Théodred
Encyclopedia
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's name is probably taken from the Anglo-Saxon
words "þeod" ("folk", "people", "nation") and "ræd" ("counsel").
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
.
Théodred later succumbs to his wounds, though it is hinted that (and revealed by Jackson to be his intent in commentaries) Gríma
Wormtongue aided in his death. Also, Théodred is portrayed as a young man of 20–25 years old, whereas he is actually 41 at the time of his death.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
by J.R.R. Tolkien. He is the only son and heir of King Théoden
Théoden
Théoden is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings. He appears as a major supporting character in The Two Towers and The Return of the King.-Appearances:...
of Rohan
Rohan
Rohan is a realm in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy era of Middle-earth. It is a grassland which lies north of its ally Gondor and north-west of Mordor, the realm of Sauron, their enemy . It is inhabited by the Rohirrim, a people of herdsmen and farmers who are well-known for their horses and cavalry....
.
His mother, Elfhild, died in childbirth. Théodred grew up together with his cousin Éomer
Éomer
Éomer is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in The Two Towers and The Return of the King, the second and third volumes of Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings....
. Afterwards Théodred was slain in the First Battle of the Fords of Isen
Fords of Isen
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Fords of Isen were fords in the river Isen, guarded by the Rohirrim. As the only crossing of the Isen into Rohan, they were of enormous strategic importance....
.
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's name is probably taken from the Anglo-Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
words "þeod" ("folk", "people", "nation") and "ræd" ("counsel").
Portrayal in adaptations
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's film version of The Two Towers, he was played by New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
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
Fords of Isen
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Fords of Isen were fords in the river Isen, guarded by the Rohirrim. As the only crossing of the Isen into Rohan, they were of enormous strategic importance....
.
Théodred later succumbs to his wounds, though it is hinted that (and revealed by Jackson to be his intent in commentaries) Gríma
Gríma
Gríma, called Wormtongue, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He appears in the second and third volumes of the work, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, and his role is expanded upon in Unfinished Tales. He is introduced in The Two Towers as the chief...
Wormtongue aided in his death. Also, Théodred is portrayed as a young man of 20–25 years old, whereas he is actually 41 at the time of his death.