Quote:
Originally Posted by Morthoron
The reason Tolkien only mentions Rath Dinen, the Rohirrim's mounds and the Barrow Downs (site of Dunedain burials), all of which hold lordly tombs, is that they are germane to the story. Tolkien does not dwell much on commonality in any race, save perhaps the Hobbits.
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I've thought a bit about this concept before, but I believe Morth and Rune sum it up rather well. For the sake of the story's development and to express the range of experiences of the fellowship and others I doubt Tolkien would have say, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas stop after finding the Uruk-hai pire and exclaim, "Ah ha! You see now dear reader, a prime example of Rohirrim funerary customs with the fallen and their enemies- "
Though, I can't doubt that Tolkien did take some measures to show his readers some of the customs of the different peoples that the fellowship was made up of, and met with to distinguish differences from elves, hobbits, etc. Just that the story wouldn't be what it is if he set it up as a sociological safari, having characters explain their culture in the short time and immediate threat they had dealing with Sauron and others. Instead, we have the opportunity to read from an observational perspective and experience what the characters do, etc. Plus, as Rune has already said, it wouldn't be the same read if Tolkien tried to make a cultural encyclopedia within the story (and we wouldn't have much to talk about here as well...
).
It's interesting though how much everday customs we know about Hobbits in and out of the Shire, but I can't remember whether Tolkien wrote about any of their funerary customs either... (!). Though, I think the wealth of information about them is relative to the spotlight in the story Frodo and his fellow kif and kin hold in the story.
~ Ka