Common cold beyond the Ring? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

MatthewM · 02-02-2007, 11:15 AM

A long time ago I made a thread which asked why do you think Tolkien never mentioned anything about what we call the "common cold" on M-e, in specific with the journey of The Fellowship. The answers we gathered were

1) M-e air was clean and "colds" were non-existent there

2) Tolkien doesn't write about them going to the bathroom, so he isn't going to bother writing about a character having the sniffles.

Either way you look at it, I could imagine that some sort of physical weakness that resembles our "common cold" had to have been taken towards Frodo a little. There's no evidence for this, and maybe he didn't have anything like our cold, but this passage in The Stairs of Cirith-Ungol even gives me the shivers-

"The passage seemed to go on for miles, and always the chill air flowed over them, rising as they went on to a bitter wind."

The hobbits were already probably sweating bullets. I can't see how Frodo couldn't have, along with the burden and weakness he already felt from the Ring, had a little extra "cold". I pick Frodo because, in his already weakened state, it would be more feasible that he got the "cold" rather than Sam.

I'm sure both reasons 1 and 2 I mentioned are correct, and maybe I'm looking a little too deep here. Just thought it was worth a mention.

***Thenamir*** · 02-02-2007, 11:45 AM

I just have four words for you:

Quote:

"Thag you very buch."
-- Bilbo Baggins

Estelyn Telcontar · 02-02-2007, 02:59 PM

Good point, Thenamir! Interestingly, though Bilbo definitely has a cold after the barrel adventure:

Quote:

...he had... a shocking cold. For three days he sneezed and coughed, and he could not go out...

...the dwarves don't appear to have gotten colds. Would their hardiness mean they are resistent to virus-induced diseases?

Mithalwen · 02-02-2007, 03:03 PM

Weren't men of Numenorean extraction meant to be more disease resistant ? And dwarves were far too tough I guess.....

Bilbo may have been particularly prone since Gandalf brings him a supply of hankies when he catches him and the dwarves up having chased Bilbo out of the house.....

MatthewM · 02-02-2007, 04:07 PM

I would imagine certain races were more prone that others, I bet, like Mith said, Numernoreans would have a very good immunity.

I haven't yet read the Hobbit

so I didn't know Bilbo caught a cold. Thanks!

Raynor · 02-03-2007, 12:42 PM

Quote:

I bet, like Mith said, Numernoreans would have a very good immunity.

I agree:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akallabeth, Silmarillion

...they did not thus escape from the doom of death that Iluvatar had set upon all Mankind, and they were mortal still, though their years were long, and they knew no sickness, ere the shadow fell upon them.

02-02-2007, 11:15 AM	#1
MatthewM Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Posts: 628	Common cold beyond the Ring? A long time ago I made a thread which asked why do you think Tolkien never mentioned anything about what we call the "common cold" on M-e, in specific with the journey of The Fellowship. The answers we gathered were 1) M-e air was clean and "colds" were non-existent there 2) Tolkien doesn't write about them going to the bathroom, so he isn't going to bother writing about a character having the sniffles. Either way you look at it, I could imagine that some sort of physical weakness that resembles our "common cold" had to have been taken towards Frodo a little. There's no evidence for this, and maybe he didn't have anything like our cold, but this passage in The Stairs of Cirith-Ungol even gives me the shivers- "The passage seemed to go on for miles, and always the chill air flowed over them, rising as they went on to a bitter wind." The hobbits were already probably sweating bullets. I can't see how Frodo couldn't have, along with the burden and weakness he already felt from the Ring, had a little extra "cold". I pick Frodo because, in his already weakened state, it would be more feasible that he got the "cold" rather than Sam. I'm sure both reasons 1 and 2 I mentioned are correct, and maybe I'm looking a little too deep here. Just thought it was worth a mention. __________________ "Loud and clear it sounds in the valleys of the hills...and then let all the foes of Gondor flee!" -Boromir, The Fellowship of the Ring

02-02-2007, 03:03 PM	#4
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	Weren't men of Numenorean extraction meant to be more disease resistant ? And dwarves were far too tough I guess..... Bilbo may have been particularly prone since Gandalf brings him a supply of hankies when he catches him and the dwarves up having chased Bilbo out of the house..... __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

02-02-2007, 04:07 PM	#5
MatthewM Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Posts: 628	I would imagine certain races were more prone that others, I bet, like Mith said, Numernoreans would have a very good immunity. I haven't yet read the Hobbit so I didn't know Bilbo caught a cold. Thanks! __________________ "Loud and clear it sounds in the valleys of the hills...and then let all the foes of Gondor flee!" -Boromir, The Fellowship of the Ring