Slaying of the Witch king - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lost One · 10-12-2003, 09:58 AM

Like all good prophecies, Glorfindel's was more complicated than it looked at first sight, and had more than one possible interpretation. Most people, and presumably the Witch-king, thought it meant 'man' in the general sense i.e. any mortal being, member of 'mankind'. At the Pelennor the prospect was suddenly raised of a more limited meaning - not by the hand of any literal Man (adult male human). Eowyn and Merry were both part of 'mankind', but the Witch-king suddenly realised the loophole, hence his worried pause. In theory, other non adult males could have contributed to his end as well - a male child, for example.

10-12-2003, 09:58 AM	#33
Lost One Haunting Spirit Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 67	Like all good prophecies, Glorfindel's was more complicated than it looked at first sight, and had more than one possible interpretation. Most people, and presumably the Witch-king, thought it meant 'man' in the general sense i.e. any mortal being, member of 'mankind'. At the Pelennor the prospect was suddenly raised of a more limited meaning - not by the hand of any literal Man (adult male human). Eowyn and Merry were both part of 'mankind', but the Witch-king suddenly realised the loophole, hence his worried pause. In theory, other non adult males could have contributed to his end as well - a male child, for example.