Post by Stormrider on Jan 19, 2009 18:57:42 GMT -6
From: AnnieofTR (Original Message) Sent: 6/22/2003 8:20 AM
These pictures were lost:
The Scouring of the Shire by Michael Herring
Battle of Bywater by Sam King
Wk13, Bk6, Ch8, DISCUSSION: Battle of Bywater
Hobbits, as we know, don’t usually travel beyond their borders and rarely take an interest in what lies outside the Shire. They are a peaceful people, not prone to violence or confrontations. In their isolation, they are rarely disturbed by evil forces. The appearance of the strange black riders who came in search of the ring bearer eventually lead to the invasion of their quiet little corner of middle-earth by men, ruffians mostly coming into the Shire from the south in 3018. And in the next year Saruman arrived. Fortunately our four travelers returned to expel the usurpers which culminated with the Battle of Bywater and the death of Saruman on November 3, 3019.
But there were other confrontations with invaders from the "Outside". In 2747 Shire folk came together under the leadership of Bandobras Took to dislodge a band of marauding Orcs in the Battle of the Greenfields. 200 years later in 2911 the peace of the Shire was once again disturbed by White Wolves during the Fell Winter.
How do these earlier battles compare to the one fought at Bywater? Were they as significant as the one fought in 3019? Who was Bandobras (Bullroarer) Took and how was he able to call the hobbits to action? Who was involved in that battle? Was it a large force of hobbits or mostly Tooks? Can anyone give us more information about the Fell Winter of 2911?
We are told that the Battle of Bywater, in which the hobbits trapped their enemy between the high banks of the Bywater Road, represented the worse incursion of outsiders. Perhaps because of the occupation and the destruction of the Shire? It would seem that if it had not been for the returning heros the fate of the Shire would be much as Sam had seen it in Galadriel’s mirror. Since the Hobbits had rallied before to expel intruders, why hadn’t they done so at this time? Why was this dependent on the return of Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo? Why hadn’t the Tooks, Cottons, and other families joined forces? Both the Tooks and Cottons had, so far, been able to keep the enemy from their doors. But perhaps it would have been just a matter of time before they, too, would have succumbed to Saruman’s power?
Why do you think Tolkien’s description of this battle was so short? Do you feel that he should have given us more details about this battle? Is it's importance in the war of the ring equal to other battles fought in this age? How would you compare it to the Battle of the Hornburg, Pelennor Fields, or the confrontation at Morranon?
These pictures were lost:
The Scouring of the Shire by Michael Herring
Battle of Bywater by Sam King
Wk13, Bk6, Ch8, DISCUSSION: Battle of Bywater
Hobbits, as we know, don’t usually travel beyond their borders and rarely take an interest in what lies outside the Shire. They are a peaceful people, not prone to violence or confrontations. In their isolation, they are rarely disturbed by evil forces. The appearance of the strange black riders who came in search of the ring bearer eventually lead to the invasion of their quiet little corner of middle-earth by men, ruffians mostly coming into the Shire from the south in 3018. And in the next year Saruman arrived. Fortunately our four travelers returned to expel the usurpers which culminated with the Battle of Bywater and the death of Saruman on November 3, 3019.
But there were other confrontations with invaders from the "Outside". In 2747 Shire folk came together under the leadership of Bandobras Took to dislodge a band of marauding Orcs in the Battle of the Greenfields. 200 years later in 2911 the peace of the Shire was once again disturbed by White Wolves during the Fell Winter.
How do these earlier battles compare to the one fought at Bywater? Were they as significant as the one fought in 3019? Who was Bandobras (Bullroarer) Took and how was he able to call the hobbits to action? Who was involved in that battle? Was it a large force of hobbits or mostly Tooks? Can anyone give us more information about the Fell Winter of 2911?
We are told that the Battle of Bywater, in which the hobbits trapped their enemy between the high banks of the Bywater Road, represented the worse incursion of outsiders. Perhaps because of the occupation and the destruction of the Shire? It would seem that if it had not been for the returning heros the fate of the Shire would be much as Sam had seen it in Galadriel’s mirror. Since the Hobbits had rallied before to expel intruders, why hadn’t they done so at this time? Why was this dependent on the return of Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo? Why hadn’t the Tooks, Cottons, and other families joined forces? Both the Tooks and Cottons had, so far, been able to keep the enemy from their doors. But perhaps it would have been just a matter of time before they, too, would have succumbed to Saruman’s power?
Why do you think Tolkien’s description of this battle was so short? Do you feel that he should have given us more details about this battle? Is it's importance in the war of the ring equal to other battles fought in this age? How would you compare it to the Battle of the Hornburg, Pelennor Fields, or the confrontation at Morranon?