The Roots Of The Mountains
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''The Roots of the Mountains: Wherein is Told Somewhat of the Lives of the Men of Burgdale, Their Friends, Their Neighbours, Their Foemen, and Their Fellows in Arms'' is a
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
romance novel by
William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
, perhaps the first modern fantasy writer to unite an imaginary world with an element of the supernatural, and thus the precursor of much of present-day fantasy literature. It was first published in hardcover by Reeves and Turner in 1889. Its place in the history of fantasy literature was recognized by its republication by the
Newcastle Publishing Company The Newcastle Publishing Company was a Southern California-based small trade paperback publisher founded by bookstore owner Al Saunders, active from July 1971 through October 1992, under the editorial direction of Robert Reginald and Douglas Men ...
as the nineteenth volume of the
Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library The Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library was a series of trade paperback books published in the United States by the Newcastle Publishing Company between 1973 and 1980. Presumably under the inspiration of the earlier example set by the Ballantine ...
in April, 1979. According to Graham Seaman, "''The Roots of the Mountains'' seems to be the story that inspired the subplot of the Dunedain, wanderers of a fading heroic past defending the frontiers of the Shire against the Orcs, and the loves of Aragorn, Eowyn, Faramir, and Arwen in Tolkien's '' Lord of the Rings''." This work and its predecessor, '' The House of the Wolfings'', are to some degree
historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the setting of particular real historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to oth ...
s, with little or no magic. Morris went on to develop the new genre established in these works in such later fantasies as '' The Wood Beyond the World'', '' Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair'', '' The Well at the World's End'', '' The Water of the Wondrous Isles'' and '' The Sundering Flood''.


Plot summary

The story is set in the fictional Burgdale, a small Germanic settlement in a valley at the foot of a mountain range, and the neighbouring woodlands, pastures and dales. The area is inhabited by the interdependent Dalemen, who are weavers, smiths, and traders, the Woodlanders, who are hunters and carpenters, and the Shepherds. Their society is challenged by disruptions from the outside world in the form of the Sons of the Wolf, the descendants of the Wolfings from the previous novel, and the invading Dusky Men (the Huns). The Sons of the Wolf, driven from their original country by the Dusky Men, continue to resist the invaders as a frontier force guarding their new home. The somewhat troubled integration of the Sons of the Wolf into the society they are protecting is told in the story of five lovers representing both peoples, four of whom eventually marry. Morris projected a sequel to ''The Roots of the Mountains'' to be called ''The Story of Desiderius'', although it was never completed.


Editions

''The Roots of the Mountains'' has seen republication several times since Morris's death. In 1979,
Newcastle Publishing Company The Newcastle Publishing Company was a Southern California-based small trade paperback publisher founded by bookstore owner Al Saunders, active from July 1971 through October 1992, under the editorial direction of Robert Reginald and Douglas Men ...
included it in the company's Forgotten Fantasy Library series with an illustrated cover by Riley K. Smith and an advertised introduction by Richard Mathews (although the edition itself notes that "it did not reach us in time to make the printing deadline". 2024 saw a new edition from publishing house Hyldyr featuring an introduction from
J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...
's great-grand daughter Ruth Tolkien, the introduction of an illustrated map of Burgdale by Sylvia and Tristan Eden, and commentary from folklorist Joseph S. Hopkins on Morris's inspiration from the ancient Germanic record. This edition splits the book into two volumes and features excerpts from some of the influences Morris draws from in ''The Roots of the Mountains'', such as ''
Getica ''De origine actibusque Getarum'' (''The Origin and Deeds of the Getae''), commonly abbreviated ''Getica'' (), written in Late Latin by Jordanes in or shortly after 551 AD, claims to be a summary of a voluminous account by Cassiodorus of the ori ...
'' by
Jordanes Jordanes (; Greek language, Greek: Ιορδάνης), also written as Jordanis or Jornandes, was a 6th-century Eastern Roman bureaucrat, claimed to be of Goths, Gothic descent, who became a historian later in life. He wrote two works, one on R ...
.


Influence

J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...
identified the novel as an influence on his epic fantasy ''
The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book ''The Hobbit'' but eventually d ...
'' in a 1960 letter, stating that "The Dead Marshes and the approaches to the Morannon owe something to northern France after the
Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...
. They owe more to William Morris and his Huns and Romans, as in ''The House of the Wolfings'' or ''The Roots of the Mountains''." Scholars have remarked many other parallels, such as races of beings including elves, dwarfs, trolls, and wights used by both Morris and Tolkien, as well as archaic diction, plot elements, and landscape descriptions. Tolkien may have modelled his orcs that can be slaughtered without compunction on Morris's "Dusky Men".


References


Sources

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External links


Illustrated map of Burgdale by Sylvia and Tristan Eden from Hyldyr's 2024 edition of the book
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roots of the Mountains, The 1889 British novels British fantasy novels 1889 fantasy novels Novels by William Morris