Sting (Middle-earth): Difference between revisions

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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=October 2015}}
	{{notability\|date=November 2019}}
	{{Infobox fictional artifact
	\|colour = #DAA520
	\|name = Sting
	\|first = ]
	\|first_type = Novel
	\|date = 1937
	\|creator = ]
	\|genre = ]
	\|type = Magical dagger
	\|uses = Weapon
	\|traits = Ornate dagger which glows in the presence of ]s or ]s, and is supernaturally strong
	\|affiliation = {{Plainlist\|
	* ]
	* ]
	}}
	}}

	'''Sting''' is a fictional ]<!--Please do not "correct" the British English spelling "artefact"--> from ]'s ] universe of ]. In the story, it is a magical ] knife or dagger presumably forged in ] in the ].

	In '']'' (1937), ] ] finds the blade in a ]-hoard, along with the swords ] and ]. Although it is only a dagger by the standard of ] or Elves, it serves as a sword for the diminutive Bilbo. He uses it to fight off the giant spiders in ], and names the blade after the talking spiders refer to it as his "sting". ] is afraid of Sting, which aids Bilbo in his confrontation with Gollum under the ]. Bilbo gives Sting to his nephew ] in '']'' (1954). When Frodo is betrayed at the pass of ], ] takes the blade to prevent it from falling into enemy hands, but later returns it to Frodo. In '']'' (1955), Frodo gives Sting and all of his other possessions to Sam before Frodo departs for the ].

	Sting has the magical ability to detect ]s or ]s nearby, glowing blue in their presence, as it did when the Fellowship encountered orcs in the mines of ].<ref>{{cite book \|title=The Science of Middle-Earth \|first=Henry \|last=Gee \|publisher=Cold Spring Press \|date=2004 \|page= \|isbn=978-1-59360-023-5 \|url=https://archive.org/details/scienceofmiddlee00geeh/page/236 }}</ref> Tolkien establishes this as a common property of First Age Elf blades, particularly those forged in Gondolin. Sting is also exceptionally sharp. Bilbo manages to thrust it without effort deep into a wooden beam at Rivendell. Frodo also wounds a troll in ], after ] notches his own sword with his attempt. Sam uses Sting to cut through the giant spider ]'s strong webs with ease, and also wound the spider, driving it away from the paralyzed Frodo.

	==Origins==

	In Europe, a ] (sometimes spelled "bilbow") was an exceptionally fine blade, named after the city of ] where such blades were made. It is possible that Bilbo's name and his acquisition of this sharp blade were connected in the author's mind.<ref>{{cite journal \|title=The Hobbitonian Anthology of Articles on JRR Tolkien and His Legendarium \|last=Rateliff \|first=John \|journal=Tolkien Studies \|quote=I would suggest that it's far more likely Bilbo gains Sting because Tolkien became aware of the 'bilbow blade = sword' entry in the ] than that the character was given the name with the idea of his becoming a sword-wielder already in mind. However, as there was a Count Frodo and a Bishop Bilbo in the Frankish Kingdom of the middle ages as well as another noble named Fredegar it is more likely that these Hobbit names were mined from Frankish history. \|volume=7 \|year=2010 \|issn=1547-3163 \|doi=10.1353/tks.0.0066 \|pages=330–335}}</ref>

	==Adaptations==
	In ]'s ] and ] film adaptations, Sting is depicted as vaguely leaf-shaped, with gentle curving edges. Engraved on the ] and ] are letters in ] that read phonetically, ''Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im''. Translated into English, they read, "''Maegnas'' is my name, I am the spider's bane." According to the Appendix of '']'', the element ''maeg'' in Sindarin means "sharp" or "piercing".<ref>'']'', Appendix "Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", ''maeg''</ref> The film version of Sting is {{convert\|23\|in}} long (24 while in ]) and {{convert\|3\|in}} wide at the hilt. Its scabbard is made of brown leather and reinforced with metal.<ref name=WaW>{{cite book\|last=Smith \|first=Chris \|title=The Lord of the Rings Weapons and Warfare \|publisher=HarperCollins \|year=2003 \|location=London \|isbn=0-00-717201-X }}</ref> In Tolkien's ''The Hobbit'', Sting does not bear the inscription.

	==References==
	{{reflist}}

	{{Middle-earth}}
	{{lotr}}

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