Tolkien's Mistakes

[gorthaur_cruel]

As flawless as Tolkien may seem to be, he has made some small mistakes in writing his books. The ones I know are merely small technical things, but they're still sort of amusing. Also, all of these CAN be somehow twisted to make it so that they're not mistakes, but you have to realise that Tolkien was merely human. He has to make some mistakes.

1. In the Tale of Years, it has these two entries for the Second Age. (Emphasis mine)

c. 1000 - Sauron, alarmed by the growing power of the Numenoreans, chooses Mordor as a land to make into a stronghold. He begins the building of Barad-dur.

c. 1600 - Sauron forges the One Ring in Orodruin. He completes the Barad-dur. Celebrimbor perceives the designs of Sauron.

So he completed the Barad-dur the year he created the Ring, which was 600 years since he began building it. However, in the Council of Elrond, Elrond says:

The Dark Tower was broken, but its foundations were not removed; for they were made with the power of the Ring, and while it remains they will endure.

So according to this, Sauron built the foundations of Barad-dur, the lowest support of a tower, 600 years AFTER he began constructing it. However, after he did build the foundations, he built up the rest in only one year

2. In The Departure of Boromir, there is a conversation as follows(emphasis mine):

'S is for Sauron', said Gimli. 'That is easy to read.
'Nay!' said Legolas. 'Sauron does not use Elf-runes'
'Neither does he use his right name, nor permit it to be spelt or spoken', said Aragorn.

Yet, the Mouth of Sauron doesn't seem to have anything against saying "Sauron" Here's an example:

'Surety you crave! Sauron gives none. If you sure for his clemency you must first do his bidding

3. Also, notice how the poems that are "roughly translated" from their original language always have perfect rhythm and rhyming? Somehow, that bugs me.

If you know of any other mistakes, please post them!

[HerenIstarion]

You are cruel, Gorthaur

But well noted, I must admit. Observant eye and keen mind, sure.

Though I'm not going on wild mistake hunt, no way, sir!

[davem]

Originally Posted by Gorthaur

2. In The Departure of Boromir, there is a conversation as follows(emphasis mine):
Quote:
'S is for Sauron', said Gimli. 'That is easy to read.
'Nay!' said Legolas. 'Sauron does not use Elf-runes'
'Neither does he use his right name, nor permit it to be spelt or spoken', said Aragorn.


Yet, the Mouth of Sauron doesn't seem to have anything against saying "Sauron" Here's an example:
Quote:
'Surety you crave! Sauron gives none. If you sure for his clemency you must first do his bidding

'Sauron' isn't his 'right name', its a title - according to Encyc of Arda it means either 'The Abhorred' or Lord of Abomination'.

[Boromir88]

We all know Bilbo became the oldest hobbit to ever live. But, do we know BILBO cheated, when recording the dates. From the timeline in the back, in 3019 to 3020, Bilbo age seems to go from 119 to......130? Interesting, but I wonder if this was an editting problem, instead of a Tolkien slip up.

[Kuruharan]

*Sigh* Such killjoys…

Anyway, there is also a rather awkward gaffe in Appendix A, Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion regarding the aftermath of the Kin-Strife where Tolkien skips a generation or two and refers to the slain Minardil as the son, rather than great-grandson, of Eldacar.

The only reason I mention it is because I just noticed it the other day.

[Aiwendil]

Davem wrote:

'Sauron' isn't his 'right name', its a title - according to Encyc of Arda it means either 'The Abhorred' or Lord of Abomination'.

But Aragorn certainly seemed to think it was his "right name" - anyway, the implication was that Sauron would not use the name "Sauron".

Boromir wrote:

We all know Bilbo became the oldest hobbit to ever live. But, do we know BILBO cheated, when recording the dates. From the timeline in the back, in 3019 to 3020, Bilbo age seems to go from 119 to......130? Interesting, but I wonder if this was an editting problem, instead of a Tolkien slip up.

Well, Bilbo was 111 at the party - which is correct for its date 60 years after The Hobbit. Seventeen years pass between the party and the beginning of Frodo's quest, which would put Bilbo at 128. I believe that was 3018 (I could be wrong), which would make him 130 in 3020. So I think it was a typo or something.

[Kuruharan]

Encaitare

While it is drifting into a movie area...

In the movie-based book entitled "Weapons and Warfare"

I also happen to own that unfortunate tome and I fear that the whole book is a poorly researched piece of crap as far as Tolkien is concerned.

One has to wonder if the author read any of Tolkein's works at all.

[Legolas]

So according to this, Sauron built the foundations of Barad-dur, the lowest support of a tower, 600 years AFTER he began constructing it. However, after he did build the foundations, he built up the rest in only one year.

It's always a lot easier the second time you do something. He knew exactly how he wanted it, exactly how to get it that way, and so on...

Yet, the Mouth of Sauron doesn't seem to have anything against saying "Sauron"

I think this is something the Mouth is saying with purpose (against the usual) to show he is (as he thinks) second-in-command to the most powerful being in Middle-earth; it was an attempt to intimidate. This is a case similar to the avoidance of Black Speech (especially the name 'Nazgul'). Only Gandalf speaks the ring poem in Black Speech, and when he does, he strongly alarms others. Gandalf and Radagast are also the only characters that dare to speak 'Nazgul,' except for when Aragorn uses the term once in the safety of Minas Tirith after the Witch-King was destroyed.

Hm I would just like to say that in my second edition copy of Lord of the Rings it states in the appendices that Aragorn lives to be 190, yet in all the other book I have checked this it says differently, I think that some editors were slacking off when they edited that part.

[Mithalwen]

Well thank you for that enlightenment... but how horrible.... elves with beards eeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggggggghhhhhhh hhhhhh.....

[Encaitare]

Nyrende--

Confound these editors! Oh well, I suppose we cannot really blame them; it's heavy task to edit anything of Tolkien's. But I checked the Encyclopedia of Arda and it says he did indeed live to be 210.