Notions that dispel a lot of the romantic ideas in Middle-Earth - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lyta_Underhill · 12-09-2003, 06:06 PM

I read somewhere that Tolkien had introduced the device of lembas to account for the need to feed the Fellowship along the long paths, and I also noticed that eating and most importantly, drinking, were addressed fairly closely with regard to Frodo and Sam in Mordor, mainly because it did advance the plot and add to the characteristics hardships of being at loose ends in Mordor. I imagine that neither Frodo nor Sam had to relieve themselves much, as, by that time, they would be so dehydrated that their bodies would hold in every drop of excess moisture they could. Merry and Pippin, on the other hand, were probably peeing like fire-engines in Fangorn after both Orc and Ent-draughts in great abundance! One thing I do wonder is: did Gimli lose it on the Paths of the Dead? He comes out of there deeply ashamed of his being brought low by his fear of the Dead! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Interestingly enough, it appears the more mundane 'human' functions are associated most closely with the Hobbits--i.e., smoking, bathing, etc. ; also, the Inklings seemed to dislike the Hobbits to a degree when Tolkien would pull out his stories to read at their meetings. I wonder if this had something to do with it at all, or if I'm just reaching? (This has been a stream of consciousness post from a weary hobbit just off the daily Walk to Rivendell...)

Cheers,
Lyta

12-09-2003, 06:06 PM	#21
Lyta_Underhill Haunted Halfling Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: an uncounted length of steps--floating between air molecules Posts: 841	I read somewhere that Tolkien had introduced the device of lembas to account for the need to feed the Fellowship along the long paths, and I also noticed that eating and most importantly, drinking, were addressed fairly closely with regard to Frodo and Sam in Mordor, mainly because it did advance the plot and add to the characteristics hardships of being at loose ends in Mordor. I imagine that neither Frodo nor Sam had to relieve themselves much, as, by that time, they would be so dehydrated that their bodies would hold in every drop of excess moisture they could. Merry and Pippin, on the other hand, were probably peeing like fire-engines in Fangorn after both Orc and Ent-draughts in great abundance! One thing I do wonder is: did Gimli lose it on the Paths of the Dead? He comes out of there deeply ashamed of his being brought low by his fear of the Dead! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Interestingly enough, it appears the more mundane 'human' functions are associated most closely with the Hobbits--i.e., smoking, bathing, etc. ; also, the Inklings seemed to dislike the Hobbits to a degree when Tolkien would pull out his stories to read at their meetings. I wonder if this had something to do with it at all, or if I'm just reaching? (This has been a stream of consciousness post from a weary hobbit just off the daily Walk to Rivendell...) Cheers, Lyta __________________ “…she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the Sea.”