Ok, I know there have been plenty of posts about Tolkien and his various uses of water (as boundaries, spiritualness, etc). I was thinking about Middle-Earth the other day and another way Tolkien was using water, or NOT using it, occurred to me. I've been gone awhile and don't know if anyone else touched on this so forgive me if I'm covering already trodden ground.
Throughout history, civilization has developed and thrived along waterways and seas. A large factor in this was the ease of trading along waterways. Just using the early US as an example we can see that the earliest settlers in most areas used the rivers for travel and trade. Rivers were also the primary trade routes during the medieval period and this is what brings me to Tolkien.
With the notable exception of Lake Town and the Wood Elves of Mirkwood, there is virtually no trading or travelling via the waterways of Middle-Earth. We know the Hobbits of the Shire trade amongst themselves and we can assume it of Gondor, Bree, etc. However, there seems to be almost no intercultural trade happening in Middle Earth. There is really no mention of goods moving between the Woodmen of Mirkwood and the Elves. No mention of trade between Gondor and Rohan, etc. Looking at the map of Middle-Earth from that standpoint, the settlements are placed in rather illogical locations. It seems that since the Numenoreans (and later the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor) with their seafaring should have towns and cities all along the western coastline of Middle-Earth instead of just in the south. It would seem logical that with the depth of the Anduin river that there would be many settlements along its course as well. But there is little or no mention of this in the books.
So, my question is...did Tolkien just overlook this facet of society completely or did he purposefully leave this out to further emphasize the divisions and disunion between the races/kingdoms of Middle-Earth? Since it is hard for me to imagine that he would not have been aware of these factors when considering the settling of territories, I have to say that I feel he purposefully left out trading/shipping to emphasiz how fragmented the races and kingdoms of Middle-Earth had become in the Third Age.
Jim
"Where did you come by the weed, you villains?"
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Yes I think you're right jim.Because in the earlier ages there was trade amongst the elves and dwarves in the Mines of Moria.I think Tolkien did stop it to show the discord amongst the races in the Third Age.
Too long you've wandered in winter,far from my far reaching gaze..
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I second that. 
 You are a daughter of kings. A shieldmaiden of Rohan.
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Great post, a triumphant return to the board indeed!
And an interesting topic at that... why wasn't there more trade along the rivers? The Numenoreans, a seafaring nation, would have established tradeposts along the coast but also along the rivers... Then again, Rauros made navigation north of Gondor impossible on the Anduin. Further north, the proximity of Lorien might have scared settlers off... I don't know about the navigability of the river Gwathlo, it is scarcely mentioned, but logic dictates that there would be sizeable towns along this river if it had been navigable. Same goes for the Brandywine river.
I suppose Tolkien, who had such an eye for detail, did not leave trade out by mistake, but on purpose. He wanted to stress the cultural differences of Middle-Earths races and peoples. That is also why the languages are so vastly different. The Rohan language is very different from what they speak in Gondor, and logic dictates that there ought to be at least some similarity between the two.
Begone foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion!
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That was my thought...Even with the Falls of Rauros being in the way, one would still think that there would be an outpost at the top of the Falls. Much easier to move goods overland the short distance from the bottom of Rauros to the top and load them back on a boat to continue. And the other rivers, though perhaps not deep enough for sailing ships to navigate, would certainly have been deep enough for flat bottomed 'Mississippi style' boats to be moved about on them. I definitely think that Tolkien, being the medieval scholar that he was, would have known of the commonality of settlements appearing first along the watercourses and expanding from there.
The Rohan language being different from Gondor I can accept, since the folk of Eorl were originally from the far north of Middle-Earth and probably kept their original language mostly intact, adopting Westron for their dealings with others. But on that note...why didn't they maintain contact and trade with others from their original region. I find it hard to believe that an entire civilization just up and moved all at once. One would think that they would have kept some ties to the north. So yes, I definitely think he was demonstrating the differences and divided-ness of the Free Peoples.
Jim
"Where did you come by the weed, you villains?"
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... I can't believe you actually manage to come up with an entirely new facet of possible Tolkien discussions, after all this time!!
Great post. Too tired to think about it very deeply at the moment, though!
Actually, the Dwarfes seem to have been something of a trading people - at least among their own mines. And then I guess they would have sold their craftwork to others as well? I'm not so sure about actual trading, but isn't there mention sometimes that Dwarves built stuff for other people (eg. the elves?) - I may be wrong though.
Gandalf also brings toys and things from Laketown and Dale for Bilbo's Birthday party - not exactly a trade on a large scale, though!
And of course there is the whole issue of Saruman trading with certain people in the Shire, acquiring, among other things, the famous South Farthing leaf.
But you are right - trade seems to happen almost exclusively along roads, not along waterways - maybe Tolkien was a hobbit also in that respect, that he didn't like boats? 
Disclaimer: this post is not intended to attack or insult anyone. It's just my opinion.
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Excellent post, Jim. I think you're right. In reflecting on the world of Middle-Earth, it does seem to be a land of few settlements and a lot of outposts, but not much trading seems to be going on. In the real world, the Fellowship would have encountered trade caravans and flotillas here and there in the wilderness. Tolkien might have left these out of the picture for a reason, but it does seem unusual that all mention of trade is historical, when the Elves used to trade with Men and Dwarves. Trade does have a benefit in that it blends societies by sharing goods and ideas. Perhaps you are right and the isolation of each race is being emphasized here, also the great fear that has descended on the world, a fear that limits travel and exchange.
"I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold there grew..."
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Now there is something that I didn't include in the original post that you've made me think of...aside from trade, what about just plain old *travel*. There certainly doesn't seem to be much of that going on in either 'The Hobbit' OR LOTR. There isn't even much travel mentioned between areas that are reasonably close such as the Shire and Bree (yes, there are *occasional* travelers to and from, but not nearly as many as one would logically assume since they are barely 50 miles apart)...and from Rohan to Gondor, etc. In fact, the *only* time Tolkien specifically mentions LOTS of comings and goings between these places is *after* the War of the Ring when there was much coming and going between all the places. I think this lends further evidence to him specifically leaving out references to travel and trade to demonstrate how divided (or perhaps simply how dangerous?) Middle-Earth was prior to the overthrow of Sauron. Doesn't it seem odd otherwise that no matter how shattered and sundered the various realms were at the end of the Second Age that in the 3000 years of the Third Age that no one had reestablished old trading ties? One would think with the Dunedain/Rangers that at least the road between Rivendell and Bree would be reasonably safe? Therefore I can't think of a reasonable explanation other than that Tolkien intended this lack of travel and trade to demonstrate these points in an even more subtle manner.
So damned subtle in fact, that after 25+ years of reading these books this is the first occasion I've had to notice it...Just more proof positive that there is always more to discover in that wonderful world he created.
Jim
"Where did you come by the weed, you villains?"
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 by -
Bellbird
(Wed Jun 11 14:34:44)
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 UPDATED Wed Jun 11 14:39:53 |
Hello Jim, we've not met. It seems I arrived here while you've been away.
I've always seen the ME cultures as being rather insular and referred to it in a thread a few months back. I must say I never really thought about the water-borne trade matter as an issue in and of itself, but I'm glad you raised this interesting aspect. Below are my views on where the races of ME might have been headed, if not for the challenge of the ring.
Re: the fate of the races. I see them eventually dying out without this ring struggle. Each of the races and realms seemed to live in isolation, connected only by the the odd bit of news delivered in occasional fleeting visits from the wise but kindly old wizard. Even then I get the feeling he was economical with what he told to whom. Without the threat of Sauron forcing their hand and the unifying effect of the ring dilemma, (with all its adverse effects and collateral damage) I could see each of the realms falling victim to in-fighting and petty yet damaging and divisive power struggles until they each slowly caved in upon themselves and whatever was left disbanded, as individuals went their separate ways. A diluting of bloodlines as well as allegiances...
...Something to do with an inability or reluctance to acquire new knowledge. I guess we might describe it in modern terms as xenophobia-driven insularity. In the case of the hobbits' very isolated community a firm (but incorrect belief) that nothing else but hobbit life exists - or incapability to concieve of anything else than that which they know. I'll reiterate that I've only read LOTR and bits of the Father Christmas Letters (all several years ago now) but several of the story's events serve as a type of 'coming of age' for the respective races. A sign saying 'wake up and look what surrounds you'. Because it aint always goodness and light. In other words, if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got.
And from another reply within the same thread:
Could the famous inscription on the one ring carry a simpler message? The cultures of ME are indeed entering a darkness, and the existence of the ring DOES bind them all in a common cause. Previously Elves and Dwarves were adversaries, hobbits lived in isolation, Aragorn and Boromir were fractious amongst themselves, yet better be it that either one of their houses should rule, than the obvious dreaded alternative. The one ring is binding already. Differences are put aside in order to conquer a greater threat.
So, my take would be that it was a purposeful ommission on Tolkien's part, in order to further display the factionalised nature of the *good* races, and how they must unite to survive.
...the angels had guitars even before they had wings...
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I beg to disagree with that one. Tolkien mentiones that there has always been a fairly continuous stream of travellers on the great East-West road - and that's how the hobbits learned news from the outside world. These would mostly have been dwarves, travelling between their mines in the East and those in the Blue Mountains (? haven't got the map handy, but there is a mountain range to the West of the Shire). He does mention, however, that the stream of travellers has been growing thinner in the years preceding the destruction of the ring. And that "strange folk" have been passing through too. He also mentiones refugees from the South (especially at Bree) who have come up the old Green Road (which had been long unused but was reactivated then, it seems - also the tie between Orthanc and the tobacco fields of the Shire!
Orcs seem to be travelling between their various abodes too - and gathering together for certain occasions, for instance the Battle of the Five Armies in The Hobbit. And there are all those Easterlings and Southrons being summoned into Mordor.
Of course Elves seem to travel quite a lot - there is mention of Arwen and Celebrian visiting in Lorien (and of course Celebrian got attacked by orcs on one such occasion, and subsequently left Middle Earth. The elves also seem to pass through the Shire frequently, on their way to the Grey Havens, but they seem to prefer doing it in secret, without being noticed by the inhabitants (except elf-friends such as Bilbo or Frodo).
The Dunedain seem to be something like professional travellers (hence the suspicion they are treated with by the more settled people in Bree) - although Aragorn seems to be quite exceptional with regard of the amount of travelling he has done. And of course there are the wizards, although most of them seem to have settled down somewhere, except Gandalf.
So I guess there is actually quite a lot of mention of travel going on in Middle Earth, although not necessarily for the purpose of trade.
Disclaimer: this post is not intended to attack or insult anyone. It's just my opinion.
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You have to consider also that Tolkien's maps (in LOTR) were concerned with the journey of Frodo and the Ring, and were concerned with what he would encounter on that journey.
Having said that...
Judging from the "Atlas of Middle Earth", the settlements and cities mentioned in the Silmarillion were all concentrated around the major rivers. From those maps, you can imagine trade and travel taking place between the various communities.
But the maps in LOTR are different. As you say, the communities have become more isolated, and I do think this is deliberate on Tolkien's part. He was so careful and focussed on every detail in his world, I don't think this is a mere oversight or something he would not have considered. Just as the different dialogues and languages that he constructed so carefully to differentiate the various cultures hightlights their isolation. Many of his languages are meticulously and logically evolved from a common source, but then diverge (as languages do in reality) with geographical isolation. Greater trade and travel would, I assume, have resulted in a greater degree of homogeniety among the languages.
Reading some background on Tolkien leads me to believe that there is not much in LOTR that is there "by accident" - he was a perfectionist (and when it came to language and geographical heritage, two of his great loves, "perfectionist" doesn't even begin to be an adequate description!)
...diving for dear life, when we should be diving for pearls...
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However, there IS a common language that most people can understand, even if they have their own language besides (eg. the Rohirrim or the Elves, or the Dwarves for that matter). And there seems to be a fair amount of geographical knowledge among most people too - people seem to have a general idea about what other parts of Middle Earth look like, and who lives there. Well, perhaps not the hobbits but a lot of the other races.
Disclaimer: this post is not intended to attack or insult anyone. It's just my opinion.
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