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!