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This paragraph (and don't ask me why), but to me just sort of has a biblical tone.
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I know what you're talking about,
Boromir88. The term that I'm familiar with in this regard is
archaic. Tolkien, who took to language like great swimmers take to water, knew exactly what he was doing, as you probably well know. He was shooting for precisely that feel in that part of the story.
Archaic language is typically used in heroic verse. Whereas this is prose, it gives an account of a heroic battle. Tolkien is harking back to the Anglo-Saxon roots of his Rohirrim, to
Beowulf and other old Anglo-Saxon (Old English) works of literature. It's no surprise that the original writers of the King James Version also used this kind of language. In some regards, they were using heroic language in translating the stories of David and Moses, etc.. On the other hand, their "Shakespearian" English seems archaic to us; but of a different kind.
Have you ever read any ancient literature besides the Bible (KJV version for example)?
ivo, it's pretty clear to me that you bring a wealth of knowledge and insight to the boards. Welcome! Are you into, or knowledgeable of, Joseph Campbell?