Oaths and curses figure strongly in the fantasy works of J.R.R. Tolkien because of their context within Old English / Old Norse speaking cultural traditions. An oath-breaker was a Nīþ, an extreme social outcast. Oath-breaking is the worst sort of violation and betrayal seen time and again in Tolkien’s works. Continue reading How was Isildur Able to Curse the Men of Dunharrow?