Dead Marshes: Difference between revisions

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{{location infobox
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Through the Marshes.jpg|thumb|250px|''Through the Marshes'' by [[Ted Nasmith]].]]
| name=Dead Marshes
The '''Dead Marshes''' were the swamped remains of part of the [[Battle of Dagorlad]].
| image=[[File:Alan Lee - The Passage of the Marshes.jpg|250px]]
| caption="The Passage of the Marshes" by [[Alan Lee]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=North-west of the [[Dagorlad]] and south-east of the [[Emyn Muil]]
| type=Wetlands
| description=Network of pools creating marshes, filled with dead faces
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Dead faces]]
| created={{SA|3434}}, [[Battle of Dagorlad]]
| destroyed=
| events=
| gallery=the Dead Marshes
}}
<center>{{quote|They lie in all the pools, pale faces, deep deep under the dark water. I saw them: grim faces and evil, and noble faces and sad. Many faces proud and fair, and weeds in their silver hair. But all foul, all rotting, all dead. A fell light is in them.|[[Frodo]] in ''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Passage of the Marshes]]"}}</center>
The '''Dead Marshes''' were reeking wetlands that lay north-west of the [[Dagorlad]] and south-east of the [[Emyn Muil]].  The marshes were an endless network of pools and soft mires filled with water-courses, and in the dark waters could be seen [[Dead faces|the dead]] from battles of long ago.<ref name="Passage">{{TT|IV2}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
The [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men|last alliance]] fought the forces of Mordor and it was here that many of the fallen had laid to restThrough the years, the battlefield became marshes and swallowed up the dead. [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]], and [[Gollum]] took a passage through "The Dead Marshes".  Candles and lights danced about and Frodo was mesmerized by the lights and tried to reach out and touch the faces of the dead, at the bottom of the marshes. Gollum told them that the dead could not be touched, suggesting that he had once tried to eat them.
[[File:John Howe - The Battle of Dagorlad.jpg|thumb|left|''The Battle of Dagorlad'' by [[John Howe]]]]
In the year {{SA|3434}} the host of the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]] fought the forces of [[Mordor]] in the [[Battle of Dagorlad]].<ref>{{App|SA}}</ref>  During the battle on the plains more than half of the Elves of [[Lothlórien]] under the command of King [[Malgalad]] were driven into the Dead Marshes.<ref>{{UT|6b}}</ref>  After the battle many of the slain were buried outside of the marshy area but over time (in the [[Third Age]]) the Marshes had grown and swallowed the graves.<ref name="Passage"/>
 
In {{TA|1944}} King [[Ondoher]] of [[Gondor]] was caught by a surprise attack by the [[Wainriders]] upon the Dagorlad.  When the King and his guard were destroyed many of the confused soldiers of Gondor were driven by the attackers into the Dead Marshes.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, (i) ''The Northmen and the Wainriders''</ref> However, after [[Eärnil II]] won the [[Battle of the Camp]], those of the [[Wainriders]] who were not slain in the fight were themselves driven into the Dead Marshes and there perished.<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref>
 
In {{TA|3017}} [[Aragorn]] found and captured [[Gollum]] along the skirts of the Dead Marshes<ref>{{FR|II2}}</ref> and brought him to [[Mirkwood]].
[[File:Inger Edelfeldt - The Dead Marshes.jpg|thumb|''The Dead Marshes'' by [[Inger Edelfeldt]]]]
After [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] had met Gollum in the [[Emyn Muil]] (on [[29 February]] {{TA|3019|n}}<ref name="Great"/>), he revealed that he had found a hidden way across the Marshes.<ref>{{TT|IV1}}</ref>  The three took Gollum’s passage and on [[1 March]]<ref name="Great">{{App|Great}}</ref> started crossing the Marshes, where they saw candles and lights dancing aboutFrodo was mesmerized by the lights and tried to reach out and touch the faces of the dead, at the bottom of the marshes. Gollum told them that the dead could not be touched, suggesting that he had once tried to eat them.<ref name="Passage"/> They completed the passage [[March 2|the next day]] and continued their way to the [[Morannon]].<ref name="Great"/>


==Inspiration==
==Inspiration==
In ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', Tolkien speculated that the description of the Dead Marshes may have been based on his personal experience in [[World War I]], specifically, the [[Battle of the Somme]]. When it rained, blast craters in no-man's land would become a series of pools or lakes with bodies of dead soldiers, from both sides, floating in them.
In ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', Tolkien speculated that the description of the Dead Marshes may have been based on his personal experience in [[World War I]], specifically, the [[Battle of the Somme]].<ref>{{L|226}}</ref> When it rained, blast craters in no-man's land would become a series of pools or lakes with bodies of dead soldiers, from both sides, floating in them.


[[Category:Swamps]]
==See also==
*[[Dead faces]]
 
{{references}}
{{FellowshipRoute}}
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Rhovanion]]
[[Category:Rhovanion]]
[[Category:Swamps]]
[[de:Totensümpfe]]
[[de:Totensümpfe]]
[[fi:Kalmansuot]]
[[fi:Kalmansuot]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/regions/rhovanion/marais_des_morts]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/regions/rhovanion/marais_des_morts]]

Revision as of 12:44, 29 August 2021

Dead Marshes
Wetlands
Alan Lee - The Passage of the Marshes.jpg
"The Passage of the Marshes" by Alan Lee
General Information
LocationNorth-west of the Dagorlad and south-east of the Emyn Muil
TypeWetlands
DescriptionNetwork of pools creating marshes, filled with dead faces
People and History
InhabitantsDead faces
CreatedS.A. 3434, Battle of Dagorlad
GalleryImages of the Dead Marshes
"They lie in all the pools, pale faces, deep deep under the dark water. I saw them: grim faces and evil, and noble faces and sad. Many faces proud and fair, and weeds in their silver hair. But all foul, all rotting, all dead. A fell light is in them."
Frodo in The Two Towers, "The Passage of the Marshes"

The Dead Marshes were reeking wetlands that lay north-west of the Dagorlad and south-east of the Emyn Muil. The marshes were an endless network of pools and soft mires filled with water-courses, and in the dark waters could be seen the dead from battles of long ago.[1]

History

The Battle of Dagorlad by John Howe

In the year S.A. 3434 the host of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men fought the forces of Mordor in the Battle of Dagorlad.[2] During the battle on the plains more than half of the Elves of Lothlórien under the command of King Malgalad were driven into the Dead Marshes.[3] After the battle many of the slain were buried outside of the marshy area but over time (in the Third Age) the Marshes had grown and swallowed the graves.[1]

In T.A. 1944 King Ondoher of Gondor was caught by a surprise attack by the Wainriders upon the Dagorlad. When the King and his guard were destroyed many of the confused soldiers of Gondor were driven by the attackers into the Dead Marshes.[4] However, after Eärnil II won the Battle of the Camp, those of the Wainriders who were not slain in the fight were themselves driven into the Dead Marshes and there perished.[5]

In T.A. 3017 Aragorn found and captured Gollum along the skirts of the Dead Marshes[6] and brought him to Mirkwood.

The Dead Marshes by Inger Edelfeldt

After Frodo and Sam had met Gollum in the Emyn Muil (on 29 February 3019[7]), he revealed that he had found a hidden way across the Marshes.[8] The three took Gollum’s passage and on 1 March[7] started crossing the Marshes, where they saw candles and lights dancing about. Frodo was mesmerized by the lights and tried to reach out and touch the faces of the dead, at the bottom of the marshes. Gollum told them that the dead could not be touched, suggesting that he had once tried to eat them.[1] They completed the passage the next day and continued their way to the Morannon.[7]

Inspiration

In The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Tolkien speculated that the description of the Dead Marshes may have been based on his personal experience in World War I, specifically, the Battle of the Somme.[9] When it rained, blast craters in no-man's land would become a series of pools or lakes with bodies of dead soldiers, from both sides, floating in them.

See also

References

Route of the Fellowship of the Ring
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Rohan · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Dunharrow · Paths of the Dead · Gondor · Hill of Erech · Lamedon · Linhir · Lebennin · Pelargir · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Boromir
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen
Frodo and Sam
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Dead Marshes · Black Gate · Ithilien · Henneth Annûn · Cross-roads · Morgul Vale · Stairs of Cirith Ungol · Cirith Ungol · Shelob's Lair · Tower of Cirith Ungol · Mordor · Morgai · Plateau of Gorgoroth · Mount Doom · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Gandalf
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Celebdil† · Lothlórien · Fangorn Forest · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Merry
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Hornburg · Dunharrow · Drúadan Forest · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Pippin
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Amon Hen · Parth Galen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Gondor · Cair Andros · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard