Q: How Does J.R.R. Tolkien use Bells in his Stories?
ANSWER: A reader once asked why there were bells in Minas Tirith if The Lord of the Rings is supposed to be set in a prehistoric age before there were churches. It is not widely known that bells are extremely ancient devices that were originally used in non-religious ways outside of temples. Tolkien’s use of bells reflects a mixture of practical and modern (anachronistic) motifs.
The earliest use of a bell in a published Tolkien book is Bilbo’s door-bell at Bag End. Doorbells are probably a medieval invention, having been hung to ward off evil spirits. In more ancient times bells were used to make music and to sound warnings. The ancient Greeks used small bells for decorative purposes, possibly in some religious rites, and as signals for city/town guards. The Romans later introduced bells for horses.
The dwarves’ song about Smaug’s attack on Erebor and Dale also says “The bells were ringing in the dale | And men looked up with faces pale;” hence, we can conclude that Dale had alarm bells. Thorin described the event for Bilbo:
…There was a most specially greedy, strong and wicked worm called Smaug. One day he flew up into the air and came south. The first we heard of it was a noise like a hurricane coming from the North, and the pine-trees on the Mountain creaking and cracking in the wind. Some of the dwarves who happened to be outside (I was one luckily -a fine adventurous lad in those days, always wandering about, and it saved my life that day)-well, from a good way off we saw the dragon settle on our mountain in a spout of flame. Then he came down the slopes and when he reached the woods they all went up in fire. By that time all the bells were ringing in Dale and the warriors were arming….
Elrond was also apparently familiar with Dale’s bells, for when he deciphered the runes on the swords Glamdring and Orcrist Tolkien writes:
…[Elrond] took [Thror’s map] and gazed long at it, and he shook his head; for if he did not altogether approve of dwarves and their love of gold, he hated dragons and their cruel wickedness, and he grieved to remember the ruin of the town of Dale and its merry bells, and the burned banks of the bright River Running….
When Thorin and Company approached Erebor Balin spoke about Dale:
“There lies all that is left of Dale,” said Balin. “The mountain’s sides were green with woods and all the sheltered valley rich and pleasant in the days when the bells rang in that town.” He looked both sad and grim as he said this: he had been one of Thorin’s companions on the day the Dragon came.
Dale appears to have been so closely associated with bells that when Bard began to think of re-establishing Girion’s kingdom he imagined the city with bells:
“Fools!” said Bard. “Why waste words and wrath on those unhappy creatures? Doubtless they perished first in fire, before Smaug came to us.” Then even as he was speaking, the thought came into his heart of the fabled treasure of the Mountain lying without guard or owner, and he fell suddenly silent. He thought of the Master’s words, and of Dale rebuilt, and filled with golden bells, if he could but find the men.
Tolkien himself seems to have been quite fond of the bell motif. In Letter No. 211, in which he answers a variety of questions put to him by Rhona Beare in 1958, Tolkien notes:
…Glorfindel’s horse would have an ornamental headstall, carrying a plume, and with the straps studded with jewels and small bells; but Glor. would certainly not use a bit. I will change bridle and bit to headstall.
In The Lord of the Rings hobbits had uses for bells other than just on doors. For example, at Bilbo’s birthday party “Master Everard Took and Miss Melilot Brandybuck got on a table and with bells in their hands began to dance the Springle-ring: a pretty dance, but rather vigorous.” However, not all bells mentioned in the book appear to be the musical kind. It seems likely that Goldberry’s “bells” are plants or flowers (Tolkien describes several such in his letters):
Now let the song begin! Let us sing together
Of sun, stars, moon and mist, rain and cloudy weather,
Light on the budding leaf, dew on the feather,
Wind on the open hill, bells on the heather,
Reeds by the shady pool, lilies on the water:
Old Tom Bombadil and the River-daughter!
Barliman Butterbur left Frodo and his companions in a parlour with a hand-bell to summon Nob, the hobbit-servant of the Prancing Pony:
He led them a short way down a passage, and opened a door. ‘Here is a nice little parlour!’ he said. ‘I hope it will suit. Excuse me now. I’m that busy. No time for talking. I must be trotting. It’s hard work for two legs, but I don’t get thinner. I’ll look in again later. If you want anything, ring the hand-bell, and Nob will come. If he don’t come, ring and shout!’
Not only did Glorfindel use bells on his horse harness, Elrond used them in his house:
`I feel like singing myself,’ laughed Frodo. `Though at the moment I feel more like eating and drinking!’
`That will soon be cured,’ said Pippin. `You have shown your usual cunning in getting
up just in time for a meal.’`More than meal! A feast!’ said Merry. `As soon as Gandalf reported that you were recovered, the preparations began.’ He had hardly finished speaking when they were summoned to the hall by the ringing of many bells.
A different type of bell was used to summon people to Elrond’s council:
Suddenly as they were talking a single clear bell rang out. `That is the warning bell for
the Council of Elrond,’ cried Gandalf. `Come along now! Both you and Bilbo are wanted.’
During the council a noon-bell rings; hence, we know that Elrond’s folk, at least, used bells to mark time. The people of Minas Tirith (or at least the Steward’s army) also appear to have used bells to mark time. When Gandalf and Pippin are in Minas Tirith, three rings of a tower bell mark what Pippin concludes is about nine in the morning:
Gandalf went to the door, and there he turned. ‘I am in haste Pippin,’ he said. ‘Do me a favour when you go out. Even before you rest, if you are not too weary. Go and find Shadowfax and see how he is housed. These people are kindly to beasts, for they are a good and wise folk, but they have less skill with horses than some.’
With that Gandalf went out; and as he did so, there came the note of a clear sweet bell ringing in a tower of the citadel. Three strokes it rang, like silver in the air, and ceased: the third hour from the rising of the sun.
After a minute Pippin went to the door and down the stair and looked about the street. The sun was now shining warm and bright, and the towers and tall houses cast long clearcut shadows westward. High in the blue air Mount Mindolluin lifted its white helm and snowy cloak. Armed men went to and fro in the ways of the City, as if going at the striking of the hour to changes of post and duty.
‘Nine o’clock we’d call it in the Shire,’ said Pippin aloud to himself. ‘Just the time for a nice breakfast by the open window in spring sunshine. And how I should like breakfast!
Later in the day more bells are rung to mark time:
So they talked until the sun reached its height, and suddenly the noon-bells were rung, and there was a stir in the citadel; for all save the watchmen were going to their meal.
And one more examine of time-marking bells used to summon people back into the city occurs in the conversation between Bergil and Pippin:
Pippin looked up, and it seemed to him that the sky had grown ashen-grey, as if a vast dust and smoke hung above them, and light came dully through it. But in the West the dying sun had set all the fume on fire, and now Mindolluin stood black against a burning smoulder flecked with embers. ‘So ends a fair day in wrath!’ he said forgetful of the lad at his side.
‘So it will, if I have not returned before the sundown-bells,’ said Bergil. ‘Come! There goes the trumpet for the closing of the Gate.’
The bells that ring at sun-down are placed in towers. There are subsequent references to these bells marking time and also being used to summon defenders to the walls when Minas Tirith is attacked. Sam, of course, uses the phial of Galadriel to win past a pair of Watchers outside the fortress of Cirith Ungol, and when he does so he hears the sound of a loud bell. The narrative mentions another bell in Cirith Ungol which is used to sound the alarm after Frodo and Sam escape. Even in The Silmarilllion Tolkien writes about “Valmar of many bells”, the city of the Valar in Aman.
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