Iceland in Tolkien's Work? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lalwendë · 07-01-2007, 08:59 AM

After starting to get into Icelandic sagas in our house I've been thinking about some similarities in Tolkien's work, aside from the stylistic similarities of the sagas to Tolkien's work.

But we have two different ideas floating around, so see what you think:

1. The Numenoreans could be like the old Icelanders. Iceland is a relatively young nation, the Norsemen sailed there and settled it not long before 1000 AD. In the Sagas you read of men who would sail back to the 'old country' and have adventures, maybe do some raiding, have dealings with the old Kings and Queens. The Numenoreans, like the Icelanders were an indepnedent and very adventurous people.

I'm not the only one to notice this, as I had a poke around and found this old thread: http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthr...t=gawain+green
In post 22 The Ka is the first to mention a possible similarity.

It was an Icelandic Norseman who first travelled to the Americas if I'm not mistaken? Hmm, travelling to Valinor?

2. However, the old Icelanders were essentially a peaceful people mostly engaged in farming despite the raiding adventures, unlike the expansionist and often unpleasant Numenoreans.

Are The Hobbits more like the Icelanders? One of the ways the farmers would build houses is to construct a low longhouse, walled with turf so that their homes would often blend completely in with the landscape - a little like The Hill! Plus the Icelanders did not take Kings, like the Hobbits.

Now in common with both Numenoreans and Hobbits, Icelanders always have and still do believe in Elves. If you don't think that's true take a look at this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/13/in...erland&emc=rss

A very magical place, methinks

Anyway, which do you think Iceland is more like? Numenor or The Shire?

07-01-2007, 08:59 AM	#1
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	Iceland in Tolkien's Work? After starting to get into Icelandic sagas in our house I've been thinking about some similarities in Tolkien's work, aside from the stylistic similarities of the sagas to Tolkien's work. But we have two different ideas floating around, so see what you think: 1. The Numenoreans could be like the old Icelanders. Iceland is a relatively young nation, the Norsemen sailed there and settled it not long before 1000 AD. In the Sagas you read of men who would sail back to the 'old country' and have adventures, maybe do some raiding, have dealings with the old Kings and Queens. The Numenoreans, like the Icelanders were an indepnedent and very adventurous people. I'm not the only one to notice this, as I had a poke around and found this old thread: http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthr...t=gawain+green In post 22 The Ka is the first to mention a possible similarity. It was an Icelandic Norseman who first travelled to the Americas if I'm not mistaken? Hmm, travelling to Valinor? 2. However, the old Icelanders were essentially a peaceful people mostly engaged in farming despite the raiding adventures, unlike the expansionist and often unpleasant Numenoreans. Are The Hobbits more like the Icelanders? One of the ways the farmers would build houses is to construct a low longhouse, walled with turf so that their homes would often blend completely in with the landscape - a little like The Hill! Plus the Icelanders did not take Kings, like the Hobbits. Now in common with both Numenoreans and Hobbits, Icelanders always have and still do believe in Elves. If you don't think that's true take a look at this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/13/in...erland&emc=rss A very magical place, methinks Anyway, which do you think Iceland is more like? Numenor or The Shire? __________________ Gordon's alive!