicated to her by my father, but its placing seems surprising.|<ref>{{LB|Hurin}}</ref>}}

==Money==
*It is thought that Middle-earth is a utopia with no finance based economy.
**This misconception is noted by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Money"</ref>. The misconception originates from the very few times any transactions or the word "[[money]]" are mentioned in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' or ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; most mentions of wealth are vague or in the form of [[gold]] or treasures. However in [[Bree]] both golden pieces and silver pennies appear. Furthermore, in a draft of "[[The Appendix on Languages]]" published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' some details of the coins of [[Gondor]] are given.

==Gwaihir is the Great Eagle==
*The (unnamed) [[Lord of the Eagles]] from ''The Hobbit'' is identified in the ''Lord of the Rings'' as [[Gwaihir]], as they are the same person.
**This interpretation is stated by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' entry "Gwaihir"</ref> and perhaps originates from the meaning of Gwaihir's name, which translates as "Windlord". However Tolkien never states that Gwaihir was the [[Lord of the Eagles]] and [[King of All Birds]]. Furthermore there are some problems with conflating the two characters:
***The Great Eagle of ''The Hobbit'' is said to wear a golden crown<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> after the end of the book, but Gwaihir is not wearing one.
***Near the end of ''Lord of the Rings'' Gandalf mentions that Gwaihir has carried him ''two'' times<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref> (once from [[Orthanc]] and once from [[Celebdil]]); if Gwaihir was the Great Eagle, that would make it at least ''three'' times.

==Gil-galad's father==
*[[Fingon]] was Gil-galad's father
**Not really a misconception as it was at one point considered so by Tolkien, as in ''[[Aldarion and Erendis]]'', and it is mentioned so in ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. However [[Christopher Tolkien]] admitted that it was a rushed choice as in his father's final scripts ''[[Orodreth]]'' was Gil-galad's father, and Fingon had no wife: even in ''The Silmarillion'', Fingon was succeeded by [[Turgon]] as [[High King of the Noldor]] instead of his "son".
==Ingwe, Finwe and Elwe awoke at Cuiviénen==
*[[Ingwe]], [[Finwe]] and [[Elwe]], the three ambassadors of the Elves to [[Aman]], and later Kings of their people, were among the first 144 Elves who [[awakening of the Elves|awoke]] at [[Cuiviénen]].
**''[[The Silmarillion]]'' only says that [[Orome]] visited the Elves at Cuiviénen but does not clarify whether the Three Ambassadors were indeed firstborn. According to the [[Grey Annals]], Orome found the Elves 500 [[coranar|years]] after the Awakening, a gap which would leave ample time for the firstborn Elves to procreate and for Elven children to be born and grow. Nothing states that the three Ambassadors could not have been born during that time, thus belonging to a second or third generation of Elves.
**Furthermore, the Silmarillion is clear that Elwe, [[Olwe]] (and [[Elmo]]) were brothers, and that Olwe was younger than Elwe. This can't be easily understood if Elwe was a Firstborn (i.e. without parents). The [[Cuivienyarna]] mentions that Elwe was ''born'' at Cuiviénen.<ref>{{WJ|Appendix}}</ref>

==[[Middle-earth]] is an underground world similar to the Hollow Earth==
*Middle-earth is a world that exists inside the Earth. Tolkien's stories are a kind of [[Wikipedia:Subterranean fiction|Subterranean fiction]] as they happen underground, at the center of the Hollow Earth.<ref>[http://www.esoterica.gr/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1714 Example article] in a Greek occult forum</ref>
**The misconception circulates mainly among the Greek audience and is explained by the Greek translation "[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B7_%CE%93%CE%B7 Μέση-γη]". Although the translation is accurate, the stem "μέσ-" can also be understood as ''inside'' by the occasional reader. The notion was popularised mainly by the Greek press, especially concerned with the occult or the paranormal. Those sources leave open the possibility that Tolkien possessed some esoteric or occult knowledge, whereas the fantasy [[races]] of Middle-earth are identified as the beings said to populate [[Wikipedia:Agartha|Agartha]].
**It is made clear in the ''Silmarillion'' that the Earth is called ''Arda'' floating in space with atmospheric layers such as [[Ilmen]], [[Vaiya]] and [[Vista]]; and Middle-earth is a continent.<ref>{{S|Ainu}}</ref> The term Middle-earth refers to "our earth" and is explained geographically as "surrounded by the ocean"<ref>[[Dennis Gerrolt]], [http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp Tolkien's interview] to BBC, 1971</ref> and not being inside something.
==The [[Seven Rings]] were made for the Dwarves and the [[Nine Rings]] for Men==
*The Elves of [[Eregion]] made specifically [[Seven Rings]] especially for the Dwarves, and [[Nine Rings]] for the Men. Occasionally it is believed that each group had its own powers to be used accordingly by Elves, Dwarves and Men. The [[Ring Verse]] ("...'''for''' the Elven-kings, ...'''for''' the Dwarf-Lords") indicates their purpose and destination as when [[Celebrimbor]] himself gave [[Thror's Ring|a ring]] to King [[Durin III]]<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref>.
*Some adaptations, such as [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Lord of the Rings]]'' and [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' show a similar notion: in both movies the prologue shows that the Elf smiths made the Rings '''for''' the Elves, Dwarves and Men, before Sauron makes war to seize them. Furthermore, in Jackson's adaptation, each group has a distinct visual style (eg. the Seven have a definite "Dwarvish" design).
**Nowhere in Tolkien's books is mentioned that the Seven and the Nine were different from each others nor that they were made for the Dwarves and Men. Everything shows that the Rings were produced massively and were designed by the Elves for themselves. The Ring that Celebrimbor gave to Durin was a notable exception. Only the Three were created distinctly outside the other 16.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Differ How did the Seven and the Nine differ?] and [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Intent Were the Seven and Nine Rings originally intended for Dwarves and Men?]</ref>
**It is made clear in the Silmarillion, that (besides Durin's Ring) it was Sauron who gave the Rings to the Dwarves and Men, and that was only after the Elves repented.
{{References}}

[[Category:Debates]]

Misconceptions

2012-06-17T12:12:49Z

Klow: /* Legolas's age */

'''Misconceptions''' have arisen and circulated over numerous concepts within [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]] as a result of mistakes made by secondary authors and of changes made by adaptations.

==Definition of First Age; Third Age "of the Sun"==
*The [[First Age]] began with the first sunrise over [[Middle-earth]] and the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' took place in the ''Third Age of the Sun''.
**Actually, Tolkien never described his ages as being linked to the Sun and specifically wrote that the "First Age of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]" began with the [[Awakening of the Elves]], long before the first sunrise. Despite this, many fans believe the 'Ages of the Sun' version is ''correct'' because it has been repeated so often. For example, it is found in ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]], whose books are generally considered unreliable (as by Conrad Dunkerson and Steuard Jensen<ref>{{webcite|
author=Steuard Jensen|articleurl=http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/DayBooks.html|articlename=Notes on David Day's Tolkien Books|dated=|website=Tolkien metaFAQ|accessed=}}</ref>).

==The Arkenstone was a Silmaril==
*The [[Arkenstone]] was a [[Silmaril]], probably the one thrown into a fiery pit by Maedhros, and found its way (geologically?) to the north, to be rediscovered by the [[Khazad]] of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. Tolkien wrote that the two lost Silmarils would remain lost until the end of Arda. However, in a partial translation of early Silmarillion texts into Old English Tolkien used the etymologically related term 'Eorclanstanas' ('holy stones') to translate 'Silmarils' - suggesting that he may have borrowed the name and other concepts from the Silmarils in describing the Arkenstone.

==Arwen, the lastborn of the Elves==
*Arwen was the last Elf born in Middle-earth.
**This concept derives from being the youngest Elf whose birth is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]], and perhaps from publicity for the films; but is never stated in the films or the books.

==Legolas' age==
*Legolas is 2931 years old during the [[War of the Ring]], and thus was born in T.A. 87.
**This information also comes from film publicity and is never stated in the films or books. It may derive from the fact that ''Aragorn'' was born in the ''year'' T.A. 2931. The date of T.A. 87 for Legolas' birth agrees with another common fan theory, namely that Legolas was born during the period of peace at the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Tolkien never wrote about Legolas' birthdate.

==Legolas hair color==
*Legolas is blond.
**This is a visual tradition dating back to the works of the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] in the 1970s and followed in both the [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|animated]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy|live action]] LotR films. However, Tolkien never specifies Legolas' hair color (although ''[[The Hobbit]]'' mentions that [[Thranduil]], Legolas' father, was blond). Legolas' hair color is one of the most enduring controversies in [[Tolkien fandom]].

==Names of the Nazgûl==
*The names of all nine [[Nazgûl]] are known: Er-Murazor (the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]), [[Khamûl]], Dwar of Waw, Ji Indur Dawndeath, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel the Quiet (female), Ren the Unclean and Uvatha the Horseman.
**In fact Tolkien recorded the name of only one Nazgûl: Khamûl, the [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] who barely missed catching the [[Hobbits]] at [[Bucklebury Ferry]]. Even the personal name of the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] was not given by Tolkien, although some fans refer to him as "[[Angmar]]". The names for the eight Nazgûl other than Khamûl which some fans think were coined by Tolkien were actually invented for the [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game (MERP) published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] (ICE).

It should be also noted that Tolkien's texts seemingly contradict the idea that one of the Nazgûl was a woman, with their consistent references as "Men" and "kings", although it could be argued that "Men" includes women and "kings" includes queens. Unsurprisingly, the film version of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' shows all nine Nazgûl as men when they received their [[Rings of Power]].

==The War in the North==
*The [[War of the Ring]] included a "War in the North", which involved fighting in [[Eriador]] and around [[Rivendell]].
**This has been stated as fact by the writers of the films in a DVD commentary and has formed the basis for parts of the computer games ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North]]''. However, although Tolkien mentions violent incidents around [[Bree]] during the War (not to mention the [[Scouring of the Shire]]), no extensive military campaign in Eriador is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]] in Appendix B of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Since the Tale of Years does mention the [[Battle of Dale]] and the fighting around [[Lothlórien]], it is clear that it would also have mentioned the "War in the North" if it had been part of Tolkien's conception. Moreover, the section of Appendix A on the Dwarves includes comments by [[Gandalf]] to the effect that extensive, destructive fighting in Eriador was averted by the death of [[Smaug]] and the Battles of [[Battle of Five Armies|Five Armies]] and of [[Dale]].

==Hobbit feet==
*Hobbits have comparatively large, hairy feet.
**Tolkien wrote: "their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair, much like the hair of their heads". Besides the hair, Tolkien doesn't mention that the size of their feet is disproportionally large; they are portrayed so in several adaptations, such as illustrations by the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] and the movies, where the feet are actually prosthetics.

==Déagol/Sméagol relationship==
*Déagol is Sméagol's cousin.
**Tolkien only calls him Sméagol's ''friend'' in ''The Lord of the Rings'', though in ''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'' he writes that Déagol was "evidently a relative (as no doubt all the members of the small community were)" of Sméagol’s. This misconception probably dates from ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' by [[Robert Foster]] and ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]]. [http://greenbooks.theonering.net/questions/files/020101.html]

==Gollum's age==
*Sméagol was born in the year 2430 of the Third Age, found the Ring on his 33rd birthday in 2463, and thus was 589 years old when he died in 3019.
**33 is the age a Shire Hobbit becomes officially an adult. Sméagol "found" the Ring on his birthday. The filmmakers evidently decided that the day Sméagol found the Ring was his 33rd birthday. However: Sméagol was not a Shire Hobbit, but a Stoor, and these had different customs - Tolkien states that the Stoors of Rhovanion received, and did not give gifts on their birthdays (in ''Unfinished Tales'', ''The History of Middle-earth'' and ''Letters''); and T.A. 2463 as the date of the discovery of the Ring is an approximate, not a precise date. Thus, there is no exact indication of Gollum's age in Tolkien's books. [http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html See http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html]

==Tengwar on Sting==
*The [[Sindarin]] words ''Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im'' are engraved on the blade of [[Sting]]. The worlds translate as "Maegnas (Sharp-point) is my name, I am the spider's bane".
*The origin of this inscription is the depiction in the movies. In the books, Tolkien describes Sting as a rather plain weapon with a simple leather sheath. Unlike [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], it bears no runes for [[Elrond]] to translate in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. It first receives a name from [[Bilbo Baggins]] after he uses it against the giant spiders of [[Mirkwood]].

==Saruman, the creator of Uruk-hai==
Saruman is believed to be the creator of the race of [[Uruk-hai]] (Uruks), the larger, stronger breed of [[Orcs]]. This is visualized in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy]]'' which further established this view. The movie also established wrongly that "Uruk-hai" are a stronger race of Orcs, while in reality it is simply a [[Black Speech]] term for the Orcs proper themselves (excluding the [[Snaga]]).

In reality, the Uruks first appeared out of [[Mordor]] in the last years of Steward [[Denethor I]], before {{TA|2475}} and before Saruman settles in [[Orthanc]]<ref>{{HM|AA}}</ref>.

The misconception originates from the fact that Saruman perhaps created a race of Orc-men or Men-Orcs in his service<ref>http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Creatures.html#Urukhai</ref>. However these aren't the same as the Uruk-hai.

== Dorwinion ==
[[Dorwinion]] was only mentioned in passing until it appeared on [[Pauline Baynes]]' [[1969]] map, where it was placed on the western shore of the [[Sea of Rhûn]]. But contrary to popular belief, it's location was not decided by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], but by Baynes. Tolkien had asked her to place several locations on the map, but did not specify the location. Baynes picked the location, and Tolkien agreed, though it was not the location he originally had in mind - several references to it place it in "the South". [[Christopher Tolkien]] later commented:
{{quote|Dorwinion is marked on the decorated map by Pauline Baynes, as a region on the North-western shores of the Sea of Rhun. It must be presumed that this, like other names on that map, was communicated to her by my father, but its placing seems surprising.|<ref>{{LB|Hurin}}</ref>}}

==Money==
*It is thought that Middle-earth is a utopia with no finance based economy.
**This misconception is noted by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Money"</ref>. The misconception originates from the very few times any transactions or the word "[[money]]" are mentioned in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' or ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; most mentions of wealth are vague or in the form of [[gold]] or treasures. However in [[Bree]] both golden pieces and silver pennies appear. Furthermore, in a draft of "[[The Appendix on Languages]]" published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' some details of the coins of [[Gondor]] are given.

==Gwaihir is the Great Eagle==
*The (unnamed) [[Lord of the Eagles]] from ''The Hobbit'' is identified in the ''Lord of the Rings'' as [[Gwaihir]], as they are the same person.
**This interpretation is stated by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' entry "Gwaihir"</ref> and perhaps originates from the meaning of Gwaihir's name, which translates as "Windlord". However Tolkien never states that Gwaihir was the [[Lord of the Eagles]] and [[King of All Birds]]. Furthermore there are some problems with conflating the two characters:
***The Great Eagle of ''The Hobbit'' is said to wear a golden crown<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> after the end of the book, but Gwaihir is not wearing one.
***Near the end of ''Lord of the Rings'' Gandalf mentions that Gwaihir has carried him ''two'' times<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref> (once from [[Orthanc]] and once from [[Celebdil]]); if Gwaihir was the Great Eagle, that would make it at least ''three'' times.

==Gil-galad's father==
*[[Fingon]] was Gil-galad's father
**Not really a misconception as it was at one point considered so by Tolkien, as in ''[[Aldarion and Erendis]]'', and it is mentioned so in ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. However [[Christopher Tolkien]] admitted that it was a rushed choice as in his father's final scripts ''[[Orodreth]]'' was Gil-galad's father, and Fingon had no wife: even in ''The Silmarillion'', Fingon was succeeded by [[Turgon]] as [[High King of the Noldor]] instead of his "son".
==Ingwe, Finwe and Elwe awoke at Cuiviénen==
*[[Ingwe]], [[Finwe]] and [[Elwe]], the three ambassadors of the Elves to [[Aman]], and later Kings of their people, were among the first 144 Elves who [[awakening of the Elves|awoke]] at [[Cuiviénen]].
**''[[The Silmarillion]]'' only says that [[Orome]] visited the Elves at Cuiviénen but does not clarify whether the Three Ambassadors were indeed firstborn. According to the [[Grey Annals]], Orome found the Elves 500 [[coranar|years]] after the Awakening, a gap which would leave ample time for the firstborn Elves to procreate and for Elven children to be born and grow. Nothing states that the three Ambassadors could not have been born during that time, thus belonging to a second or third generation of Elves.
**Furthermore, the Silmarillion is clear that Elwe, [[Olwe]] (and [[Elmo]]) were brothers, and that Olwe was younger than Elwe. This can't be easily understood if Elwe was a Firstborn (i.e. without parents). The [[Cuivienyarna]] mentions that Elwe was ''born'' at Cuiviénen.<ref>{{WJ|Appendix}}</ref>

==[[Middle-earth]] is an underground world similar to the Hollow Earth==
*Middle-earth is a world that exists inside the Earth. Tolkien's stories are a kind of [[Wikipedia:Subterranean fiction|Subterranean fiction]] as they happen underground, at the center of the Hollow Earth.<ref>[http://www.esoterica.gr/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1714 Example article] in a Greek occult forum</ref>
**The misconception circulates mainly among the Greek audience and is explained by the Greek translation "[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B7_%CE%93%CE%B7 Μέση-γη]". Although the translation is accurate, the stem "μέσ-" can also be understood as ''inside'' by the occasional reader. The notion was popularised mainly by the Greek press, especially concerned with the occult or the paranormal. Those sources leave open the possibility that Tolkien possessed some esoteric or occult knowledge, whereas the fantasy [[races]] of Middle-earth are identified as the beings said to populate [[Wikipedia:Agartha|Agartha]].
**It is made clear in the ''Silmarillion'' that the Earth is called ''Arda'' floating in space with atmospheric layers such as [[Ilmen]], [[Vaiya]] and [[Vista]]; and Middle-earth is a continent.<ref>{{S|Ainu}}</ref> The term Middle-earth refers to "our earth" and is explained geographically as "surrounded by the ocean"<ref>[[Dennis Gerrolt]], [http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp Tolkien's interview] to BBC, 1971</ref> and not being inside something.
==The [[Seven Rings]] were made for the Dwarves and the [[Nine Rings]] for Men==
*The Elves of [[Eregion]] made specifically [[Seven Rings]] especially for the Dwarves, and [[Nine Rings]] for the Men. Occasionally it is believed that each group had its own powers to be used accordingly by Elves, Dwarves and Men. The [[Ring Verse]] ("...'''for''' the Elven-kings, ...'''for''' the Dwarf-Lords") indicates their purpose and destination as when [[Celebrimbor]] himself gave [[Thror's Ring|a ring]] to King [[Durin III]]<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref>.
*Some adaptations, such as [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Lord of the Rings]]'' and [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' show a similar notion: in both movies the prologue shows that the Elf smiths made the Rings '''for''' the Elves, Dwarves and Men, before Sauron makes war to seize them. Furthermore, in Jackson's adaptation, each group has a distinct visual style (eg. the Seven have a definite "Dwarvish" design).
**Nowhere in Tolkien's books is mentioned that the Seven and the Nine were different from each others nor that they were made for the Dwarves and Men. Everything shows that the Rings were produced massively and were designed by the Elves for themselves. The Ring that Celebrimbor gave to Durin was a notable exception. Only the Three were created distinctly outside the other 16.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Differ How did the Seven and the Nine differ?] and [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Intent Were the Seven and Nine Rings originally intended for Dwarves and Men?]</ref>
**It is made clear in the Silmarillion, that (besides Durin's Ring) it was Sauron who gave the Rings to the Dwarves and Men, and that was only after the Elves repented.
{{References}}

[[Category:Debates]]

Misconceptions

2012-06-17T12:11:10Z

Klow: Undo revision 200628 by Klow (talk)

'''Misconceptions''' have arisen and circulated over numerous concepts within [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]] as a result of mistakes made by secondary authors and of changes made by adaptations.

==Definition of First Age; Third Age "of the Sun"==
*The [[First Age]] began with the first sunrise over [[Middle-earth]] and the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' took place in the ''Third Age of the Sun''.
**Actually, Tolkien never described his ages as being linked to the Sun and specifically wrote that the "First Age of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]" began with the [[Awakening of the Elves]], long before the first sunrise. Despite this, many fans believe the 'Ages of the Sun' version is ''correct'' because it has been repeated so often. For example, it is found in ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]], whose books are generally considered unreliable (as by Conrad Dunkerson and Steuard Jensen<ref>{{webcite|
author=Steuard Jensen|articleurl=http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/DayBooks.html|articlename=Notes on David Day's Tolkien Books|dated=|website=Tolkien metaFAQ|accessed=}}</ref>).

==The Arkenstone was a Silmaril==
*The [[Arkenstone]] was a [[Silmaril]], probably the one thrown into a fiery pit by Maedhros, and found its way (geologically?) to the north, to be rediscovered by the [[Khazad]] of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. Tolkien wrote that the two lost Silmarils would remain lost until the end of Arda. However, in a partial translation of early Silmarillion texts into Old English Tolkien used the etymologically related term 'Eorclanstanas' ('holy stones') to translate 'Silmarils' - suggesting that he may have borrowed the name and other concepts from the Silmarils in describing the Arkenstone.

==Arwen, the lastborn of the Elves==
*Arwen was the last Elf born in Middle-earth.
**This concept derives from being the youngest Elf whose birth is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]], and perhaps from publicity for the films; but is never stated in the films or the books.

==Legolas's age==
*Legolas is 2931 years old during the [[War of the Ring]], and thus was born in T.A. 87.
**This information also comes from film publicity and is never stated in the films or books. It may derive from the fact that ''Aragorn'' was born in the ''year'' T.A. 2931. The date of T.A. 87 for Legolas' birth agrees with another common fan theory, namely that Legolas was born during the period of peace at the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Tolkien, never wrote about Legolas' birthdate.

==Legolas hair color==
*Legolas is blond.
**This is a visual tradition dating back to the works of the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] in the 1970s and followed in both the [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|animated]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy|live action]] LotR films. However, Tolkien never specifies Legolas' hair color (although ''[[The Hobbit]]'' mentions that [[Thranduil]], Legolas' father, was blond). Legolas' hair color is one of the most enduring controversies in [[Tolkien fandom]].

==Names of the Nazgûl==
*The names of all nine [[Nazgûl]] are known: Er-Murazor (the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]), [[Khamûl]], Dwar of Waw, Ji Indur Dawndeath, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel the Quiet (female), Ren the Unclean and Uvatha the Horseman.
**In fact Tolkien recorded the name of only one Nazgûl: Khamûl, the [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] who barely missed catching the [[Hobbits]] at [[Bucklebury Ferry]]. Even the personal name of the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] was not given by Tolkien, although some fans refer to him as "[[Angmar]]". The names for the eight Nazgûl other than Khamûl which some fans think were coined by Tolkien were actually invented for the [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game (MERP) published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] (ICE).

It should be also noted that Tolkien's texts seemingly contradict the idea that one of the Nazgûl was a woman, with their consistent references as "Men" and "kings", although it could be argued that "Men" includes women and "kings" includes queens. Unsurprisingly, the film version of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' shows all nine Nazgûl as men when they received their [[Rings of Power]].

==The War in the North==
*The [[War of the Ring]] included a "War in the North", which involved fighting in [[Eriador]] and around [[Rivendell]].
**This has been stated as fact by the writers of the films in a DVD commentary and has formed the basis for parts of the computer games ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North]]''. However, although Tolkien mentions violent incidents around [[Bree]] during the War (not to mention the [[Scouring of the Shire]]), no extensive military campaign in Eriador is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]] in Appendix B of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Since the Tale of Years does mention the [[Battle of Dale]] and the fighting around [[Lothlórien]], it is clear that it would also have mentioned the "War in the North" if it had been part of Tolkien's conception. Moreover, the section of Appendix A on the Dwarves includes comments by [[Gandalf]] to the effect that extensive, destructive fighting in Eriador was averted by the death of [[Smaug]] and the Battles of [[Battle of Five Armies|Five Armies]] and of [[Dale]].

==Hobbit feet==
*Hobbits have comparatively large, hairy feet.
**Tolkien wrote: "their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair, much like the hair of their heads". Besides the hair, Tolkien doesn't mention that the size of their feet is disproportionally large; they are portrayed so in several adaptations, such as illustrations by the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] and the movies, where the feet are actually prosthetics.

==Déagol/Sméagol relationship==
*Déagol is Sméagol's cousin.
**Tolkien only calls him Sméagol's ''friend'' in ''The Lord of the Rings'', though in ''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'' he writes that Déagol was "evidently a relative (as no doubt all the members of the small community were)" of Sméagol’s. This misconception probably dates from ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' by [[Robert Foster]] and ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]]. [http://greenbooks.theonering.net/questions/files/020101.html]

==Gollum's age==
*Sméagol was born in the year 2430 of the Third Age, found the Ring on his 33rd birthday in 2463, and thus was 589 years old when he died in 3019.
**33 is the age a Shire Hobbit becomes officially an adult. Sméagol "found" the Ring on his birthday. The filmmakers evidently decided that the day Sméagol found the Ring was his 33rd birthday. However: Sméagol was not a Shire Hobbit, but a Stoor, and these had different customs - Tolkien states that the Stoors of Rhovanion received, and did not give gifts on their birthdays (in ''Unfinished Tales'', ''The History of Middle-earth'' and ''Letters''); and T.A. 2463 as the date of the discovery of the Ring is an approximate, not a precise date. Thus, there is no exact indication of Gollum's age in Tolkien's books. [http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html See http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html]

==Tengwar on Sting==
*The [[Sindarin]] words ''Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im'' are engraved on the blade of [[Sting]]. The worlds translate as "Maegnas (Sharp-point) is my name, I am the spider's bane".
*The origin of this inscription is the depiction in the movies. In the books, Tolkien describes Sting as a rather plain weapon with a simple leather sheath. Unlike [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], it bears no runes for [[Elrond]] to translate in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. It first receives a name from [[Bilbo Baggins]] after he uses it against the giant spiders of [[Mirkwood]].

==Saruman, the creator of Uruk-hai==
Saruman is believed to be the creator of the race of [[Uruk-hai]] (Uruks), the larger, stronger breed of [[Orcs]]. This is visualized in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy]]'' which further established this view. The movie also established wrongly that "Uruk-hai" are a stronger race of Orcs, while in reality it is simply a [[Black Speech]] term for the Orcs proper themselves (excluding the [[Snaga]]).

In reality, the Uruks first appeared out of [[Mordor]] in the last years of Steward [[Denethor I]], before {{TA|2475}} and before Saruman settles in [[Orthanc]]<ref>{{HM|AA}}</ref>.

The misconception originates from the fact that Saruman perhaps created a race of Orc-men or Men-Orcs in his service<ref>http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Creatures.html#Urukhai</ref>. However these aren't the same as the Uruk-hai.

== Dorwinion ==
[[Dorwinion]] was only mentioned in passing until it appeared on [[Pauline Baynes]]' [[1969]] map, where it was placed on the western shore of the [[Sea of Rhûn]]. But contrary to popular belief, it's location was not decided by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], but by Baynes. Tolkien had asked her to place several locations on the map, but did not specify the location. Baynes picked the location, and Tolkien agreed, though it was not the location he originally had in mind - several references to it place it in "the South". [[Christopher Tolkien]] later commented:
{{quote|Dorwinion is marked on the decorated map by Pauline Baynes, as a region on the North-western shores of the Sea of Rhun. It must be presumed that this, like other names on that map, was communicated to her by my father, but its placing seems surprising.|<ref>{{LB|Hurin}}</ref>}}

==Money==
*It is thought that Middle-earth is a utopia with no finance based economy.
**This misconception is noted by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Money"</ref>. The misconception originates from the very few times any transactions or the word "[[money]]" are mentioned in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' or ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; most mentions of wealth are vague or in the form of [[gold]] or treasures. However in [[Bree]] both golden pieces and silver pennies appear. Furthermore, in a draft of "[[The Appendix on Languages]]" published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' some details of the coins of [[Gondor]] are given.

==Gwaihir is the Great Eagle==
*The (unnamed) [[Lord of the Eagles]] from ''The Hobbit'' is identified in the ''Lord of the Rings'' as [[Gwaihir]], as they are the same person.
**This interpretation is stated by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' entry "Gwaihir"</ref> and perhaps originates from the meaning of Gwaihir's name, which translates as "Windlord". However Tolkien never states that Gwaihir was the [[Lord of the Eagles]] and [[King of All Birds]]. Furthermore there are some problems with conflating the two characters:
***The Great Eagle of ''The Hobbit'' is said to wear a golden crown<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> after the end of the book, but Gwaihir is not wearing one.
***Near the end of ''Lord of the Rings'' Gandalf mentions that Gwaihir has carried him ''two'' times<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref> (once from [[Orthanc]] and once from [[Celebdil]]); if Gwaihir was the Great Eagle, that would make it at least ''three'' times.

==Gil-galad's father==
*[[Fingon]] was Gil-galad's father
**Not really a misconception as it was at one point considered so by Tolkien, as in ''[[Aldarion and Erendis]]'', and it is mentioned so in ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. However [[Christopher Tolkien]] admitted that it was a rushed choice as in his father's final scripts ''[[Orodreth]]'' was Gil-galad's father, and Fingon had no wife: even in ''The Silmarillion'', Fingon was succeeded by [[Turgon]] as [[High King of the Noldor]] instead of his "son".
==Ingwe, Finwe and Elwe awoke at Cuiviénen==
*[[Ingwe]], [[Finwe]] and [[Elwe]], the three ambassadors of the Elves to [[Aman]], and later Kings of their people, were among the first 144 Elves who [[awakening of the Elves|awoke]] at [[Cuiviénen]].
**''[[The Silmarillion]]'' only says that [[Orome]] visited the Elves at Cuiviénen but does not clarify whether the Three Ambassadors were indeed firstborn. According to the [[Grey Annals]], Orome found the Elves 500 [[coranar|years]] after the Awakening, a gap which would leave ample time for the firstborn Elves to procreate and for Elven children to be born and grow. Nothing states that the three Ambassadors could not have been born during that time, thus belonging to a second or third generation of Elves.
**Furthermore, the Silmarillion is clear that Elwe, [[Olwe]] (and [[Elmo]]) were brothers, and that Olwe was younger than Elwe. This can't be easily understood if Elwe was a Firstborn (i.e. without parents). The [[Cuivienyarna]] mentions that Elwe was ''born'' at Cuiviénen.<ref>{{WJ|Appendix}}</ref>

==[[Middle-earth]] is an underground world similar to the Hollow Earth==
*Middle-earth is a world that exists inside the Earth. Tolkien's stories are a kind of [[Wikipedia:Subterranean fiction|Subterranean fiction]] as they happen underground, at the center of the Hollow Earth.<ref>[http://www.esoterica.gr/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1714 Example article] in a Greek occult forum</ref>
**The misconception circulates mainly among the Greek audience and is explained by the Greek translation "[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B7_%CE%93%CE%B7 Μέση-γη]". Although the translation is accurate, the stem "μέσ-" can also be understood as ''inside'' by the occasional reader. The notion was popularised mainly by the Greek press, especially concerned with the occult or the paranormal. Those sources leave open the possibility that Tolkien possessed some esoteric or occult knowledge, whereas the fantasy [[races]] of Middle-earth are identified as the beings said to populate [[Wikipedia:Agartha|Agartha]].
**It is made clear in the ''Silmarillion'' that the Earth is called ''Arda'' floating in space with atmospheric layers such as [[Ilmen]], [[Vaiya]] and [[Vista]]; and Middle-earth is a continent.<ref>{{S|Ainu}}</ref> The term Middle-earth refers to "our earth" and is explained geographically as "surrounded by the ocean"<ref>[[Dennis Gerrolt]], [http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp Tolkien's interview] to BBC, 1971</ref> and not being inside something.
==The [[Seven Rings]] were made for the Dwarves and the [[Nine Rings]] for Men==
*The Elves of [[Eregion]] made specifically [[Seven Rings]] especially for the Dwarves, and [[Nine Rings]] for the Men. Occasionally it is believed that each group had its own powers to be used accordingly by Elves, Dwarves and Men. The [[Ring Verse]] ("...'''for''' the Elven-kings, ...'''for''' the Dwarf-Lords") indicates their purpose and destination as when [[Celebrimbor]] himself gave [[Thror's Ring|a ring]] to King [[Durin III]]<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref>.
*Some adaptations, such as [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Lord of the Rings]]'' and [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' show a similar notion: in both movies the prologue shows that the Elf smiths made the Rings '''for''' the Elves, Dwarves and Men, before Sauron makes war to seize them. Furthermore, in Jackson's adaptation, each group has a distinct visual style (eg. the Seven have a definite "Dwarvish" design).
**Nowhere in Tolkien's books is mentioned that the Seven and the Nine were different from each others nor that they were made for the Dwarves and Men. Everything shows that the Rings were produced massively and were designed by the Elves for themselves. The Ring that Celebrimbor gave to Durin was a notable exception. Only the Three were created distinctly outside the other 16.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Differ How did the Seven and the Nine differ?] and [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Intent Were the Seven and Nine Rings originally intended for Dwarves and Men?]</ref>
**It is made clear in the Silmarillion, that (besides Durin's Ring) it was Sauron who gave the Rings to the Dwarves and Men, and that was only after the Elves repented.
{{References}}

[[Category:Debates]]

Misconceptions

2012-06-17T12:08:43Z

Klow: /* Definition of First Age; Third Age "of the Sun" */

'''Misconceptions''' have arisen and circulated over numerous concepts within [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]] as a result of mistakes made by secondary authors and of changes made by adaptations.

==Definition of First Age; Third Age "of the Sun"==
*The [[First Age]] began with the first sunrise over [[Middle-earth]] and the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' took place in the ''Third Age of the Sun''.
**Actually, Tolkien never described his ages as being linked to the Sun and specifically wrote that the "First Age of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]" began with the [[Awakening of the Elves]], long before the first sunrise. Despite this, many fans believe the 'Ages of the Sun' version is ''correct'' because it has been repeated so often. For example, it is found in ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]], whose books are generally considered unreliable (as by Conrad Dunkerson and Steuard Jensen<ref>{{webcite|
author=Steuard Jensen|articleurl=http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/DayBooks.html|articlename=Notes on David Day's Tolkien Books|dated=|website=Tolkien metaFAQ|accessed=}}</ref>

==The Arkenstone was a Silmaril==
*The [[Arkenstone]] was a [[Silmaril]], probably the one thrown into a fiery pit by Maedhros, and found its way (geologically?) to the north, to be rediscovered by the [[Khazad]] of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. Tolkien wrote that the two lost Silmarils would remain lost until the end of Arda. However, in a partial translation of early Silmarillion texts into Old English Tolkien used the etymologically related term 'Eorclanstanas' ('holy stones') to translate 'Silmarils' - suggesting that he may have borrowed the name and other concepts from the Silmarils in describing the Arkenstone.

==Arwen, the lastborn of the Elves==
*Arwen was the last Elf born in Middle-earth.
**This concept derives from being the youngest Elf whose birth is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]], and perhaps from publicity for the films; but is never stated in the films or the books.

==Legolas's age==
*Legolas is 2931 years old during the [[War of the Ring]], and thus was born in T.A. 87.
**This information also comes from film publicity and is never stated in the films or books. It may derive from the fact that ''Aragorn'' was born in the ''year'' T.A. 2931. The date of T.A. 87 for Legolas' birth agrees with another common fan theory, namely that Legolas was born during the period of peace at the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Tolkien, never wrote about Legolas' birthdate.

==Legolas hair color==
*Legolas is blond.
**This is a visual tradition dating back to the works of the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] in the 1970s and followed in both the [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|animated]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy|live action]] LotR films. However, Tolkien never specifies Legolas' hair color (although ''[[The Hobbit]]'' mentions that [[Thranduil]], Legolas' father, was blond). Legolas' hair color is one of the most enduring controversies in [[Tolkien fandom]].

==Names of the Nazgûl==
*The names of all nine [[Nazgûl]] are known: Er-Murazor (the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]), [[Khamûl]], Dwar of Waw, Ji Indur Dawndeath, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel the Quiet (female), Ren the Unclean and Uvatha the Horseman.
**In fact Tolkien recorded the name of only one Nazgûl: Khamûl, the [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] who barely missed catching the [[Hobbits]] at [[Bucklebury Ferry]]. Even the personal name of the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] was not given by Tolkien, although some fans refer to him as "[[Angmar]]". The names for the eight Nazgûl other than Khamûl which some fans think were coined by Tolkien were actually invented for the [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game (MERP) published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] (ICE).

It should be also noted that Tolkien's texts seemingly contradict the idea that one of the Nazgûl was a woman, with their consistent references as "Men" and "kings", although it could be argued that "Men" includes women and "kings" includes queens. Unsurprisingly, the film version of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' shows all nine Nazgûl as men when they received their [[Rings of Power]].

==The War in the North==
*The [[War of the Ring]] included a "War in the North", which involved fighting in [[Eriador]] and around [[Rivendell]].
**This has been stated as fact by the writers of the films in a DVD commentary and has formed the basis for parts of the computer games ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North]]''. However, although Tolkien mentions violent incidents around [[Bree]] during the War (not to mention the [[Scouring of the Shire]]), no extensive military campaign in Eriador is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]] in Appendix B of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Since the Tale of Years does mention the [[Battle of Dale]] and the fighting around [[Lothlórien]], it is clear that it would also have mentioned the "War in the North" if it had been part of Tolkien's conception. Moreover, the section of Appendix A on the Dwarves includes comments by [[Gandalf]] to the effect that extensive, destructive fighting in Eriador was averted by the death of [[Smaug]] and the Battles of [[Battle of Five Armies|Five Armies]] and of [[Dale]].

==Hobbit feet==
*Hobbits have comparatively large, hairy feet.
**Tolkien wrote: "their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair, much like the hair of their heads". Besides the hair, Tolkien doesn't mention that the size of their feet is disproportionally large; they are portrayed so in several adaptations, such as illustrations by the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] and the movies, where the feet are actually prosthetics.

==Déagol/Sméagol relationship==
*Déagol is Sméagol's cousin.
**Tolkien only calls him Sméagol's ''friend'' in ''The Lord of the Rings'', though in ''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'' he writes that Déagol was "evidently a relative (as no doubt all the members of the small community were)" of Sméagol’s. This misconception probably dates from ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' by [[Robert Foster]] and ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]]. [http://greenbooks.theonering.net/questions/files/020101.html]

==Gollum's age==
*Sméagol was born in the year 2430 of the Third Age, found the Ring on his 33rd birthday in 2463, and thus was 589 years old when he died in 3019.
**33 is the age a Shire Hobbit becomes officially an adult. Sméagol "found" the Ring on his birthday. The filmmakers evidently decided that the day Sméagol found the Ring was his 33rd birthday. However: Sméagol was not a Shire Hobbit, but a Stoor, and these had different customs - Tolkien states that the Stoors of Rhovanion received, and did not give gifts on their birthdays (in ''Unfinished Tales'', ''The History of Middle-earth'' and ''Letters''); and T.A. 2463 as the date of the discovery of the Ring is an approximate, not a precise date. Thus, there is no exact indication of Gollum's age in Tolkien's books. [http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html See http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html]

==Tengwar on Sting==
*The [[Sindarin]] words ''Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im'' are engraved on the blade of [[Sting]]. The worlds translate as "Maegnas (Sharp-point) is my name, I am the spider's bane".
*The origin of this inscription is the depiction in the movies. In the books, Tolkien describes Sting as a rather plain weapon with a simple leather sheath. Unlike [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], it bears no runes for [[Elrond]] to translate in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. It first receives a name from [[Bilbo Baggins]] after he uses it against the giant spiders of [[Mirkwood]].

==Saruman, the creator of Uruk-hai==
Saruman is believed to be the creator of the race of [[Uruk-hai]] (Uruks), the larger, stronger breed of [[Orcs]]. This is visualized in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy]]'' which further established this view. The movie also established wrongly that "Uruk-hai" are a stronger race of Orcs, while in reality it is simply a [[Black Speech]] term for the Orcs proper themselves (excluding the [[Snaga]]).

In reality, the Uruks first appeared out of [[Mordor]] in the last years of Steward [[Denethor I]], before {{TA|2475}} and before Saruman settles in [[Orthanc]]<ref>{{HM|AA}}</ref>.

The misconception originates from the fact that Saruman perhaps created a race of Orc-men or Men-Orcs in his service<ref>http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Creatures.html#Urukhai</ref>. However these aren't the same as the Uruk-hai.

== Dorwinion ==
[[Dorwinion]] was only mentioned in passing until it appeared on [[Pauline Baynes]]' [[1969]] map, where it was placed on the western shore of the [[Sea of Rhûn]]. But contrary to popular belief, it's location was not decided by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], but by Baynes. Tolkien had asked her to place several locations on the map, but did not specify the location. Baynes picked the location, and Tolkien agreed, though it was not the location he originally had in mind - several references to it place it in "the South". [[Christopher Tolkien]] later commented:
{{quote|Dorwinion is marked on the decorated map by Pauline Baynes, as a region on the North-western shores of the Sea of Rhun. It must be presumed that this, like other names on that map, was communicated to her by my father, but its placing seems surprising.|<ref>{{LB|Hurin}}</ref>}}

==Money==
*It is thought that Middle-earth is a utopia with no finance based economy.
**This misconception is noted by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Money"</ref>. The misconception originates from the very few times any transactions or the word "[[money]]" are mentioned in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' or ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; most mentions of wealth are vague or in the form of [[gold]] or treasures. However in [[Bree]] both golden pieces and silver pennies appear. Furthermore, in a draft of "[[The Appendix on Languages]]" published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' some details of the coins of [[Gondor]] are given.

==Gwaihir is the Great Eagle==
*The (unnamed) [[Lord of the Eagles]] from ''The Hobbit'' is identified in the ''Lord of the Rings'' as [[Gwaihir]], as they are the same person.
**This interpretation is stated by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' entry "Gwaihir"</ref> and perhaps originates from the meaning of Gwaihir's name, which translates as "Windlord". However Tolkien never states that Gwaihir was the [[Lord of the Eagles]] and [[King of All Birds]]. Furthermore there are some problems with conflating the two characters:
***The Great Eagle of ''The Hobbit'' is said to wear a golden crown<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> after the end of the book, but Gwaihir is not wearing one.
***Near the end of ''Lord of the Rings'' Gandalf mentions that Gwaihir has carried him ''two'' times<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref> (once from [[Orthanc]] and once from [[Celebdil]]); if Gwaihir was the Great Eagle, that would make it at least ''three'' times.

==Gil-galad's father==
*[[Fingon]] was Gil-galad's father
**Not really a misconception as it was at one point considered so by Tolkien, as in ''[[Aldarion and Erendis]]'', and it is mentioned so in ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. However [[Christopher Tolkien]] admitted that it was a rushed choice as in his father's final scripts ''[[Orodreth]]'' was Gil-galad's father, and Fingon had no wife: even in ''The Silmarillion'', Fingon was succeeded by [[Turgon]] as [[High King of the Noldor]] instead of his "son".
==Ingwe, Finwe and Elwe awoke at Cuiviénen==
*[[Ingwe]], [[Finwe]] and [[Elwe]], the three ambassadors of the Elves to [[Aman]], and later Kings of their people, were among the first 144 Elves who [[awakening of the Elves|awoke]] at [[Cuiviénen]].
**''[[The Silmarillion]]'' only says that [[Orome]] visited the Elves at Cuiviénen but does not clarify whether the Three Ambassadors were indeed firstborn. According to the [[Grey Annals]], Orome found the Elves 500 [[coranar|years]] after the Awakening, a gap which would leave ample time for the firstborn Elves to procreate and for Elven children to be born and grow. Nothing states that the three Ambassadors could not have been born during that time, thus belonging to a second or third generation of Elves.
**Furthermore, the Silmarillion is clear that Elwe, [[Olwe]] (and [[Elmo]]) were brothers, and that Olwe was younger than Elwe. This can't be easily understood if Elwe was a Firstborn (i.e. without parents). The [[Cuivienyarna]] mentions that Elwe was ''born'' at Cuiviénen.<ref>{{WJ|Appendix}}</ref>

==[[Middle-earth]] is an underground world similar to the Hollow Earth==
*Middle-earth is a world that exists inside the Earth. Tolkien's stories are a kind of [[Wikipedia:Subterranean fiction|Subterranean fiction]] as they happen underground, at the center of the Hollow Earth.<ref>[http://www.esoterica.gr/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1714 Example article] in a Greek occult forum</ref>
**The misconception circulates mainly among the Greek audience and is explained by the Greek translation "[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B7_%CE%93%CE%B7 Μέση-γη]". Although the translation is accurate, the stem "μέσ-" can also be understood as ''inside'' by the occasional reader. The notion was popularised mainly by the Greek press, especially concerned with the occult or the paranormal. Those sources leave open the possibility that Tolkien possessed some esoteric or occult knowledge, whereas the fantasy [[races]] of Middle-earth are identified as the beings said to populate [[Wikipedia:Agartha|Agartha]].
**It is made clear in the ''Silmarillion'' that the Earth is called ''Arda'' floating in space with atmospheric layers such as [[Ilmen]], [[Vaiya]] and [[Vista]]; and Middle-earth is a continent.<ref>{{S|Ainu}}</ref> The term Middle-earth refers to "our earth" and is explained geographically as "surrounded by the ocean"<ref>[[Dennis Gerrolt]], [http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp Tolkien's interview] to BBC, 1971</ref> and not being inside something.
==The [[Seven Rings]] were made for the Dwarves and the [[Nine Rings]] for Men==
*The Elves of [[Eregion]] made specifically [[Seven Rings]] especially for the Dwarves, and [[Nine Rings]] for the Men. Occasionally it is believed that each group had its own powers to be used accordingly by Elves, Dwarves and Men. The [[Ring Verse]] ("...'''for''' the Elven-kings, ...'''for''' the Dwarf-Lords") indicates their purpose and destination as when [[Celebrimbor]] himself gave [[Thror's Ring|a ring]] to King [[Durin III]]<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref>.
*Some adaptations, such as [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Lord of the Rings]]'' and [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' show a similar notion: in both movies the prologue shows that the Elf smiths made the Rings '''for''' the Elves, Dwarves and Men, before Sauron makes war to seize them. Furthermore, in Jackson's adaptation, each group has a distinct visual style (eg. the Seven have a definite "Dwarvish" design).
**Nowhere in Tolkien's books is mentioned that the Seven and the Nine were different from each others nor that they were made for the Dwarves and Men. Everything shows that the Rings were produced massively and were designed by the Elves for themselves. The Ring that Celebrimbor gave to Durin was a notable exception. Only the Three were created distinctly outside the other 16.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Differ How did the Seven and the Nine differ?] and [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Intent Were the Seven and Nine Rings originally intended for Dwarves and Men?]</ref>
**It is made clear in the Silmarillion, that (besides Durin's Ring) it was Sauron who gave the Rings to the Dwarves and Men, and that was only after the Elves repented.
{{References}}

[[Category:Debates]]

Category:Images of Howard Shore

2012-05-15T20:21:47Z

Klow: Created page with "Shore, Howard"

[[Category:Images of Musicians|Shore, Howard]]

File:Howard Shore.jpg

2012-05-15T20:20:47Z

Klow:

Source: http://www.wksu.org/news/story/21141 (cropped and brightened)

[[Category:Images of Howard Shore]]

File:Howard Shore.jpg

2012-05-15T20:20:11Z

Klow:

Source: http://www.wksu.org/news/story/21141 (cropped and brightened)

Howard Shore

2012-05-15T20:19:49Z

Klow:

[[File:Howard Shore.jpg|right|thumb|Howard Shore|200px]]

'''Howard Shore''' ([[18 October|October 18]], [[1946]]), is a prize-winning composer. He composed the soundtracks for ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy]]''.

He also appeared in a cameo in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]''. He is one of the [[Rohirrim]] at the drinking game between [[Legolas]] and [[Gimli]].

==Discography==
* [[2002]]: ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring Soundtrack]]''
* [[2003]]: ''[[The Two Towers Soundtrack]]''
* [[2004]]: ''[[The Return of the King Soundtrack]]''
==Bibliography==
*[[2010]]: ''[[The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films]]''
**Foreword
==Awards==
* [[2002]] – '''[http://www.bfca.org/ Critics' Choice Award]''', Best Composer, ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
* 2002 - '''[http://www.lafca.net/ LAFCA Award]''', Best Music Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring ''
* 2002 - '''[http://cinemaclips.com/PFCS PFCS Award]''', Best Original Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring''
* 2002 – '''[http://www.lvfcs.org/ Sierra Award]''', Best Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring''
* 2002 - '''[http://www.chicagofilmcritics.org/ CFCA Award]''', Best Original Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring''
* 2002 - '''[http://www.oscars.org/ Academy Award]''', Best Music, Original Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring''
* 2002 – '''[http://www.ascap.com/index.html ASCAP Award]''', ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring''
* 2002 – '''[http://www.worldsoundtrackawards.com/ World Soundtrack Award]''', Public Choice Award, ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring''
* 2002 – '''World Soundtrack Award''', Best Original Soundtrack of the Year (Orchestral), ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring''
* [[2003]] – '''[http://www.grammy.com/ Grammy]''', Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, ''Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring''
* 2003 - '''PFCS Award''', Best Original Song, ''"[[Gollum's Song]]"''
* 2003 – '''ASCAP Award''', ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]''
* [[2004]] – '''Grammy''', Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, ''Peter Jackson's The Two Towers''
* 2004 - '''OFCS Award''', Best Original Score, ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]''
* 2004 - '''Critics' Choice Award,''' Best Composer, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''
* 2004 - '''PFCS Award''', Best Original Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''
* 2004 - '''CFCA Award''', Best Original Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''
* 2004 – '''[http://www.goldenglobes.org/ Golden Globe]''', Best Original Score - Motion Picture, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''
* 2004 - '''Golden Globe''', Best Original Song - Motion Picture, ''"[[Into the West]]"''
* 2004 - '''Sierra Award''', Best Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''
* [[2005]] – '''Grammy''', Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''
* 2005 – '''Grammy''', Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, ''"Into The West"''
* 2004 - '''Academy Award''', Best Music, Original Score, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''
* 2004 - '''Academy Award''', Best Music, Original Song, ''"Into the West"''
* 2004 - '''ASCAP Award''', ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''
* 2004 - '''[http://www.saturnawards.org/ Saturn Award]''', Best Music, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''

==See also==

*''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen]]''

==External links==
* [http://www.howardshore.com/ Official website]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Shore Wikipedia profile]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006290/ IMDb profile]

[[Category:Composers|Shore, Howard]]
[[Category:Classical music]]

File:Howard Shore.jpg

2012-05-15T20:18:12Z

Klow:

File:Quentin Lowagie - Arda in the Third Age.png

2012-05-15T19:52:49Z

Klow: ==Licensing== {{map}} {{Copyright-permission|Quentin Lowagie||Quentin Lowagie}} Category:Maps of Arda

==Licensing==
{{map}}
{{Copyright-permission|[[User:Klow|Quentin Lowagie]]||Quentin Lowagie}}
[[Category:Maps of Arda]]

File:Quentin Lowagie - Arda in the Second Age.png

2012-05-15T19:52:46Z

Klow: ==Licensing== {{map}} {{Copyright-permission|Quentin Lowagie||Quentin Lowagie}} Category:Maps of Arda

==Licensing==
{{map}}
{{Copyright-permission|[[User:Klow|Quentin Lowagie]]||Quentin Lowagie}}
[[Category:Maps of Arda]]

File:Quentin Lowagie - Arda in the First Age.png

2012-05-15T19:52:44Z

Klow: ==Licensing== {{map}} {{Copyright-permission|Quentin Lowagie||Quentin Lowagie}} Category:Maps of Arda

==Licensing==
{{map}}
{{Copyright-permission|[[User:Klow|Quentin Lowagie]]||Quentin Lowagie}}
[[Category:Maps of Arda]]

File:Quentin Lowagie - Numenor.png

2012-05-15T19:52:41Z

Klow: ==Licensing== {{map}} {{Copyright-permission|Quentin Lowagie||Quentin Lowagie}} Category:Maps of Númenor

==Licensing==
{{map}}
{{Copyright-permission|[[User:Klow|Quentin Lowagie]]||Quentin Lowagie}}
[[Category:Maps of Númenor]]

File:Quentin Lowagie - Tol Eressea.png

2012-05-15T19:52:39Z

Klow: ==Licensing== {{map}} {{Copyright-permission|Quentin Lowagie||Quentin Lowagie}} Category:Maps of Tol Eressëa

==Licensing==
{{map}}
{{Copyright-permission|[[User:Klow|Quentin Lowagie]]||Quentin Lowagie}}
[[Category:Maps of Tol Eressëa]]

File:John Howe - The Killing of the Trees.jpg

2010-01-06T17:02:02Z

Klow: uploaded a new version of "Image:John Howe - Melkor and Ungoliant before the Two Trees.jpg"

[[Category:Images by John Howe]]
[[Category:Images of Morgoth]]
[[Category:Images of Ungoliant]]
[[Category:Images of The Two Trees]]

File:John Howe - Eowyn and the Nazgul.jpg

2010-01-06T16:59:18Z

Klow: uploaded a new version of "Image:Eowyn VS Nazgul.jpg"

[[Category:Images by John Howe]]
[[Category:Images of Éowyn]]
[[Category:Images of the Witch-king]]

File:John Howe - The Siege of Angband.jpg

2010-01-06T16:59:01Z

Klow: uploaded a new version of "Image:Angband aglareb.jpg"

A [[John Howe]] painting of [[Angband]] after the [[Dagor Aglareb]].

[[Category:Images by John Howe]]
[[Category:Images of Angband]]
[[Category:Images of Dagor Aglareb]]

Valinor

2010-01-06T01:03:22Z

Klow:

{{kingdom
| image = [[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Shores of Valinor.jpg|300px]]
| name = Valinor
| meaning = Land of the [[Valar]]
| type = Monarchy
| hidep=yes
| headofstate = [[Manwë]]
| executive =
| legislative =
| judicial = [[Mahanaxar]]
| capital = [[Valimar]]
| language = [[Valarin]], [[Quenya]] (including [[Telerin]])
| location = West of the [[Pelóri]]
| populace= Valar, [[Maiar]], and [[Vanyar]]
| currency =
| religious = Belief in [[Eru Ilúvatar]]
| holiday =
| anthem =
| formed = The departure of the Valar from [[Middle-earth]]
| established = c. [[Years of the Lamps 3450|Y.L. 3450]]
| reorganized =
| fragmented =
| dissolved =
| restored =
}}
'''Valinor''' is the realm of the [[Valar]] in central [[Aman]]. Aman refers to the whole continent, while Valinor properly refers to the inhabited lands by Valar and the Elves.

Valinor is the place to which the Valar moved after being driven from [[Almaren]] by [[Morgoth]].

==Description==
Valinor was encircled by the [[Pelóri]] mountains, which were raised by the Valar as a defense against Melkor.

Its major city was [[Valmar]], where the [[Vanyar]] and the [[Valar]] reside. Two other cities are [[Alqualondë]] and [[Tirion]], the respective homes of the [[Teleri]] and the [[Noldor]]. It also has an island, [[Tol Eressëa]], just off its east coast. The sea to the west of the island was called [[Ekkaia]], the encircling sea which surrounded both Valinor and [[Middle-earth]].

Each of the Valar had their own region of the land where they resided and altered things to their desire.
*[[Yavanna]], the Vala of nature, growth, and harvest, resided in the [[Pastures of Yavanna]] in the south of the island.
*[[Oromë]], the Vala of the hunt, lived in the [[Woods of Oromë]] to the north-east of the pastures. The forest was home to many creatures which Oromë could track and hunt.
*[[Nienna]], the lonely Vala of sorrow and endurance, lived cut off in the far west of the island in the [[Halls of Nienna]] where she spent her days crying, looking out to sea. Just south of the Halls of Nienna and to the north of the pastures there were the [[Halls of Mandos]].
*[[Mandos]], the brother of Nienna, was the Vala of the afterlife. All inhabitants of [[Arda]] went to the Halls of Mandos should they happen to die, mortals and immortals alike although it was said that in death as in life, they were separated. Also living in the Halls of Mandos was his spouse [[Vaire]] the weaver, who wove the threads of time.
*To the east of the Halls of Mandos was the Isle of [[Estë]], which was situated in the middle of the lake of [[Lórellin]]
*To the south were situated the [[Gardens of Lórien]] also known as [[Irmo]], the Vala of dreams. Estë and Lórien being husband and wife lived close together.
*To the north of this were the Mansions of [[Aulë]] the smith Vala who was spouse to Yavanna.
*In the north-east lay the Mansions of [[Manwë]] and [[Varda]], the two most powerful Valar.

To the west of them stood the mound [[Ezellohar]] with the [[Two Trees of Valinor]], [[Telperion]] and [[Laurelin]].

After the destruction of [[Númenor]], the [[Undying Lands]] were removed from [[Arda]] so that [[Men]] could not reach them and only the Elves could go there by the [[Straight Road]] and in ships capable of passing out of the Spheres of the earth. By special permission of the Valar, the [[Hobbits]] [[Frodo Baggins]], [[Bilbo Baggins]] were permitted to go to Valinor. They were followed by [[Samwise Gamgee]] and [[Gimli]] the [[Dwarves|Dwarf]] who were perhaps also permitted.

==Etymology==
Valinor (archaic Valinórë) is [[Quenya]] meaning "Land of Valar". There is also the name [[Valandor]] of roughly the same meaning.

The terms Ever-eve or Evereven also referred to Valinor.
In [[Hobbit]] lore, the mythical West was known as [[Faery]].

== Inspiration ==
It has been suggested that the concept is mainly based on the legend of Faery of western mythology, as indicated by the hobbitish name.

Furthermore, it seems to have been based on ghost and heavenly islands of ancient and medieval legends: Avalon, Hy Brasil, the Blessed Isles, the Elysian Fields, were mythical lands envisioned by the ancient peoples to be far into the western ocean. The legend somehow survived the Middle-Ages with [[Saint Brendan]]'s Island

[[Category:Aman]]
[[Category:Realms]]

Borlas

2008-07-31T14:09:15Z

Klow: a lot of proseline in the wiki.

'''Borlas''' was the youngest son of [[Beregond]], and was supposed to be central to the [[The New Shadow]], a story which [[Tolkien]] later abandoned.

[[Category:Gondorians]]
[[Category:Fourth Age characters]]
[[de:Borlas]]
[[fi:Borlas]]

Fourth Age

2008-07-31T14:00:21Z

Klow:

{{History of Arda}}
The '''Fourth Age''' began after [[Sauron]] was finally defeated, when his [[One Ring|Ruling Ring]] was destroyed, and the Elves left Middle-earth for the [[Valinor|Uttermost West]].

Tolkien's writing does not provide information on more than the first few centuries of this age, so it is not known when it ended, if it ever did.

This age was (presumably) marked by the recovery of the [[Númenor]]ean kingdoms in exile ([[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]]), the final ascent of [[Men]] and the total wane of the [[Elves]].

Tolkien said that he thought the distance between the end of the Third Age and the 20th century <small>C.E.</small> was about 6000 years, and that in 1958 it should have been around the end of the Fifth Age if the Fourth and Fifth Ages were about the same length as the Second and Third Ages. He said, however, in a letter written in 1958 that he believed the Ages had quickened and that it was about the end of the Sixth Age/beginning of the Seventh. (This letter is referred to in the "Fourth Age" article of ''The Encyclopedia of Arda'' as mentioned below.)

For a complete list of events during the Fourth Age, see the [[Timeline#Fourth Age|Timeline]].

[[Category:Ages]]
[[de:Das Vierte Zeitalter]]
[[fi:Neljäs Aika]]

Pallando

2008-07-31T13:53:03Z

Klow: /* Etymology */

{{maiar infobox
| image=
| name=Pallando
| othernames=
| coming=c. [[Second Age 1600|S.A. 1600]]
| death=Unknown
| duty=Support the East
| robes=Blue
| gender=Male
| appearance=
| hair=
|}}
'''Pallando''' was one of the five [[Wizards]] who came to the northwest of [[Middle-earth]] in the [[Third Age]]. Along with [[Saruman]], he journeyed into the east with [[Alatar]] as one of the [[Blue Wizards]], and never returned to the western lands. The [[Men of the North]] knew very little about Pallando and Alatar, save that they called them [[Ithryn Luin]] (Blue Wizards) because of their sea-blue cloth.

==Etymology==
Palan translates to "afar" in [[Quenya]].

{{wizards}}

{{maiar}}

[[Category:Wizards]]
[[Category:Maiar]]

Tom Bombadil

2008-07-31T13:49:04Z

Klow: /* Tom Bombadil's Nature */

{{claimed}}
[[Image:Brothers Hildebrandt - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|300px|''Tom Bombadil'' by [[Brothers Hildebrandt]].]]
<center>{{quote|Eldest, that's what I am... Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn... he knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless – before the Dark Lord came from Outside.|Tom Bombadil, ''[[In the House of Tom Bombadil]]''.}}</center>

'''Tom Bombadil''' is an enigma in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[the Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]''.

==Third Age==
Tom Bombadil lived on the river [[Withywindle]] in the [[Old Forest]], together with his lovely wife [[Goldberry]]. On [[September 26]], [[Third Age 3018|T.A. 3018]], he encountered [[travellers|four hobbits]] while he was searching for water-lilies for his wife. Two of those Hobbits, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], had been captured by [[Old Man Willow]]. Tom, who was the master of the Old Forest, rescued them, and took all four of them to his house{{ref|1}}.

The four hobbits stayed two nights, and he told them many tales and songs. Apparently, [[Gildor Inglorion]] had been to Tom's house, as he knew the hobbits were fleeing the [[Shire]]. With cunning questions, he made [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] tell him of the [[One Ring|Ring]]. When Tom tried it on, nothing happened, and when Frodo put it on, Tom could still see him.

The following morning, Tom warned his guests of the [[Barrow Downs]], and advised them to pass any barrow on the western side. He also tought them a song, should they come to peril{{ref|2}}.

And they did come to peril. Tom chased off a [[Barrow-wight|wight]] with song, and broke the spells on the barrow in which the four hobbits were captured. While he sent the Hobbits into calm down, he went for provisions. He also brought the ponies, that had belonged to Merry. After that, he broke the spells of the barrow. From the barrow's mighty hoard, he took a brooch for Goldberry, and gave a [[Daggers of Westernesse|dagger]] to each of the hobbits. He then advised them to make for ''[[The Prancing Pony]]'' in [[Bree]]{{ref|3}}.

The peril of the hobbits was not over; an attack on their lives was carried out, and their ponies were set loose. The ponies apparently remembered the care they were given in the house of Tom Bombadil, and returned to stay beside Tom's own pony, [[Fatty Lumpkin]]. He returned them to [[Barliman Butterbur]], the proprietor of ''The Prancing Pony''. Since he had paid eighteen pence as compensation for the loss, he was now the owner of five fine ponies{{ref|4}}.

== Tom Bombadil's Nature ==
[[Image:John Howe - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|left|''Tom Bombadil'' by [[John Howe]].]]
Tom Bombadil's mythological origins in the cosmology of [[Middle-earth]] have puzzled even erudite fans. Speculative ideas about his true nature range from simply a wise [[Elves|Elven]] hermit to an angelic being (a [[Maiar|Maia]] or [[Valar|Vala]]), to the creator, that is, God, who is called [[Eru Ilúvatar]] in [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s mythology. Tolkien explicitly denied this last possibility.

Tom seems to have unlimited power inside the boundaries that he set for himself. The most common theory is that Bombadil is a Maia, and perhaps the reason of why he has such powers might be the fact that he set himself limits in which he is master. "[[Eldest]], that's what I am... Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn... He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless – before the Dark Lord came from Outside." The Dark Lord that Bombadil refers to is probably [[Melkor]] and not [[Sauron]]. But in that case, Tom was already there even before the [[Valar]] entered the world, dismissing the theory that he is a Maia. Bombadil could be part of the [[Music of the Ainur]] and that would explain why he was there in the beginning, but if he was indeed part of the music, it is not said why he exists.

Other possibilities (compatible with the above theory) are that he is an abstract, a concept; possibly the embodiment of [[Arda]] itself, a "Father Nature" if you will, or some kind of 'spirit' which (unlike the Maiar) was of non-divine nature. Not only does the Ring have no effect on him, Tom himself seems unable to affect the Ring in return which shows that Tom was outside the divine plan and struggle and had no position in it. When Goldberry was asked by [[Frodo Baggins]] who he was, she simply said "He is".

==Etymology and other names==
Tom Bombadil went by many names:
* ''Tom Bombadil'' is said to be a [[Buckland|Bucklandish]] name, added by Hobbit chroniclers to his many older ones. It is, like many names of the Bucklanders, untranslatable{{ref|5}}.
* To the [[Elves]] and [[Dúnedain]], he was known as ''Iarwain Ben-adar'', which translated to "oldest and fatherless"{{ref|6}}.
* To [[Men]] (of [[Rohan]] and [[Bree]]), he was known as ''Orald''. This is an Old English word meaning "very ancient{{ref|7}}.
* The Dwarves knew him as ''Forn''. This too is a reference too his age: it is Old Norse for "(belonging to) ancient (days)"{{ref|8}}. In some imprints of ''[[The History of Middle-earth Index]]'', this name was accidentally spelled with a "P" as the first letter{{ref|9}}.

==Portrayal in Adaptions==
[[Image:BFME2 - Tom Bombadil 03.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Tom Bombadil, as he appeared in ''[[EA's The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'']]
One of the few things known about the [[The Lord of the Rings (1956 radio series)|1956 radio series]] of ''The Lord of the Rings'' is that [[Norman Shelley]] voiced him, and Tolkien thought his portrayal "dreadful". [[Goldberry]] was portrayed as his daughter, rather than his wife{{ref|10}}.

In [[Mind's Eye]]'s [[1979]] [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|radio series]] of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[Bernard Mayes]] voiced Tom Bombadil.

He was deleted from the [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|1981 radio series]], [[Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings|Ralph Bakshi's movie]] and [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings|Peter Jackson's movies]]. He contributed little to the storyline. The obtaining of the [[Daggers of Westernesse|Barrow-blades]] is omitted or retold in all. [[Brian Sibley]] deeply regretted cutting him from the radio series{{ref|11}}, and included the "deleted scenes" as the episode "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" in the [[1992]] [[Tales from the Perilous Realm (1992 radio series)|''Tales from the Perilous Realm'' radio series]]. He is voiced by [[Ian Hogg]].

In the Recorded Books Inc recorded book that [[Rob Inglis]] narrated, he sang Tom's songs in a rollicking Scottish style.

In the [[2001]] video game ''[[Vivendi's The Fellowship of the Ring (game)|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' by [[Vivendi]], Tom Bombadil was voiced by [[Daran Norris]]. Here, he is also portrayed with a Scottish accent, though not as rollicking as Inglis'.

Bombadil is a character in ''[[EA's The Battle for Middle-earth II]]''. Unlike his nature in the book, he is shown strong and battleready, and plows through enemy lines whilst merrily singing. His most powerful weapon is a "Sonic Song", and all his other weapons are inspired by song and dance.

==Inspiration==
Tom Bombadil may have been inspired by the character Väinämöinen (spelt 'Wainamoinen' in English) in the Finnish national epic [[Kalevala]], or Father [[Francis Xavier Morgan]] at the [[Birmingham Oratory]]:
{{quote|...… Father Francis Xavier Morgan, then aged forty-three, who shortly after the Tolkiens moved into the district [Edgbaston] took over the duties of parish priest and came to call. In him Mabel soon found not only a sympathetic priest but a valuable friend. Half Welsh and half Anglo-Spanish (his mother’s family were prominent in the sherry trade), Francis Morgan was '''not a man of great intellect, but he had an immense fund of kindness and humour and a flamboyance''' that was often attributed to his Spanish connections. Indeed '''he was a very noisy man, loud and affectionate, embarrassing to small children at first but hugely lovable when they got to know him.'''|[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]}}

{{sequence|prev=[[Frodo Baggins]]|next=[[Frodo Baggins]]|list=[[Ring-bearer]]<br>[[September 26]], <code>III</code> 3018 (briefly)}}<br/>

==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Tom Bombadil|Images of Tom Bombadil]]

==References==
<div style="font-size: 80%">
# {{note|1}} ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[The Old Forest]]
# {{note|2}} ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[In the House of Tom Bombadil]]
# {{note|3}} ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[Fog on the Barrow-downs]]
# {{note|4}} ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[A Knife in the Dark]]
# {{note|5}} ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', Preface
# {{note|6}} ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[The Council of Elrond]]
# {{note|7}} [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], "[[Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings]]", published in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]] (by [[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]]), page 761.
# {{note|8}} [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], "[[Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings]]", published in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]] (by [[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]]), page 761.
# {{note|9}} ''[[The History of Middle-earth: Index]]'', "Tom Bombadil (VII)", page 435 <small>([[HarperCollins]] [[2000]] Paperback)</small>
# {{note|10}} ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', [[Letter 175]] ([[November 30]], [[1955]])
# {{note|11}} [[Brian Sibley]], ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On]''
</div>
== External Links ==
* [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/t/tombombadil.html Entry in the Encyclopedia of Arda] (a concise overview of the discussion)
* [http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/Bombadil.html ''What is Tom Bombadil?''] by Steuard Jensen (a detailed explanation)
* [http://www.cas.unt.edu/~hargrove/bombadil.html ''Who is Tom Bombadil?''] by Gene Hargrove (a somewhat unorthodox but well-presented essay)
* [http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/4786/76065 Count, Count, Weigh, Divide] discusses Tom Bombadil's moral aspects at length

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]

The Atlas of Middle-earth

2008-07-31T13:38:13Z

Klow: the isbn is already there

{{book
|title=The Atlas of Middle-Earth
|image=[[Image:The Atlas of Middle-earth.jpg|200px]]
|author=[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]]
|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]
|date=2001 (revised edition)
|format=Paperback
|pages=224
|isbn=0618126996
|amazon=http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Middle-Earth-Revised-Karen-Fonstad/dp/0618126996/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4874231-7435249?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181657902&sr=1-1
|amazonprice=$25.00
}}

'''''The Atlas of Middle-earth''''' by [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] is an atlas of [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s [[Middle-earth]].

It is a reference book for [[Tolkien]]'s writings such as ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[The Hobbit]]'', and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', and includes many detailed maps of the lands described in those books.

The maps are treated as if they are of real landscapes, and are drawn according to the same rules that a real atlas is drawn: for each area the history of the land is taken into account, as well as geography on a larger scale and from there maps are drawn. Discussion includes suggestions as to the geology that could explain various formations, and points that are contradictory between multiple accounts.

City maps and floor plans for important buildings are also included; these are very often useful for making sense of narrative, especially in [[The Lord of the Rings]]. As well, many battles such as those of [[Beleriand]] and those in the [[War of the Ring]] are illustrated.

The book was published in 1981, but in 1991 a revised and updated version was published, which took information from ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' series into account. It was, however, published before the final three volumes of ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' were published, and thus some maps are based on [[Tolkien]]'s early works, which were revised in later writings.

[[Category:Books|Atlas of Middle-earth]]
[[Category:Maps|*]]

User talk:Klow

2008-07-31T13:36:40Z

Klow:

User talk:Klow

2008-07-31T13:36:35Z

Klow:

User:Klow

2008-07-31T13:36:26Z

Klow:

User:Klow

2008-07-31T13:36:19Z

Klow: