A Most Unusual Dwarf - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 04-30-2005, 04:57 AM

Yes, you make a valid point that the tone of the two works is so different that comparisons of TH to LotR are tricky at best.

Still, there's another Dwarf worth consideration by way of comparison, which is Mîm, from the Sil. If anything, the tone of the Sil is even more dire than that of LotR, especially in the tale of Turin Turambar! What kind of character does Mîm turn out to have? It has been a long time since I read this, but just scanning based on the index in the short time I have right now (Sil pp. 202-206), Mîm was a traitor and a liar, and a coward. Granted, he grieved for his sons, and had cause for redress of wrongs, but he betrayed good men to orcs. Yes, he did it to save his life, but he still did it.

The Hobbit is loaded with references back to the legends in the Sil. So here we have a description of Dwarven character which I think applies to most Dwarves, whether in the Sil, TH, or LotR. Which is why Gimli stands out as unusual. So there's my defense of this definition. Any takers as to the original questions?

04-30-2005, 04:57 AM	#6
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	apples and oranges, but... Yes, you make a valid point that the tone of the two works is so different that comparisons of TH to LotR are tricky at best. Still, there's another Dwarf worth consideration by way of comparison, which is Mîm, from the Sil. If anything, the tone of the Sil is even more dire than that of LotR, especially in the tale of Turin Turambar! What kind of character does Mîm turn out to have? It has been a long time since I read this, but just scanning based on the index in the short time I have right now (Sil pp. 202-206), Mîm was a traitor and a liar, and a coward. Granted, he grieved for his sons, and had cause for redress of wrongs, but he betrayed good men to orcs. Yes, he did it to save his life, but he still did it. The Hobbit is loaded with references back to the legends in the Sil. So here we have a description of Dwarven character which I think applies to most Dwarves, whether in the Sil, TH, or LotR. Which is why Gimli stands out as unusual. So there's my defense of this definition. Any takers as to the original questions?