What happened to the entwives?

Explore the best of fantasy and sci-fi in depth, with analysis of the worlds of Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Witcher and more.

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[Secondary_Identifier]

If you're not setting playback speed to 0.25, you're not getting the true Ent experience.

[Thealmightysanchez]

The way that Tolkien talks about his world - as if he’s not making it up, but rather channeling some truth from some distant world and he’s just a messenger - has always been so enchanting to me. I love that there’s things he “does not know” about his own fantasy story, when he could easily just make something up that ties it all up in a nice package. It makes it feel so much more real

[vrrqhll]

The Entwives had a ladies’ night out and, since there were so many of them, they haven’t yet finished their introductions.

[enoughothis]

I love the dichotomy between the Ents and the Entwives. The Ents are herders and the Entwives are gardeners.

[danielh]

The disappearance of the Entwives still troubles me as if it really happened.

[iainballas]

Ents: "Thank you, kind Elves, for teaching us to speak."
Elves: "Of course, great shepherds of the forest! What do you wish to say?"
Ents: "Can you please be quiet and let us sleep?"
Elves: "...."

[childofpersia]

Like Tolkien’s solider friends, the entwives are “missing in action” - they’re not considered “dead.”

[nccm]

I could see it as an allegory on loss, grief, and even denial. Perhaps they really are truly gone for good, we certainly have more evidence for that than their continued existence. Treebeard's response - the almost angry denial that they are not dead - that's not uncommon for someone in denial of the loss of their loved ones.

[pewpewsalote]

I love when Tolkien says he doesn't know, it just adds so much richness to the world. It makes it feel even more real than if he were to know everything about his world.

[Nonsense]

I feel like much of tolkien's stories have a strong element of grief in them. Many modern stories have a hero who saves the day and all is like it was. I like how tolkien sets this up in such a way that some things can't be fixed. Some things have irreparable consequences. It makes the story more colorful and real.

[forked]

That was really quite emotional at the end there

[Glitsch]

Honestly one of my most pondered questions in LotR, i love the ents and treebeards description of the entwifes and i feel soooo sorry for all the ents ...

[pmsdgy]

That's what I think touched me most when I read the books as a child. That things don't always go back to how we remember or like them to be. It's a bittersweet melancholy.

[andrewhazlewood]

I thought from the first time I read LotR that the Entwives might be the awakened trees in the Old Forest.

[TheDarkElder]

Tragedy made story. Alas, poor Ents, they shall forever mourn what is lost as they slowly turn into trees themselves.

[helikos]

I really do like how with Tolkien's attitude to his works is seemingly of a chronicler. Apart of the world of works not it's omniscient creator. Tolkien knows less that Eru. It's humbling.

[guillermodiego]

Along with Tom Bombadil, the Ents are my favorite characters in LotR. The song of the Ent and the Entwife is so heartbreaking. To me, it's what turns LotR into more than just a story of adventure and war. Thanks for the video!

[thomasparsons]

I’m re-reading the lord of the rings for the first time in a while. I remember the Entwives and how tragic it was, lost. But when I got to Treebread recalling searching for Fimbrethil, I just imagined him calling again and again across various lands and even among towns in desperation. I really began to tear up.

[mdnghtun]

This video and the one you made about Christmas in Middle Earth really does showcase your talent for writing. You present your thoughts eloquently, with a sensitivity often lacking from other similar channels. I thoroughly enjoy your content. Please keep making more.

[ekb]

The tail of the Ents and the Entwives is almost a tragedy seeing as they're really not that far apart. Too bad Merry and Pippin never talk to Sam or his cousin about it