Post by Stormrider on Sept 26, 2007 19:27:36 GMT -6
The Mines of Moria
CT says that he found a sketch of the Mines of Moria chapter that preceeded its actual writing. It is very difficult to read. Here are some quick notes that I thought interesting:
JRRT wanted to make the journey into the mountain different from Bilbo and the Dwarves adventure in The Hobbit—tunnels leading in every direction, sloping up and running steeply down, stairs, pits, water sounds in the darkness.
Frodo gets a feeling of dread creeping up on him but says nothing—he hears patter of feet behind.
Halt for a night in a small chamber—a loose stone falls in a deep pit—long time before they hear it reach bottom. Echo of small knocks at intervals afterwards but nothing happens that night.
Gandalf chooses the right path leading up. They come to a great chamber and dim light falls on a square table of stone—tomb. Swords, shields and lances laying around. Carved letters “Here lies Balin son of Burin, Lord of Moria”. They find a book with dwarf writing--tells how Balin came to Moria—hand writing changes and tells how he died and invasion of enemies, mention of a ‘dweller in the water’ blocking west gate.
Noise of goblin feet, Gandalf springs to door and gives off a blinding light “There are goblins—of very evil kind, larger than usual, real orcs.” Some kind of troll leading them. Black mailed orc leaps in a goes for Frodo with spear—he is saved by the elfmail and strikes down the orc. Fight in the chamber, flee down a passage, loss of Gandalf. CT says this is a “striking example of an important narrative passage at its actual moment of emergence. Many of the most essential elements were present from the first.”
Gandalf’s sword, Glamdring, reappears from The Hobbit, it is now decided that Bilbo had given Frodo his sword and chainmail shirt in Rivendell.
Moria’s West gates are dwarf gates but are not openable at a set time as the one at the Lonely Mountain but by a [special speech?] spell which was wrought by the Elves of Hollin—must be ancient tongue. Holly bushes grow before these gates. Then Gandalf knows it is an elf-spell. This is interesting. I’m going to go back and read this passage in FOTR because I don’t remember holly bushes indicating this to Gandalf in the published book.
Gandalf says in the passage in this manuscript:
At this stage in the writing, there is no mention of the inscription being written in ithildin which mirrors only starlight and moonlight and this draft was taking place during the day rather than the early night as in FOTR.
The design on the door is described as:
In FOTR the hammer and anvil are ‘surmounted by a crown with seven stars’ and ‘more clearly than all else there shone forth in the middle of the door a single star with many rays.’ The original draft does not mention two trees bearing crescent moons either.
CT says that he found a sketch of the Mines of Moria chapter that preceeded its actual writing. It is very difficult to read. Here are some quick notes that I thought interesting:
JRRT wanted to make the journey into the mountain different from Bilbo and the Dwarves adventure in The Hobbit—tunnels leading in every direction, sloping up and running steeply down, stairs, pits, water sounds in the darkness.
Frodo gets a feeling of dread creeping up on him but says nothing—he hears patter of feet behind.
Halt for a night in a small chamber—a loose stone falls in a deep pit—long time before they hear it reach bottom. Echo of small knocks at intervals afterwards but nothing happens that night.
Gandalf chooses the right path leading up. They come to a great chamber and dim light falls on a square table of stone—tomb. Swords, shields and lances laying around. Carved letters “Here lies Balin son of Burin, Lord of Moria”. They find a book with dwarf writing--tells how Balin came to Moria—hand writing changes and tells how he died and invasion of enemies, mention of a ‘dweller in the water’ blocking west gate.
Noise of goblin feet, Gandalf springs to door and gives off a blinding light “There are goblins—of very evil kind, larger than usual, real orcs.” Some kind of troll leading them. Black mailed orc leaps in a goes for Frodo with spear—he is saved by the elfmail and strikes down the orc. Fight in the chamber, flee down a passage, loss of Gandalf. CT says this is a “striking example of an important narrative passage at its actual moment of emergence. Many of the most essential elements were present from the first.”
Gandalf’s sword, Glamdring, reappears from The Hobbit, it is now decided that Bilbo had given Frodo his sword and chainmail shirt in Rivendell.
Moria’s West gates are dwarf gates but are not openable at a set time as the one at the Lonely Mountain but by a [special speech?] spell which was wrought by the Elves of Hollin—must be ancient tongue. Holly bushes grow before these gates. Then Gandalf knows it is an elf-spell. This is interesting. I’m going to go back and read this passage in FOTR because I don’t remember holly bushes indicating this to Gandalf in the published book.
Gandalf says in the passage in this manuscript:
“I am going to try and find the opening words. I once knew every formula and spell in any language of elves, dwarves, or goblins that was ever used for such purposes. I can still remember two or three hundreds without racking my brains. But I think only a few trials should be necessary. The opening words were in Elvish, like the written words – I feel certain: from the signs on the doors, from the holly trees, and because of the use for which the road and gates were originally made.”
At this stage in the writing, there is no mention of the inscription being written in ithildin which mirrors only starlight and moonlight and this draft was taking place during the day rather than the early night as in FOTR.
The design on the door is described as:
“on the surface where Gandalf’s hand had passed faint lines appeared like slender veins of silver running in the stone; at first they seemed like pale threads of gossamer so fine as only to be seen fitfully where the sun caught them; but slowly they broadened and their design could be guessed. At the top, as high as Gandalf could reach, was an arch of interlacing letters in the elvish character; below it seemed that there was the outline of an anvil and hammer, and above that a crown and a crescent moon. More clearly than all else there shone forth palely three stars with many rays.
Those are the emblems of Durin and of the Elves,” said Gandalf. “They are of some silver substance that is seen only when touched by one who knows certain words – at night under the moon they shine most bright.”
Those are the emblems of Durin and of the Elves,” said Gandalf. “They are of some silver substance that is seen only when touched by one who knows certain words – at night under the moon they shine most bright.”
In FOTR the hammer and anvil are ‘surmounted by a crown with seven stars’ and ‘more clearly than all else there shone forth in the middle of the door a single star with many rays.’ The original draft does not mention two trees bearing crescent moons either.