The significance of the destruction of the Ring - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Birdland · 05-21-2002, 09:43 PM

Interesting discussion, Mithadan. Does anyone appreciate the tragic irony that the Halflings are included in the family of "Men" and are the chosen race to bring about the downfall of Sauron. Yet Tolkien strongly implies that the "half-men" of the Third Age have diminished and existed only in the hidden fringes of the present world?

I always supposed that after the death of Aragorn, the promises, treaties, and rights granted to the Hobbits gradually were forgotten or rationalized away as "true men" expanded their dominion throughout Middle Earth. (there are many precedencies for this theory, you'll agree.)

So in a way; the "Dominion of Man" meant the fading of the Halflings, too. Except they had no mythical land to the West to retreat to.

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05-21-2002, 09:43 PM	#7
Birdland Ghastly Neekerbreeker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the banks of the mighty Scioto Posts: 1,751	Interesting discussion, Mithadan. Does anyone appreciate the tragic irony that the Halflings are included in the family of "Men" and are the chosen race to bring about the downfall of Sauron. Yet Tolkien strongly implies that the "half-men" of the Third Age have diminished and existed only in the hidden fringes of the present world? I always supposed that after the death of Aragorn, the promises, treaties, and rights granted to the Hobbits gradually were forgotten or rationalized away as "true men" expanded their dominion throughout Middle Earth. (there are many precedencies for this theory, you'll agree.) So in a way; the "Dominion of Man" meant the fading of the Halflings, too. Except they had no mythical land to the West to retreat to.