What Tolkien gave us in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books are true treasures of imagination and fantasy. The characters, the places, and the stories are all so greatly written; but perhaps the most impressive thing of all is in the details. One particular subject in the LOTR that have fascinated many people even from back then is the swordsmanship and the importance of swords altogether both in the books and the movies. We’ve listed here the top five swords from LOTR and The Hobbit, their interesting and completely imagined histories, and why they’re important to the development of the LOTR stories.
Andúril, the sword of Aragorn II Elessar
Perhaps this was one of the most iconic swords in all of LOTR, only because it was the sword of one of its most iconic characters, Aragorn. Aragorn wielded this sword from start to finish. Andúril is actually a reforged sword from the shards of its predecessor, Narsil. The Elves of Rivendell crafted this for Aragorn after the Council of Elrond. Andúril is also sometimes called the Flame of the West.
Glamdring, sword of Gandalf the Grey
Gandalf’s sword Glamdring was forged for Turgon, the King of Gondolin during the First Age. It was missing for over 6,000 years before Gandalf found it in The Hobbit alongside the other swords Sting and Orcrist Gandalf used this sword to defeat the Great Goblin, and Thorin Oakenshield also wielded Glamdring to slay other Goblins as well. Glamdring is sometimes referred to as Foe-Hammer, and by the end of LOTR, it was being kept safe in Minas Tirith’s treasure vault.
Orcrist, sword of Thorin Oakenshield
Also known as Biter, the Goblins feared this sword tremendously. The Orcrist was a Gondolin sword made by Elves, and it is the mate of Gandalf’s Glamdring. Thorin Oakenshield used this sword during his quest to retake the Lonely Mountain, The Quest of Erebor. This was a special sword that glowed anytime Orcs or Goblins were close by.
Sting, sword of Bilbo Baggins
This small sword, just fit for a Hobbit, was made by Elves in Gondolin during the First Age. Bilbo Baggins wielded this sword during the Quest for Erebor. After the quest, Bilbo had the sword engraved with a text that translated to, “Sting is my name; I am the spider’s bane.” During the Third Age, Bilbo passed this sword on to Frodo Baggins. The blade glowed whenever Orcs or Goblins were near, much like the Orcrist or Glamdring. It served as a warning for those who could see it.
Hadhafang, sword of Arwen (movie)
Once belonging to Idril, and Elven princess who married a mortal Man, Hadhafang was passed down to Arwen, daughter of Elrond. Elrond wielded this sword long before Arwen did during the Third Age. The blade has an inscription that translates to “This blade is called Hadhafang, a noble defense against the enemy throng for a noble lady.” Elrond last used this sword in The Battle of the Five Armies.
Follow Us
