Dead Marshes

From Tolkien Gateway
The name Dead Marshes refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Dead Marshes (disambiguation).
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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:

The Dead Marshes are depicted in this film.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

The Dead Marshes are depicted in this video game with player travelling there.

2022: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:

23 September: Partings:
The Harfoot community, followed by the Brandyfoot family, Poppy Proudfellow, and The Stranger, cross through the Grey Marshes during their migration east to the Grove. In the scene, the Harfoots and the Stranger attempt to push their carts out of a pool of water. On the map within the episode, the Grey Marshes are depicted at the location where the Dead Marshes would be.

See also[edit | edit source]

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