I couldn't help but be irritated at Frodo at the beginning of this chapter, slothfully snoring away, leaving poor hungry Sam to be the one to worry about Gollum. Frodo seems to be acting a bit drugged in these past few chapters, all depressed and sluggish. I wonder if it's the Ring doing this to him? Or is he still suffering from the Wraith wound?
I notice that the phrase "dishevelled dryad loveliness" was used to describe the garden of Gondor. I suppose this means dryads exist in the Middle Earth?
By the way, thanks for all the useful LOTR/Tolkien resource links given in some people's comments. I plan to check them all out later on, but have decided to avoid them for now for fear of spoilers. Ditto for Tolkien resource books. I definitely plan to go back and re-read the Prologue and the Council of Elrond scene after I finish the trilogy as well.
I was deeply moved by the paragraph where Sam is watching his master sleep, noticing the light in Frodo's face, the fine lines.
Was highly amused by the fact that all hobbits learn to cook even before they learn to read (if they learn to read, that is).
I thought that Faramir and the other Dunedain of the South came across as rather dull, but did find it interesting that they (like so many others, it seems) had heard of Boromir.
Yay, Sam got to see an Oliphaunt! :-D I started reading the paragraph describing Mumak with horror, thinking, "Dear lord, what a horrible monster! Sounds almost worse than the Balrog!" But then I started to clue in... :-)
I also can't help but still wonder about what happened to poor old Bill...
Replies: 26 comments
It's definitely the Ring that is starting to more and more influence Frodo's behavior and frame of mind. That influence becomes stronger and more tormenting the closer Frodo gets to Mordor. And, yeah, he's still suffering from the Wraith wound, too.
I was moved by the paragraph where Sam is looking at Frodo, too. Sam's devotion to Frodo is really one of the wonders of LOTR.
And I don't think Faramir is dull. Keep reading :).
Posted by Allison @ 2001 May 25 07:09 AM EST
I missed your Bill the Pony poem before posting the letter below! Hee hee, Ode to Bill the Pony. I love it.
So, I held strong and didn't give Deb any spoilers at dinner last night, though Deb kept throwing her theories at me and watching me for a reaction :). It was pretty amusing. She really, really wants to know who Gollum's "She" is and if everybody dies who she thinks is going to die, Middle-Earth will be empty by the end of the sixth book :). Then we hit a major bookstore and I bought a hardcover copy of "The Hobbit" (though not the really pretty black-covered one in its own shell with the lovely bookplates that was -$110- before taxes). One thing that annoyed me was that there was a massive display of Tolkien books on one table and two or three of them had paintings on the front for scenes Deb hasn't read yet. So, I'm flipping over copies of "The Two Towers" saying to her "You -do not- want to see the cover of this book at this time!". Why would they put spoilers for the end of "The Two Towers" right on the cover?
Posted by Allison @ 2001 May 25 07:22 AM EST
No spoilers so I won't incur the electronic wrath of Martin, but you will find out what has happened to Bill. Just be patient!
Posted by Charly @ 2001 May 25 08:31 AM EST
:-D
Posted by Martin @ 2001 May 25 08:46 AM EST
"Dishevelled dryad loveliness" is wonderful, isn't it? Probably my favorite Tolkien phrase ever. I think Ithilien is where I'd want to live if I moved to Middle Earth, Lothlorien and Rivendell being a bit too rich for everyday use. But no dryads -- the Ents and Entwives are as close as you'll get. Just Tolkien's consuming love of trees showing. And do give Faramir a chance -- more to him than meets the eye, as with most Tolkien characters!
(I always wish I had some rabbit in the freezer when I read this chapter!)
Posted by Janet Croft @ 2001 May 25 09:02 AM EST
"...I'll cook you some taters one of these days, I will. Fried fish and chips by S. Gamgee. You couldn't say 'No' to that."
"Yes, yes, we could! Spoiling nice fish, scourching it! Give me fish now and keep nasty chips."
:) The first time I read that I almost fell out of my chair laughing. It's been my favorite quote of Book IV ever since.
I think this chapter shows a lot about Sam's common sense and about 'Slinker' Gollum's growing character. Up until now, Gollum was simply seen as sniveling, wretched, and hungry. Now he appears stronger and actually shows real feelings. I really started feeling sorry for him. But his getting stronger also put me on guard.
I do wish Sam were a little nicer to Gollum in this chapter too, considering that Gollum's been around for hundreds and hundreds of years without any friends. After his encounter with Bilbo, this was probably the only other time in his life he could have been treated somewhat as an equal.
Posted by McDowalj @ 2001 May 25 09:50 AM EST
I agree totally! That rabbit Sam fixes up always makes my mouth water. Got a recipe for rabbit stew around here somewhere....
The 'dryad loveliness' is such a beautifully evocative description. Something where I know exactly what he's getting at, but I can't really figure out why.
Posted by Nathan @ 2001 May 25 09:51 AM EST
Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god!!!!!
The newest FOTR trailer came out today!!! go to rtsp://tarrytown-2.real.com/channels/lotr/lotr_newli_trail2_320x136_css300.rm or theonering.net has a link. No plot spoilers, but "spoilers" in terms of what some things look like (and only in Fellowship).
Posted by Phil @ 2001 May 25 10:50 AM EST
One suggested link I think you should follow through with now, Deb, is this link Richard entered back in Book 2, Chapter 5.
It's an MP3 of Tolkien reading parts of this chapter out loud, the scenes between Gollum and Sam. It's absolutely delightful to hear Tolkien reading LOTR. I'm glad Richard pointed it out to me.
http://www.salon.com/audio/fiction/2001/05/15/tolkien/index.html
Phil- Oh, I can't wait to get home from work so I can download the new trailer, too!!!!!!!!!! This day is too long!!!
Posted by Allison @ 2001 May 25 11:01 AM EST
I think it's funny how everyone seams to remember their own favorite parts, while others remember different parts with the same overall effect. I guess that's why LoTR appeals to so many people.
I diden't remember "Dryad loveliness" at all, but I do think of Ithilien as one of the most beautiful places in Middle Earth. Especially because it is surounded by lands that have be destroyed by evil.
My worry now is that after the Movies everyone will have the same vision of Middle Earth. I guess in 3 years time we will be the lucky ones who read the books before the movies. When people read the books after the movies we can chuckle to ourselves and say "You missed your chance to really read the books and not just read the books and remember the way it was in the movies"
Does anyone else feel this way? Or am I out on a limb? (sorry QB)
Posted by Big Mike @ 2001 May 25 11:11 AM EST
Debbie:
I love the fact that you seem to continually picking up on the things that move me the most whenever I read the book like, for instance, the paragraph that you cited in which Sam gives us his thoughts regarding his love for Frodo. It is truly a beautiful moment. As for Frodo's seemingly "drugged" quality, it's definitely due to the fact that his "burden" is increasing radically in its "heaviness".
Re: The New Trailer -
I just saw it, too! Holy ! I've got chills running through my entire body. I watched it 5 or 6 times and will surely be watching it several more time throughout the course of the day. I can't get enough! If you want a major thrill, check it out using the link that Phil provided a couple of posts back.
Posted by Ken @ 2001 May 25 11:22 AM EST
OK Debbie, you got to the sequence I was anticipating, about Sam's love for Frodo, and I was glad to see that it moved you. I think it expresses so beautifully how inarticulate anyone feels when trying to explain why they love someone. Because ultimately it is always about some indefinable quality that cannot be put into words.
At some other point in LOTR, I forget where, someone describes Frodo as having an Elf-like quality, which Sam instantly agrees with, and I think that trait is what he is referring to here. The words "shining through" especially suggest that to me.
But whatever it is that he has, Frodo is clearly someone whom people feel drawn to, respect, admire, and even love quite quickly. A fact that goes far to explain Faramir's dealings with him, I think, and that saves his life - and the quest - on many occasions. Even Gollum seems affected by it, as you have seen.
I too have used the phrase "nasty chips" for years whenever eating them - though I don't share Gollum's opinion of them!
Posted by Paul Mendenhall @ 2001 May 25 11:23 AM EST
Mike, you are definitely not out on a limb. Sometimes I think all these sites devoted to the movies should have a banner somewhere on them that flashes "READ LOTR NOW! READ LOTR NOW! READ LOTR NOW!" Sorry for all the caps, but you know what I mean.
Posted by Jan @ 2001 May 25 11:36 AM EST
I haven't posted here yet, but have been reading this weblog everyday, it's great seeing your new reactions to things we all know and love. I was anxiously waiting for this chapter because it is one of my very favorites. That part- that quote you wrote on here about Sam watching Frodo- really made my day because that is my favorite part! I was hoping it would move you the way it did me. It finally puts into words Sam's utter devotion to Frodo, and I love that. Sam is my VERY favorite character and I'm glad you like him too. Frodo is my second favorite character, but I kind of agree with you. It's hard to enjoy him in these chapters when he seems so down and depressed- although it's understandable given the situation. Keep reading!
Posted by Brittney @ 2001 May 25 12:15 PM EST
The old link doesn't seem to be working, but the trailer is up at the official site now: http://ramhurl.film.com/smildemohurl.ram?file=channels/lotr/trailer2_rv7.smi
Posted by Phil @ 2001 May 25 01:08 PM EST
Thanks Jan, I have been trying to get as many of my freinds as possible to read the books before it's too late.
For anyone besides Deb....Watch the new trailer if you can....WOW, I'm gonna get fired if my I.T. manager finds out how much bandwidth I've been using by downloading and watching the trailer all morning.
The shakes are starting to subside....I had better watch the Trailer again ;)
Posted by Big Mike @ 2001 May 25 02:40 PM EST
Deb can watch the new trailer- it only covers Fellowship.
Just saw the trailer three times in a row myself. Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Oh... (as Allison goes off babbling incoherently to watch it another dozen times).
Posted by Allison @ 2001 May 25 04:31 PM EST
With regards to concerns about folks not reading the books, I saw yesterday that LOTR/Hobbit was number 6 on the amazon.com bestseller list!! Huzzah!
I thought of posting this earlier, but decided to wait for Debbie to discover the passage she quoted.
Funny how we all are moved by these things, isn't it? Prescient of Sam's observation in this chapter, Gandalf says something similar about Frodo in Many Meetings, FOTR, Book 2, Ch. 1: "But to the wizard's eye there was a faint change, just a hint as it were of transparency, about him, and especially about the
left hand that lay outside upon the coverlet. 'Still that must be expected,' said Gandalf to himself. 'He is not half through yet, and to what he will come in the end not even Elrond can foretell.... He may become like a glass filled with a clear light for eyes to see that can.'"
Light is a powerful metaphor throughout LOTR and is used frequently as a physical description of Frodo's internal spiritual development.
Posted by Tish @ 2001 May 25 04:38 PM EST
I still think that Deb should not watch the Trailer (sorry Allison). It won't give away the story but it will give her imagery that is not her own. If she has seen lots of spoiler pictures already then by all means go ahead. I think part of reading it the first time is creating Middle Earth in your head. Before I saw the spoiler pictures I imagined elves to be so beautiful that I could not get a clear picture in my head. Same with Orcs being scarry and evil. Maybe that's just me. She will love it either way.
P.S. Elijah Wood is Frodo. The look and voice are perfect.
Posted by Big Mike @ 2001 May 25 05:31 PM EST
I can see your point, Mike :). Maybe Deb will have the will power to resist the trailer until she finishes Book 6 while we're all raving about it here, but with no story spoilers in that trailer, I don't know... :) It wouldn't bother me if she saw it. She's already got her own images of Fellowship in her mind.
Despite only just finishing Fellowship, John was all over that trailer as soon as he came in tonight. I'm imagining telling him, "No! You shouldn't watch it until you finish ROTK!". Yeah, that would have happened :). He was as thrilled with that trailer as I was.
And I agree that I'm already smitten by Elijah Wood. It's uncanny- he is Frodo. As people were saying above, in Fellowship he has to portray the innocence of a hobbit with a certain ellusive elf-like quality, and even in this trailer that sense comes through perfectly.
Posted by Allison @ 2001 May 25 07:20 PM EST
Sigh..... Only 208 more days till Dec. 19th.........
Faramir is not as dull as he seems. He and Éowyn are actually my two favorite characters.
Posted by Talierin @ 2001 May 25 10:51 PM EST
Paul, I just wanted to say how much I liked your comment on Frodo's influence on the others that he encounters in the story. As someone who has often felt as inarticulate as Sam trying to explain to Deb for the last several weeks why I've always loved Frodo, you've expressed it beautifully.
Posted by Allison @ 2001 May 25 11:36 PM EST
Allison, I couldn't agree with you more (concerning Frodo).
Posted by Roland @ 2001 May 27 03:44 PM EST
I listened to Tolkein's reading of this chapter and it was lovely to hear the man himself giving depth to the characters - the uncomplicated (rather than simple) loyal servant in Sam, the damaged personality of Smeagol/Gollum, yet with parts not beyond redemption.
But I did laugh when I first heard the professor speaking Gollum's part. Now I know where Yoda got his voice from! ;-)
There's also an interesting bit here re. Sam's love of Frodo. This is a love that is not in any way connected with sex - to use the Greek, it is agape rather than eros. It is like the brotherly love of soldiers and old friends and I hope that PJ does not skirt round this issue for fear that Sam and Frodo would be seen as "queers".
Posted by Anthony @ 2001 Jun 01 06:05 AM EST
Loved the Bill the Pony poem...
Posted by Glen @ 2001 Jun 01 03:32 PM EST
Bill, where do you journey?
Surely not to Bill Ferny?
Watch out for the Wargs!
Not to mention Borgs?
Surely not lost in Hollin
Or found by Gollum
Protected by Gandalf's spell
Surely you will fare well.
Posted by dave @ 2001 Jun 23 10:25 AM EST
