Dunedain policy vis-a-vis hobbits: wise or flawed? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

rutslegolas · 08-24-2004, 08:02 AM

yes indeed,at the prancing pony aragorn thought of hobbits as lazy and foolish creatures ,but after the war of the ring i suppose he changed his opinion and then passed the law that men should not enter the shire.

Encaitare · 08-24-2004, 11:45 AM

We know that hobbits, like Ents in a way, can be "roused" from their calm little rut in life to take serious action when necessary. After the War, they could have defended their country again if the situation called for it.

I always thought that Aragorn's law regarding Men in the Shire was a nice way to preserve the hobbits' way of life, but not entirely necessary. For a culture to expand and grow, it cannot be isolated from a vast and vivid world; it must be opened to it. As for the Dunedain, it would have been wiser for them to have clued the hobbits in about growing dangers, but they probably would not have been received well by most of the hobbits. Also, even the residents of Bree are unaware of the Dunedain's actions to protect them, so they were kept in the dark as well.

Tuor of Gondolin · 08-24-2004, 01:48 PM

And a complicating factor in any isolationist policy regarding hobbits is the use of
the road through the Shire by dwarves (and elves). Short of putting in a bypass
north there would still be significant contact, especially for hobbits going to Bree, and a growing mannish population north of the hobbits could lead to resentment
about not being allowed to pass through the Shire. So wouldn't the ban have to be logically extended to dwarves? But then, if Aragorn recalled family history he'd know that dwarves can get rather testy and might not care to add distance to
their journeys by having to detour in their travels, going north or south of the
Shire to travel on the East-West road. Did dwarves stop at the Green Dragon?
One would presume so. (I can lick any four hobbits in this room, hick!)

Also, there was an ongoing hobbit relationship with the wider world, Merry and
Pippin going back and forth to Gondor, one of Sam's daughters being a lady-
in-waiting, and, presumably, hobbit reading of the Red Book sparking a
continued interest in the wider world. How about travel tours to Erebor,
Fangorn, Parth Galen, and the Pelennor Fields?

08-24-2004, 08:02 AM	#1
rutslegolas Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In Elven Lands of India Posts: 533	yes indeed,at the prancing pony aragorn thought of hobbits as lazy and foolish creatures ,but after the war of the ring i suppose he changed his opinion and then passed the law that men should not enter the shire. __________________ If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with the bull - The Phantom.

08-24-2004, 01:48 PM	#3
Tuor of Gondolin Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Pennsylvania, WtR, passed Sarn Gebir: Above the rapids (1239 miles) BtR, passed Black Rider Stopping Place (31 miles) Posts: 1,548	And a complicating factor in any isolationist policy regarding hobbits is the use of the road through the Shire by dwarves (and elves). Short of putting in a bypass north there would still be significant contact, especially for hobbits going to Bree, and a growing mannish population north of the hobbits could lead to resentment about not being allowed to pass through the Shire. So wouldn't the ban have to be logically extended to dwarves? But then, if Aragorn recalled family history he'd know that dwarves can get rather testy and might not care to add distance to their journeys by having to detour in their travels, going north or south of the Shire to travel on the East-West road. Did dwarves stop at the Green Dragon? One would presume so. (I can lick any four hobbits in this room, hick!) Also, there was an ongoing hobbit relationship with the wider world, Merry and Pippin going back and forth to Gondor, one of Sam's daughters being a lady- in-waiting, and, presumably, hobbit reading of the Red Book sparking a continued interest in the wider world. How about travel tours to Erebor, Fangorn, Parth Galen, and the Pelennor Fields? __________________ Aure Entuluva! Last edited by Tuor of Gondolin; 08-24-2004 at 01:55 PM.

08-24-2004, 11:45 AM	#2
Encaitare Bittersweet Symphony Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: On the jolly starship Enterprise Posts: 1,814	We know that hobbits, like Ents in a way, can be "roused" from their calm little rut in life to take serious action when necessary. After the War, they could have defended their country again if the situation called for it. I always thought that Aragorn's law regarding Men in the Shire was a nice way to preserve the hobbits' way of life, but not entirely necessary. For a culture to expand and grow, it cannot be isolated from a vast and vivid world; it must be opened to it. As for the Dunedain, it would have been wiser for them to have clued the hobbits in about growing dangers, but they probably would not have been received well by most of the hobbits. Also, even the residents of Bree are unaware of the Dunedain's actions to protect them, so they were kept in the dark as well.