Alexandra Kuzmich
Dr. Marie Loughlin
ENGL 394B 001
22 November 2024
Fig. #1. J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Book of Mazarbul First Page,” Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. “Moria: Middle-Earth,” Wikipedia, 16 July 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moria,_Middle-earth#.
This page was originally drawn and created by J.R.R. Tolkien and is available for fair use on the grounds that this low resolution picture has been on Wikipedia for a long time.
I. Object Identification:
The Book of Mazarbul.
Dwarven, last author: Ori.
Damaged physical paper book.
Created: T.A. 2989.
Origin: Khazad-Dûm in Moria upon Balin’s return.
Owner: King Dáin
On loan from King Dáin by request of Gimli, Merry, Pippin and Sam; in memorium.
II. Interpretation:
Historic and well-worn, this one-of-a-kind contains first-hand accounts by the dwarves of Moria as they fought to rebuild their home under the Misty Mountain. The fate of the mighty dwarf kingdom was missing until this chronicle was discovered and is reflected in the appearance of the book: burned, damaged, while the existence continues. The passage on display is that of Ori on the final days in Moria, outlining a first-account experience of their demise. The dwarves of Moria held a special place in the hearts of Hobbits as a result of Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, Peregrin Took, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and Samwise Gamgee and as such, this relationship is honoured in memorium.
The pages of this book read:
We drove out orcs from the great gate and guardroom. We slew many in the bright sun in the dale. Floí was killed by an arrow. He slew the great… Floí, under grass near Mirror mere…We have taken the twentyfirst hall of North end to dwell in. There is…shaft…Balin has set up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul…gold…Durin’s Axe…helm. Balin is now lord of Moria.
We found truesilver…wellforged mithril…Óin to seek for the upper armouries of Third Deep…go westwards…to Hollin Gate.
Sorrow…yestre day being the tenth of November Balin lord of Moria fell in Dimrill Dale. He went alone to look in Mirror mere. an orc shot him from behind a stone. we slew the orc, but many more…up from east up in the Silverlode…we have barred the gates…can hold them long if…horrible…suffer.
We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They have taken the Bridge and the second hall. Frár and Lóni and Náli fell there…went five days ago…the pool is up to the wall at Westgate. The Watcher in the Water took Óin. We cannot get out. The end comes…drums, drums in the deep…they are coming.
(Fellowship 419-20)
III. Essay:
The “remains of a book” were first discovered by the Fellowship of the Ring during their descent into Moria (Fellowship 418). Its weathered current-day appearance is a result of the book being “slashed and stabbed and partly burned,” along with it being stained in blood, inhibiting its readability (Fellowship 418). There are pieces of the book missing as a result of it cracking in transport, first being moved by Gandalf and then by Gimli, son of Glóin (Fellowship 418). Within this book, it has become clear that it was “written by many different hands, in runes, both of Moria and Dale, and here and there in Elvish script” (Fellowship 418). The Elvish script seen on the last pages within the book was written by Ori during the last stand in the chamber of Mazarbul.
Gandalf the Grey has attested to its authenticity, as an account by the Dwarves of “their coming to Dimrill Dale…thirty years ago,” detailing the years of effort and progress in Moria a while after Thorin Oakenshield’s journey to reclaim the mountain (Tolkien 418-9). The adventures within these pages detail the Dwarves as they dig deep beneath Barazinbar looking for Mithril, which ultimately releases a foul creature known as a Balrog of Morgoth (Return of the King 435). The waking of this “thing of terror” that lay in the foundations of the earth led to the destruction of Durin once more, leaving “the glory of Moria [to] pass” and its people to fade away (Return of the King 435). The pages that remain readable and on display at this exhibition detail the dwarves last few years within Moria after their development came to a tragic halt, along with their unfortunate demise.
The Book of Mazarbul is named for the chamber in which it resided with Balin, son of Fundin. This book allows for a picture of the Dwarves “last stand by both doors” which “ended the attempt to retake Moria” (Fellowship 420). In these moments, the character of these brave dwarves is concluded to be “valiant but foolish,” according to Gandalf the Grey (Fellowship 420). Thus, the Book of Mazarbul was taken by Gandalf and given to Gimli to return to Dáin, who is Balin’s great-great uncle and who will grieve him deeply (Fellowship 420). After the Battle of the Bywater, Gimli “maintained his friendship with Peregrin and Meriadoc and met them many times in Gondor and Rohan” (Return of the King 379). As a result, an acknowledgement of the passed line of Durin, with which a Hobbit tried to reclaim and help rebuild their home in the name of Thorin Oakenshield, is necessary for all memorials held.
Of the remaining Hobbits of the Shire, Merry, Pippin, and Sam had the most involvement in the war of the ring. As a result, this 50th anniversary museum exhibition has largely been organized and directed by them. While most of the Hobbits of the Shire remain concerned with their material possessions, the Tookish trait of otherness, difference, and bravery is now seen as the epitome of the best a Hobbit can be. It is no longer feared or met with disdain and these figures of extraordinary action have become fundamental to the history and personhood of the Hobbits, who value Bilbo, Sam, Frodo, Merry and Pippin’s adventures as inseparable from the society they now lead (Return of the King 371). Merry and Pippin’s liberation of the Shire has seen to this, as they are honoured as captains, while Sam receives the same admiration, to which he is blind (Return of the King 359 and 371). Among the exhibition cataloging, the three Hobbits are acutely aware that accounts of the war from those outside of the Shire are noticeably absent and are even more alarmed that the fate of the line of Durin, that Bilbo had aided years before, is also missing.
As a result, Pippin, Merry, and Sam, have made the trip to Gondor to meet with Gimli, as they often do, asking this favour of their friend. Gimli has then requested the Book of Mazarbul to be on loan to the Shire in remembrance of the times in which Hobbits have stood side by side with Dwarves in times of conflict and need and Dain has accepted this premise, wishing to pay tribute to his great-great-nephew, Balin. The history of the Baggins and the line of Durin will be recounted to all Hobbit youth, just as Bilbo and Glóin fought together for the fate of their home, Frodo, Merry, Pippin and Samwise fought with Gimli for the fate of everyone’s homes.
Works Cited
Tolkien, J.R.R. “The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm.” The Fellowship of the Ring, HarperCollins, 2007, 418-32.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Return of the King, HarperCollins, 1999.