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{{short description|Mountain range in Middle-earth}} |
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#REDIRECT ] |
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{{Infobox fictional location |
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{{Redirect category shell| |
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| name = ''Misty Mountains'' |
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{{R with history}} |
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| source = ] ] |
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{{R ME to section}} |
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| image_size = 240px |
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| alt_name = ''Hithaeglir'', Towers of Mist |
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| type = Mountain range |
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| blank_label = Location |
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| blank_data = Between ] and ] |
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| blank_label1 = Lifespan |
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| blank_label2 = Founder |
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| blank_data2 = ] |
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| locations = Caradhras, Eyrie, ], ], ] (Moria), ] |
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}} |
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}} |
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The '''Misty Mountains''' are a fictional ] in ]'s ] of ].<ref>Karen Wynn Fonstad, '']'', HarperCollins, 1994 edition, Regional Maps, p. 79, {{ISBN|0 261 10277 X}}.</ref> It was also called '''''Hithaeglir''''' ("mist-peak-line" in ]),<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1977), ed. Christopher Tolkien, '']'', George Allen & Unwin, Index p.335, {{ISBN|0 04 823139 8}}.</ref> the '''Mountains of Mist''', or the '''Towers of Mist'''.<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1977), '']'', George Allen & Unwin, ch.3 p. 54; {{ISBN|0 04 823139 8}}.</ref> The range stretched continuously for some 900 miles<ref>Karen Wynn Fonstad, '']'', HarperCollins, 1994 edition, Regional Maps, p. 79, {{ISBN|0 261 10277 X}}. In the Appendix (p.191) a different length is listed: 702 miles. The higher-scale map of Middle-earth which accompanies ''Unfinished Tales'' yields a length of about 850 miles.</ref> (1440 kilometres) across the continent of Middle-earth. |
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The Misty Mountains first appeared in Tolkien's 1937 book, '']''. They feature also in '']''. |
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{{anchor|Geography}} |
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==Fictional geography== |
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], which are said to have inspired Tolkien]] |
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The Misty Mountains stretched for some 900 miles: from Carn Dûm in the north<ref>Robert Foster (1978), '']'', Unwin Paperbacks, p. 63, {{ISBN|0-04-803001-5}}.</ref> to Dol Baran in the south, and were a formidable barrier between the large Middle-earth regions of Eriador to the West and Wilderland to the East. The northernmost section, the Mountains of Angmar, ran from Carn Dûm to Mount Gundabad. Mount Gundabad was where ] awoke; it became an abode of ]. Mount Gram, another Orc nest, was not far away. Mount Gundabad was on the eastern side of the range, where it nearly joined the westernmost extremity of the Grey Mountains. The greatest ] realm in Middle-earth, ], lay at the midpoint of the Misty Mountains. The area's three massive peaks - the Mountains of Moria' - were Caradhras (Redhorn and its pass), Celebdil (Silvertine) and Fanuidhol (Cloudyhead) — in Khuzdûl (aka Dwarvish) respectively named Barazinbar, Zirakzigil and Bundushathûr. Under Celebdil was the main part of Khazad-dûm, with the ] from the foundations of the mountain to its summit. The southernmost peak of the Misty Mountains was Methedras (Endhorn); the last foothill was Dol Baran, looking across the ] to the White Mountains. |
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===Passes=== |
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] |
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The Misty Mountains had few passes; the most important were the High Pass and the Redhorn Pass. |
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The High Pass or Pass of Imladris lay near ].<ref>{{ME-ref|UT|p. 281}}</ref><ref>''Unfinished Tales'', p. 271</ref> There were two routes in the High Pass; the lower pass<ref>''The Annotated ]'', p. 105, "their main gate used to open on a different pass..."</ref> was more prone to being blocked by Orcs; hence most travellers used the higher pass. |
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The Redhorn Pass was near the subterranean realm of ], and was usually open year-round.<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. III p. 302; {{ISBN|0 04 823045 6}}</ref> |
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===Rivers=== |
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Rivers originating in the Misty Mountains (north to south) included the Hoarwell, Bruinen, Sirannon, Glanduin, and Isen, flowing West; and flowing East into the great river, the ] (again north to south): Langwell, Rushdown, ]'s stream,<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', George Allen & Unwin, 2nd edition (1966), ch. 2 p.63, {{ISBN|0 04 823045 6}}.</ref> Gladden, Silverlode, Nimrodel, Limlight, and Entwash. |
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==Fictional history== |
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===First Age=== |
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The Misty Mountains were raised by the Dark Lord ] in the ]. He hoped to impede Oromë, one of the ] who often rode across Middle-earth hunting. The Mountains were far taller in those days and had a more dreaded appearance.<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1977), ed. Christopher Tolkien, '']'', George Allen & Unwin, ch. 3 p. 54, {{ISBN|0 04 823139 8}}.</ref> |
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Oromë established the High Pass to assist the ] to cross the mountains on their ] to the West. Even so, many Elves (the Nandor) gave up their migration on seeing the mountains, remaining in Wilderland. This was the ]. |
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] established their subterranean realm of Khazad-dûm in the First Age, and began to use the High Pass, connececting to the Great East Road and their road through ]. The Dwarves abandoned Khazad-dûm after accidentally awakening the Balrog. The realm became known as Moria (the Black Pit); it was occupied by Orcs and other creatures. |
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===Second Age=== |
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In the ], the High Pass was used by the army of ] and ] when they marched east to ] in the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. After this war ] was slain by ]s watching the way back towards the pass. |
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===Third Age=== |
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]s migrated West across the Mountains in the ], eventually establishing ] in Eriador. |
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The ] established the realm of ] at ] at the northern extreme of the mountains for several centuries. During this time the Orcs spread through the Misty Mountains, and the High Pass became dangerous. Only with the War of the Dwarves and Orcs did it become safe again for a while. By the time of '']'' the Orcs (goblins) had reoccupied the pass with their burrowings. |
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The ] tried to cross the Redhorn Pass (after rejecting the High Pass leading to ] as being watched by the Enemy, and the Gap of Rohan as taking the Fellowship too close to ]), but a blizzard forced them to go through Moria instead. There they encountered the Balrog; both it and the Wizard ] died in the ensuing combat. |
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==Sources and inspirations== |
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] |
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The genesis of the Misty Mountains lay in the '']'', with which Tolkien was familiar. In particular, the protagonist in the '']'' notes that his quest will involve misty mountains, ], and giants.<ref>Tom Shippey (2003), '']'', Houghton Mifflin, ch. 3 p. 70-71, {{ISBN|0-618-25760-8}}.</ref> The Misty Mountains were partly inspired by Tolkien's travels in the ] in 1911.<ref>Humphrey Carpenter (1981, editor), '']'', George Allen & Unwin, letter 306 p.391-392, {{ISBN|0-04-826005-3}}.</ref> |
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==Namesakes and cultural references== |
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The ] names all mountains on ]'s moon ] after mountains in Tolkien's work.<ref>International Astronomical Union. . ''Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature''. Accessed Nov 14, 2012.</ref> In 2012, they named a Titanian mountain range "]" after the Misty Mountains.<ref>International Astronomical Union. . ''Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature''. Accessed Nov 14, 2012.</ref> |
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The title of the 1971 ] song "]" was based on Tolkien's mountain range.<ref>] himself, in '']'', May 1993, page 18, referred to "The self-indulgence, the silly over-the-top Tolkien-esque stuff... ] made it everlasting.".</ref><ref>Denis Collins (1993), 'Lord of the Lyrics', in ''Amon Hen'' (the bulletin of ], U.K.), no. 122 p.24.</ref> |
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==Works cited== |
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{{Portal|Speculative fiction}} |
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*{{cite book|chapter=Misty Mountains|last=Evans|first=Jonathan|pages=431–432|title = ]|editor = ]|isbn = 0-415-96942-5|publisher = ]|year=2006}} |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{Middle-earth}} |
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{{lotr}} |
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] |
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] |
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] |
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