As a devoted fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, I find the haunting mystery of the Dead Marshes to be one of the most intriguing aspects of his lore. Being a history buff and a military veteran myself, I can’t help but draw parallels between the horrors of World War I and Tolkien’s depiction of these marshes. The chilling description of the battle-scarred landscape in Northern France after the Battle of the Somme certainly leaves an indelible mark on one’s memory, and it’s fascinating to see such personal experiences reflected in Tolkien’s work.
In the movie “The Two Towers,” the now-domesticated Gollum guides Frodo and Sam on their final approach to Mordor, a trek which includes traversing a vast, swampy region known as the Dead Marshes. The eerie title of this area is fitting, as it mirrors the trio’s harrowing experience. During their journey, they notice fires burning in the distance and Sam catches sight of a ghostly pale white face submerged beneath the water. At one point, Gollum ominously states, “Everything here is dead, decayed. Elves, Men, Orcs, all fought a great battle long ago. This is the Dead Marshes, indeed.
As a gamer, I’d rephrase it like this: In my gaming world, Gollum cautions us Hobbits against chasing the glowing orbs. He warns us that if we’re not careful, we could end up joining the ranks of the deceased, and our own lights would be extinguished. That’s when a spooky specter emerges, reaching for poor Frodo as he plunges into the water. Just in the nick of time, Gollum rescues him, reminding us once more to stay away from those lights.
Even in a story filled with spirits, spells, angels, demons, and armies of dead ghosts, the Dead Marshes sequence stands out as particularly creepy. The entire sequence feels like a one-off horror show; it’s unexpected, it doesn’t really impact the story, and it’s soon left behind. So, what is it then? What are the Dead Marshes? Why are they haunted? J.R.R. Tolkien had a few things to say on the matter. Let’s investigate.
What Tolkien says about the Dead Marshes
In Tolkien’s novels, the Dead Marshes are further detailed. As our trio traverses this area under cover of darkness, Sam observes eerie lights akin to a faint glow that vanishes, resembling both dim smoke and flickering misty flames hovering above unseen candles; sometimes they seem like ghostly cloth billowing in the wind from unseen hands. Gollum labels them as corpse candles, urging caution against gazing at or pursuing them.
Frodo notices these corpses submerged in every pool, remarking, “They rest at the bottom of these dark waters, their pale faces sunk deep. I’ve seen them – grim, evil ones and noble, sorrowful ones. Many with proud, beautiful faces adorned by weeds, now decaying and lifeless. A sinister light emanates from each of them.
In this stage, Gollum elaborates on the battle depicted in the film. He describes tall warriors wielding long swords, screeching Orcs, and evil Elves who engaged in relentless combat for days and weeks in a specific region. This battle, known as the Battle of Dagorlad, bears resemblance to the Iliad from Greek mythology in its prolonged assault by the inhabitants of Middle-earth against Sauron’s fortress kingdom, Mordor. It is essential to note that this conflict is part of the same war that concludes with Isildur severing the One Ring from Sauron’s finger using his father’s sword. “The Silmarillion” provides a concise account of the epic battle of Dagorlad: “On that day, all living beings were separated, and creatures of every kind, including beasts and birds, were found on either side, except for Elves.
This battlefield is a prolonged and lethal event, causing numerous casualties. Afterwards, the swamp gradually advances, engulfing the fallen’s graves. The fact that it’s a swamp already makes the location perilous. However, it’s puzzling why this area is also rumored to be haunted. For example, during the Third Age, the remnants of an army that attacked Gondor retreat into this region and disappear without a trace. The question remains: what causes the haunting in this location?
So, why are the Dead Marshes haunted?
In Middle-earth’s storied past, numerous fierce battles took place, with the skirmishes on the Battle Plain of Dagorlad among the least deadly compared to many others. One might wonder then, why this specific location is haunted by spectral presences? Although Tolkien provides an explanation, it leaves some questions unanswered.
When Sam queries whether the deceased actually linger or if it’s something else causing the disturbance in the area, Gollum responds, “Who can say for sure? Sméagol doesn’t know… You cannot interact with them, you cannot feel them. We attempted once, yes, dear one, I tried once; but you cannot interact with them. All you can see are forms, possibly not to touch. No, dear one! They’re all gone.
In a letter penned in 1960, J.R.R. Tolkien traced the origin of the Dead Marshes back to two primary influences. He acknowledged being inspired by the works of 19th-century author and fantasy trailblazer William Morris. Furthermore, he hinted that some aspects of the Marshes’ description were derived from his own harrowing experiences during World War 1. In particular, Tolkien suggested that “The Dead Marshes and the paths leading to the Morannon bear a resemblance to Northern France following the Battle of the Somme,” as both locations shared similarities with the dreadful trench warfare of the Great War, particularly the water-filled craters that housed horrors such as chemical waste and decaying corpses.
In Peter Jackson’s portrayal of the Dead Marshes, he opted for a more intense, shock-inducing horror style that transfers well on screen. However, it’s important to remember that the perils of the marshes aren’t as immediately threatening in the books as they appear in the movie’s ghost assault scene. The horror in the Dead Marshes isn’t a sudden, jump-scare type where falling in means certain death. Instead, it’s a subtle, ever-present evil that haunts the mind. For example, when Frodo describes his experience, he sounds dreamy rather than alarmed. When Sam falls and nearly touches the surface, he sees the faces, but there’s no need for immediate rescue. Gollum simply warns, “You should not look in when the candles are lit.
The Dead Marshes could factor into upcoming Middle-earth projects
In the realm created by J.R.R. Tolkien, the Dead Marshes hold an eerie and unsettling presence. Shrouded in a history marred by violence and bloodshed, their spectral essence remains one of the enigmatic elements in his body of work. Furthermore, the Dead Marshes possess a captivating quality that makes them ripe for inclusion in various upcoming interpretations of Tolkien’s tales.
In other words, Amazon’s “The Rings of Power” series on Prime Video has planned out five seasons to depict the entire journey of Sauron during the Second Age, including his rise and fall. The final part of this story will culminate with the Last Alliance and the battle of Dagorlad, potentially revealing the formation of the Dead Marshes in its conclusion. The showrunners are also setting up these events in advance. Notably, Episode 3 of Season 2 hinted at these future events through a foreshadowing scene where Isildur (Maxim Baldry) discovered a deceased individual with a pale face submerged in a pool.
The upcoming “Hunt for Gollum” production by Warner Bros. might plausibly include the Marshes since that’s where Aragorn locates and apprehends Gollum during his search. Furthermore, their “War of the Rohirrim” anime project could potentially incorporate this eerie location as well, considering it may depict invasions from the east, which encompasses the Dead Marshes. The exact manner, timing, and motive for the haunted swamp’s appearance are still unknown, but it offers an intriguing opportunity to connect any adaptation back to the original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
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2024-09-14 04:00