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How did Tolkien actually portray the Rohirrim? - Page 3

© Michael Martinez

On the other hand, as Iceland was colonized by farmers there is evidence that Rohan's people were also largely farmers. Agriculture and animal husbandry were thus both central to the lifestyles of the peoples of Iceland and Rohan. Of course, in the ancient world, agriculture and animal husbandry were central to the lifestyles of hundreds of tribes and small nations. There's nothing particularly Scandinavian or Germanic about Rohan's farms. One clear aspect of Icelandic culture missing from Rohan is religion. The only hint of religion among the Northmen of Middle-earth at all is that they had a name for Oromë, the Vala who was known as the Huntsman because he hunted the great beasts of Morgoth. The ancient Northmen called him Bema (this is a translated name, of course). The Rohirrim do not acknowledge the Valar or even Iluvatar. Iceland, on the other hand, started out as a pagan culture whose people worshipped the Norse gods. The Althing was led by thirty-nine priest-chieftains who also led worship throughout the land. They became priests when Christianity succeeded the Norse beliefs in Iceland. Religion was thus a major part of Icelandic culture whereas it simply didn't exist in Rohan. Religion was, in fact, an important aspect of life for all the Scandinavians and Germans. That is not to say Viking warriors piously sang the praises of Thor and Odin every hour, but they carried their gods with them to many lands. Even when they became Christians they carried their beliefs with them. The Eotheod are not said to have carried any beliefs or gods with them out of the North. And when Iceland was founded slavery was still a very large part of northern culture. Slavery in fact was a key factor in the colonization of the land, although it eventually died out. But the Rohirrim never practiced slavery, nor any of their predecessors or related groups of Northmen in Middle-earth. Slavery, when it is mentioned, occurs only among the fallen peoples of Middle-earth. There are, of course, numerous details of life and custom in the sagas which space here doesn't permit me to discuss fully. But the Rohirrim did not leave their lands and go adventuring as the Viking farmers were wont to do. Nor do Tolkien's Northmen seem to have fathers struggling to send troublesome sons away (the one possible exception being Thengel's departure from Rohan because of problems with his father -- but this was a highly unusual situation). Gondor did recruit many of the ancient Northmen to serve in its army, but there were also periods where Northmen simply migrated to Gondor altogether. Such examples are not unlike the gradual barbarization of the Roman army, or the resettlement of ancient Germans within the bounds of the Roman Empire.

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