Why Genealogies? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 11-07-2008, 05:46 AM

I've been wondering about Hobbits and their strong interest in their family histories - what motivates them, a fairly rustic people with little book learning, to busy themselves with genealogy? We read that their family trees are important, indeed, providing the contents of the only books that interest many of them at all.

Why would a folk so concerned with the immediate creature comforts of daily life spend so much time delving into the past? Is it because they show little interest in the future, not being very concerned with what is to come? Is it because they have almost no interest in matters of the big world outside of the Shire that they concentrate on small matters? Or is it the close-knit community feeling that inspires them to stress the links between the families, a desire for harmony in their society?

The other question that ties into this one concerns Tolkien himself; he said that he was a Hobbit in all but stature. I don't remember reading of any particular interest in his genealogy, but if he endowed his Hobbits with personal traits, it is possible that there was some of that in him. Would he have been desirous of proving his Englishness despite his German last name by concentrating on the English family tree?

Are any of you into genealogy and family history? What motivates you - do you see yourself as having Hobbit nature?

11-07-2008, 05:46 AM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,499	Why Genealogies? I've been wondering about Hobbits and their strong interest in their family histories - what motivates them, a fairly rustic people with little book learning, to busy themselves with genealogy? We read that their family trees are important, indeed, providing the contents of the only books that interest many of them at all. Why would a folk so concerned with the immediate creature comforts of daily life spend so much time delving into the past? Is it because they show little interest in the future, not being very concerned with what is to come? Is it because they have almost no interest in matters of the big world outside of the Shire that they concentrate on small matters? Or is it the close-knit community feeling that inspires them to stress the links between the families, a desire for harmony in their society? The other question that ties into this one concerns Tolkien himself; he said that he was a Hobbit in all but stature. I don't remember reading of any particular interest in his genealogy, but if he endowed his Hobbits with personal traits, it is possible that there was some of that in him. Would he have been desirous of proving his Englishness despite his German last name by concentrating on the English family tree? Are any of you into genealogy and family history? What motivates you - do you see yourself as having Hobbit nature? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...' Last edited by Estelyn Telcontar; 11-10-2008 at 12:31 PM. Reason: sp