Enemies - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 03-04-2007, 03:55 AM

I think things may have got confused - which can happen when one is taking part in a three handed conversation. I was focussing on the Dunlendings, Lal was focussing on the Woses, & I think you were fighting a battle on two sides.

That said, I don't see that the Dunlendings were a 'civilised' culture - it seems to me that they were living a very basic existence, & Eomer's confounding them (or even just their war cries) with animals does not speak to their being an enemy on the cultural or technological level of the Rohirrim. Hence it would seem that either they were originally a 'higher culture' which had descended into barbarism, or they never attained the level of civilisation even of the Rohirrim .

I think that what we know of the Dunlendigs & their history leads towards the latter assumption.

And, again, I'm not sure this is going anywhere. I think there is an interesting debate to be had on the wider question of the way enemies are depicted & percieved in M-e, but the focus here has become too narrow & is not shedding much light on the original topic, so perhaps we both need to leave this particular issue where it is & look at the wider question?

03-04-2007, 03:55 AM	#32
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	I think things may have got confused - which can happen when one is taking part in a three handed conversation. I was focussing on the Dunlendings, Lal was focussing on the Woses, & I think you were fighting a battle on two sides. That said, I don't see that the Dunlendings were a 'civilised' culture - it seems to me that they were living a very basic existence, & Eomer's confounding them (or even just their war cries) with animals does not speak to their being an enemy on the cultural or technological level of the Rohirrim. Hence it would seem that either they were originally a 'higher culture' which had descended into barbarism, or they never attained the level of civilisation even of the Rohirrim . I think that what we know of the Dunlendigs & their history leads towards the latter assumption. And, again, I'm not sure this is going anywhere. I think there is an interesting debate to be had on the wider question of the way enemies are depicted & percieved in M-e, but the focus here has become too narrow & is not shedding much light on the original topic, so perhaps we both need to leave this particular issue where it is & look at the wider question? __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."