Tolkien's Mistakes - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Tuor of Gondolin · 12-02-2004, 12:58 PM

"One of the major ones that no one has pointed out so far is the "Nazgul Can't cross the river" and then having a Nazhgal fly overhead."
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That type of "error" doesn't bother me too much, since one can postulate that
it's the power of Ulmo in running water that is unsettling to the bad guys, and
therefore being high up in the air Ulmo's influence wouldn't be felt. Recall that
the nazgul were airlifted across the Anduin, not rowed, and the fact that
throughout the first Three Ages Morgoth and Sauton never directly utilized
naval power, as the elves in Beleriand feared they might. Curiously, (in
"Letters"?) Tolkien is at a bit of a loss to explain the nazgul fear of water, but
Ulmo's power in running water seems a plausible explanation.

12-02-2004, 12:58 PM	#17
Tuor of Gondolin Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Pennsylvania, WtR, passed Sarn Gebir: Above the rapids (1239 miles) BtR, passed Black Rider Stopping Place (31 miles) Posts: 1,548	"One of the major ones that no one has pointed out so far is the "Nazgul Can't cross the river" and then having a Nazhgal fly overhead." ------------------------- That type of "error" doesn't bother me too much, since one can postulate that it's the power of Ulmo in running water that is unsettling to the bad guys, and therefore being high up in the air Ulmo's influence wouldn't be felt. Recall that the nazgul were airlifted across the Anduin, not rowed, and the fact that throughout the first Three Ages Morgoth and Sauton never directly utilized naval power, as the elves in Beleriand feared they might. Curiously, (in "Letters"?) Tolkien is at a bit of a loss to explain the nazgul fear of water, but Ulmo's power in running water seems a plausible explanation. __________________ Aure Entuluva!