Abby Epplett, Historian

Universally disliked by the Free People of Middle-earth, Orcs seemed to exist only to kill and destroy, and yet these people presented a moral dilemma: if orcs were truly evil and not human, they deserved death; however, if they showed an understanding of good and evil, even if they repeatedly did wrong, then targeting them was a race-based genocide. Tolkien was uncomfortable with the concept of his heroes being racist towards their enemies, yet the heroes were frequently racist towards each other, so this was not what set apart their treatment of orcs. The key difference was that orcs could be killed without repercussions. While Elves participated in kinslayings, Dwarves and Elves fought each other, and Men joked about hunting Hobbits, these actions were eventually seen as reprehensible, while the mass killing of orcs was viewed as acceptable, even a game.

On the same day I visited Norton Historical Society and made a few quick history stops in Norton , I stopped at Old Bridgewater Historical Society (OBHS) . This organization was founded in 1894 to keep track of the history for what is now four towns: Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, and Brockton, which was formerly called North Bridgewater.

Few towns have been as thoroughly shaped by a single woman than Norton, MA by Eliza Baylies Chapin Wheaton . Born in Northbridge, MA in 1809 and educated at Uxbridge Academy, in Uxbridge, MA , and later at Young Ladies’ High School of Boston, Mrs. Wheaton married a judge, Laban Morey Wheaton , when she was nineteen, and he was thirty-one. Clearly not cowed by the age gap, Mrs. Wheaton kept Mr. Wheaton — as she insisted he be called — in line while running the house, creating a women’s seminary, and donating buildings to the town. Her thumbprint is still found throughout Norton.

Appendix B contained a long and detailed timeline clarifying dates and locations related to characters found in the dialogue portion of the book and Appendix A, explaining relationships between characters, and describing the fates of characters, especially members of the Fellowship. Like in the real-world, all characters died on Middle-earth or passed over the Sea — a metaphor for death — bringing closure to the story in a way rarely seen in modern fiction but common in religious texts, mythologies, and history books.

Several weeks ago, I visited Norton Historical Society in Norton, MA. Located down the street from my undergraduate alma mater, Wheaton College, this historic school and barn features many artifacts from the town and surrounding area. A tour guide and a scavenger hunt assisted me in finding unique items stashed in the space.

Finishing up my three-day trip to the Mystic / Lyme area of Connecticut, I made a few quick history stops along the way, including a nature preserve, a state park with a railroad bridge, and a historic farmstead.

At long last, I present my character design prototypes for everyone’s favorite grumpy four-foot-tall mining engineers, the Dwarves. Other people groups described in the text as having dwarf-like traits previously appeared in this series: the Harfoot Hobbits once dwelled among the dwarves, and the Drúedain Men have a similar height and accent. The Men of Near Harad may also have been similar in appearance, as I have depicted them. However, the text did not explain if these groups shared a common ancestor.