Théodred
| Théodred | |
|---|---|
| Tolkien's legendarium character | |
| Aliases | Second Marshal of the Riddermark |
| Race | Men |
| Book(s) |
The Two Towers Unfinished Tales |
Théodred is a fictional character in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. He is the only son and heir of King Théoden of Rohan.
His mother, Elfhild, died in childbirth. Théodred grew up together with his cousin Éomer. Afterwards Théodred was slain in the First Battle of the Fords of Isen.
Little else is known about Théodred, except that he loved Éomer like a brother, and the only person he loved more than Éomer was his father, Théoden.
Théodred held the title of Second Marshal of the Mark, and was slain in the First Battle of the Fords of Isen defending the islet in the middle of the ford. With no siblings, this made his cousin, Éomer, heir to the throne of Rohan.
Théodred's name is probably taken from the Anglo-Saxon words "þeod" ("folk", "people", "nation")[1] and "ræd" ("counsel").[2]
Portrayal in adaptations
In Peter Jackson's film version of The Two Towers, he was played by New Zealand actor Paris Howe Strewe.
The death of Théodred is an event early in the film, whereas in the book it has already happened by the time the focus comes to Rohan. In the film, he is not killed immediately, and Éomer manages to find Théodred among the dead after a battle. It is also said in the movie that he was wounded in an ambush but in the book he was slain during the first battle of the Fords of Isen. Peter Jackson's film also suggests his horse was Brego, which Aragorn later tames and set free. Later, when Aragorn falls off a cliff, Brego saves Aragorn's life and takes him to Helm's Deep.
Théodred later succumbs to his wounds, though it is hinted (and revealed by Jackson to be his intent in commentaries) that Gríma aided in his death. Also, Théodred is portrayed as a young man of 20–25 years old, whereas in the book he is portrayed as being 41 at the time of his death.
References
- ↑ Bosworth, Joseph; Toller, T. Northcote. "þeód". An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (Online). Prague: Charles University.
- ↑ Bosworth, Joseph; Toller, T. Northcote. "rǽd". An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (Online). Prague: Charles University.