Halfast Gamgee
| Halfast Gamgee | |
|---|---|
| Hobbit | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Other names | Hal |
| Location | Overhill |
| Birth | S.R. 1372 |
| Family | |
| Family | Gamgee Family |
| Parentage | Halfred of Overhill |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Gallery | Images of Halfast Gamgee |
Halfast "Hal" Gamgee was a Hobbit of the Shire.
History
Hal was the son of Halfred, an uncle of Samwise Gamgee.[1] He worked for Mr. Boffin in Overhill, and often went up in the Northfarthing to hunt.
He had the reputation for his wild stories of things he saw. He reportedly encountered a "Tree-man" while hunting beyond the North Moors.[2]
Etymology
The name likely comes from Old English hālfæst meaning "hale and firm".[3]
Inspiration
Assuming that Halfast's story is not a fanciful fabrication and indeed he saw something strange, fans have connected the "tree-man" to the Ents (or Entwives) that appear later in the story. However Tolkien specifically mentioned that he had not invented the Ents before the moment he reached the chapter Treebeard[4] and the "tree-man" reference was written before it.[5] It is unknown whether Tolkien himself consciously considered such a connection or if he revisited the matter subsequently.[6]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix C, "The Longfather-tree of Master Samwise"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Shadow of the Past"
- ↑ Jim Allan (1978), An Introduction to Elvish, "Giving of Names"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 231, (dated 4 October 1961)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Return of the Shadow, pp. 253-254
- ↑ WDBL, Paul Adams, Mark Gordon, "What became of the Entwives?", Tolkien FAQ (accessed 24 April 2024)
