Scimitar? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

***Mister Underhill*** · 08-09-2002, 11:03 PM

No problem. The fault’s likely on my end.

I’m at best a dabbler in matters of sociology and anthropology, so I’ll bow to your assessment of the Rohirrim’s real-world influences. In any case, you’re right that all this conjecture is only academic in the end. The comparisons quickly break down. The Orcs can hardly be conceived as stand-ins for any real-world race or society, and those bronco-busting Horse-lords don’t have any direct analogs either, as you so rightly point out. Part of Tolkien’s genius was an ability to evoke dim associations we have by using small details like arming his Orc-folk with scimitars. He uses words like spice to conjure whole layers of depth and breadth, as I think our discussion here has shown.

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08-09-2002, 11:03 PM	#28
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,744	No problem. The fault’s likely on my end. I’m at best a dabbler in matters of sociology and anthropology, so I’ll bow to your assessment of the Rohirrim’s real-world influences. In any case, you’re right that all this conjecture is only academic in the end. The comparisons quickly break down. The Orcs can hardly be conceived as stand-ins for any real-world race or society, and those bronco-busting Horse-lords don’t have any direct analogs either, as you so rightly point out. Part of Tolkien’s genius was an ability to evoke dim associations we have by using small details like arming his Orc-folk with scimitars. He uses words like spice to conjure whole layers of depth and breadth, as I think our discussion here has shown.