#haradrim

I dislike the use of ‘political’ in such a context; it seems to me false. It seems clear to me that Frodo’s duty was 'humane’ not political. He naturally thought first of the Shire, since his roots were there, but the quest had as its object not the preserving of this or that polity, such as the half republic half aristocracy of the Shire, but the liberation from an evil tyranny of all the 'humane’*–including those, such as 'easterlings’ and Haradrim, that were still servants of the tyranny.

Denethorwas tainted with mere politics: hence his failure, and his mistrust of Faramir. It had become for him a prime motive to preserve the polity of Gondor, as it was, against another potentate, who had made himself stronger and was to be feared and opposed for that reason rather than because he was ruthless and wicked. Denethor despised lesser men, and one may be sure did not distinguish between orcs and the allies of Mordor. If he had survived as victor, even without use of the Ring, he would have taken a long stride towards becoming himself a tyrant, and the terms and treatment he accorded to the deluded peoples of east and south would have been cruel and vengeful. He had become a 'political’ leader: sc. Gondor against the rest.

But that was not the policy or duty set out by the Council of Elrond. Only after hearing the debate and realizing the nature of the quest did Frodo accept the burden of his mission. Indeed the Elves destroyed their own polity in pursuit of a 'humane’ duty. This did not happen merely as an unfortunate damage of War; it was known by them to be an inevitable result of victory, which could in no way be advantageous to Elves. Elrond cannot be said to have a political duty or purpose.

* humane: this (being in a fairy-story) includes of course Elves, and indeed all 'speaking creatures’.

–J.R.R Tolkien, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, #183 

endillos:

artmirka:

My very first attempt to portray a noble young man from Harad.

[ID: two drawings of a Haradrim. he’s a man with light brown skin wearing a red and black robe with golden embroidery and a turban in the same colours. In the first image he wears a half-veil of golden plates, in the other his face is bare, showing red tatoos (otherwise both images are the same). The text on both pictures reads “The enemy? His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem” End ID]

artmirka:

“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.”

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[Faithful]Haradrim Eru worshipper.

Blue Wizards coped with their task, I believe.

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I gave up the idea of writing the whole story of what I tried to picture. Instead I want the onlookers to get the inpression with no artist’s influence involved. But there’s not a single random object on this artwork … ;)

ⓘ *side note: there were very few circumstances and places where warriors would’ve left their real weapons.

(snakes and Ulmo waters)

artmirka:

My very first attempt to portray a noble young man from Harad.