Two Rivers Folk are Dwarves?

[solarz]

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this...

 

Two Rivers folk seems to have some parallels to the Dwarves from Lord of the Rings:

 

- Both Two Rivers folk and LOTR Dwarves are described as very stubborn

- Two Rivers folk are descendants of Manetheren, which in the Old Tongue means "Mountain Home". Dwarves in LOTR are well known for building kingdoms in mountains.

- The Last King of Manethere was Aemon son of Caar son of Thorin. In The Hobbit, Thorin Oakenshield was the leader of the Dwarves, and the exiled King of Erebor

 

These are the most obvious parallels that I noticed while re-reading TEOTW. What do you think?

 

(Interesting thought: if Aiel are Elves, then Rand would be a half-elf raised by dwarves!)

[Ryrin]

As far as physical appearnace, Rand is said to be 6' 5".

[solarz]

As far as physical appearnace, Rand is said to be 6' 5".

 

Obviously we're not going by physical appearance.

 

Interestingly enough, on my first read through EOTW, I pictured Nynaeve as short and stout. She just gave me that "angry dwarf woman" vibe.

[Shad_]

Jordan borrowed from all over, but I don't think there's any direct correlation here. Two Rivers folk are also adept archers and trackers who can move through the forest like ghosts. That doesn't fit the picture of a homage to dwarves at all.

[DojoToad]

Just as the Aiel are combos of Native Americans, African tribes and Middle Eastern influences.

 

So as the Two Rivers folks may  be partially borrowed from the dwarves, it is only a part.

[wotfan4472]

I always felt that the Two Rivers people were dwarvish and elvish personalities, abilities and skills mixed in together. I think that is really cool. The Ogier are elf as well.

[solarz]

I always felt that the Two Rivers people were dwarvish and elvish personalities, abilities and skills mixed in together. I think that is really cool. The Ogier are elf as well.

 

I can see the longbows being a signature elven weapon, but what else do you see that is "elvish" in the Two Rivers?

[wotfan4472]

The fact that many of them know to track. Also they have an affinity for nature, something the Ogier comment on. They are terrific bowmen, almost the equal of the elves themselves, and they also are equally skilled in fighting without bows, such as Mat's skill in the ashandarei and quarterstaff, and Tam's skill in sword fighting. The elves are masters of all of these, and also magic use, something the Two Rivers people that also show magic are also good at when they learn.

[Orderofolde]

RJ threw the best of Tolkein and other fantasy writers, our own lore, legends, and current history into the pot and gave it a stir.  We have the Aiel who resemble the Zulu tribes with their bucklers and short spears, ability to run, but they are white and have mullets of Scottish-coloring, and an Amazonian warrior society for their women.  We have "the power" that there were moments in the series that seemed to give nods to Lucas' "Force" we have John Henry as one of the heroes of the horn which like much of the series is borrowed from one mythology or another be it Norse, Hindu, Shinto, religions, his own brand of physics...So yes we have Two Rivers loosely modeled after the Hobbits of Tolkein in that their out of the way simple and appealing lifestyle gets severely rocked by events, whose people are as stubborn as a dwarf, as skilled with their longbows as an elf, and from a "Mountain Home."

 

RJ left a lot of innocuous things in his writings that we easily accept without thought as part of the story like Mat's spear, which are actually hints and nods to big reveals...anyone ever bother to contemplate what the ruins beside Bran's Inn are from, beyond a passing thought?     

[Owayn The Traveller]

Just as the Aiel are combos of Native Americans, African tribes and Middle Eastern influences.

 

So as the Two Rivers folks may be partially borrowed from the dwarves, it is only a part.

Irish Gaelic too no? With regards to the Aiel.