The War of the Rohirrim: Where can you read about Helm Hammerhand in The Lord of the Rings books?

As a lifelong devotee to Middle-earth and its countless tales of valor and adventure, I must say that stepping into a cinema screening The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim felt like a homecoming after years of longing. Being a connoisseur of Tolkien’s works, I was eager to see how this animated prequel would handle the complex and legendary figure of Helm Hammerhand.

For the first time in a decade, a new “Lord of the Rings” movie is showing in theaters. The title is “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” an animated prequel film that takes place 183 years prior to “The Hobbit.” This film depicts the land of Rohan under the rule of a legendary figure named Helm Hammerhand, a name perhaps familiar if you’ve read J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” or watched Peter Jackson’s films. Helm is the king for whom, the fortress of Helm’s Deep was named.

However, one might wonder, did J.R.R. Tolkien himself pen much on Helm Hammerhand in his writings? Does the film offer a faithful portrayal, or does it deviate significantly?

In case you wish to return to the origin, it could come as a shock that Tolkien actually didn’t delve into the story of Helm Hammerhand in The Lord of the Rings directly. In fact, there are discussions about whether he hadn’t fully conceived Helm’s entire history until after he had already published The Two Towers, a book notable for its depiction of a battle at Helm’s Deep involving the Rohirrim and the orcs from Isengard.

If you want to read about Helm Hammerhand, there is one source you need to refer to: the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. Specifically, in the first section of the appendices, “The Annals of the Kings and Rulers,” there’s a chapter titled “The House of Eorl” which covers the ruling lineage of Rohan. It’s there that Tolkien briefly wrote about Helm Hammerhand and his clash with the Dunlending lord Wulf, which led to the first siege of Helm’s Deep — a castle only known as “the Hornburg” beforehand.

The War of the Rohirrim is surprisingly faithful to Tolkien’s text while still creating its own story

As a passionate film enthusiast immersed in the epic saga of Middle Earth, I find that my version of “The Lord of the Rings” dedicates roughly two-and-a-half pages to the tale of Helm Hammerhand. This narrative climaxes with Helm’s nephew Fréaláf ascending the throne of Rohan and Saruman, the sorcerer, seizing Isengard. The War of the Rohirrim concludes in much the same manner for me.

Although it’s accurate to say that “The War of the Rohirrim” significantly developed Héra’s narrative, it’s remarkable how closely the main storyline follows J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works. In “The House of Eorl,” the narrative initiates in an identical fashion: Helm’s daughter is betrothed to Wulf, the union fails, and Helm takes revenge by slaying Wulf’s father and expelling him. Tolkien never specifies Helm’s daughter’s name, and after the war begins, she disappears from his writings. This allowed the movie to construct a story centered around her while adhering to the structure established by the renowned fantasy author. However, it was crucial for the filmmakers to offer an explanation as to why she was overlooked in history.

Several other incidents depicted within “The Lord of the Rings” appendices are also referenced, including the fall of Edoras, the tragic deaths of Helm’s sons, Frealaf’s heroic arrival at the Hornburg to turn the tide, and Helm’s solo mission against the Dunlending army during winter, earning him the title of “wraith.” Notably, Héra is absent in this account of Helm’s final destiny as described in “The House of Eorl.

One evening, people heard the sound of a horn echoing, yet Helm failed to return. The following dawn brought the first rays of sunlight in many days, and they noticed a solitary white figure standing motionless on the Dike. No Dunlendings dared approach because of it. There stood Helm, seemingly lifeless as stone, but his knees remained bent. People claimed that the horn’s sound still resonated occasionally from the depths, and Helm’s ghost would haunt Rohan’s enemies, striking fear into their hearts and causing them to perish.

As a devoted movie enthusiast and lover of all things Middle Earth, I can tell you that “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” is an impressive expansion upon the brief writings of J.R.R. Tolkien about Helm Hammerhand. If you’re interested in making your own comparisons, I would recommend picking up a copy of “The Lord of the Rings” and turning to the appendices for Tolkien’s insights on Helm Hammerhand, the mighty King of Rohan.

The War of the Rohirrim is playing now in theaters.

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2024-12-17 21:41