Talk:Third Age 3018

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Latest comment: 16 March 2020 by Sage in topic Hunt of the Ring

Capture of Gollum[edit source]

According to Third Age 3017 Aragorn captured Gollum the previous year. Which article is wrong, or do we have an inconsistency here? Sage 22:40, 10 November 2016 (UTC)Reply[reply]

The Hunt for the Ring in the Unfinished Tales with the year 3018 is an older text than The Tale of Years (Appendix B of the LotR) with the year 3017. It seems that Tolkien changed the chronology. According to Hammond and Scull (see Reader's Companion, pp. 717-718) Tolkien probably thought that more time was needed between the capture of Gollum and the arrival of Gandalf in Hobbiton (12 April, 3018); H&S also suppose that Tolkien probably wanted to begin the section "Great Years" of The Tale of Years with a happening that is directly related to the story of The Lord of the Rings, that is, the arrival of Gandalf to Hobbiton in the spring of 3018. So, the earlier chronology (3017) should be considered the "latest word" of Tolkien. --Tik 17:52, 11 November 2016 (UTC)
Thank you Tik. I am taking the liberty to move these references to 3017; keeping the same dates, though. Sage 21:07, 11 November 2016 (UTC)Reply[reply]

Hunt of the Ring[edit source]

There is a discrepancy concerning the route of the Black Riders. In the original Tale of Years, Tolkien had the Riders pass the Isen on 18 Sept (presumably from Mordor to Shire). While writing the Hunt however, it seems that Tolkien retconned their route: as they were in Rohan, on 20 Sept they go directly to Isengard. Later, both the Hunt and the Tale convene, saying that the Riders reached Shire around 22. (Now it seems a bit too fast for me to go from Isengard to the Shire within 2 days; Tolkien's earlier plan of 18:Isen, 22:Shire is more realistic). Christopher's notes don't address this. Sage 21:48, 16 March 2020 (UTC)Reply[reply]

So perhaps we should move the reference to Isen downwards, with a note? Sage 22:25, 16 March 2020 (UTC)Reply[reply]
Agree. For reference, according to The Tale of Years, Gandalf passed the Isen on 24 September and was in the Shire on 29 September. And he, besides riding a superb horse, tarried not. --Tik 11:22, 17 March 2020 (UTC)