[Knight of Gondor]

We all know that there is a great deal that attracts us to the books (and movies) that has to do with the medieval, romantic ideas of chivalry and knighthood. Middle-Earth is perfectly ideal with its lovely scenery, epic occurrences, and spectacular characters. It makes us want to go there.

But it just kind of came to me last night, and I was thinking about it. There’s a lot of humdrum and ordinary life that goes on behind the scenes, isn’t there?

For instance. The Elves that meet Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin in the forest. They’re traveling along towards the Grey Havens. They’re a rather large group. What happens when one of them has to step off and relieve himself? A Ranger’s life looks pretty cool, but if you think about it, it’d be often enough that a Ranger would have to dig a hole himself! Doesn’t Shadowfax have to stop every once in a while on the race to Gondor?

How about the Rohirrim? Karl Urban discussed how difficult it was to ask to use the bathroom when he was in his riding armor; wonder if it was the same in Middle-Earth?
What about Théoden? Crotchety old fellow could hardly get up, let alone hobble to a toilet. And I hardly think some of my Knight friends in Gondor can easily remove their armor for a quick jog to the men’s room.

Another question one that occurs is the ideas of trade and society. Hobbits are very carefree, but where do they get the money to buy houses, tobacco, ale, food? Bilbo had his riches, but this must mean that the rest of the hobbits had to do some sort of work. Sure, there’s tending fields, bars, and mills, but is that it?

Same with Gondor. What happens there? Do they have money? Do they buy things, or have a trade system?

There’s also the question of the Elves. Do Elves butcher meat? They eat it, obviously, but it just doesn’t sound like an elf to kill an animal and cut it up. And what do they burn for fires? Don’t they love nature, and not wish to harm the trees?

You may mistake me as a mother-earth kind of sniveling greenie nerd. Far from it. As one somewhat popular country song says, “These are just a few questions I had.”