[DEBATE] Matthias's age?

[CaptainRocktree]

Hey I have been wondering how old Matthias is? I know in the Tv show he 13 but some say he is 20?
But at the end of redwall the legend begins if i am not mistaken he married cornflower? so how
could he marry if he is 13 ? Unless that is in Mouse Years? so this is a open debate
on how old Matthias is so let the Debate begin!

[Cornflower MM]

Maybe they (In the TV series) don't care about marrying at a young age. OR, well, young for us.

[CaptainRocktree]

True but in the Tv series they did not marry at the end? they did show how the liked each other
but they still did not marry? it seems like they changed the Tv series from a older kid book to younger kid Tv show?

[Romsca]

In the middle ages you only had to be 12-14 to get married

[CaptainRocktree]

Yes but Matthias would have had to been a very mature 13 year old to go around fighting deadly snakes killing clunny etc

[Romsca]

Yeah, but I believe he did say that when Mattimeo was captured Mattimeo was older than Matthias was when Cluny came

[Cornflower MM]

When did they say that?

[Romsca]

I don't know but I remember he said that somewhere I think. I believe it was before he left to find Slagar

[Cornflower MM]

Hmm......I'll hafta go back and take a look.

[Lutra]

Martin sounds older than 13 in the show....try 20.   Felldoh sounds 15-ish, Brome is 8 or 9.

Oh wait, you said Matthias.....Felldoh sounds older, yet Brome younger....so 13 is about right.  Probably the wrong voice for him, but it was the first season after all.   They got better in the second and third seasons.

[Tam and Martin]

I agree with you Lutra. That sounds about right except the age of Felldoh. I think he would be more like 17.

[The Skarzs]

BJ was trying to install some medieval things into his stories, and one of those is early marriages: A lot of times, boys were trained to become knights and defend their family because of how common deaths were. (Women remarrying three times was also something that happened) This training coupled with actual times where they had to battle caused early maturing; marriage can take place really any time the two are mature and ready enough to marry, which also requires a way of supporting a family. Families wished their line to continue, so this was the common practice. If anyone notices the some of the old suits of armor, they are pretty short: this is because they were meant for someone of that height, at which many thirteen-year-olds were. If they are ready enough to wear their own suit of armor into battle, then they're old enough to marry.

The point is, I think thirteen would be a time-accurate age.

[Faiyloe]

I think you are all forgetting that he is a mouse and not a man, and being so, mice have a different life span then we do. Also the fact they they are mice and not humans points to the fact that they might have a different culture than we do, one that allows early mirages. You should not say that, At Thirteen one is not mature enough to be married, but look at Matthias life and you will see that he is in fact a very mature 13 year old. 

Also Maturity and age are two different things and one cannot define the other. One may be very mature while still very young and on the other hand they may be a complete jerk and be older. It seems that age in the books particularly is define not by maturity but by things like athletic youthfulness, wisdom, acquired skills and knowledge. Mathias was very mature however he lack a lot of the insight, sills and knowledge about the world that those older than him had. Mathusala (Spelling?) had to teach him many things but it was Matthias maturity that aloud him to take those words of wisdom to heart.

[The Skarzs]

I'm not forgetting he is a mouse; I am however noting that Redwall seems influenced by Medieval cultures, practices, etc., but not entirely based on them. Also, I did not say he was not mature.

Point taken and already known.

[Faiyloe]

Actually that was directed to the others. I completely agree with all that you where saying and was more over adding to it.