Physiques

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by skytree

Other than Forlong the Fat, it seems there were no plus size or large physique people in Middle Earth. Aragorn and Boromir were large, powerful men but neither were described as any more than what could be perceived as athletically built. Elf or Man, no one seemed to be described as massive, enormous, huge and its surprising since there were so many warriors in his work. Such men aren't common but they exist in significant numbers in our own world and would naturally seem to be drawn to a martial life.

Partly I think different terms mean different things to different people. I mean I take athletically built as built like an athlete and in that rather depends on the discipline. A javelin thrower is going to be tall and powerful whereas a (middle) distance runner is going to be of a much slighter build and possibly only of medium height. So I would imagine Boromir described as both tall and strong to be rather larger that what I would think of as athletically built.. more like a Rugby player than a soccer player - but fit-weight not fat weight. Top rugby players can go up to 6"10 and 19 1/2 stone (273 lbs).

In UT it says how the Numenoreans had little cavalry because they had few horses that could bear men of their stature, certainly in armour.

So if you mean large as large (as in an oak tree is large compared to a birch)rather than as a gentler alternative to fat then I think there are people of large physiques other than exceptional characters such as Beorn. I do think there are few fat people (Barliman Butturbur is described so rather scornfully by Aragorn) because most of the characters are highly active and warriors in a time where food was not so freely available - either they are travelling and carrying there own rations or there may be rationing in force as seems to be the case in Minas Tirith when Pippin arrives. That kind of situation helps to keep the weight down even of those who are not naturally lean,