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Hungry Ghoul
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Re: Modern World references in Middle-Earth
After the meeting with Denethor, Gandalf explains the situation to Pippin a bit.
Gandalf uses the metaphor of chess herefore - that the board is set, that he misses the piece of Faramir, and that the enemy is about to make the first move. It becomes obvious that chess is meant when he speaks of the role of pawns such as Pippin in that game.
Pippin even ponders over it with the words:
A pawn did Gandalf say? Perhaps, but on the wrong chessboard.
Again, I would accept the fact that this is just a translation rather than a deliberate anachronism. However, there is no mention elsewhere of a strategical boardgame both known to hobbits and Gandalf, so this may just have slipped in.
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Edited by: <A HREF=http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile&u=00000003>Sharku</A> at: 7/9/01 4:08:56 pm