About dwarf women - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bêthberry · 05-28-2006, 08:12 AM

Hmmm. What might have inspired or prompted Tolkien to imagine or create bearded dwarven women?

Was he conceiving of some kind of sexual boundary shifting? Both the Ents and the Dwarves apparently as races 'die out' and both have female members who are somehow beyond the pale of female norms. The entwives are said to prefer too much control or power over the natural world. Dwarven women with their beards are indistinguishable from dwarven males and few in number.

And if this is the case, does the disappearance of the race suggest a comment on this boundary shifting?

Or is Tolkien merely drawing upon old legends to populate his race? Why did Terry Pratchett give his female dwarves beards--a nod to Tolkien? This appears to be a feature of fantasy.

What's with the cultural meaning of hair in Middle-earth?

See also Bearded Women in Wikipedia

05-28-2006, 08:12 AM	#14
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Hair, hair, hair, long beautiful hair, flow it show it long as God can grow it Hmmm. What might have inspired or prompted Tolkien to imagine or create bearded dwarven women? Was he conceiving of some kind of sexual boundary shifting? Both the Ents and the Dwarves apparently as races 'die out' and both have female members who are somehow beyond the pale of female norms. The entwives are said to prefer too much control or power over the natural world. Dwarven women with their beards are indistinguishable from dwarven males and few in number. And if this is the case, does the disappearance of the race suggest a comment on this boundary shifting? Or is Tolkien merely drawing upon old legends to populate his race? Why did Terry Pratchett give his female dwarves beards--a nod to Tolkien? This appears to be a feature of fantasy. What's with the cultural meaning of hair in Middle-earth? See also Bearded Women in Wikipedia __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.