Post by Stormrider on Jan 15, 2009 19:46:31 GMT -6
From: AnnieLT (Original Message) Sent: 4/24/2003 5:16 PM
The pictures were lost--they were entitled "Healing Herbs" by Qionton Hoover and "Ioreth" by Christina Wald
Wk6, Bk5, Ch8, SUMMARY: The Role of Ioreth
Ioreth, we are told was the oldest of women serving in the Houses of the Healing. What was her role? Was she a wise healer? Or do you see her more as comic relief? Some find her frivolous, obnoxious even. Does she serve a purpose? If so, what purpose does she serve?
Both Aragorn and Gandalf, pressed for time, seemed put off by her incessant chattering. Aragorn finally pleaded with her, "And now, dame, if you love the Lord Faramir, run as quick as your tongue and get me Kingsfoil, if there is a leaf in the city." Gandalf added, "And if not, I will ride to Lossarnach with Ioreth behind me. And Shadowfax will show her the meaning of haste." If the situation had not been so urgent, do you think Aragorn or Gandalf would have passed the time with this woman discussing the old rhymes and the virtues of Athelas? Why or why not? If we agree that nothing in the LOTR is frivolous, what merit do you see in the ramblings of Ioreth?
And, I wonder, was Ioreth related to the herb-master or did this trait run true in Gondorians? When the master returned without the herb, he seemed to want to convince Aragorn that he was a bit of a linguist as well. Aragorn was not impressed and cared not what it was called, but whether he had some. In response, the herb-master explained why they did not keep Kingsfoil in the houses of Healing and reiterated what Ioreth had mentioned before, that it had no virtue. I can hear Gandalf clearly, in a booming voice, say, "Then in the name of the King, go and find some old man of less lore and more wisdom who keeps some in his house." Again time was precious if Faramir’s life was to be saved. Do you see any wisdom in the lore the herb master shared with them? And if the circumstances had been different, would Aragorn and Gandalf have stopped to chat with the old man?
Obviously neither Ioreth nor the herb-master understood the ancient rhymes. That is until Ioreth witnessed what must have seemed like a miraculous and magical healing to her eyes. When she heard Faramir address Aragorn as King, she remembered what she had said before without much thought, "The hands of the King are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known." She repeats them again, this time with awe and wonderment, and she runs through the city spreading the news that the king had indeed come among them. As humorous as that scene must have been, she seemed to fulfill another role at this time. What do you think?
The pictures were lost--they were entitled "Healing Herbs" by Qionton Hoover and "Ioreth" by Christina Wald
Wk6, Bk5, Ch8, SUMMARY: The Role of Ioreth
Ioreth, we are told was the oldest of women serving in the Houses of the Healing. What was her role? Was she a wise healer? Or do you see her more as comic relief? Some find her frivolous, obnoxious even. Does she serve a purpose? If so, what purpose does she serve?
Both Aragorn and Gandalf, pressed for time, seemed put off by her incessant chattering. Aragorn finally pleaded with her, "And now, dame, if you love the Lord Faramir, run as quick as your tongue and get me Kingsfoil, if there is a leaf in the city." Gandalf added, "And if not, I will ride to Lossarnach with Ioreth behind me. And Shadowfax will show her the meaning of haste." If the situation had not been so urgent, do you think Aragorn or Gandalf would have passed the time with this woman discussing the old rhymes and the virtues of Athelas? Why or why not? If we agree that nothing in the LOTR is frivolous, what merit do you see in the ramblings of Ioreth?
And, I wonder, was Ioreth related to the herb-master or did this trait run true in Gondorians? When the master returned without the herb, he seemed to want to convince Aragorn that he was a bit of a linguist as well. Aragorn was not impressed and cared not what it was called, but whether he had some. In response, the herb-master explained why they did not keep Kingsfoil in the houses of Healing and reiterated what Ioreth had mentioned before, that it had no virtue. I can hear Gandalf clearly, in a booming voice, say, "Then in the name of the King, go and find some old man of less lore and more wisdom who keeps some in his house." Again time was precious if Faramir’s life was to be saved. Do you see any wisdom in the lore the herb master shared with them? And if the circumstances had been different, would Aragorn and Gandalf have stopped to chat with the old man?
Obviously neither Ioreth nor the herb-master understood the ancient rhymes. That is until Ioreth witnessed what must have seemed like a miraculous and magical healing to her eyes. When she heard Faramir address Aragorn as King, she remembered what she had said before without much thought, "The hands of the King are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known." She repeats them again, this time with awe and wonderment, and she runs through the city spreading the news that the king had indeed come among them. As humorous as that scene must have been, she seemed to fulfill another role at this time. What do you think?