Way back in 2007 when LOTRO was first launched, one pretty consistent gripe from reviewers concerned the whole concept of the Minstrel class. Sure, everyone knew that the game needed a healer of some sort, but many people just didn’t get the concept of the Minstrel. I remember one particular review that basically asked, “What idiot came up with the idea that you could play music to fight the monsters, and what was he smoking?”
Now that we have a flood of new players, many of whom are unfamiliar with J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings outside of The Hobbit, coming in for free-to-play, I suspect that we’ll hear these questions again from time to time, so I’d like to answer them here. Are you ready?
The “idiot” who came up with the idea of music fighting the monsters was none other than J.R.R. Tolkien, and he was probably smoking his pipe.
Anyone familiar with Tolkien’s writings knows that he was very fond of music and poetry; the pages of his books are filled with songs. Some of these, such as “The Road Goes Ever On and On,” have become widely known because of their inclusion in the Peter Jackson films of a few years ago.
However, music in Middle-Earth is not just an important part of culture. Frequently it is represented as an expression of immense power. To take one obvious example, the very creation of the world of Arda (of which Middle-Earth is just one continent) as well as its entire history is portrayed in The Silmarillion as the result of a song begun by Tolkien’s creation deity, Ilúvatar, and taken up by the Ainur (angelic beings). The problems and conflicts of Middle-Earth’s history are caused by a “discordant theme” introduced into the music by a rebellious Ainu named Melkor, who becomes the chief villain of Middle-Earth’s First Age.
Once Arda had been created and populated by all sorts of fair and foul beings, music continued to play an integral role in some its most important stories. The best examples of this motif are found in the tale of Beren and Lúthien (also found in The Silmarillion), which in some ways is the most important story Tolkien ever wrote.
In one of the key moments of the story, Finrod Felagund, a powerful Elf lord, enters into a duel with Sauron (yes, that Sauron). Their weapons? Let’s see how Tolkien puts it: “Thus befell the contest of Sauron and Felagund which is renowned. For Felagund strove with Sauron in songs of power [my emphasis], and the power of the King was very great; but Sauron had the mastery.” Basically, Finrod and Sauron sang back and forth to each other until Sauron’s power overcame the Elf. He accomplished this by summoning up musical images of how Finrod’s people had unjustly slain another group of Elves hundreds of years before.
Later in the tale, the Elf-maid Lúthien employs her musical powers to great effect. First she sings a song that penetrates the stone walls of Sauron’s island fortress and reaches Beren. Later she stands in front of Melkor himself and sings “after the manner of a minstrel.” The song she performs is of “such blinding power” that Melkor and all his minions are put to sleep.
(By the way, it’s hard to imagine what a feat this was if you have read only The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. In the First Age, Melkor was the most powerful being in all Arda; Sauron and the Balrogs were his lackeys.)
I wasn’t in on the devs’ planning of the classes for LOTRO, but I have to think that there was at least one person in the process who knew these stories and showed the others that in Tolkien’s universe, music has tremendous power, even more so than what we see in the game. The inclusion of a class that uses music as its primary tool is perfectly appropriate.
So, if you ever come across a new player who just doesn’t get the Minstrel class, be nice, chalk it up to innocent ignorance, and point him to this article!
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September 11, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Thank you!
Now if we could just lay the griping about the Rune-Keeper to rest…
September 11, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Thanks for the context Punggo!
September 11, 2010 at 1:04 pm
that was a great article with some wonderful historical references from Middle Earths History. thank you very much for a great read.
September 11, 2010 at 1:47 pm
I always loved the importance of ‘song’ in Tolkien’s works, it appears to be a direct echo of my country’s national epic, the Kalevala, where many of the important battles were fought with song and music. The battle between Finrod and Sauron seems to be inspired by the singing contest between two heroes of the epic, and there’s also a part where the ‘good guys’ enter the home of the ‘bad guys’ by singing everyone to sleep
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September 11, 2010 at 1:51 pm
great article!
September 11, 2010 at 2:13 pm
As I am rereading the Silmarillion now (25 years after my initial read) it was quite striking to see how influential music was in the world of Middle Earth. Indeed from its creation to actual battles fought with music! Kudos to the Dev team for keeping true to Tolkien’s works.
September 11, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Tolkien wrote of the Kalevala’s influence on him; he first read it when he was still a teenager. Several articles on the web discuss how the epic inspired some stories of Middle-Earth, including The Silmairillion’s “Turin Turambar.”
For example: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3760/is_200207/ai_n9115801/pg_2/
September 11, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Excellent post, well done!
September 11, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Fantastic article. Turbine should seriously consider incorporating information like this into the class description. Now… anything in that bag o’ know about RK’s ;p
September 11, 2010 at 4:00 pm
I’m always telling people that classes like the minstrel and the rune keeper are in keeping with the lore but no one believes me. The Minstrel as it uses songs and the rune keeper as it use poetry and story’s, words have power in the world of middle earth see.
September 11, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Something else everything seems to forget is that health in LOTRO is specifically referred to as ‘Morale’.
It’s perfectly acceptable that songs could raise someone’s morale!
September 11, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Great article! If we look for one of the the inspiration for Tolkiens fascination by music, we should not forget, that on the very first date, Tolkien (Beren) had with his later wife Edith (Luthien) she danced and sang for him under a tree in the countryside. As a proficient musician, she would often use music to convey her feelings. How could it not have made an impact upon him…
September 12, 2010 at 4:40 am
Wow, how romantic
September 11, 2010 at 8:26 pm
The movie “Kung Fu Hustle” & the last season of “Heroes” had some great examples of music as a weapon.
September 11, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Well put, well said. Next time do it in tune so we can cap it with Well sung.
September 12, 2010 at 12:02 am
Excellent article!!
September 12, 2010 at 12:59 am
Tom Bombadil.
September 14, 2010 at 7:48 am
yes I totally agree, great article
April 8, 2011 at 10:45 pm
Like Jonny said above, most people forget that lotro does not represent the health of the character as most other games do. Instead the Morale of your character is represented. So when the Minstrel sings, he isn’t healing your wounds through magic, he is inspiring you to greater action and renewing your courage through song. This really does makes *perfect* sense.