The Hobbit characters' doings during The War Of The Ring? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Cazoz · 10-07-2002, 08:06 AM

Does anyone know what was happening in Northern Mirkwood during The War?

Not really referring to the Dwarves as they were most likely completely idle (Gimli's presence being their only concession), but the actions of the Elves and the Men of Lake Town. Would they have been engaged in war against the evils of Dol Guldur in the South and the Misty Mountains' Goblins in the West?

What do you suppose happened to Beorn during this time?

Or do you think Tolkien cast these possibilities and characters to the back of his mind when he embarked on more mature writing?

Obviously here I'm not referring to the Elves and Dwarves, but rather Lake Town, the spiders of Mirkwood and Beorn. Although weren't the spiders Shelob's children who'd run away?

lathspell · 10-07-2002, 09:17 AM

Because all the members of the Fellowship were in Mordor or in Gondor, little is said about the things going on in the North. Yet when they fought the battle of the Pellenor Fields, the Dwarves and the man of Dale fought at the slopes of the mountain. King Brand of Dale and Dain II Ironfoot died during that battle. I do not know this for sure but I guess that there were both men of Lake Town and Elves present at the time.

Beorn was dead. His son was leader of a great 'realm' in the vales of Anduin.

I don't think Tolkien didn't think of it, for he seems to have thought it all out, sometimes into the smallest detail. I guess he thought of it of less important, for the action in the South was what really bothered. If Minas Tirith should fall, everything else was considered doomed. In the North it would have been quite bad as well, but not yet hopeless. Another reason of not saying about the north is because the whole Fellowship and the people who knew of the Ring-quest were in the South, in Minas Tirith.

I believe that I read somewhere (I don't recall where) that the Spiders of Mirkwood were indeed offspring of Ungoliant, but if they were the children of Shelob, I can not say. It is suggested in the LotR, but if it is true I do not know.

Hoping this will help and is not considered a pile of *beep*... eeem... nonsense [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img],

greetings,
lathspell

littlemanpoet · 10-07-2002, 09:26 AM

I think it's Appendix A in Return of the King, whichever one is the Tale of Years, gives a bit of information as to what non-Fellowship Free Peoples were doing during the War of the Ring. Check it out. Other than that, I'd say Lathspell is pretty much right on.

[ October 07, 2002: Message edited by: littlemanpoet ]

10-07-2002, 08:06 AM	#1
Cazoz Haunting Spirit Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 71	The Hobbit characters' doings during The War Of The Ring? Does anyone know what was happening in Northern Mirkwood during The War? Not really referring to the Dwarves as they were most likely completely idle (Gimli's presence being their only concession), but the actions of the Elves and the Men of Lake Town. Would they have been engaged in war against the evils of Dol Guldur in the South and the Misty Mountains' Goblins in the West? What do you suppose happened to Beorn during this time? Or do you think Tolkien cast these possibilities and characters to the back of his mind when he embarked on more mature writing? Obviously here I'm not referring to the Elves and Dwarves, but rather Lake Town, the spiders of Mirkwood and Beorn. Although weren't the spiders Shelob's children who'd run away?

10-07-2002, 09:17 AM	#2
lathspell Regenerating Ringkeeper Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Holland Posts: 757	Because all the members of the Fellowship were in Mordor or in Gondor, little is said about the things going on in the North. Yet when they fought the battle of the Pellenor Fields, the Dwarves and the man of Dale fought at the slopes of the mountain. King Brand of Dale and Dain II Ironfoot died during that battle. I do not know this for sure but I guess that there were both men of Lake Town and Elves present at the time. Beorn was dead. His son was leader of a great 'realm' in the vales of Anduin. I don't think Tolkien didn't think of it, for he seems to have thought it all out, sometimes into the smallest detail. I guess he thought of it of less important, for the action in the South was what really bothered. If Minas Tirith should fall, everything else was considered doomed. In the North it would have been quite bad as well, but not yet hopeless. Another reason of not saying about the north is because the whole Fellowship and the people who knew of the Ring-quest were in the South, in Minas Tirith. I believe that I read somewhere (I don't recall where) that the Spiders of Mirkwood were indeed offspring of Ungoliant, but if they were the children of Shelob, I can not say. It is suggested in the LotR, but if it is true I do not know. Hoping this will help and is not considered a pile of beep... eeem... nonsense [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img], greetings, lathspell __________________ 'You?' cried Frodo. 'Yes, I, Gandalf the Grey,' said the wizard solemnly. 'There are many powers in the world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. Against some I have not yet been measured. But my time is coming.'

10-07-2002, 09:26 AM	#3
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	I think it's Appendix A in Return of the King, whichever one is the Tale of Years, gives a bit of information as to what non-Fellowship Free Peoples were doing during the War of the Ring. Check it out. Other than that, I'd say Lathspell is pretty much right on. [ October 07, 2002: Message edited by: littlemanpoet ]