# Tradition and Change in The Roots of the Mountains

> Theme guide for The Roots of the Mountains by William Morris.

The tension between ancient customs, ancestral laws, and the need for adaptation is explored through the characters' struggles with oaths, folk-motes, and the integration of new peoples and ideas, highlighting how societies evolve through conflict and cooperation.

## Where it surfaces

- [Of Burgstead and Its Folk and Its Neighbours](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/i-of-burgstead-and-its-folk-and-its-neighbours): The Woodland-Carles preserve old tales and rune-craft, while the Dalesmen live in a timeless cycle of work and feast, yet are open to news from the outside world.
- [Face-of-God Cometh Home Again to Burgstead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/viii-face-of-god-cometh-home-again-to-burgstead): Face-of-god's rejection of the expected path (traveling with merchants) and his unusual behavior challenge the traditions of his household.
- [Those Brethren Fare to the Yew-Wood with the Bride](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/ix-those-brethren-fare-to-the-yew-wood-with-the-bride): The familiar routine of wood-cutting and the Bride's traditional song contrast with Face-of-god's changing heart and the impending spring-tide events.
- [XI: Men Make Oath at Burgstead on the Holy Boar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xi-men-make-oath-at-burgstead-on-the-holy-boar): The Yule custom of oath-swearing is upheld, but Face-of-god's oath hints at a departure from tradition, seeking a bride beyond the Dale, unsettling the Bride and Stone-face.
- [How the Maiden Ward Was Held in Burgdale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/lviii-how-the-maiden-ward-was-held-in-burgdale): The Maiden Ward is a traditional custom, but this year it is marked by the aftermath of battle and the union of Face-of-god and Sun-beam, blending old ways with new beginnings.
- [LIX: The Behest of Face-of-God to the Bride Accomplished: A Motestead Appointed for the Three Folks, to Wit, the Men of Burgdale, the Shepherds, and the Children of the Wolf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/lix-the-behest-of-face-of-god-to-the-bride-accomplished-a-motestead-appointed-for-the-three-folks-to-wit-the-men-of-burgdale-the-shepherds-and-the-children-of-the-wolf): The establishment of a recurring mote in Shadowy Vale blends old traditions with new alliances, marking a change from past conflicts to a peaceful future.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/themes/tradition_and_change
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/themes