|
Hobbits - The Hobbits, or Halflings, are a little folk, unknown to the most other nations. They dwell in their little land, the Shire, and live in peace and freedom. Some Hobbits also live in the near town called Bree, but the majority of them dwells in the Shire. The familynames of the Hobbits often have something to do with nature or daily live (such names as Butterbur!)
The Hobbits can't be compared to any nation.
Orcs - The Orcs are a race of evil creatures which provide the majority of the Dark Lord's army. The Orcs are an invention of Tolkien to have a great force of evil beings but no humans to confront the forces of good. Although there are also humans in the army of the Dark Lord, the Orcs are an essence of evil.
Orcs can be compared with the german soldiers, for the time Tolkien wrote his book was also the time of World War II. So there are many parallels between them.
Elves - Elves are the ultimate force of good. They are the eldest of all races and they live much times a human's life. Tolkien's Elves are the writers of history. In his former project, the Silmarillion, Tolkien wrote primary about the Elves and all other races came second. So the Elves are the absolute counter to the Orcs (actually the first Orcs have been tortured Elves in the hands of the Dark Lord).
An example for the Elves is not easy for there is nothing comparable. In some kind the Elves are a kind of Angels because often they have been sent with orders of the gods themselves. But the Elves in the Lord of the Rings have nothing to do with those Angel-Elves of the Silmarillion but have their own problems like humans.
Men, Rohirrim - The Rohirrim are horseman who love their horses above all. They dwell in the lands between Gondor and the grey mountains.
With the Rohirrim Tolkien has brought the typical british lifestily of the middle ages into his book. The Rohirrim are a folk of riders which can be compared the the Anglo-Saxons.
Men, Dunedain - The Dunedain are a folk of humans who lived on an island between Middle-Earth and the West. After betraying the gods they have been banned to Middle-Earth fully.
With the Dunedain Tolkien has linked up Humans with Elves. The Dunedain are a folk of long-living humans which found the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.
Ents - The Ents are an ancient people. They have the shape of trees and live in the woods to protect the trees. Actually the are the sheperds of the trees. Though they are a very strong folk, they avoid violance when they can.
The Ents are a pure invention of Tolkien. There is nothing compareable in daily life. The Ents are one of the peoples Tolkien used to make his world really fantastic!
Trolls - Trolls are, according to Tolkien, only a copy of the Ents by the Dark Lord. They represent the strongest parts of the evil army.
As the Ents, Trolls have no relation to reality and are pure fantasy.
Dwarfs - The Dwarfs represent an ancient folk of small people which mainly live in halls under the mountains (but not caves!) The Dwarfs are a race of good smithies and stoneworkers and they have gigantic palaces under the surface. They love stone, gems or gold - anything that takes shape under the hands of their craftsmen.
The Dwarfs are the third of the main peoples in Tolkiens world, beside the Elves and Humans. With this three peoples Tolkien tried to take our racial problems into his world, but with fantasy factors as we see.
|
