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Bêthberry · 06-28-2008, 07:19 PM

Dragging this back to Tolkien . . .

There are kings among several of the races in Middle-earth, men, elves and dwarves. There are also hereditary positions, such as Gondor's Stewards. There are many references to noble blood, with the idea that the highest form of behaviour is shown by those with such blood. Gondor's ruling class seems mighty concerned with its Numenorean heritage, as if that gave them some sort of special dispensation. Both Rohan and Gondor have formal burial grounds for their kings/stewards, but we don't hear (as I recall) much about where the ordinary folks are buried. Aragorn must earn his throne, but he is still a king in waiting and his son--right of primogeniture--inherits his throne. (We aren't even ever told the name of his daughter.)

Contrasted with this pervasive backdrop are the Hobbits, who might not have a king but they do have, as Morthoron points out, a class society, as evidenced in the Gamgees and the Tooks/Brandybucks and Sam's term of address for Frodo. Of course, the fact that Sam becomes mayor many times over adds a suggestion that the class society which is otherwise displayed all over Middle-earth will have some mobility in the 4th Age, yet even there we have the paternalism of the King decreeing who shall have access to the Shire.

There is much niggling over class in Middle-earth, as there is over many of Tolkien's themes.

EDIT: I rather like Morthoron's patrician to describe the sense of class in LotR.

06-28-2008, 07:19 PM	#8
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Dragging this back to Tolkien . . . There are kings among several of the races in Middle-earth, men, elves and dwarves. There are also hereditary positions, such as Gondor's Stewards. There are many references to noble blood, with the idea that the highest form of behaviour is shown by those with such blood. Gondor's ruling class seems mighty concerned with its Numenorean heritage, as if that gave them some sort of special dispensation. Both Rohan and Gondor have formal burial grounds for their kings/stewards, but we don't hear (as I recall) much about where the ordinary folks are buried. Aragorn must earn his throne, but he is still a king in waiting and his son--right of primogeniture--inherits his throne. (We aren't even ever told the name of his daughter.) Contrasted with this pervasive backdrop are the Hobbits, who might not have a king but they do have, as Morthoron points out, a class society, as evidenced in the Gamgees and the Tooks/Brandybucks and Sam's term of address for Frodo. Of course, the fact that Sam becomes mayor many times over adds a suggestion that the class society which is otherwise displayed all over Middle-earth will have some mobility in the 4th Age, yet even there we have the paternalism of the King decreeing who shall have access to the Shire. There is much niggling over class in Middle-earth, as there is over many of Tolkien's themes. EDIT: I rather like Morthoron's patrician to describe the sense of class in LotR. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. Last edited by Bêthberry; 06-28-2008 at 07:23 PM.