water as a symbol of good

[Encaitare]

It's not only in LotR that water is used to deter evil; fairy folklore says that to escape evil spirits sometimes one only must cross running water, past which they cannot follow. Perhaps Tolkien was drawing from this when he wrote about the Nazgul and Bruinen.

[Sapphire_Flame]

generally mentions three forces of good (light, air, and water) but focuses on water,

Meaning dark, earth, and fire are forces of evil? *pouts and goes to play with matches in a cave*

To point out a more general issue of evil being detered by water, you could look back at medieval folklore. Creatures of darkness (vampires, spirits, etc.) were incapable of crossing running water. This may have been something Tolkien drew on when proposing that the Nazgul couldn't (or wouldn't) cross rivers or get near water. Thank'ee, Encaitare, for pointing this out as well.

However, this is contradicted at one point in Unfinished Tales, when it is stated that the Nazgul cross the River Isen, and later the Sarn Ford in the south of the Shire. Christopher noted this and marked it down as a slight inconsistancy on his father's part (sadly, I do not have UT with me at the moment, or I would find the exact quote).

Water is often used as a symbol for life, with good reason (if you don't get water, you die). Fire, also, can be used as such a symbol, only with an emphasis on renewal and change. You may note in LotR the Nazgul, embodiments of Sauron's evil, fear both of these elements (see "Knife in the Dark" and "Flight to the Ford"). It could represent a fear of life (the Nazgul are "neither living nor dead"), and fear of change, or a resentment of both of these. I came upon this particular theory thanks to a rather proficcient author I know. Here is the precise passage:

“You were right about fire, Strider,” Sam mused after awhile. “You really saved us last night. Those shadow-things really don’t like fire much, do they?”

“No, they don’t,” Aragorn said, “although I’m not certain why.”

“I know why,” Frodo said dreamily, gazing at the small campfire.

“I thought you were asleep, Mr. Frodo,” Sam said. “You need to try and sleep, sir.”

Frodo nodded, but continued to stare into the dancing flames.

The last thing Aragorn wanted Frodo to be thinking about was the Nazgûl, but his curiosity won out.

“Why don’t they like fire, Frodo?”

“It’s life,” Frodo murmured, “warmth and life. They can’t bear it. It’s the sun they’ll never feel again, and love, and hearts beating, and all the things forever lost to them. Forever lost…”

~"By Chance or Purpose" by shirebound

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The forces of evil in Middle-earth have always had trouble from Ulmo. It makes sense that the minions of evil would avoid Ulmo's element as much as possible. Also, the power of water can, as in the case of the Ford of Bruinen, be called upon by those with authority for good.

Then there's the theory my mom came up with: that the Nazgul are really made of cotton candy, and if they get in water they melt.

Abedithon le,

~ Saphy ~

[Tevildo]

And do you not know that there is a reason cats dislike water? It goes along with our role in folk culture and faerie as proponents of darkness and evil.

It is perhaps no coincidence that Master Tolkien had a hearty and outspoken dislike of cats and, at the same time, liked to used water in his tales to symbolize goodness. The two go hand in hand, at least from my perspective.

Tevildo, Prince of Cats

[Encaitare]

Originally Posted by Saphy

However, this is contradicted at one point in Unfinished Tales, when it is stated that the Nazgul cross the River Isen, and later the Sarn Ford in the south of the Shire. Christopher noted this and marked it down as a slight inconsistancy on his father's part (sadly, I do not have UT with me at the moment, or I would find the exact quote).

Hmm... I forgot about that. Perhaps it was because there was Elven power at Bruinen that managed to hold them off? They might have been willing to brave the water if it was just plan water, but with Elrond's spell thrown into the mix they might have been more hesitant -- if they could sense it, that is.

Cotton candy Nazgul? I love it!

[Tuor of Gondolin]

"And do you not know that there is a reason cats dislike water? It goes along with our role in folk culture and faerie as proponents of darkness and evil."
--------------------------
Hmm. Perhaps goes to explaining King Tarannon's method of ridding Gondor of
QB and her cats:

King Tarannon had her set on a ship alone with her cats and set adrift on the sea before a north wind. The ship was last seen flying past Umbar under a sickle moon, with a cat at the masthead and another as a figure-head on the prow.

, UT.

Ah, ha! Perhaps the origin of Siamese Cats, in the realm of the Black Numenoreans.

Oh, and it turns out that Lisa Simpson isn't a very successful Cat Person, when
even the pet shop won't let you buy another one.

[Gurthang]

The statis of water as the life of all creatures is probably the main reason they would dislike it. I don't know that they did especially fear it. It was only after they started to cross the Bruinen after Arwen that they were washed away by Elrond's flood. They just didn't like it, that's all.

One thing that is kind of an interesting thought. Could the Nazgul drown? They aren't alive, I know, but they could still be defeated in a way, like in Eowyn's case. Could they have been greatly lessoned by being underwater for a time?

But then why fear fire, also? They had no flesh, so it wouldn't make sense that they would fear being burned. It just doesn't make sense.


Maybe if you take a different look at this, it might make more sense. They lived mostly in the shadow world. Water and fire may have existed and appeared differently in the shadow realm. I know that elves appear in radiant glory and that mortals appear as shadows, but what of fire and water. They might have been much more dangerous in that world than what we would think.

[Lalwendë]

As with most things in Middle Earth, there is another side. Water is also menacing. The Withywindle with its spirits, and the pool of water putside Moria with its 'Watcher'. The sea is also a menacing body of water; it is the sea which drowns Numenor, and the sea which takes the Elves away from Middle Earth. The great power of Galadriel is manifest in a mirror created of water; this mirror is a reference to 'scrying', a mysterious method of prophecy drawn from our own world. Water can be protective, but in Middle Earth, it is also dangerous, treacherous even.