Farmer Maggot's Dogs
Farmer Maggot kept ferocious dogs to help protect his family, and his farm. But was he really entitled to allow these large dogs to savage anyone who was caught trespassing his land without leave? He even used them to try and frighten off a Nazgul, which nearly got him killed. Should he have been more reasonable or cautious in his approach, or was he right to be heavy handed?
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First off, there's no evidence that the dogs ever "savaged" anyone. As Frodo said:
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As for the Ringwraith encounter, it was hardly likely to end in death. They were in the Shire covertly, and I can't see them killing any hobbits just for grins. |
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Then again, Maggot is credited by both Merry, and more importantly, Bombadil, as being more aware and knowledgeable than the usual hobbit. Think of the way he was quick to connect the Nazgūl with Bilbo's adventure decades before. Maggot almost certainly didn't know the nature of the Ringwraiths, but he knew or intuited that they were evil, and not merely nosy about Baggins gossip. |
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I can suggest that the dogs may have unsettled, and even wounded, the steed which the Nazgul rode, but that was the limit of their use. It is still questionable whether Maggot had the right and authority to threaten anyone with his dogs, even if trespassing by mistake. |
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Perhaps Aragorn ought to have arrested him for keeping such large and dangerous animals? ;) |
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Morth, where did you find that? Poaching hasn't been a capital offence in England for nearly 200 years. Are you an elf?
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Take notice that as of from today's date poachers shall be shot on first sight and if practicable questioned afterwards. By order: J.R. Bramble, Head Gamekeeper to His Grace the Duke of Gumby. 1st November 1868 Humorous, I know, but even after death sentences were repealed for poaching, the Night Poaching Act of 1828 provisioned as a sentence transport to Tasmania. In any case, the "recent times" I was referring to is in contrast to when the Shire existed, which would be distant indeed.:D |
When you say "savage" what do you mean?
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What became of Farmer Maggot in the end? He was not involved in the Scouring of the Shire. |
Moonraker, why do you believe Maggot would be going around killing hobbits with his dogs? I didn't get the impression he meant, "I'll have my dogs tear strangers to pieces".
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It is clear to me from the scouring of the shire that the vilent death of hobbits in their own land was pretty much unheard of. Also that Magots dogs were not truly dangerous from Frodos words - alarm and deterrent not offensive weapons. To suggest that Buckland was some lawless violent and anarchic badland is ludicrous. Had Maggot been a danger to the community, no doubt the Master would have taken action but really this sort of extrapolation is the realm of speculative fan fic.
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As for the Nazgul- well, I know others have said this already, but he didn't know he was dealing with a Nazgul (or even what one was, presumably). |
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You have profoundly misjudged the Nazgul, and the entire discussion thus far certainly has an air of absurdity.
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The original thread was about Farmer Maggot and his dogs, and his right to defend his land in an appropriate fashion. The appearance of a Nazgul completely altered his stance and his guard, to the peril of all trespassers. |
This may be only semi-relevant, but in early drafts of FOTR Maggot was considered by Tolkien to be something of a kindred spirit of Tom Bombadil, and wasn't a true hobbit. Some of that may have survived in the way he dealt with the Ringwraith, having the sense that it was not a mere specimen of the "big people", as supposed by others in the Shire.
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I have taken the liberty of cleaning up the posts above. I suggest a friendlier tone going forward.
If you reach an impasse, just move on. There's plenty to talk about! |
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Maggot was in a foul and shaken mood after the encounter with the Nazgul (not too many of these have been seen in England), and he upped his security stance to the highest level when he said to Merry he nearly set his dogs on the trespassing Frodo and company. The Nazgul was seen as the last straw, as though Maggot had encountered many other trespassers before (Frodo was one of them, but some years go). It is not known whether the dogs would have been used to merely chase trespassers off from then on, if indeed that was all Maggot trained them for. If the trespasser presented any retaliation, then the guard dogs would of course attack without hesitation. Ultimately, I think Maggot would not have used his dogs to kill anyone or anything, not unless he could clearly see it was life vs death situation. The encounter with the Nazgul may have just made him extra paranoid and anxious, and angry almost to breaking point. He suspected the Nazgul would return, and was not far away. |
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I suspect the Shire was much the same. Everyone knew everyone's business, which nearly drove Bilbo mad once he began adventuring. Furthermore, a farm is a clear and obvious piece of property, and almost every bit is covered in his product - animals, crops, etc. In a way, when you walk onto his farm, you are walking into his warehouse - and just so happens his family lives there too. Any harmless passerby, even a hobbit that didn't know Maggot, would (should) have the courtesy to approach properly, right down a main path to the farmer's door. You did say 'without leave' - implying that he could grant leave. I don't think he meant to have no visitors whatsoever. He lived on the border, near scarier lands, so had every right to look out for himself. |
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