Why Entwives? Must trees be bound in matrimony?

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

What were Tolkien's reasons for their naming? It certainly seems evident from the Ent-lore in the trilogy that female Ents were independent, capable, individuals who were more than happy to do as they pleased without help from male Ents. So why the all the emphasis on matrimony in their name?

I may be going out on a limb, but I don't beleaf Tolkien was willing to bough to poplar concerns regarding the ent's family tree. But the roots of such naming conventions are not my branch of study.

[Mithadan]

Ohhhhh! The pain!

[Raynor]

What were Tolkien's reasons for their naming? It certainly seems evident from the Ent-lore in the trilogy that female Ents were independent, capable, individuals who were more than happy to do as they pleased without help from male Ents. So why the all the emphasis on matrimony in their name?

What if wife did indeed mean the spouse of the Ent? What if they were actually supposed to be in harmony with their husbands? Didn't this independent streak (or divisive if you will), plus desire to control and bend the environment develop the more they went East - towards Sauron? Corruption is in all matter, and it does manifest itself sooner or later - why wouldn't their behavior, and the fall of the Ent race as a result, be a sign of that?

[Galadriel55]

Maybe. I wouldn't say that their going toward Sauron matters very much, but because they've left the Ents are bound to die out.