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Ant_222 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Past Simple vs. Past Perfect
Hello all,
Below are two quotes wherein the choice of tense (Past Simple vs. Past Pefrect) eludes me. I have marked the places that I don't understand.
In both the extracts in spite of the overall past context an event that is past relative to the context (i.e. "past before past") is referred to with Past Simple. How to explain such a usage?
«Over the city of Gondor doubt and great dread had hung. Fair weather and clear sun had seemed but a mockery to men whose days held little hope <...> After the host left Morgul Vale and took the northward road beneath the shadow of the mountains no messenger had returned nor any rumour of what was passing in the brooding East.»
«The mantle was wrought for his mother, Finduilas of Amroth, who died untimely, and was to him but a memory of loveliness in far days and of his first grief...»
Thank you in advance,
Anton
Below are two quotes wherein the choice of tense (Past Simple vs. Past Pefrect) eludes me. I have marked the places that I don't understand.
In both the extracts in spite of the overall past context an event that is past relative to the context (i.e. "past before past") is referred to with Past Simple. How to explain such a usage?
«Over the city of Gondor doubt and great dread had hung. Fair weather and clear sun had seemed but a mockery to men whose days held little hope <...> After the host left Morgul Vale and took the northward road beneath the shadow of the mountains no messenger had returned nor any rumour of what was passing in the brooding East.»
«The mantle was wrought for his mother, Finduilas of Amroth, who died untimely, and was to him but a memory of loveliness in far days and of his first grief...»
Thank you in advance,
Anton
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