Tolkien's Battles - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 09-02-2002, 11:53 AM

It has been all too long since I've been able to keep the promise, but here it is. I have re-read Battle of Five Armies and part of Helm's Deep and one thing already stands out.

In both depictions, by the time you get to the actual battle, Tolkien has long since set up the terrain, battlement structures, and what-not in your mind. He doesn't pause in the middle of the battle action to do it.

Helm's Deep is described in the beginning of the chapter, way before Eomer and Aragorn and the rest actually get there.

In the Battle of Five Armies, the environs of the Lonely Mountain have long since been described. We are already familiar with all the terrain by the time the battle occurs.

If my memory serves me correctly, this is also true of the Battle of Pelennor Fields.

Now for my confession - I didn't pull this off in my own battle scene. So that's a lesson learned in going back to revise. Thanks for the challenge, piosenniel.

09-02-2002, 11:53 AM	#34
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	It has been all too long since I've been able to keep the promise, but here it is. I have re-read Battle of Five Armies and part of Helm's Deep and one thing already stands out. In both depictions, by the time you get to the actual battle, Tolkien has long since set up the terrain, battlement structures, and what-not in your mind. He doesn't pause in the middle of the battle action to do it. Helm's Deep is described in the beginning of the chapter, way before Eomer and Aragorn and the rest actually get there. In the Battle of Five Armies, the environs of the Lonely Mountain have long since been described. We are already familiar with all the terrain by the time the battle occurs. If my memory serves me correctly, this is also true of the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Now for my confession - I didn't pull this off in my own battle scene. So that's a lesson learned in going back to revise. Thanks for the challenge, piosenniel.