Could animals talk? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Eruanna · 03-18-2005, 01:52 PM

LotR was begun as a sequel to 'The Hobbit' and so the earlier parts, up until The Council of Elrond are similar in tone.
Talking animals, along with magical swords and wizards are staples of fairy stories and books from 'Alice in Wonderland' to the Narnia series include them.
To my mind, Tolkien's talking animals are different, they are not whimsical or 'cute'. Some of them align with good, some with evil but all of them, from Ungoliant to Gwaihir exist in Middle-earth by right. If the trees can talk then why not the animals?

03-18-2005, 01:52 PM	#8
Eruanna Memento Mori Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Past The Point Of No Return Posts: 1,117	LotR was begun as a sequel to 'The Hobbit' and so the earlier parts, up until The Council of Elrond are similar in tone. Talking animals, along with magical swords and wizards are staples of fairy stories and books from 'Alice in Wonderland' to the Narnia series include them. To my mind, Tolkien's talking animals are different, they are not whimsical or 'cute'. Some of them align with good, some with evil but all of them, from Ungoliant to Gwaihir exist in Middle-earth by right. If the trees can talk then why not the animals? __________________ "Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."