The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum


Visit The *EVEN NEWER* Barrow-Downs Photo Page

Go Back   The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum > Middle-Earth Discussions > The Books
User Name
Password
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-16-2001, 09:01 AM   #1
Dmitry
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Ring Maggot-folk of Mordor.

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Newly Deceased
Posts: 3
</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
Ladies and Gentlemen!

Tell me please what does mean the term &quot;maggot-folk of Mordor&quot; (in LotR)? How the English understand this term? Is &quot;maggot-folk&quot; suggest &quot;the folk like larvas of fly&quot; in the sense &quot;abhorrent folk&quot;? Or only &quot;strange folk&quot;, &quot;extravagance folk&quot;, &quot;obscure folk&quot;?

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,
Dmitry.

</p>
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2001, 09:24 AM   #2
Theodred21
Phantom Rider
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Edoras, Rohan
Posts: 1,213
Theodred21 has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Theodred21
Ring

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Phantom Rider
Posts: 1287
</TD><TD><img src=http://www.jrrtolkien.org.uk/Graphics/Buttons/flamme1.gif WIDTH=60 HEIGHT=60></TD></TR></TABLE>
Re: Maggot-folk of Mordor.

Obviously, it is used to compare the folk of Mordor to maggots, which most people aren't too fond of. In a way, it is saying that the folk of Mordor are scum, as are maggots.

<center><table><tr><th>[i][b]<font size="-2">http://pub39.ezboard.com/brohan73264Rohan</a></th><td></td></tr><table></p>
__________________
Rohan
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not whither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken:
The crownless again shall be king.


-The Riddle of Strider
Theodred21 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2001, 10:05 AM   #3
Inziladun
Gruesome Spectre
 
Inziladun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Heaven's doorstep
Posts: 8,058
Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.
Ring

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Shade of Carn Dûm
Posts: 272
</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
Re: Maggot-folk of Mordor.

Probably refers to their large numbers as well, comparable to crawling maggots.

</p>
__________________
Music alone proves the existence of God.
Inziladun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2001, 10:05 AM   #4
Sharkû
Hungry Ghoul
 
Sharkû's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,721
Sharkû has just left Hobbiton.
Ring

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hungry Ghoul
Posts: 1026
</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
Re: Maggot-folk of Mordor.

Knowing how Tolkien rarely used words without having considered them well, we can assume a deeper meaning behind the 'maggot-folk' as well.

What Théodred said may be one part, but also other associations spring to mind upon closer examination. For like maggots bury into the dead ground they are on, so did the orcs. The context of the quote is especially illustrious for that - the orcs have dug deep into the mountains surrounding the Black Gate, and delved tunnels beneath it, like maggots to a body. When they are stirred, they swarm out as one, pouring forth in large hives, as is observed by the host of the West in front of the Morannon later in the War.
For this similarity alone, the metaphor is striking already.

However, what may at first glance seem dubious is the way of the dwarves, who also dig tunnels and cave mountains. In Norse mythology even, one image of the creation of the World is that it evolved from the corpse of a fallen giant, and the maggots in it became the folk of the dwarves.
But Tolkien did not copy in any way, and this is why the the dwarves of his Middle-Earth are not maggots, like the dwarves of Midgard may have been derisively called.
Such aspects of the latter, as the turning into stone upon sunlight, and the maggot-aspect, have passed on to the side of evil, and are well justified within the cosmology of Tolkien.
As dwarves dug into the dead ground of Ymir, so do in Middle-Earth only orcs dwell upon dead ground, ground they have spoiled and bereft of all life and beauty before. This is of course not at all the way of the dwarves of Tolkien, who rather are (not least because of their creation and the order tied to it) guardians of the bones of the earth and its treasures (although not immune to corruption and fall, as all are). No orc would treat Aglarond like Gimli's men did, no maggot of Mordor could achieve a wonder like Khazad-Dûm.

No, the ways of the orcs are like that of maggots to the ground, despoiling, killing, thriving upon the decay of others.
I daresay what Tolkien meant may have not been far from this.



</p>
Sharkû is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2001, 10:49 AM   #5
onewhitetree
Seeker of Syntax
 
onewhitetree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: The Scene of the Crime
Posts: 273
onewhitetree has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to onewhitetree
Ring

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wight
Posts: 157
</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
Re:

<img src=sick.gif ALT=":x">

</p>
__________________
onewhitetree (also known as Kate)

Well, I'M BACK.
onewhitetree is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:54 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.