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Originally Posted by Gwathagor
Tolkien WAS a huge Saxon fan, so I find this theory plausible. I doubt there was any direct connection in his imagination, but he was certainly drawing on what he was most familiar with - i.e. Anglo-Saxon history, among other things.
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Gwath, you've given me a chuckle there. I've got this image now of Tolkien donning a leather biker jacket and headbanging to
Wheels Of Steel by Barnsley's finest metal band.
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Originally Posted by rorscach
The Baddies: Dark destructive power based in the south and east, determined to destroy the power of Gondor and apparently invincible. = the Danish Vikings who've already destroyed Northumbria and look set to complete the job against Wessex. Utterly evil (i.e. pagan, non-Christian). Centre of power is Mordor =London (note the similarity of the words). Nothing changes, I'm from Yorkshire and I still think of London as the root of all evil. Colour is black = Vikings are commonly associated with this colour, from the black raven standard to the normal dress of Guthrum, the Viking commander at Chippenham.
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Well the Vikings were not 'evil' for one, they were a highly advanced culture, and Tolkien was very fond of them, as shown by his love of the Icelandic sagas and all the rest of the mythology and history of that people. I think rather his ire would be against the French to be honest, and if any parallel could be drawn I think he'd pinpoint the destruction of English culture at 1066.
Plus Tolkien's work is packed full of Scandinavian imagery.
I agree about London though. Nice one.
