Northern Air

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by MatthewM

As for rampaging...no, but I will say, everytime I read I anxiously await the day when I will take up my sword, unshealth it, and slay some orc. Maybe lead a rebellion to freedom against corruption. All while slaying some orc.

You can 'rampage' while slaying Orc though! A Rampage is not always a bad thing, sometimes it is Essential

Originally Posted by Mattius

I agree, it really makes my spine tingle and I love the way they let their anger overide every other thought in their mind (especially Feanor). They throw patience to the wind and rise up for themselves, forsaking the Valar and their council. Righteous rage I like to call it.

It's just so human how they react - and that whole idea of swearing an oath is incredibly Northern. Not to say that Southern cultures don't have Oaths, but you can hardly imagine a Scandinavian, Germanic or Celtic hero who had not taken some kind of Oath.

I don't know, but it's also so masculine in a way. Not masculine in the sense of men doing irrational things but in the sense that it is a muscular, strong reaction. If you look at how Eowyn wants to go to war, it is seen as an activity for the menfolk - yet she still wants to do it ; honour is clearly as important to the Rohirrim as it is/was to old Norse cultures for example. You can see they have their own 'Valhalla' when Theoden talks about going to the halls of his forefathers.

And you get that sense of cool Northern air in the Ride of the Rohirrim too. There's no sadness about it - this is a job which must be done, and if they die, then at least they have taken some Orc with them