Great chapter. Love the Wargs, the groping tentacles, the mysterious padding footsteps, Frodo's glimpses of the pale eyes in the tunnel. Also, I have to admit that it's good that Gandalf came along. I don't mind Gandalf so much in this chapter, perhaps because his character is fleshed out more here. Also, his limitations (e.g. having trouble figuring out how to open the Doors of Durin, realizing his nicotine withdrawal is making him crabby at Pippin) make him more interesting.
However, Gandalf -should- have warned Sam that they might have to abandon poor Bill when they got to the caves!
I also like the tension between Gimli and Legolas...it will be interesting to see what happens with that. Also interesting that the wound from the Dark Riders left Frodo being more sensitive to evil vibes, even though the actual wound healed.
My respect for Frodo has grown somewhat since he is obviously taking his unwanted burden of being the Ring-Bearer seriously, opting to go on in spite of Gandalf offering him the choice of going back to Rivendell.
Anyway, looking forward to seeing what happens in the next chapter...
Replies: 14 comments
Now, cut poor Gandalf some slack. He had not expected to go through Moria, he had expected to use the overland pass...
Posted by Bill Sutton @ 2001 May 15 11:36 AM EST
I think this issue of Gandalf's distance from the other characters (and the reader) is important. He did expect to go overland, not under, but he strikes me as a person who has his eye so much on the big picture that the loss of a pony and the sadness that causes really don't figure - in other words he's lost some of the cozy innocent humanitas that the hobbits personify... which might be why they, and not he, are the right people to deal with the ring.
Posted by Richard @ 2001 May 15 08:24 PM EST
Some extra flavor for the relationship of the elf/dwarf:
If you ever read the Silmarillion (which i'm sure you will, you will gobble up anything Tolkien after this journey) it goes into detail the whole wretched history of the dwarves and the elves.
They hate and despise one another in so many levels. They believe they have totally opposiste interests and priorities in the world. And there is a whole story of how the they stole from one another the powerful Silmaril stone several ages back. In fact, a group of dwarves came in and slaughtered the only remaining untouched elf kingdom to get the precious stone. In turn, the dwarves were slaughtered in vengeance, back and forth , back and forth. There is so many hard feelings and horrible history between the two races. I tell you this in hopes that you will REALLY come to appreciate the irony of Legolas and Gimli fighting side by side. There is much blood and hate between the two races and it makes for a fascinating duo!
Posted by Tinuviel @ 2001 May 16 02:03 PM EST
Does anyone know if Tolkien was a horseman? He certainly portrays them affectionately. I know just how Sam feels too...I miss my ponies :(
Posted by Teshi @ 2001 Jun 01 01:35 AM EST
So...you think that's tobacco they're smoking in those pipes, eh?
Posted by Doug @ 2001 Jun 01 01:15 PM EST
I hate when people alude to pipeweed being a now ilict drug. Go back and read "The Hobbit." It is called tobacco through out.
Posted by J'nae Rae Campbell @ 2001 Jun 01 01:33 PM EST
My apologies, I stand corrected. Still, society-induced value judgments aside, it would put an interesting slant on the practice!
Posted by Doug @ 2001 Jun 01 01:46 PM EST
Apology accepted. My mother kept trying to convince me they were smoking marijauna. This is due mainly to an adict trying to justify herself. I know many try to make it out that way. The problem being the books hit there hight of popularity durring the 70's.
Posted by J'nae Rae Campbell @ 2001 Jun 01 03:04 PM EST
Hehe well to read about the smoke rings that Gandulf and.. ack how is it spelt? Thorin? where blowing in The Hobbit you have to wonder if they were smoking somthing else at lest that one time ;P
Sorry but I always liked that bit in the hobbit
Posted by Steven @ 2001 Jun 01 08:11 PM EST
I like to think that what they smoked didn't contain all the evil things in smoke we know.
Posted by dave @ 2001 Jun 09 07:12 AM EST
i actually have a question about Gandalf:
since he really wasnt a man, did he experience human emotions? the whole thing with Bill the pony and Sam made me think of this. of course Gandalf was completely apathetic, but did he feel things the same way beings like men, hobbits, dwarves, and elves did? im not talking about gerenal things like happy, sad, angry...but more the feelings people get from relationships with others. being as powerful as he was, and considering the amount of responsibility, maybe that left no room for feelings associated with friendship and love. hmm...i wonder what it would be like to get inside Gandalf's head....
Posted by aurora @ 2001 Jun 18 06:03 PM EST
of course he did
Posted by sarah @ 2001 Jul 01 08:11 PM EST
About Gandalf, yes, I think he does feel emotions, deeply, but he hides them. He's very focused, he sees "the bigger picture" and is one of the few who realizes the full extent of the mission they're on. He has to be gruff.
This is one of the most deliciously eerie chapters in Tolkien. When I read the bit about the footsteps pattering on after the group has stopped, I get a nice creepy chill up my neck. Ditto the eyes.
Pippin's character is emerging more. He is definitely the "younger" in outlook, curious, and somewhat heedless. Love how he drops the stone down the well and Gandalf nearly bites his head off for it. But Pippin is an explorer.
Anyone else note that Merry barely seems to be in these last few chapters? I went back and checked. He's with the Fellowship. But he only has a few bits of dialogue. Almost like Tolkien had to have him go along but didn't quite know what to do with him.
I adore Strider.
Posted by constance @ 2001 Jul 10 07:50 PM EST
That would be weird to see what gandalf was thinking.
i'm not to crazy about strider, but pippin is cool
i also love the legolas/gimli bantering. it adds a bit of fun to the story, trying to imagine those two bickering like a couple of five year olds:D
Posted by vikki @ 2001 Aug 04 06:11 PM EST
