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Why? What About Rohan? |
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Ah, Rohan! The great green land of tall blond haired men and women! Sound like Sweden? Close.
The culture of Rohan was created by John Ronald Ruel Tolkien, the author of the Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. In them he incorporated his love of the Germanic countries in general, and the Anglo-Saxons in particular.
Rohan is differant from all of Tolkien's other works in that it is his least original creation - even the name "Rohan" (although coming from the elvish roch, horse, and kher- posses. The Sindarion Rochir-rim 'the host of the Horse-lords' is the closest root). Rohan is in actuality a real land, a dutchy (I think) in Brittany, France, and a name long bourn by that ancient and noble family. |
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The culture is purely Saxon and Anglo-Saxon in origin, even the language (Tolkien is most well-known for his invention of languages) is merely a revised form of A-S. Tolkien states in Letter 297, that "it follows that 'Anglo-Saxon' is not only a 'fertile field', but the sole field in which to look for the origin and meaning of words or names belonging to the speech of the Mark; and that A-S will not be the source of words and names in any other language". |
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But most people are not really interested in the phililogical position of the rohirric people in general, so I won't discuss it any more. The question most people ask us fanatics is "why". "Why can you recite the names of the Valar and the line of the kings of Numenor and neglect your __ (homework, job, etc, etc)???" Well, there really isn't much of a satisfactorial answer besides the fact that everyone needs a break from the modern world. Let us just say that Tolkien has produced somthing amazing in his works of fiction. Tolkien's books open up the world of sub-creation (or "fantasy") to the individual person, and stimulate one's imagination to greater things. Take me for instance. I read the Hobbit when I was 11, and imediately looked about for more to read. I found it, and now I have read most of the works by Tolkien. Tolkien's world is so immense, so complete, that I could immerse myself in it completely. I have studied the tounges of the Elves, and have had the world of languages (a world I had previously found revolting) opened up and explained to me. I have copied the many maps and, with the information avalible to me, have drawn up some of my own. The delights of cartography were opened up. My handwriting has improved in leaps and bounds. The art of Middle Earth triggered the creative juices of my brain, and my pen has turned to the world of drawing. Tolkien has given me a good base to start from, and I have applied my small skills to the real word with great energy. My love of the Rohirrim has made me look back into my own Danish roots, and I have discovered the amazing historical world of the ancient Germanic people - runes, art, literature, architecture, and the like.
Well, that is but my own story. |
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The most amazing thing I have discovered is how people with seldom in common can come together over such a thing as a fictional novel. The Tolkien Fans are a larger and stronger group than even Star Wars fans! My sister was asked if I was the lad at school who "wrote his notes in elvish". My math teacher and I discovered a common bond not only in our taste in neckties, but in runes! I once shocked a girl with whom I was but a little acquainted when I asked "Ma quetelye Quenya?" (do you speak Quenya?) Startled, she replied "Na, quetin Quenya" (yes, I speak Quenya).
It's rather an odd assortment of Tolkien fans out there. But, well, so are American football fans. I mean, at least we don't paint our bodies and yell! |
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