The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Barrow-Wights

Man-of-the-Wold · 01-20-2002, 07:29 AM

The point about the chief of the Nazgul's tarrying in the Barrow-downs, emphasizes a point about the Barrow-wights that is implied in the The Fellowship of the Ring: They are junior-league versions of the Nazgul.

Between the Necromancer's and the Witch-King's power, they took men of Carn Dum (the Evil Hill Men of Rhudaur or others) who they had corrupted, and gave them something that turned them eventually into the haunting, life-lusting spirits that inhabited and terrorized the barrows, which were originally the graves of noble, clean men of the First and Third ages. But the aura of these graves, cursed by the power of Angmar it what sustains the wights.

The wights were sent from Angmar, as one more way to infest Eriador.

If you doubt the power of the Witch-King to do this, think of the Morgul-knife. It's part of a theme in Book I.

The Barrow-wights were of course no where near as capable, nor as mobile, as the Nazgul. But the Nazgul were originally much greater men to be sure, and they were ruined by no less then a great Ring of Power, while Sauron would not have gone to such trouble for the sake of various spooks, even if he knew anymore how to make rings like the Nine.

The Barrow-wights could not have been hobbits, because then the Witch-King would have been familiar with them, whereas he is not, even though he was involved in Eriador for centuries.

Orc spirits! If that were an Orc-like arm that Frodo slashed then I think that would have been noted.

I don't feel it would have been possibl to have made an Elf evil enough to become a wight, even if their spirit could be so enslaved.

The wights are NOT like the Dead Men of Dunharrow, who are simply human spirits trapped for longer than they should by the power of their oath to Isildur, who was no slouch.

No, the wights are like the Nazgul. Their inner spirit had been totally destroyed and voided by the corrupting power. They thus become phantoms lurking in "the Unseen" world. Because the wights are maintained by the spell that Angmar put on the Barrow, the opening of it and the exposing of its treasure breaks the spell. This destroys them much as the Witch-King was unraveled by Merry and Eowyn. At that point they simply vanish into the void.

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"For he seemed to think that the Riders and the Barrow-wights had some kind of kinship and undestanding" [HoME, VI, VII]

[ January 20, 2002: Message edited by: Man-of-the-Wold ]

01-20-2002, 07:29 AM	#24
Man-of-the-Wold Wight Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: With Tux, dread poodle of Pinnath Galin Posts: 239	The point about the chief of the Nazgul's tarrying in the Barrow-downs, emphasizes a point about the Barrow-wights that is implied in the The Fellowship of the Ring: They are junior-league versions of the Nazgul. Between the Necromancer's and the Witch-King's power, they took men of Carn Dum (the Evil Hill Men of Rhudaur or others) who they had corrupted, and gave them something that turned them eventually into the haunting, life-lusting spirits that inhabited and terrorized the barrows, which were originally the graves of noble, clean men of the First and Third ages. But the aura of these graves, cursed by the power of Angmar it what sustains the wights. The wights were sent from Angmar, as one more way to infest Eriador. If you doubt the power of the Witch-King to do this, think of the Morgul-knife. It's part of a theme in Book I. The Barrow-wights were of course no where near as capable, nor as mobile, as the Nazgul. But the Nazgul were originally much greater men to be sure, and they were ruined by no less then a great Ring of Power, while Sauron would not have gone to such trouble for the sake of various spooks, even if he knew anymore how to make rings like the Nine. The Barrow-wights could not have been hobbits, because then the Witch-King would have been familiar with them, whereas he is not, even though he was involved in Eriador for centuries. Orc spirits! If that were an Orc-like arm that Frodo slashed then I think that would have been noted. I don't feel it would have been possibl to have made an Elf evil enough to become a wight, even if their spirit could be so enslaved. The wights are NOT like the Dead Men of Dunharrow, who are simply human spirits trapped for longer than they should by the power of their oath to Isildur, who was no slouch. No, the wights are like the Nazgul. Their inner spirit had been totally destroyed and voided by the corrupting power. They thus become phantoms lurking in "the Unseen" world. Because the wights are maintained by the spell that Angmar put on the Barrow, the opening of it and the exposing of its treasure breaks the spell. This destroys them much as the Witch-King was unraveled by Merry and Eowyn. At that point they simply vanish into the void. *************** "For he seemed to think that the Riders and the Barrow-wights had some kind of kinship and undestanding" [HoME, VI, VII] [ January 20, 2002: Message edited by: Man-of-the-Wold ] __________________ The hoes unrecked in the fields were flung, __ and fallen ladders in the long grass lay __ of the lush orchards; every tree there turned __ its tangled head and eyed them secretly, __ and the ears listened of the nodding grasses; __ though noontide glowed on land and leaf, __ their limbs were chilled.