Forodwaith (people)

From Tolkien Gateway
This article is about the people. For the region also called "Forodwaith", see Northern Waste.

The Forodwaith were an almost unknown people of Men who dwelt in the far north of Middle-earth, apparently dating back to the Elder Days.

History[edit | edit source]

The Forodwaith were noted as being a hardy people, as indeed would be necessary living in the icy lands close to Morgoth's stronghold at Angband. The land they lived in was also called Forodwaith, after its inhabitants.

By the Third Age, little was left of the Forodwaith. Their last remnant were a people known as the Lossoth, who lived mostly on the great Cape of Forochel north-west of the Icebay of Forochel. However, the frozen north was still referred to as Forodwaith by the people of Middle-earth.[1]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Forodwaith means "People of the North" in Sindarin, from forod ("north") + gwaith ("people").[2]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In some drafts about Ælfwine, Tolkien uses the word Forodwaith to refer to the Vikings.[3]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entries "PHOR", "WEG"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "VI. The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales": "Ælfwine of England", p. 318