Please explain the Barrow Downs and Wight

[Lhunbelethiel]

Okay, this is embarassing. I know this site is the Barrow Downs and is run by the Barrow Wight, but I am not clear on what either is in the book. I kind of skimmed that chapter a while ago because I was sleepy and never understood it.

What are the Downs (physically) and why are they so dangerous? What is the Wight and why is it so dangerous? What exactly does it do to the hobbits?

My apologies to the webmaster here and everyone else who "gets it". smilies/smile.gif Thanks in advance for answering my dumb questions.

[mordor136]

WELCOME TO THE DOWNS! A barrow is an ancient burial tomb for the kings of men.
A barrow wight is a demon spirit who can be destroyed by light.I don't know why they inhabit the downs but they put their victims into a suspended animation and the end their life with a ceremonial sword. HAVE FUN POSTING! smilies/biggrin.gif

[ April 07, 2002: Message edited by: mordor136 ]

[Mayla Took]

Eeewww. That kinda freaks me out. You know, the whole cerimonial sword bit. *shivers run up and down her spine*

[Lhunbelethiel]

Definitely creepy! Thanks for the explanation! Do we know what king(s) were represented in that chapter? I should re-read it but I don't have my own copy. (though I have my own TT and ROTK)

[Vinyacairwen]

::giggle:: Blah, don't be embarrassed. I did the same thing and asked the same question... smilies/biggrin.gif
::yee:: Welcome to the BD... ^^

[mordor136]

nope it never said

[Daegwenn]

Have no fear!
Daegwenn is here!
smilies/redface.gif *hangs head* Oh man, that was really corny. Well, anyways, I got an answer for what the Barrow-downs was in the book...it goes like this:

The downlands, east of the Shire and the Old forest were called the Barrow Downs because of the great barrow graves built in that place. It was the ancient burial grounds of the men of middle earth. The witch King of Agmar took refuge in them during the war. The Barrows became haunted by demons that were sent out from the kingdom of the Witch-King...

The Barrow-Wights are demons whose bodies had been destroyed, looked for others to inhabit, but desperatly found a refuge from the sun in the Barrow-downs...

There is a big, long-winded explanation on what they are but the KISS rule came into affect, and I am quite sure you would have been bored out of your skulls reading it...^_^ Anyways, I am gonna scram now. Hope it was at least some help. smilies/smile.gif

~~Daegwenn

[Thingol]

The tomb that Frodo was imprissoned in was supposedly the tomb of the last king of Cardolan.

[Lhunbelethiel]

Great! Thank you all for your help... it makes sense now!

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Daegwenn, do tell, I'm interested. There was never much on the Barrow-wights in the Silm.

-Maril

[Daegwenn]

The barrow-wights were of a substance that could crush will. Maybe that was why Frodo and Inc, felt so hopeless when captured, and it was really that Tom Bombadil rescued them from their hopelessness before the wights were able to take enough will from them to steal their bodies because they were animated souls.

If you crack open the Barrow and the sunlight came through, the barrow-wights would disapear and never come back. smilies/smile.gif So don't crack a window or we might be down one Barrow-wight.

~~Daegwenn

[ April 11, 2002: Message edited by: Daegwenn ]

[Voronwe]

Personally I think it was the song of Tom Bombadil, and not the sunlight, that was responsible for the wight's defeat. It is after Tom has sung his song, and not after he cracks open the barrow, that the wight's shriek is heard.

[Arwen Imladris]

Thanks you guys, I never really wondered before, but I also didn't really know. (sorry, that made no sence)

Daegwenn, were did you find that, was that in the FOTR? I do not remember it.

Maybe the song of Tom forced the wight into the sun, or forced the sun into the cave, I don't know

[Daegwenn]

^_^ I meant the hope that was instilled in the hearts of the hobbits. Not the sunlight. It could be easy to hide from...but the hope in which the song Tom Bombadil sang. The only way a wight could steal a body is by crushing their will to live, and then ridding the bodies of a soul in which their own could be harvested.

I spent an arm and a leg on a handy little book called "Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia" By David Day. It is a pretty impressive book and even has some handy maps and time lines and things. ^_^ I recomend it to all LOTR lovers.

The feature of the Barrow-downs and the Barrow-wights are in FOTR. After they leave Bree if I am not mistaken.

~~Daegwenn

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

The actual events with Tom and the Barrow-wight occurred just before Bree. Are you referring to some explanation of the Barrow-wight's powers given after Bree? I haven't found it yet.

Another question, where did you find the explanation of the Barrow-wight's means of taking over the bodies of another (crushing their will through lack of hope)? Is it an interpretation, or something in the HoME?

-Maril

[Daegwenn]

The actual events with Tom and the Barrow-wight occurred just before Bree.

*slaps self in head* Bah! Silly me. Thanks for the clarification, Maril.

Is it an interpretation, or something in the HoME?

No. It is in the encyclopedia I have. Hasn't anyone heard of it?

~~Daegwenn

[Bragolandune]

i have the encyclopedia too daegwenn..useful little book it is. alot of people don't even know it exists, and its hard to find too. everyone should go out and look for it though, its great.

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

*slaps self on head, displaying a bruise equal to Daegwin's* Jeeze, you just told us you found it in the Encyclopaedia, didn't you? It was late when I posted.

-Maril

[ April 14, 2002: Message edited by: Marileangorifurnimaluim ]

[Demloth of Dol Amroth]

IMHO, i think Tom could possibly be like either a Maia or somthing very similar-he doesn't look or dress like an elf, and is abnormally powerful for a woodsman-and he is wholly unaffected by the One Ring-by the fact that he plays a magic trick on Frodo by making the Ring disappear and reappear. smilies/eek.gif anything that could do that would have to be near or on par with Sauron powerwise. and just in case this is common knowledge here already-sorry, didn't know. smilies/smile.gif

[Manelwen]

Tom is a Maia.

[Demloth of Dol Amroth]

yeah, thats what i said... Tom could possibly be like either a Maia

and just in case this is common knowledge here already-sorry, didn't know.
no need to be stingy now.

[Manelwen]

Sorry...I didn't mean to insult you, Demloth of Dol Amroth.