"Concerning... 'The Hoard'" revealed - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Val Balmer · 08-14-2023, 08:57 AM

The crucial point for me here is that "the cursed treasure theme" is very important for Tolkien: it is present in Beowulf and in the Volsunga Saga and Tolkien wants it to have a place in his legendarium...

The Hoard poem itself is a statement of importance for this theme.

It already had a place, of course, in the Hobbit (with the effect of the Dragon sickness on Thorin) and it is there lingering in the Lord of the Rings (with Tom Bombadil exposing the gold of the Barrow-downs), but it was lost in the Silmarillion by having Hùrin only bringing a single necklace.

Having the whole treasure as the trigger of the Ruin of Doriath, maybe because bathed in the blood of the outlaws, creates a new resonance between the Hobbit and the Silmarillion.

There we have the same characters (in a way their descendants: Thraduil and Thorin vs Thingol and Naugladur) affected by the same dragon cursed treasure...

By the way, there is also a resonance with The Lord of the Rings as the hate between Sindar and Dwarves is only cured by the friendship of Legolas and Gimli in the Lord of the Rings...

I find these echoes fuller by considering the treasure of Nargothrond in his right place at the feet of Thingol...

08-14-2023, 08:57 AM	#30
Val Balmer Pile O'Bones Join Date: Aug 2022 Posts: 16	The crucial point for me here is that "the cursed treasure theme" is very important for Tolkien: it is present in Beowulf and in the Volsunga Saga and Tolkien wants it to have a place in his legendarium... The Hoard poem itself is a statement of importance for this theme. It already had a place, of course, in the Hobbit (with the effect of the Dragon sickness on Thorin) and it is there lingering in the Lord of the Rings (with Tom Bombadil exposing the gold of the Barrow-downs), but it was lost in the Silmarillion by having Hùrin only bringing a single necklace. Having the whole treasure as the trigger of the Ruin of Doriath, maybe because bathed in the blood of the outlaws, creates a new resonance between the Hobbit and the Silmarillion. There we have the same characters (in a way their descendants: Thraduil and Thorin vs Thingol and Naugladur) affected by the same dragon cursed treasure... By the way, there is also a resonance with The Lord of the Rings as the hate between Sindar and Dwarves is only cured by the friendship of Legolas and Gimli in the Lord of the Rings... I find these echoes fuller by considering the treasure of Nargothrond in his right place at the feet of Thingol...