Nazgul dialogue

[Brian G Turner]

Just wondering - do the Nazgul ever say much in LOTR?

The only two phrases I can think of them using are:

"The Ring ... the Ring ..."
"Back ... back, to Mordor will take you."

But do they ever say anything else?

 

[HareBrain]

The Witch King has several lines of dialogue with Eowyn during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

And they are reported to have short conversations with various hobbits (such as Farmer Maggot) in their search to find "Baggins", though we don't get the dialogue directly.

 

[Pyan]

One of them has a chat with Farmer Maggot:

FotR, Book One, IV, A Short Cut to Mushrooms​

 

[Pyan]

The Witch King has several lines of dialogue with Eowyn during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

And with Gandalf, just before the Rohirrim turn up.

"Old fool!" he said. "Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!" And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade.

RotK, Book Five, IV, The Siege of Gondor

And though we don't hear the other side of the conversation, Frodo hears Hamfast Gamgee, the Gaffer, sending one away. This would be Khamûl the Easterling, once the Lord of Rhûn.

[Frodo]... heard voices, just round the corner by the end of Bagshot Row. One voice was certainly the old Gaffer's; the other was strange, and somehow unpleasant. He could not make out what it said, but he heard the Gaffer's answers, which were rather shrill. The old man seemed put out.

'No, Mr. Baggins has gone away. Went this morning, and my Sam went with him: anyway all his stuff went. Yes, sold out and gone, I tell'ee. Why? Why's none of my business, or yours. Where to? That ain't no secret. He's moved to Bucklebury or some such place, away down yonder. Yes it is — a tidy way. I've never been so far myself; they're queer folks in Buckland. No, I can't give no message. Good night to you!'

FotR, Book 1, III, Three Is Company

 

[farntfar]

I think that pretty much covers their speaking parts. A bit on Weathertop.

Why, in fiction, do theoretically clever and sophisticated people, as we must assume they were before they got given the rings, always end up just sounding thuggish, when they turn evil?
Rowling, at least, didn't fall for that old trope.

 

[Pyan]

Why, in fiction, do theoretically clever and sophisticated people, as we must assume they were before they got given the rings, always end up just sounding thuggish, when they turn evil?

I know what you mean - but there again, the Nazgûl first appeared around Second Age 2250, about 4,200 years before the events of LotR - I wonder if assuming that you had to be clever and sophisticated to rule what was basically an Iron Age petty kingdom in those days is justified?
I would have thought being 'of the blood' and/or having a strong sword-arm may have been more important. Look at Théoden: a good man, certainly, but I doubt you would describe him as clever and sophisticated, even with the advantage of over 4000 years of progress.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Just to add - the BBC 1981 adaption is particularly good with the Nazgul voices. Superb actors, especially for the Lord of the Nazgul. Sinister and frightening.

 

[HareBrain]

Why, in fiction, do theoretically clever and sophisticated people, as we must assume they were before they got given the rings, always end up just sounding thuggish, when they turn evil?

I dunno, the Witch King's lines to Eowyn are quite sophistimacated. And at least he uses "thou" and "thee" correctly.

 

[Pyan]

I dunno, the Witch King's lines to Eowyn are quite sophistimacated. And at least he uses "thou" and "thee" correctly.

Perhaps Sauron had a corporate management training scheme. "The Black Speech 101"

 

[paranoid marvin]

I know what you mean - but there again, the Nazgûl first appeared around Second Age 2250, about 4,200 years before the events of LotR - I wonder if assuming that you had to be clever and sophisticated to rule what was basically an Iron Age petty kingdom in those days is justified?
I would have thought being 'of the blood' and/or having a strong sword-arm may have been more important. Look at Théoden: a good man, certainly, but I doubt you would describe him as clever and sophisticated, even with the advantage of over 4000 years of progress.

David Mitchell has a good take on the original kings. The king was the toughest thug who emphasised his control over others by wearing a metal hat. At least originally, clever didn't come into it - although cunning probably did.

 

[paranoid marvin]

As for the Nazgul: not much chance for idle chit-chat when the boss slways has his eye on you.

 

[Peppa]

Just wondering - do the Nazgul ever say much in LOTR?

The only two phrases I can think of them using are:

"The Ring ... the Ring ..."
"Back ... back, to Mordor will take you."

But do they ever say anything else?

They constantly exchanged vulgar jokes about elves. These jokes were not included in Tolkien's book, however, because the evil Nazgûl killed anyone who overheard them.

 

[paranoid marvin]

"Why did the Hobbit cros the river?"

"Because he was fleeing the Nazgul who wanted to take him to Mordor."

 

[farntfar]

How many Nazgul does it take to change a light bulb.


Ten! Which is why they fell under the influence of the Dark Lord.

 

[Elentarri]

This person has a bunch of Nazgul comics. Just click through the link.
Meet the Nazgul by The-Black-Panther on DeviantArt

 

[Boaz]

Jacquline Carey's Sundering duology is an apology for the Witch King. The world is at peace, but Gandalf's attempt to fulfill prophecy with the marriage of Aragorn and Arwen... and the nurturing of Frodo.... are understood by Sauron as a declaration of war. The Witch-king has nurtured his anger and betrayal by Aragorn's ancestor. I found it an entertaining read.