Why hadn’t Sauron heard of the Shire?
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29 Comments
The Shire only existing because of the actions of Sauron just proves that evil destroys itself.
I think the simplest answer as to why he couldn't locate the Shire for the longest time was because The Shire and its borders only came about in Sauron's intermissions between darklord and threat to all Middle Earth. At the end of the Second Age when he was most active it was a former Kingdom of Men gifted to the Hobbits, between the end of the second age and the nearing of the end of the third age was when this land transitioned to being "The Shire" without many races of consequence really taking much notice that the Shire and the Hobbit Thanes filled in the power gap that was left when the race of men lost their hold over the territory.
So the Shire is effectively the size of an entire smaller state or country. Think West Virginia or Slovakia
"Capturing" Shadowfax?
You speaking of Saruman makes me think of what you would think would happen if Saruman actually captured The Ring. How would he weild it against Sauron?
He's dumb
Maybe he thought he managed to snare the last of the Harfoots several millennia ago. 😊
Weren't hobbits there at the same time Angmar was? Couldn't the Witch King tell Sauron? 🤷♂️
This sounds like the start of a pub joke.
Cuz
One of the funny things is that Bilbo's job-description of "thief" for the dwarves on their journey in The Hobbit, also may have helped him when Sauron's emissary was looking for a "thief" named Baggins in the Shire. The dwarves knew he was specifically looking for their friend Bilbo and not some far away relative of Bilbo not worth traveling all the way to the elves in Rivendell for.
If only Sauron had read the books 😂
It always amuses me how the One Ring's strength is what leads to its undoing. The lust over its power is what led Saruman to lie, allowing Frodo to escape the Shire in time. Its tempting of Boromir broke the Fellowship at the best possible moment; to have stayed longer would have surely led to it being taken. Hearing how it overcame his brother helped stay Faramir's hand. And of course, Gollum's desire is what wrested it from Frodo and into the Crack of Doom. I'm sure I missed plenty of other instances. Just brilliant writing.
I have often wished you had an interest in Morrowind, and the Elder Scrolls in general.
TIL that the Shire is about the size of Slovakia, or slightly smaller than West Virginia.
He wasn't well traveled, that's why.
Put a travellers guide to Westeros back on your channel.
Excellent work
The first part of 'Fellowship' talks about certain people in the shire harvesting large amounts of pipe weed and sending it somewhere. In 'Two Towers' it's revealed that Saruman has been buying pipe weed from the shire and it has something to do with process of making the Uruk Hai able to be in sunlight. That's why they have barrels of pipe weed to smoke in Isengard.
One of my favorite things about Tolkien is how so many of the answers to these sorts of questions only make just enough sense. Not to say there isn’t enough here for Sauron to not have known the location of the Shire, because there definitely is and especially with that last detail about their migration. But so often with Tolkien, I feel as though he gives just enough reason for everyone to be satisfied, but in not going further, he gives a little hint at what he thinks. So often will this sort of thing come up, like why Bilbo was first chosen by Gandalf, or why Sauron couldn’t see Bilbo. Sure, there are reasons, but I do think Tolkien’s work has strong themes of fate. If you want to disregard that, Tolkien says fine. But then again, a wizard is never early or late. Everything is for a reason.
I don't buy the idea that the Shire is a backwater. Bree, right next to the Shire, is the largest Mannish settlement in Eriador. Sauron, as a capable administrator (for all his blindspots), should be interested in Eriador; it contains Rivendell and the Grey Havens. So he should have devoted at least one spy to Bree. Such a Bree-spy is going to hear of the Shire.
What the hell!? I just came across your channel like 3 hours ago and while watching your videos I was wondering "Why hadn't Sauron heard of the Shire?" after he had fought and roamed the lands of the Middle Earth for centuries. And now you post this video. Thanks!!
Next idea: why do the southrons and easterlings follow Sauron
"the ant has no quarrel with the boot"
As a kid before I read the book but saw the first movie .. I was always bugging my father about it but his answer was "do I look like Tolkein to you?!??! 😂😂😂😂 my father would have loved your videos Robert!!!
It's a great story but has wholes in logic
In addition, Bilbo tended to keep the name of his homeland to himself once he left Rivendell. His only reference to Smaug was that he came from "under the hill," which would be incomprehensible to the dragon.
It was waaaaay over there. Nobody ever went over there…
Maybe most people didn't know anything about the area for the same reason that most people don't know anything about the Swabian Alb in Germany today… it's beautiful there but rather quiet and people like to be among themselves 😉.
When I first heard about hobbits, they immediately reminded me of the Swabians!🤣🤣🤣