No Married Persons - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bêthberry · 06-11-2013, 10:17 PM

Thinking back to the thread title, "No Married Persons", I think the question also needs to be asked, just how were folks in Middle-earth "married" if there were no churches, no religion, no priests/ministers?

We know the customs of the elves and what Tolkien says about elven marriage and sexual intercourse. But I can't think of any discussion of how hobbits set up domestic life together. What constituted "marriage" in Gondor and Numenor? Did the Rohirrim have wedding vows? Dwarves would seem to be a big blank.

Faramir uses the word 'wed' with Eowyn and we are told that Aragorn and Arwen are wed, but the precise nature of the ritual or ceremony is not shown, except that Elrond places their hands together. Faramir and Eowyn seem to have great mixing of hair.

It is simply a public declaration of their troth without formal ceremony? Is that what constitutes marriage in Middle-earth?

06-11-2013, 10:17 PM	#30
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Thinking back to the thread title, "No Married Persons", I think the question also needs to be asked, just how were folks in Middle-earth "married" if there were no churches, no religion, no priests/ministers? We know the customs of the elves and what Tolkien says about elven marriage and sexual intercourse. But I can't think of any discussion of how hobbits set up domestic life together. What constituted "marriage" in Gondor and Numenor? Did the Rohirrim have wedding vows? Dwarves would seem to be a big blank. Faramir uses the word 'wed' with Eowyn and we are told that Aragorn and Arwen are wed, but the precise nature of the ritual or ceremony is not shown, except that Elrond places their hands together. Faramir and Eowyn seem to have great mixing of hair. It is simply a public declaration of their troth without formal ceremony? Is that what constitutes marriage in Middle-earth? __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.