What's With this Always Going Underground - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Man-of-the-Wold · 02-11-2002, 01:47 AM

Have ya ever noticed how no one in Middle-Earth crosses hills or mountains in the conventional way? At least not Tolkien's main, in-story characters. In The Hobbit Bilbo and the Dwarves go underground and out the other side of some geological formation not less than three times: Goblin-Town, the Thranduil's Caverns, and Mt. Erebor. And again in The Lord of the Rings you have the Mines of Moria, Aragorn's taking the Paths of the Dead, and Tunnel portion of the Pass of Cirith Ungol (Shelob's Liar). Tuor alone does much the same thing himself twice.

Obviously, Tolkien must have been an Earth sign, and with hobbit holes and all the rest he was fascinated with caves and subterranean palaces for Dwarves, Noldor and even the Sindar, but not Men so much, not to mention Orcs and Dark Powers.

What's up with this? Beyond the obvious symbolism, did he just want to beat this device to death? Any insights?

02-11-2002, 01:47 AM	#1
Man-of-the-Wold Wight Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: With Tux, dread poodle of Pinnath Galin Posts: 239	What's With this Always Going Underground Have ya ever noticed how no one in Middle-Earth crosses hills or mountains in the conventional way? At least not Tolkien's main, in-story characters. In The Hobbit Bilbo and the Dwarves go underground and out the other side of some geological formation not less than three times: Goblin-Town, the Thranduil's Caverns, and Mt. Erebor. And again in The Lord of the Rings you have the Mines of Moria, Aragorn's taking the Paths of the Dead, and Tunnel portion of the Pass of Cirith Ungol (Shelob's Liar). Tuor alone does much the same thing himself twice. Obviously, Tolkien must have been an Earth sign, and with hobbit holes and all the rest he was fascinated with caves and subterranean palaces for Dwarves, Noldor and even the Sindar, but not Men so much, not to mention Orcs and Dark Powers. What's up with this? Beyond the obvious symbolism, did he just want to beat this device to death? Any insights? __________________ The hoes unrecked in the fields were flung, __ and fallen ladders in the long grass lay __ of the lush orchards; every tree there turned __ its tangled head and eyed them secretly, __ and the ears listened of the nodding grasses; __ though noontide glowed on land and leaf, __ their limbs were chilled.