Technology in middle earth

[mark12_30]

Actrually, this is one of the reasons I loved Tolkien's world from the get-go.... I think this pattern is also consistent with Tolkien himself.

Besides mythology and literature and languages, I seem to recall that Tolkien's chief delights were gardening, hiking, family, pipeweed, food and drink. He also loved the seashore.

He did not seem to enjoy the typewriter (a trait I share.)

He often rode a bicycle. Although he had to get to the seashore by some modern mode of transportation, I do not think he was fond of the automobile.

[Drognan]

Thank You for excellent explanation... Never thought in that way actually.

[mark12_30]

You're frmCroatia, Drognan? Interesting! Welcome to the Downs.

[Dilettante]

Well, they seemed to be a bit more technologically advanced in the Shire, since they had clocks...and mantlepieces to put them on.

Actually, while most of Middle-Earth seems to be reflective of the Middle-Ages, the Shire feels at times more like 18th or 19th century rural Europe, England specifically.

[Lalwendë]

The Shire is like an idealised vision of rural England at the turn of the 19th/20th century. And yes, it does seem more technologically advanced than other parts of Middle-earth. They engage in trade and have a rudimentary postal service and police force, and clearly also some kind of legal system if they have lawyers dealing with wills. The concept of personal property is at an advanced stage and they have progressed beyond feudalism. The people enjoy luxuries such as smoking, nice cakes, teapsoons and umbrellas.

These things are most likely produced on a small-ish scale as there's no evidence of factories or the like, and I have a feeling that this is reflection in some way of the ideals of William Morris - for useful, attractive things made by artisans and craftsmen.

But are they different? The rest of Middle-earth clearly has the capacity, intellectually speaking, to advance in technology - they aren't lacking in small luxuries either (they have books, for example), though we see much less of them because the story is less domestic when we get to those stages, the focus is on battles, journeys, meetings with grand people. So it could be that these things do exist, we simply do not see them much.

It could also be that the rest of Middle-earth, in contrast to The Shire, has been engaged in military struggles for a long time, and that tends to seriously affect material development. Resources would instead be directed into building up military and defence capability, so much of the technological advancement was instead derived from or centred around weaponry. I imagine that if they had not been engaged in defending against Sauron and his agents for so long, that both Gondor and Rohan would have developed considerably - there was scientific endeavour at one time:

Childless lords sat in aged halls musing on heraldry or in high, cold towers asking questions of the stars.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

The Shire is like an idealised vision of rural England at the turn of the 19th/20th century. And yes, it does seem more technologically advanced than other parts of Middle-earth. They engage in trade and have a rudimentary postal service and police force, and clearly also some kind of legal system if they have lawyers dealing with wills. The concept of personal property is at an advanced stage and they have progressed beyond feudalism. The people enjoy luxuries such as smoking, nice cakes, teapsoons and umbrellas.

That's actually a very interesting point - one that at least I have never thought of before.

And funny, now as you point at it, it's easy to figure a clock on the mantelpiece at Bag End but hard to imagine one in Minas Tirith's great hall. Or how easy it is to entertain a picture of Lobelia with an umbrella but hard to see Arwen covering herself from rain with one.

Then I start wondering whether that was just a mistake, a lapse of thought, by the prof or whether he had a consistent view on the different levels of technologies around the ME and even a point in there?

What could that background-philosophy be? Those who live for war and evil only develop evil technologies, those under a constant threat of war are forced more or less to the same destiny (and militaristic envirovement leads into stagnating social policies aka feaudalism, kings, military elite, serfs...) - but those who enjoy peace and prosperity develop nice technologies and progressive social institutions (even though not TOO progressive for the prof's taste )?

Or what do you think?

[Galadriel55]

Interesting idea indeed. I think Nog is right. In other places technology and developments are concentrated on war, and in the Shire on peaceful and domestic improvements.