Post by MajahTR on Jan 21, 2009 9:23:55 GMT -6
The Fellowship travels down the Anduin. Boromir has started to babble to himself which Pippin marks. Sam continues to distrust boats and water. And Gollum follows. Finally, our suspicions are confirmed when Sam and Frodo talk about it together and then Frodo with Aragorn. Aragorn makes the statement that he wishes he could catch Gollum because he might be useful and to keep him from telling the Enemy what the party is doing. I never noticed that before.
Only on repeat readings does the significance of the Eagle circling and flying southward in the distance become apparent. In the previous paragraph, Aragorn was concerned about the possibility of flocks of birds being spies and alerted by Golum, so, anyone on their first reading who has not read The Silmarillion would wonder if the Eagle was also a spy for Sauron. And when the Orcs attack at Sarn Gebir, it is assumed that Gollum instigated it.
The next section is devoted to how Time flows in Faerie. Aragorn has had experience with Time in Faerie before. "Nay, time does not tarry ever," he [Legolas] said; "but change and growth is not in all things and places alike. For the Elves the world moves, and it moves both swift and very slow. Swift, because they themselves change little, and all else fleets by: it is a grief to them. Slow, because they do not count the running years, not for themselves. The passing seasons are but ripples ever repeated in the long stream. Yet beneath the Sun all things must wear to an end at last."
"But the wearing is slow in Lorien," said Frodo. "The power of the Lady is on it. Rich are the hours, though short they seem in Caras Galadon, where Galadriel wields the Elven-ring."
"That should not have been said outside of Lorien, not even to me," said Aragorn. "Speak no more of it! But so it is, Sam: in that land you lost your count. There time flowed swiftly by us, as for the Elves. The old moon passed, and a new moon waxed and waned in the world outside, while we tarried there."
During Aragorn's argument with Boromir about which course to take, Aragorn says, "I at least have a mind to stand in that high place [Amon Hen] again, before I decide my further course. There maybe, we shall see some sign that will guide us." Two things struck me on this section. The first was that Aragorn said he wanted to stand there AGAIN. I knew that he spent time in Rohan and Gondor previously, but I was unaware that he spent time on Amon Hen. I wonder what he saw then. And the second was the foreshadowing of the breaking of the Fellowship: "the sign that will guide us."
When the Fellowship brought their boats across land to bypass the rapids, there lay a heavy fog that Tolkien mentioned over and over. Was this a natural fog or not? Gollum had not been seen. The Orcs were on the other side of the river.
Passing the Argonath, Sam and Frodo are fearful. Boromir bows his head. Aragorn on the other hand is proud and erect: "a king returning from exile to his own land." How his heart must be torn about the decision that must be made.
And in sight are the three peaks of Tol Brandir, Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw…
DA
This chapter ties together suspicion that most of the fellowship knows that Gollum is following them since Moria. Gandalf, Legolas and Aragorn must have suspected about the time Frodo does in Moria, but did not say anything perhaps to allow Gollum to believe that they were unaware of his presence AND perhaps to catch him by surprise to capture him as Aragorn stated.
Frodo recognizes that he has a keener awareness of the supernatural (for lack of a better word) things about than the other hobbits and Gimli who I believe up to this point have not suspected that Gollum is about. This keener insight was perhaps confirmed after Galadriel points out he identified the her ring (and Sam did not).
I wanted to reflect here how Frodo (of the simple race of hobbits) becomes so keenly aware of the supernatural. It would be simple to state that it was the Ring and knife wound... but indulge me for a moment...
First, I think it he his keenly aware of the supernatural because he possesses crucial innate gifts of courage and sensibility. Tolkien tells us in Fog on the Barrow-downs that "though he did not know it, Bilbo (and Gandalf) had thought him the best hobbit in the Shire." This passage is specifically addressing Frodo's "seed of courage," but also think it shows his ability to choose good versus evil because he does not leave his cohorts and flee from the barrow. Second, the Ring (although evil) gives him supernatural insight. Third, the knife-wound scar alerts him of the presence of Nazgul. I believe his upright character allows him to deal with the evil of the latter two (better than any of the other hobbits in the Shire). The last two (being all together evil) by themselves would overcome the most any other hobbit... or anyone in ME... obviously to possess was not only Frodo's destiny... it was his fate.
In reading this chapter, I couldn't ignore Sam's gifts, since we know he will play a vital role later in going with Frodo to Mordor:
Sam's gift is his heightened awareness of the natural world and it's patterns. That's why he hasn't been able to recogize Gollum's presence up until this point. This keen awareness allows him to identify the supernatural through inconsistencies of nature. In this chapter it's "the moon" and the "log with eyes" An earlier example is
Old Man Willow - "There's more behind this than sun and warm air," he muttered to himself. "I don't like this great big tree. I don't trust it. Hark at it singing about sleep now! This won't do at all." Sam doesn't notice Gollum until Gollum uses a log (something in the natural world) to hide himself. Sam trust what should be and contrasts that with what is suspect...
Is there a discrepancy between what Legolas says, "...an egale, a hunting eagle..."? I think of the Eagles of Thorondor or Gwaihir (that brought Gandalf back to Rohan to get Shadowfax).
Destiny is also moving Aragorn to go to Minas Tirith instead with Frodo... He is becoming more kingly and is struggling with having to go with Frodo to Mordor. His heart is not with going, but his honor compels him to do what is right. This sets up the next chapter beautifully.
Luthien
I agree with your analysis, Luthien. All through the FOtR, as I followed Sam in particular, I found that he was usually the first to notice when things just didn't "feel" right around the company. But he was less aware of what was going on when the supernatural was involved. Sam's closeness to nature sometimes blinded him to the implications of things that were outside of his experience. For example, he was ready to burn or chop down Old Man Willow--not a feasible way to fight something that was not completely of the natural world.
Jerseyshore
Only on repeat readings does the significance of the Eagle circling and flying southward in the distance become apparent. In the previous paragraph, Aragorn was concerned about the possibility of flocks of birds being spies and alerted by Golum, so, anyone on their first reading who has not read The Silmarillion would wonder if the Eagle was also a spy for Sauron. And when the Orcs attack at Sarn Gebir, it is assumed that Gollum instigated it.
The next section is devoted to how Time flows in Faerie. Aragorn has had experience with Time in Faerie before. "Nay, time does not tarry ever," he [Legolas] said; "but change and growth is not in all things and places alike. For the Elves the world moves, and it moves both swift and very slow. Swift, because they themselves change little, and all else fleets by: it is a grief to them. Slow, because they do not count the running years, not for themselves. The passing seasons are but ripples ever repeated in the long stream. Yet beneath the Sun all things must wear to an end at last."
"But the wearing is slow in Lorien," said Frodo. "The power of the Lady is on it. Rich are the hours, though short they seem in Caras Galadon, where Galadriel wields the Elven-ring."
"That should not have been said outside of Lorien, not even to me," said Aragorn. "Speak no more of it! But so it is, Sam: in that land you lost your count. There time flowed swiftly by us, as for the Elves. The old moon passed, and a new moon waxed and waned in the world outside, while we tarried there."
During Aragorn's argument with Boromir about which course to take, Aragorn says, "I at least have a mind to stand in that high place [Amon Hen] again, before I decide my further course. There maybe, we shall see some sign that will guide us." Two things struck me on this section. The first was that Aragorn said he wanted to stand there AGAIN. I knew that he spent time in Rohan and Gondor previously, but I was unaware that he spent time on Amon Hen. I wonder what he saw then. And the second was the foreshadowing of the breaking of the Fellowship: "the sign that will guide us."
When the Fellowship brought their boats across land to bypass the rapids, there lay a heavy fog that Tolkien mentioned over and over. Was this a natural fog or not? Gollum had not been seen. The Orcs were on the other side of the river.
Passing the Argonath, Sam and Frodo are fearful. Boromir bows his head. Aragorn on the other hand is proud and erect: "a king returning from exile to his own land." How his heart must be torn about the decision that must be made.
And in sight are the three peaks of Tol Brandir, Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw…
DA
This chapter ties together suspicion that most of the fellowship knows that Gollum is following them since Moria. Gandalf, Legolas and Aragorn must have suspected about the time Frodo does in Moria, but did not say anything perhaps to allow Gollum to believe that they were unaware of his presence AND perhaps to catch him by surprise to capture him as Aragorn stated.
Frodo recognizes that he has a keener awareness of the supernatural (for lack of a better word) things about than the other hobbits and Gimli who I believe up to this point have not suspected that Gollum is about. This keener insight was perhaps confirmed after Galadriel points out he identified the her ring (and Sam did not).
I wanted to reflect here how Frodo (of the simple race of hobbits) becomes so keenly aware of the supernatural. It would be simple to state that it was the Ring and knife wound... but indulge me for a moment...
First, I think it he his keenly aware of the supernatural because he possesses crucial innate gifts of courage and sensibility. Tolkien tells us in Fog on the Barrow-downs that "though he did not know it, Bilbo (and Gandalf) had thought him the best hobbit in the Shire." This passage is specifically addressing Frodo's "seed of courage," but also think it shows his ability to choose good versus evil because he does not leave his cohorts and flee from the barrow. Second, the Ring (although evil) gives him supernatural insight. Third, the knife-wound scar alerts him of the presence of Nazgul. I believe his upright character allows him to deal with the evil of the latter two (better than any of the other hobbits in the Shire). The last two (being all together evil) by themselves would overcome the most any other hobbit... or anyone in ME... obviously to possess was not only Frodo's destiny... it was his fate.
In reading this chapter, I couldn't ignore Sam's gifts, since we know he will play a vital role later in going with Frodo to Mordor:
Sam's gift is his heightened awareness of the natural world and it's patterns. That's why he hasn't been able to recogize Gollum's presence up until this point. This keen awareness allows him to identify the supernatural through inconsistencies of nature. In this chapter it's "the moon" and the "log with eyes" An earlier example is
Old Man Willow - "There's more behind this than sun and warm air," he muttered to himself. "I don't like this great big tree. I don't trust it. Hark at it singing about sleep now! This won't do at all." Sam doesn't notice Gollum until Gollum uses a log (something in the natural world) to hide himself. Sam trust what should be and contrasts that with what is suspect...
Is there a discrepancy between what Legolas says, "...an egale, a hunting eagle..."? I think of the Eagles of Thorondor or Gwaihir (that brought Gandalf back to Rohan to get Shadowfax).
Destiny is also moving Aragorn to go to Minas Tirith instead with Frodo... He is becoming more kingly and is struggling with having to go with Frodo to Mordor. His heart is not with going, but his honor compels him to do what is right. This sets up the next chapter beautifully.
Luthien
I agree with your analysis, Luthien. All through the FOtR, as I followed Sam in particular, I found that he was usually the first to notice when things just didn't "feel" right around the company. But he was less aware of what was going on when the supernatural was involved. Sam's closeness to nature sometimes blinded him to the implications of things that were outside of his experience. For example, he was ready to burn or chop down Old Man Willow--not a feasible way to fight something that was not completely of the natural world.
Jerseyshore
??