Children in Middle-Earth - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 01-19-2002, 05:40 AM

I'm fascinated by the (few, granted!) references to children in LotR. The hobbits exemplify one life-style; apparently, they love children, have lots of them and let them be children for quite a long time. Coming of age is at 33, after the "irresponsible tweens".
Then there are several societies that have few children - the dwarves, who are slowly dying out; the elves, who are leaving Middle-Earth; and some of the humans. Tolkien speaks of empty houses in Minas Tirith, of kings more interested in past history than having children of their own. The latter die out as well.
That's Third Age, so presumably it was different before that. I'm just starting to read the Silmarillion, so will be happy to learn from those who know more about earlier times.
Compare that to today's world - everdecreasing birth rates in the Western world . . . .

01-19-2002, 05:40 AM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,499	Children in Middle-Earth I'm fascinated by the (few, granted!) references to children in LotR. The hobbits exemplify one life-style; apparently, they love children, have lots of them and let them be children for quite a long time. Coming of age is at 33, after the "irresponsible tweens". Then there are several societies that have few children - the dwarves, who are slowly dying out; the elves, who are leaving Middle-Earth; and some of the humans. Tolkien speaks of empty houses in Minas Tirith, of kings more interested in past history than having children of their own. The latter die out as well. That's Third Age, so presumably it was different before that. I'm just starting to read the Silmarillion, so will be happy to learn from those who know more about earlier times. Compare that to today's world - everdecreasing birth rates in the Western world . . . . __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'