Fellowship of the Ring, continued
Jul. 28th, 2004 04:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jedibuttercup*cracking knuckles* Down the hobbit-hole again, I go. The prof didn't ask any of the questions he thought I would on last night's quiz. The first one was easy - mainly appendix questions about places, dates, and the fates of certain characters - but the last one was all short essay questions on "Pick a passage that exemplifies ..." and of course they were all on topics I hadn't been paying much attention to. I was entirely caught up in the Destiny questions and the Kingship issue, and paid little attention to early passages on the Ring showing a will of its own, or magical words. *sigh*
Not so much analysis this time; instead of stopping every time my mind went Aha! to type it up, I feathered the pages with little scribbly-notes. I'll try to sum up most of them here, to order it straight in my head and provide me a better study-guide for future reference.
There were some great exchanges of dialogue and comments at various points in the reading. Some were quite grin-worthy, as on pages 265 and 299, between Pip and Gandalf:
'... There must be someone with intelligence in the party.' [said Pippin.]
'Then you certainly will not be chosen, Peregrin Took!' said Gandalf.
'What are you going to do then?' asked Pippin, undaunted by the wizard's bristling brows.
'Knock on the doors with your head, Peregrin Took,' said Gandalf.
And then there's the entertaining conversation between Legolas and Gandalf after the heavy snowfall on Caradhras, on page 284:
'If Gandalf would go before us with a bright flame, he might melt a path for you,' said Legolas. The storm had troubled him little, and he alone of the Company remained still light of heart.
'If Elves could fly over mountains, they might fetch the Sun to save us,' answered Gandalf. 'But I must have something to work on. I cannot burn snow.'
Later on the same page, Legolas also says: 'The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow - an Elf.'
There were a few places where the Elf/Dwarf dispute was mentioned (of which Tolkien was careful to blame neither party); it is more of an issue before Gimli's 'conversion' by Galadriel (347). One mention that made me smile, though, was the first, when Gandalf speaks of the reason the Hollin-gates were constructed, back when Elves and Dwarves were friends (295):
'It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned,' said Gimli
'I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves,' said Legolas.
'I have heard both,' said Gandalf; 'and I will not give judgement now.'
Then there were the comments I found more in the 'quotable' category than 'amusing':
289, Gandalf: 'However it may prove, one must tread that path that need choses!'
300, Gandalf: 'Too simple for a learned lore-master in these suspicious days.'
335, Sam: 'Once I do get to sleep [...] I shall go on sleeping, whether I roll off or no. And the less said, the sooner I'll drop off, if you take my meaning.'
338, Sam: 'Live and learn! as my gaffer used to say. Though he wasthinking of gardening, not of roosting like a bird, nor of trying to walk like a spider.'
339, Haldir: 'The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.'
342, Sam: 'I thought that Elves were all for moon and stars: but this is more elvish than anything I ever heard tell of. I feel as if I was inside a song, if you take my meaning.'
352, Sam: 'It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish, as my old gaffer used to say.'
365, Celeborn: 'But do not despise the lore that has come down from distant years; for oft it may chance that old wives keep in memory word of things that once were needful for the wise to know.'
Some comments were a bit thought-provoking; as Frodo and Bilbo are speculating about the end of Bilbo's book (266-267), the following exchange takes place, starting with Bilbo:
'Have you thought of an ending?'
'Yes, several, and all are dark and unpleasant,' said Frodo.
'Oh, that won't do!' said Bilbo. 'Books ought to have good endings. How would this do: and they all settled down and lived together happily ever after?'
'It will do well, if it ever comes to that,' said Frodo.
'Ah!' said Sam. 'And where will they live? That's what I often wonder.'
Where will they *live*? I'm not sure I understand what's going through Sam's head there. Sam says a lot of things, though, throughout the story that seem a lot simpler on the surface than they are, expressing one thing on the surface and another underneath.
On 273, Sam expresses on behalf of the pony Bill: 'He gave me a look as plain as Mr. Pippin could speak it: if you don't let me go with you, Sam, I'll follow on my own.' These seem actually to be Sam's own sentiments; he does this again later down the page, muttering to Bill: 'Bill my lad, [...] you oughtn't to have took up with us. You could have stayed here and et the best hay till the new grass comes.' He's not so sure about the actual journey, perhaps, but determined not to be left behind.
He forgets Bill when Frodo's endagered later on, though he laments Bill's loss after; he ignores the Elves' comment that Legolas and Frodo only were invited up to the talan when they first encounter Haldir and tags along with them. He talks to Frodo of the elvish magic of Lórien being under the surface, unlike what he's seen before; then when he is shown some flashy Elvish magic in Galadriel's mirror, it reflects things in order of his priorities - Frodo first, then the Shire at large, then his father (353).
That personal focus allows him to see straight through Frodo when Frodo asks for an hour to make up his mind which way to go - 'Plain as a pikestaff it is, but it's no good Sam Gamgee putting in his spoke just now' (387). Later, after the hour(s) have passed, and the others begin to worry he explains it to them - how Frodo knows what to do, and isn't worried who might go with him, he's just having a hard time screwing himself up to it (394). And of course, he's right.
When Boromir returns, and he hears Frodo's fled, he makes a quick analysis of what Frodo must be thinking and what Frodo would have to do (396), runs after him, and flings himself into the river despite his inability to swim, trusting Frodo will stop to save him and pick up more supplies. And wouldn't you know it, he does. He gets Frodo to smile and laugh in the midst of their fearful departure, and insists they still may see their friends again, despite Frodo's wistful pessimism.
Boromir's actually a lot simpler than Sam, in one sense. Or perhaps I should say instead, more fixed in viewpoint? From their setting forth from Rivendell with horn-cry, to his waxing on about the Ring's possible uses when he sends Frodo fleeing at the end of Book II, he consistently holds forth on pride, strength, and intentions, whilst overlooking the grey areas and consequences he doesn't want to see.
I was mildly startled to find his death foreshadowed before they'd even left, on page 272: '... always I have let my horn cry at setting forth, and though thereafter we may walk in the shadows, I will not go forth as a thief in the night.'
At the end of his journey, he chooses to stand and fight, not fleeing, and sounds his horn. Certainly, thereafter he 'walked in the shadow' as a dead man. He also sounds the horn once during the Moria portion of the adventure, when they walk in the more literal shadows underground and before the emotional shadows of their grief for Gandalf. Many layers, here.
Boromir's character is illuminated a bit further on 284, after the snowfall, when he says: 'when heads are at a loss bodies must serve, as we say in my country.' He falls back on physical, tangible solutions a lot of the time, it seems; it's when he gets to thinking - especially about the Ring - that he gets himself into trouble. I can't help but remember here, again, that he only dreamt once, after Faramir dreamt it recurrently.
He trends toward the black and white on a lot of issues. He shuns the idea of travelling through both Moria and Lórien at first, because of dark rumors he's heard of them; he attempts to pull the Quest off course prematurely, and keeps bitching afterward if things don't go well (297). It's also he who tosses a rock in the pool before the Hollin-gate, saying, 'How I hate this foul pool!' (299).
Aragorn upbraids him - and foreshadows more - when Boromir calls Lórien 'fair and perilous' on page 329; he replies, 'Perilous indeed [...] but only evil need fear it, or those who bring some evil with them.' Sure enough, Boromir must have carried darkness in, by his reaction when Galadriel 'tempts' them all just before they leave Lórien (349).
After they leave, Boromir continues to simplify things - 'It is a choice between defending a strong place and walking openly into the arms of death' (360). It is also interesting to note that while he griped about the dark rumors of the dwarven city and elven forest, he totally dismisses the rumors about Fangorn, to the point where Celeborn upbraids him about it (365); this is, of course, because he wants to go to Minas Tirith, and has all along. He subconsciously wants to block paths that don't lead there, and facilitate paths that do. Including those that dissuade them from using the Ring in Gondor's defense (389).
It all comes to a head in his argument with Frodo (388-390). He gets very insistent - and so helps Frodo make up his mind. He regrets it afterward, but the damage is already done. Even then, he doesn't own up to his part in Frodo's flight when telling Aragorn Frodo disappeared (395).
Frodo, in contrast to many of the others, grows more and more perceptive as the tale wears on. He overhears a lot of things, and wakes in the night when others don't. On 279, he hears Gandalf and Aragorn discussing 'the dark and secret way'; another bit of foreshadowing, of course. Now that it's mentioned, we know that's the way they'll end up going!
Page 303 states this more explicitly - Though he had been healed in Rivendell of the knife-stroke, that grim wound had not bee nwithout effect. His senses were sharper and more aware of things that could not be seen. One sign of change that he soon had noticed was that he could see more in the dark more than any of his companions, save perhaps Gandalf. And he was in any case the bearer of the Ring.
This certainly helps him identify the winged Wraith Legolas shot at on the river (378), when none of the others could guess what it was. He sees some interpersonal truths more clearly, too. He's the one that convinces the Elves to accept Gimli's initial presence in Lothlórien, when Legolas reveals the eighth of their party as a dwarf (334).
He is, perhaps, hyper-aware of the likely end of the Quest, though. On page 337, he's already thinking of 'never again', as he listens to the sounds of the Celebrant before they cross it. Whereas Sam, more caught up in the moment, is more optimistic. Sam's visions in Galadriel's mirror were quite personal, but Frodo's start with Gandalf, then Bilbo, then expand out to encompass various events and fronts in the war before focusing on the Eye (354).
He fears the implications of the path he's on. This impairs his ability to follow through on what he knows is coming. Boromir's abortive betrayal (388-390) cements it in his mind, though, and gives him the impetus to just go, as he now knows he can't hang out with the Fellowship without making a decision any longer. He sees those precursors to war again, in more depth, when wearing the Ring in flight from Boromir - and finally, clearly makes his choice (392). No more hesitation. Lucky Sam's there to make sure he can follow through on it, though!
I did notice the glint of red on Caradhras when they first see it, this time, on 275. In class, the prof mentioned the association of red, and of fire, with Gandalf; not only are smoking, firecrackers, and the flame of his staff all associated with his person, we also find out much, much later that he bears the Elven-ring concerned with fire. The entire journey up - and under - Caradhras is much concerned with fire and Gandalf's power. I found the red imagery and naming (Redhorn, etc.) very well done here, in support of that subplot.
Another foreshadowy thing I noticed was the conversation between Elrond and Gimli on 274:
'Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens,' said Gimli.
'Maybe', said Elrond, 'but let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.'
'Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart,' said Gimli.
I'm not so sure that foreshadows the trip through Khazad-Dûm so much as it does their trip through the Paths of the Dead much, much later in "Return of the King". I'll have to make note of this and bring it up again when I read that far, to make sure I'm remembering correctly. And Elrond's next line - 'Or break it,' I can't recall - it makes my train of thought turn toward another dark path entirely, Sam's turn with the Ring when he thinks Frodo's dead and he must carry on alone. Very, very neatly done.
Speaking of Moria, Aragorn says on 289 to Gandalf: 'It is not of the ring, nor of us others that I am thinking now, but of you, Gandalf. And I say to you: if you pass the doors of Moria, beware!' There's no clear reason for that that we see, just Aragorn's disquiet. The fall-out of that passage is obvious enough. (I had to wonder, though - Aragorn also says this won't be his first trip through. Uh, what? When was he through there before? *furrowed brow* Am I forgetting something?) Sam takes up the Gandalf-theme a bit more on 290, with the comment, 'Whatever may be in store for old Gandalf, I'll wager it isn't a wolf's belly.' Hint, hint, hint ...
The heaviest additional foreshadowing scene, which I won't dissect here (it's getting late) is when Galadriel gives the Fellowship parting gifts. Sam's gift, Frodo's, Aragorn's and Gimli's all have special weight. Also, notice the placement of Boromir in the boat with Merry and Pippin. Legolas and Gimli are in another boat, and Frodo and Sam with Aragorn in the third; except for the placement of Aragorn, this pretty accurately foreshadows the breaking of the fellowship at the book's end and further at the beginning of the next.
Another theme throughout is Seeing: the Elves, especially the elder ones, have a considerable ability to perceive or sense things over great distances. Neither palantír nor Ring is necessary for them to do so. Elrond, on page 268, can see the beginning of the path the Fellowship will take - but his sight falters at the borders of the expanding Shadow.
Legolas exhibits this a little at times; the place I noticed first was on 276, where Gandalf says of the land of Hollin, 'Much evil must befall a country before it wholly forgets the Elves, if once they dwelt there.' Legolas replies that the trees and grass don't remember them, but the stones still do. He reports them lamenting: 'deep they delved us, fair they wrought us, high they builded us; but they are gone.' An ability to commune with nature, I guess you'd call it.
Haldir points a few things out to Frodo along these lines in Lórien: 'In this high place you may see the two powers opposed one to another; and ever they strive now in thought, but whereas the light perceives the very heart of the darkness, its own secret has not been discovered. Not yet.' Patterns of things ... the secret, of course, is Galadriel's ring, which she also seems to use mainly for seeing ('... knowing what was and is, and in part also what shall be') rather than doing, contriving, or counselling.
The theme of characters' true mettle emerging as the story progresses, as well as that of hobbits being tougher than they seem, is highlighted in Bilbo's comment on page 271, after he gives Frodo the mithril coat for protection:
'Just a plain hobbit you look,' said Bilbo. 'But there is more about you now than appears on the surface.' Gandalf echoes that on page 319: 'You take after Bilbo [...] There is more about you than meets the eye, as I said of him long ago.'
There always has been, of course, as the reader comes to realize. It's just that now it's a bit more literal! The coat comes into play on 317, when Frodo is stabbed with the orc cheiftain's spear - and it happens in the midst of a scene where both Sam and Frodo are acting with a battle-fierceness one would not expect to lurk under a hobbit's soft surface. Nice.
Gandalf and Aragorn also show themselves to be more than we've seen before as the story progresses, too. Gandalf lights the fire on Caradhras when nothing else can make the wood light; then he unleashes a greater flame on 290-291, against the crowding wolves. He'd done the 'seemed to grow' thing before, but not accompanied by such a display of power. Then comes the fight in the Chamber of Records, where he seals the door against an enemy, and brings the chamber down when it fights back (319). And finally, his full pre-transformation glory comes on page 322, when he names himself 'a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor', and forbids the Balrog to pass. (Amazing descriptive imagery in that scene).
Aragorn has been evolving slowly all along since his humble intro at the inn in Bree. But I started noticing especially on page 303, when Gandalf and Gimli were whispering about which way to go in Moria, and Aragorn pulls the others aside to give them a motivational speech. It's mainly about how great a leader Gandalf is; but still, he's assuming the mantle already. He's de-facto leader after Gandalf falls, and does take up the role handily, but besides some bickering with Boromir the next place I noticed him sticking his head up is 338-339, where he brokers a compromise for all to go blindfolded so that Gimli doesn't get his pride up at being singled out, and soothes Legolas' temper as well.
Something else that made me think of him - he's been spoken of occasionally in the past as bearing a star or single gem on his brow; the Nimrodel-song on 330 mentions that she had a star bound on her brow, and it's also echoed elsewhere in legends about past noble heroes (mostly Elven). A recurrent theme of the ennobling of Aragorn by his bloodlines and contact with elves? Along these lines, Frodo sees him as tall, fair, and lordly in the elves' realm just before they leave it (343). There's another moment of this as they pass the Argonath; he stands 'proud and erect [...] a king returning from exile to his own land' (384).
And now, a series of lists; these you may skip, and I won't begrudge you for it. *grin* These were things that stuck out at me, that I didn't feel worthy of (or didn't have time for) more detailed exploration.
Sam's comments about Rope:
1. Wishing he had some as they leave Imladris: 273
2. 'I knew I'd want it, if I hadn't got it!': 303
3. The elves give him one: 362
Hints of Gollum's presence:
1. Frodo hears faint fall of soft bare feet: 304
2. Frodo hears a following non-echo footstep at times: 306
3. Frodo, on watch, sees two pale points of light: 310
4. Frodo hears feet and sees eye-gleams again outside Moria: 328
5. Frodo wakes on the talan, hears and sees shadowed figure; it flees from Haldir: 336
6. The elves report a bent-backed, elusive intruder: 340
7. Sam and Frodo see a 'log with eyes' in the river: 373-4
8. Aragorn reveals he's known it was Gollum all along: 375
General reference of events not named above:
1. Formation of the Fellowship: 268-9
2. Andúril (Flame of the West) forged: 269
3. Sleeping crown seen in Kheled-zâram, the Mirror-mere: 325
Additional moments of characterization:
1. Pippin, determined to go despite his youth and Elrond's dissuasion: 269
2. Boromir, refusing to go forth as 'a thief in the night': 272
3. Sam, holding onto Frodo's forgotten treasures to produce when missed: 273
4. Pippin, as plain-speaking, via Sam's comment: 273
5. Pippin, annoyed by the spy-crows mainly because it delays hot food: 278
6. Gandalf, wishing for a pipe and warmer feet: 278
7. Sam, out of his reckoning in strange lands: 278
8. Legolas' shoelessness, and natural light-heartedness after the snowfall: 284
9. Boromir's comment about bodies serving when heads are at a loss: 284
10. Pippin fearing he's 'no good after all', because fearing wolves: 290
11. Legolas & Gimli, set in race roles, not friends yet: 295
12. Boromir, disliking the path, almost calling Gandalf a liar: 297
13. Gandalf's temper, in a non-fight setting: 299
14. Gandalf, self-styled 'learned lore-master': 300
15. Pip impulsively dropping a stone into the well: 305
16. Gimli waxing on about his heritage: 307-309
17. Frodo nostalgic for home, wishing he'd never left: 310
18. Aragorn, caring and assuming healer's mantle again: 326
19. Boromir, stubborn and negative: 329
20. Haldir introduced: 334
21. Legolas skilled, Pippin sure-footed crossing the rope: 337
22. Legolas and Gimli both stiff-necked: 338, 339
23. Merry, saying he'd never have left home if he'd known what the world was like: 339
24. Sam's awe, and Frodo's impressions of timelessness: 342
25. Celeborn and Galadriel have a slight difference of opinion: 347
26. Gimli is converted by Galadriel: 347
27. Galadriel tempts the Fellowship; differing reactions: 348-9
28. Frodo's poem encapsulating Gandalf's character: 350-1
29. Galadriel's Choice, passing the test of the Ring: 356-7
30. Merry objects he can handle a boat: 358
31. Aragorn having difficulty deciding which way to go: 360-1
32. Gift-giving by the Elves - reactions thereto: 361-367
33. Aragorn gains the name Elessar, and a gem-gift left him by Arwen: 366
34. All thinking deeply, after leaving Lórien: 373
35. Sam plays "luggage with eyes", watchful: 374
36. Boromir weirdly attentive to Frodo: 379-380
37. All of the last chapter, for all of them: 386-398
Good God, it's 4 in the morning; I sat down to this at 8 PM. (I hope it's all coherent). Where did the hours go? I have to be up for work in two hours, and a dentist appointment at noon, followed by four hours of class tonight ... just shoot me now. *jaw-cracking yawn*
Not so much analysis this time; instead of stopping every time my mind went Aha! to type it up, I feathered the pages with little scribbly-notes. I'll try to sum up most of them here, to order it straight in my head and provide me a better study-guide for future reference.
There were some great exchanges of dialogue and comments at various points in the reading. Some were quite grin-worthy, as on pages 265 and 299, between Pip and Gandalf:
'... There must be someone with intelligence in the party.' [said Pippin.]
'Then you certainly will not be chosen, Peregrin Took!' said Gandalf.
'What are you going to do then?' asked Pippin, undaunted by the wizard's bristling brows.
'Knock on the doors with your head, Peregrin Took,' said Gandalf.
And then there's the entertaining conversation between Legolas and Gandalf after the heavy snowfall on Caradhras, on page 284:
'If Gandalf would go before us with a bright flame, he might melt a path for you,' said Legolas. The storm had troubled him little, and he alone of the Company remained still light of heart.
'If Elves could fly over mountains, they might fetch the Sun to save us,' answered Gandalf. 'But I must have something to work on. I cannot burn snow.'
Later on the same page, Legolas also says: 'The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow - an Elf.'
There were a few places where the Elf/Dwarf dispute was mentioned (of which Tolkien was careful to blame neither party); it is more of an issue before Gimli's 'conversion' by Galadriel (347). One mention that made me smile, though, was the first, when Gandalf speaks of the reason the Hollin-gates were constructed, back when Elves and Dwarves were friends (295):
'It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned,' said Gimli
'I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves,' said Legolas.
'I have heard both,' said Gandalf; 'and I will not give judgement now.'
Then there were the comments I found more in the 'quotable' category than 'amusing':
289, Gandalf: 'However it may prove, one must tread that path that need choses!'
300, Gandalf: 'Too simple for a learned lore-master in these suspicious days.'
335, Sam: 'Once I do get to sleep [...] I shall go on sleeping, whether I roll off or no. And the less said, the sooner I'll drop off, if you take my meaning.'
338, Sam: 'Live and learn! as my gaffer used to say. Though he wasthinking of gardening, not of roosting like a bird, nor of trying to walk like a spider.'
339, Haldir: 'The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.'
342, Sam: 'I thought that Elves were all for moon and stars: but this is more elvish than anything I ever heard tell of. I feel as if I was inside a song, if you take my meaning.'
352, Sam: 'It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish, as my old gaffer used to say.'
365, Celeborn: 'But do not despise the lore that has come down from distant years; for oft it may chance that old wives keep in memory word of things that once were needful for the wise to know.'
Some comments were a bit thought-provoking; as Frodo and Bilbo are speculating about the end of Bilbo's book (266-267), the following exchange takes place, starting with Bilbo:
'Have you thought of an ending?'
'Yes, several, and all are dark and unpleasant,' said Frodo.
'Oh, that won't do!' said Bilbo. 'Books ought to have good endings. How would this do: and they all settled down and lived together happily ever after?'
'It will do well, if it ever comes to that,' said Frodo.
'Ah!' said Sam. 'And where will they live? That's what I often wonder.'
Where will they *live*? I'm not sure I understand what's going through Sam's head there. Sam says a lot of things, though, throughout the story that seem a lot simpler on the surface than they are, expressing one thing on the surface and another underneath.
On 273, Sam expresses on behalf of the pony Bill: 'He gave me a look as plain as Mr. Pippin could speak it: if you don't let me go with you, Sam, I'll follow on my own.' These seem actually to be Sam's own sentiments; he does this again later down the page, muttering to Bill: 'Bill my lad, [...] you oughtn't to have took up with us. You could have stayed here and et the best hay till the new grass comes.' He's not so sure about the actual journey, perhaps, but determined not to be left behind.
He forgets Bill when Frodo's endagered later on, though he laments Bill's loss after; he ignores the Elves' comment that Legolas and Frodo only were invited up to the talan when they first encounter Haldir and tags along with them. He talks to Frodo of the elvish magic of Lórien being under the surface, unlike what he's seen before; then when he is shown some flashy Elvish magic in Galadriel's mirror, it reflects things in order of his priorities - Frodo first, then the Shire at large, then his father (353).
That personal focus allows him to see straight through Frodo when Frodo asks for an hour to make up his mind which way to go - 'Plain as a pikestaff it is, but it's no good Sam Gamgee putting in his spoke just now' (387). Later, after the hour(s) have passed, and the others begin to worry he explains it to them - how Frodo knows what to do, and isn't worried who might go with him, he's just having a hard time screwing himself up to it (394). And of course, he's right.
When Boromir returns, and he hears Frodo's fled, he makes a quick analysis of what Frodo must be thinking and what Frodo would have to do (396), runs after him, and flings himself into the river despite his inability to swim, trusting Frodo will stop to save him and pick up more supplies. And wouldn't you know it, he does. He gets Frodo to smile and laugh in the midst of their fearful departure, and insists they still may see their friends again, despite Frodo's wistful pessimism.
Boromir's actually a lot simpler than Sam, in one sense. Or perhaps I should say instead, more fixed in viewpoint? From their setting forth from Rivendell with horn-cry, to his waxing on about the Ring's possible uses when he sends Frodo fleeing at the end of Book II, he consistently holds forth on pride, strength, and intentions, whilst overlooking the grey areas and consequences he doesn't want to see.
I was mildly startled to find his death foreshadowed before they'd even left, on page 272: '... always I have let my horn cry at setting forth, and though thereafter we may walk in the shadows, I will not go forth as a thief in the night.'
At the end of his journey, he chooses to stand and fight, not fleeing, and sounds his horn. Certainly, thereafter he 'walked in the shadow' as a dead man. He also sounds the horn once during the Moria portion of the adventure, when they walk in the more literal shadows underground and before the emotional shadows of their grief for Gandalf. Many layers, here.
Boromir's character is illuminated a bit further on 284, after the snowfall, when he says: 'when heads are at a loss bodies must serve, as we say in my country.' He falls back on physical, tangible solutions a lot of the time, it seems; it's when he gets to thinking - especially about the Ring - that he gets himself into trouble. I can't help but remember here, again, that he only dreamt once, after Faramir dreamt it recurrently.
He trends toward the black and white on a lot of issues. He shuns the idea of travelling through both Moria and Lórien at first, because of dark rumors he's heard of them; he attempts to pull the Quest off course prematurely, and keeps bitching afterward if things don't go well (297). It's also he who tosses a rock in the pool before the Hollin-gate, saying, 'How I hate this foul pool!' (299).
Aragorn upbraids him - and foreshadows more - when Boromir calls Lórien 'fair and perilous' on page 329; he replies, 'Perilous indeed [...] but only evil need fear it, or those who bring some evil with them.' Sure enough, Boromir must have carried darkness in, by his reaction when Galadriel 'tempts' them all just before they leave Lórien (349).
After they leave, Boromir continues to simplify things - 'It is a choice between defending a strong place and walking openly into the arms of death' (360). It is also interesting to note that while he griped about the dark rumors of the dwarven city and elven forest, he totally dismisses the rumors about Fangorn, to the point where Celeborn upbraids him about it (365); this is, of course, because he wants to go to Minas Tirith, and has all along. He subconsciously wants to block paths that don't lead there, and facilitate paths that do. Including those that dissuade them from using the Ring in Gondor's defense (389).
It all comes to a head in his argument with Frodo (388-390). He gets very insistent - and so helps Frodo make up his mind. He regrets it afterward, but the damage is already done. Even then, he doesn't own up to his part in Frodo's flight when telling Aragorn Frodo disappeared (395).
Frodo, in contrast to many of the others, grows more and more perceptive as the tale wears on. He overhears a lot of things, and wakes in the night when others don't. On 279, he hears Gandalf and Aragorn discussing 'the dark and secret way'; another bit of foreshadowing, of course. Now that it's mentioned, we know that's the way they'll end up going!
Page 303 states this more explicitly - Though he had been healed in Rivendell of the knife-stroke, that grim wound had not bee nwithout effect. His senses were sharper and more aware of things that could not be seen. One sign of change that he soon had noticed was that he could see more in the dark more than any of his companions, save perhaps Gandalf. And he was in any case the bearer of the Ring.
This certainly helps him identify the winged Wraith Legolas shot at on the river (378), when none of the others could guess what it was. He sees some interpersonal truths more clearly, too. He's the one that convinces the Elves to accept Gimli's initial presence in Lothlórien, when Legolas reveals the eighth of their party as a dwarf (334).
He is, perhaps, hyper-aware of the likely end of the Quest, though. On page 337, he's already thinking of 'never again', as he listens to the sounds of the Celebrant before they cross it. Whereas Sam, more caught up in the moment, is more optimistic. Sam's visions in Galadriel's mirror were quite personal, but Frodo's start with Gandalf, then Bilbo, then expand out to encompass various events and fronts in the war before focusing on the Eye (354).
He fears the implications of the path he's on. This impairs his ability to follow through on what he knows is coming. Boromir's abortive betrayal (388-390) cements it in his mind, though, and gives him the impetus to just go, as he now knows he can't hang out with the Fellowship without making a decision any longer. He sees those precursors to war again, in more depth, when wearing the Ring in flight from Boromir - and finally, clearly makes his choice (392). No more hesitation. Lucky Sam's there to make sure he can follow through on it, though!
I did notice the glint of red on Caradhras when they first see it, this time, on 275. In class, the prof mentioned the association of red, and of fire, with Gandalf; not only are smoking, firecrackers, and the flame of his staff all associated with his person, we also find out much, much later that he bears the Elven-ring concerned with fire. The entire journey up - and under - Caradhras is much concerned with fire and Gandalf's power. I found the red imagery and naming (Redhorn, etc.) very well done here, in support of that subplot.
Another foreshadowy thing I noticed was the conversation between Elrond and Gimli on 274:
'Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens,' said Gimli.
'Maybe', said Elrond, 'but let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.'
'Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart,' said Gimli.
I'm not so sure that foreshadows the trip through Khazad-Dûm so much as it does their trip through the Paths of the Dead much, much later in "Return of the King". I'll have to make note of this and bring it up again when I read that far, to make sure I'm remembering correctly. And Elrond's next line - 'Or break it,' I can't recall - it makes my train of thought turn toward another dark path entirely, Sam's turn with the Ring when he thinks Frodo's dead and he must carry on alone. Very, very neatly done.
Speaking of Moria, Aragorn says on 289 to Gandalf: 'It is not of the ring, nor of us others that I am thinking now, but of you, Gandalf. And I say to you: if you pass the doors of Moria, beware!' There's no clear reason for that that we see, just Aragorn's disquiet. The fall-out of that passage is obvious enough. (I had to wonder, though - Aragorn also says this won't be his first trip through. Uh, what? When was he through there before? *furrowed brow* Am I forgetting something?) Sam takes up the Gandalf-theme a bit more on 290, with the comment, 'Whatever may be in store for old Gandalf, I'll wager it isn't a wolf's belly.' Hint, hint, hint ...
The heaviest additional foreshadowing scene, which I won't dissect here (it's getting late) is when Galadriel gives the Fellowship parting gifts. Sam's gift, Frodo's, Aragorn's and Gimli's all have special weight. Also, notice the placement of Boromir in the boat with Merry and Pippin. Legolas and Gimli are in another boat, and Frodo and Sam with Aragorn in the third; except for the placement of Aragorn, this pretty accurately foreshadows the breaking of the fellowship at the book's end and further at the beginning of the next.
Another theme throughout is Seeing: the Elves, especially the elder ones, have a considerable ability to perceive or sense things over great distances. Neither palantír nor Ring is necessary for them to do so. Elrond, on page 268, can see the beginning of the path the Fellowship will take - but his sight falters at the borders of the expanding Shadow.
Legolas exhibits this a little at times; the place I noticed first was on 276, where Gandalf says of the land of Hollin, 'Much evil must befall a country before it wholly forgets the Elves, if once they dwelt there.' Legolas replies that the trees and grass don't remember them, but the stones still do. He reports them lamenting: 'deep they delved us, fair they wrought us, high they builded us; but they are gone.' An ability to commune with nature, I guess you'd call it.
Haldir points a few things out to Frodo along these lines in Lórien: 'In this high place you may see the two powers opposed one to another; and ever they strive now in thought, but whereas the light perceives the very heart of the darkness, its own secret has not been discovered. Not yet.' Patterns of things ... the secret, of course, is Galadriel's ring, which she also seems to use mainly for seeing ('... knowing what was and is, and in part also what shall be') rather than doing, contriving, or counselling.
The theme of characters' true mettle emerging as the story progresses, as well as that of hobbits being tougher than they seem, is highlighted in Bilbo's comment on page 271, after he gives Frodo the mithril coat for protection:
'Just a plain hobbit you look,' said Bilbo. 'But there is more about you now than appears on the surface.' Gandalf echoes that on page 319: 'You take after Bilbo [...] There is more about you than meets the eye, as I said of him long ago.'
There always has been, of course, as the reader comes to realize. It's just that now it's a bit more literal! The coat comes into play on 317, when Frodo is stabbed with the orc cheiftain's spear - and it happens in the midst of a scene where both Sam and Frodo are acting with a battle-fierceness one would not expect to lurk under a hobbit's soft surface. Nice.
Gandalf and Aragorn also show themselves to be more than we've seen before as the story progresses, too. Gandalf lights the fire on Caradhras when nothing else can make the wood light; then he unleashes a greater flame on 290-291, against the crowding wolves. He'd done the 'seemed to grow' thing before, but not accompanied by such a display of power. Then comes the fight in the Chamber of Records, where he seals the door against an enemy, and brings the chamber down when it fights back (319). And finally, his full pre-transformation glory comes on page 322, when he names himself 'a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor', and forbids the Balrog to pass. (Amazing descriptive imagery in that scene).
Aragorn has been evolving slowly all along since his humble intro at the inn in Bree. But I started noticing especially on page 303, when Gandalf and Gimli were whispering about which way to go in Moria, and Aragorn pulls the others aside to give them a motivational speech. It's mainly about how great a leader Gandalf is; but still, he's assuming the mantle already. He's de-facto leader after Gandalf falls, and does take up the role handily, but besides some bickering with Boromir the next place I noticed him sticking his head up is 338-339, where he brokers a compromise for all to go blindfolded so that Gimli doesn't get his pride up at being singled out, and soothes Legolas' temper as well.
Something else that made me think of him - he's been spoken of occasionally in the past as bearing a star or single gem on his brow; the Nimrodel-song on 330 mentions that she had a star bound on her brow, and it's also echoed elsewhere in legends about past noble heroes (mostly Elven). A recurrent theme of the ennobling of Aragorn by his bloodlines and contact with elves? Along these lines, Frodo sees him as tall, fair, and lordly in the elves' realm just before they leave it (343). There's another moment of this as they pass the Argonath; he stands 'proud and erect [...] a king returning from exile to his own land' (384).
And now, a series of lists; these you may skip, and I won't begrudge you for it. *grin* These were things that stuck out at me, that I didn't feel worthy of (or didn't have time for) more detailed exploration.
Sam's comments about Rope:
1. Wishing he had some as they leave Imladris: 273
2. 'I knew I'd want it, if I hadn't got it!': 303
3. The elves give him one: 362
Hints of Gollum's presence:
1. Frodo hears faint fall of soft bare feet: 304
2. Frodo hears a following non-echo footstep at times: 306
3. Frodo, on watch, sees two pale points of light: 310
4. Frodo hears feet and sees eye-gleams again outside Moria: 328
5. Frodo wakes on the talan, hears and sees shadowed figure; it flees from Haldir: 336
6. The elves report a bent-backed, elusive intruder: 340
7. Sam and Frodo see a 'log with eyes' in the river: 373-4
8. Aragorn reveals he's known it was Gollum all along: 375
General reference of events not named above:
1. Formation of the Fellowship: 268-9
2. Andúril (Flame of the West) forged: 269
3. Sleeping crown seen in Kheled-zâram, the Mirror-mere: 325
Additional moments of characterization:
1. Pippin, determined to go despite his youth and Elrond's dissuasion: 269
2. Boromir, refusing to go forth as 'a thief in the night': 272
3. Sam, holding onto Frodo's forgotten treasures to produce when missed: 273
4. Pippin, as plain-speaking, via Sam's comment: 273
5. Pippin, annoyed by the spy-crows mainly because it delays hot food: 278
6. Gandalf, wishing for a pipe and warmer feet: 278
7. Sam, out of his reckoning in strange lands: 278
8. Legolas' shoelessness, and natural light-heartedness after the snowfall: 284
9. Boromir's comment about bodies serving when heads are at a loss: 284
10. Pippin fearing he's 'no good after all', because fearing wolves: 290
11. Legolas & Gimli, set in race roles, not friends yet: 295
12. Boromir, disliking the path, almost calling Gandalf a liar: 297
13. Gandalf's temper, in a non-fight setting: 299
14. Gandalf, self-styled 'learned lore-master': 300
15. Pip impulsively dropping a stone into the well: 305
16. Gimli waxing on about his heritage: 307-309
17. Frodo nostalgic for home, wishing he'd never left: 310
18. Aragorn, caring and assuming healer's mantle again: 326
19. Boromir, stubborn and negative: 329
20. Haldir introduced: 334
21. Legolas skilled, Pippin sure-footed crossing the rope: 337
22. Legolas and Gimli both stiff-necked: 338, 339
23. Merry, saying he'd never have left home if he'd known what the world was like: 339
24. Sam's awe, and Frodo's impressions of timelessness: 342
25. Celeborn and Galadriel have a slight difference of opinion: 347
26. Gimli is converted by Galadriel: 347
27. Galadriel tempts the Fellowship; differing reactions: 348-9
28. Frodo's poem encapsulating Gandalf's character: 350-1
29. Galadriel's Choice, passing the test of the Ring: 356-7
30. Merry objects he can handle a boat: 358
31. Aragorn having difficulty deciding which way to go: 360-1
32. Gift-giving by the Elves - reactions thereto: 361-367
33. Aragorn gains the name Elessar, and a gem-gift left him by Arwen: 366
34. All thinking deeply, after leaving Lórien: 373
35. Sam plays "luggage with eyes", watchful: 374
36. Boromir weirdly attentive to Frodo: 379-380
37. All of the last chapter, for all of them: 386-398
Good God, it's 4 in the morning; I sat down to this at 8 PM. (I hope it's all coherent). Where did the hours go? I have to be up for work in two hours, and a dentist appointment at noon, followed by four hours of class tonight ... just shoot me now. *jaw-cracking yawn*
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Down the hobbit-hole again
Date: 2004-07-31 03:51 pm (UTC)Sam and the mirror of Galadriel
I hadn't really recognized the fact that it "reflects things in order of his priorities" until you mentioned it. That's quite fascinating, and does give insight into his character. I also found it interesting that he is the only one who anticipates Frodo at the river before the Emyn Muil, instead of his friends Merry and Pippin. When Sam becomes Frodo's heir in the end, it is a symbolic recognition of their bond and how close they truly are.
Boromir's horn
If there's ever a passage in LOTR that screams foreshadowing, it's when they set off from Rivendell and Elrond says, "Slow should you be to wind that horn again, Boromir, until you stand once more on the borders of your land, and dire need is on you." I almost imagine Boromir wearing a red shirt as Elrond is speaking! (Star Trek reference) The interesting thing about the horn is that it directly affects how Boromir's family handles things afterward. Faramir heard the horn "as if in a dream" and sees it as a harbinger of doom, which heightens his suspicion of Frodo and then later prompts him to aid the Halflings. Meanwhile, Denethor has the two pieces sitting on his lap, which causes Pippin to spontaneously offer his sword and service to Gondor. In his capacity as a knight of Gondor, he meets Beregond and Bergil, who later aid him in saving Faramir's life. So, it's fascinating to see how the death of Boromir and the retrieval of the horn affect the course of events.
Frodo's perception
Galadriel comments on Frodo's growing abilities as well, after he looks into the Mirror. She notes that "You begin to see with a keen eye" and "you have perceived my thoughts more clearly than many that are accounted wise." He has seen the eye of Sauron, and one of the Three Rings on her finger. Thus, he has a deeper and more intimate understanding of both good and evil. This thread also connects to your "Seeing" observations and demonstrates how his status as an "elf-friend" may be more than just a simple title; it could denote a reflection of their traits and abilities in mortals.
Gimli's word
I actually thought this was most poignant when they left Lorien. Gimli refers to what Elrond said, and says himself, "But I would not have come, had I known the danger of light and joy... Alas for Gimli son of Gloin!" It's interesting to see that he almost would have rather left the Company to stay with the elves, rather than share the danger with his companions.
Aragorn's transformation
When "bearing a star or single gem on his brow" is noted, we should be cognizant of the fact that a crown was not the symbol of authority in Arnor (as it was in Gondor). The sceptre of Annuminas and the Star of Elendil (Elendilmira?) are the heirlooms of the North. As such, Aragorn reaffirms his claim on the fields of the Pelennor, but doesn't flaunt them once the battle is over -- "And he commanded that his banner [made by Arwen] should be furled; and he did off the Star of the North-Kingdom and gave it to the keeping of the sons of Elrond [previous guardians of the shards of Narsil]." Thus, he also reestablishes his connection to the Eldar as he takes the leadership of the Edain in hand. Cool, huh? ;)
Re: Down the hobbit-hole again
Date: 2004-07-31 10:35 pm (UTC)About Sam - I recently read someone's comment that the first time they read LotR, they didn't anticipate Gollum's involvement in the end; they were convinced that the only way the Ring would be destroyed would be for Sam to grab Frodo and leap with him into the heart of the mountain's fire. And you know, that would have been perfectly in keeping with his character. Frodo's the martyr of the piece, and I love him dearly, but Sam is the real hero.
Red shirt - yeah, I get the Star Trek reference. Speaking as a person who's watched all editions thereof since early childhood - though I reject "Enterprise" on principle and grievously dislike several of the movies. I'd go a step further, though, and compare him to characters like Dr. Elizabeth Dehner than red-shirts in general. At least he got a name, a history, and some sympathetic character development. =)
I'll have to keep my eyes out in TTT for the passages you mentioned about the horn. I hadn't remembered a lot of that yet.
Oh, and re: your comment on Frodo as "elf-friend" as it ties in to the mention of Gimli ... the appendices mention that the dwarf is accounted the same title in lore, and is further unique among dwarves in being allowed passage over Sea with Legolas. He certainly did show a large shift in worldview after becoming acquainted with Elves, especially Galadriel. Interesting line of thought.
The Star of Elendil - guess I haven't caught up to the references to it yet, either. Goodness. I don't remember any mention of it in the movie - was there? Maybe in the forthcoming Extended Edition there will be. If there's any room left over after adding back in (I can only hope) more of the romance of Faramir and Éowyn and the significance of the White Tree and ... *trailing off into mumbling*