Chapter 8: Fog on the Barrow-Downs

(I'm doing something new here where I bold and italicize Tolkien's words to draw more emphasis to them. Let me know if it helps or if I should do it differently)

In this chapter, Frodo and company set out across the foreboding Barrow-downs and are, of course, snatched by the wights into danger.

When Frodo comes to after fainting, he is in a Barrow - he assumes - and is flat on his back on a stone table with his arms crossed on his chest (remember, this is a tomb after all...) Looking around, the other Hobbits on on the ground near him but it is an otherwise empty room. The others look asleep or, worse, dead!

This is an important chapter because it really does define Frodo as courageous, much moreso than he appears in the films.

Under the Spell of the Barrow Wights by Ted Nasmith

Frodo's Courage

Upon looking around, Frodo at first feels frightened which is pretty understandable considering the dark tales of the Barrow-downs that have been his only experience with the region. Instead of cowering as one might expect, Frodo feels a stirring a courage and he thinks of words that Bilbo had often shared.

"There is a seed of courage hidden (often deeply, it is true) in the heart of the fattest and most timid Hobbit, waiting for some desperate danger to make it grow." Tolkien then explains how highly Gandalf and Bilbo thought of Frodo, considering him the best Hobbit in the entire Shire - which is quite high praise coming from this pair!

Frodo puts this into action as he sees a dismembered hand creep its way toward Sam. He grabs a nearby blade and hacks at the hand, keeping it away from his friends. 

This is the first act of clear and expressed violence in the book and it is Frodo who does it to save his friends. I think this is significant in defining his progression as a character and as a "trendsetter" of sorts among the Hobbits.

Fear grips Frodo again, however, as he hears the terrible chanting of the barrow-wights. Once again, Frodo finds courage and begins softly signing Tom Bombadil's song to call him to the Hobbit's side. The words bolster him as he sings and by the end, Tom has arrived by breaking down a wall to the room.

Tom promptly banishes the wights through his songs, shouting them down, proclaiming that his songs are stronger songs. (Power of the voice, yada, yada, yada)

Tom's Memory

After saving the Hobbits, Tom gathers up the treasure of the Barrow and sets it upon the now sunlit hilltop for all creatures to come and take as needed. He gives the Hobbits each a sword of old Arnorian make (back when Aragorn's ancestors ruled the North) which are still quite powerful. Upon giving these Tom comments on the swords' importance "Few more remember them,  yet still some go wandering,  sons of forgotten kings walking in loneliness,  guarding from evil things folk that are heedless"

Tom is talking about the Rangers of course! Wonder why the Shire hasn't seen any violence since wolves invaded a few centuries before? The Rangers. Why it is so strange to hear of evil things even around Bree where Hobbits have spent a good deal of time? The Rangers. 

The Hobbits, or Frodo at least, also receive another vision here on the expanse of the years since the forging of their new blades. They see lines of marching men, tall and grim in bright series, and the last among them came with a star upon his brow.  The reader who is familiar with the series knows that this is Aragorn, who is called Elessar (elf-stone) for the symbolic "star of Earendil" that the line of kings wore.

I only noticed this on a later read-through but this really sets up Aragorn much better than I had initially thought, and Toms words describes Aragorn, their leader, impeccably.

Tom also takes a small brooch adorned with blue stones for himself, saying "fair was she who long ago wore this on her shoulder" I took great interest in this quote when reading through this current time and thinking about who this lady was. Tom speaks of this brooch as if remembering a fond memory of ancient times. Similarly, it must have been long ago indeed if Tom is calling it long ago. This guy was there at the dawn of time remember?

I have come to two theories, each of which are plausible and there really isn't much else to help determine which one could be true

Theory 1: Luthien

The story of Beren and Luthien is one of Tolkien's best known works of the 1st Age (LOTR takes place in the 3rd Age) telling of the human Beren going through great, unbelievable tasks (like the tasks of Hercules) to be with the Elven-born Luthien.

Luthien is described as the most beautiful thing to have ever lived and her romance with Beren is the best love story that Tolkien wrote (Aragorn and Arwen are like a watered down parallel story to this). The brooch would presumably have been passed down through Luthien's descendents to her grandchildren Elros and Elrond. Elros chose to become a human, unlike his twin brother Elrond (yes, THAT Elrond) and Elros became the first King of Numenor and the ancestor to Aragorn. This brooch would have passed down the lines and eventually been in the hands of the rulers of the old Northern kingdom of Arnor when Aragorn's ancestors Elendil and Isildur ruled it. Eventually, it was lost with the rest of the Northern kingdom when the Witch-king invaded.

This theory also has some plausibility as Aragorn wears the Ring of Barahir, a legendary heirloom of his house that was traced back to Beren - Luthien's husband. I love the symbolism of the two relics being passed through the generations and one being lost represents the fall of the kingdom. When Tom recovers it, it's a sign that the dark days are done and the Return of the King is soon!

Theory 2: Noble lady of Arnor/Queen of Arnor

Similar to Theory 1, this places the brooch as an item of importance to the history of Arnor. Presumably, this brooch belonged to a noble lady, maybe even a queen, who met with Tom and Goldberry long ago before their kingdoms fell. This would perhaps fit better with the casual way that Tolkien describes the brooch without placing much importance on it.

Conclusion:

I'm going to keep thinking it belonged to Luthien. I love the parallel with the Ring of Barahir, and the ties to Tolkien's favorite female character (his wife's tombstone has the name "Luthien" engraved on it). I also think that it fits with Tom's reckoning of time (a few ages back was definitely a long time ago, even for him), and Tolkien is also not very descriptive of Glamdring, Gandalf's sword, when they find it in "The Hobbit." Glamdring was wielded by Turgon, one of the most powerful Elven kings to have lived, a fact that Gandalf surely would know since he knew the name of the sword, yet Tolkien omits it. Important historical things are not always called out explicitly by Tolkien.

In any case, I love moments like this where I can create my own reasoning for what something is and how it ties together. What do you think the brooch is?

Chapter 7: In the House of the Tom Bombadil Part 2

In the last post, I wrote about what I thought Tom Bombadil was and as importantly, what he is not.

This post will focus more on the events of the chapter and how Bombadil is actively affecting the narrative.

Bombadil and the Ring

First, as we've discussed in the last post, Tom does not have much interest in the Ring outside of it just being a curiosity.He simple laughs about it, slipping it on and off without much regard for its power and, more amazingly, not disappearing. So far, all characters we've seen have turned invisible under the power of the Ring but Bombadil does not. 

Well, Sauron was not invisible either. This goes back to an earlier discussion on the Ring and what it actually does. I think the Ring is a "Gateway" of sorts between the two worlds: the physical world of Middle Earth and the intangible shadow or spirit world. This is where the lands of Valinor are and why only men seeking the shores of Valinor like the Numenoreans did are unable to find it.

This "spirit" world still has much power and is very much real as evidenced by characters being able to traverse it with the Ring. Bombadil and Sauron do not disappear because they exist in both worlds at once. They are both a spirit and a physical entity. The Ringwraiths have become like this as well, having a physical body but appearing differently in the spirit world, even being able to see others in that world like they did atop Weathertop. Much like the Wraiths, Bombadil can see you even if you are wearing the Ring as Frodo finds out.

Bombadil's Stories

Tom shares an awful lot of history and stories, some of which is fairly cryptic and mysterious and most of which is not relayed to the reader by Tolkien. From what he does share, however, Tom talks about two important areas, the Old Forest where the Hobbits just were, and the Barrow-downs to the east where the Hobbits will be going.

Old Forest

The Old Forest is described as being ancient indeed, the remnants of a vast forest that once covered all of Eriador (western Middle-Earth). Another corner of this forest is Fangorn which we see later. Like Fangorn, the Old Forest is twisted and difference from other forests of Middle-Earth, infected by something darker and more primal than simply base nature.

Tom explains the Old Forest as an ancient forest where the "fathers of the fathers of the trees" live. Of course, he's referring to either Huorns or Ents here. Since Ents speak with the other races directly and Old Man Willow does not do this nor appear capable of doing this, he is probably a Huorn. But he wasn't the only Huorn in the Old Forest, as he is described as their strongest one, rotten with hate. Old Man Willow is also called a master of winds and song and through this he held dominion over nearly all the trees of the forest.  

What Tom is probably saying is that Old Man Willow is a great communicator among the Huorns and has swayed all of the others to his cause. Old Man Willow has seen the Old Forest shrink to its present size from the vast area of former ages, and without an Ent to watch over them and guide them towards peace, the Huorns have "fortified" the forest, singing Old Man Willow's songs to guide all intruders deep into the forest where he will kill them. It's certainly one way to preserve.

I think it's important to note that this is another example of the power of voice. Willow is described as a master of winds and song, pulling others to his side with his speech and slaying his foes with his peaceful "aura" which is really his song that the Hobbits can't understand. We'll be coming back to the power of voice again and again.

Barrow-downs

Tom does not have as much to say about the lands to the immediate east, the Barrow-downs except that it's a pretty desolate place. He describes the Downs as tombs of ancient kings and princes until a Shadow came over them and the dead rose again as wights.The Hobbits are frightened because they have heard the tales of the far-away Barrow-downs and the dead that live there but no Hobbit had ever seen proof. Of course, Tom doesn't go into this detail but the shadow that is described here is most likely the Witch King of Angmar's doing. Angmar was the chief rival of the northern kingdom of Arnor and the Witch King was and is one of Sauron's most powerful servants. The phrase "Shadows of Angmar" occurs several times throughout the series and the idea of Sauron's influence being a "shadow" is common as well.

Tom also described the area as a place where "kings of little kingdoms fought little battles" and just continues on. These are pretty major kings and pretty major battles in the history of men and Middle-Earth and Tom just doesn't care about it. Life goes on. The kingdoms crumbled and the kings are dead. New towns and leaders rose, but forest and nature remains, ever present.

Dreaming in the House of Tom Bombadil

That night, the Hobbits have some wicked dreams. First Frodo dreams of a man atop a tall tower flying away on an eagle. So how does Frodo dream of Gandalf escaping Isengard (which happens at this time)? Is it the magic of Bombadil? Is Gandalf using a previously unseen power? Is Frodo special?

My money is on a mix of 1 and 2. Bombadil's house probably is a spring of natural "energy" or "magic" in a sense. Gandalf also is incredibly powerful, much more so than we ever see in the books (directly at least) and certainly more than is shown on the big screen. Gandalf is worried about being late to meet Frodo and his desire to get back to Frodo might be picked up by Frodo who is sleeping in a magic antenna of sorts. This is all conjecture, but there aren't many visions in Tolkien so it's hard to dismiss out of hand as unrelated.

But after this vision, each Hobbit has some horrible dreams. Frodo dreams of the Riders and fears that they are outside the house, ready to get him..  Pippen dreams of the willows scraping the windows and mocking him, as if saying that as soon as he leaves Old Man Willow will grab them again. Merry dreams of a rising flood getting in the house despite efforts to repel it which only recedes after finding solid foothold.  Sam dreams of nothing.

What does this mean?

My thought is that each Hobbit dreams of what they currently fear most and by waking up safe and sound, its representing putting aside fears and pushing on because the fears can't stop you.

Frodo definitely fears the Black Riders, and Pippen was just trapped within the body of Old Man Willow so the willow trees are a frightening prospect right now. Merry's is a little more difficult to determine but my current thought is that he is concerned with the Shire more broadly and it being swept away in the coming problems. Merry grew up on the banks of the Brandywine River so a flood metaphor is probably common from his past and it seems so far that Merry has a bit broader view on things than some of the other Hobbits. 

Sam? He's not really that fearful of anything right now. The Riders are scary and he doesn't know what to expect outside of the Shire, but he has already faced the Riders (remember when he pushed Frodo down and jumped in front of him when Merry approached them at Buckleberry Ferry and they thought it was a Rider?) and he has swallowed his fear of being away from home already by crossing the river and going into the Forest. Sam might have his own fears (he certainly does) but he has already confronted them and pushed them down in his own mind. What a boss.

That was a long post. What are your thoughts? Do you think the Hobbits dreams mean anything else? Did I miss something important?

Chapter 7: In the House of Tom Bombadil Part 1

Tom Bombadil is probably the most polarizing character in the series. Some fans of the books scream bloody murder over Peter Jackson's decision to exclude him from the movies as he plays a very important role in getting the Hobbits out of the Shire and as a sentry of sorts between the peaceful Shire and the dangerous world around.

But those fans are wrong. Jackson was definitely right to not film Bombadil as he is completely unfilmable. Very little action, silly non-sensical songs as a main method of communication, and absolutely no backstory or explanation. Folks watching the movies would've hated it, and probably rightfully so. It was my 3rd reading of LOTR and after I dabbled in the Silmarillion that I really appreciated the character and began to understand what Tolkien is doing here.

This chapter is fairly slow in terms of what happens. Essentially, they hang out at Tom's place in the Old Forest for a few days before leaving for the Barrow-downs and the path to Bree. But this time of little action tells an awful lot about Bombadil, the world at large, and what is powerful in Middle-Earth.

This is Part 1 of 2 where I discuss the broader question "Who is Tom Bombadil?" Part 2 will focus on other themes such as how Tom interacts with the Ring, and interacts with other parts of Middle Earth.

Who is Tom Bombadil?

The $1 million question, and one with a simple answer.

"He is."

Goldberry announces this simply, as if it was obvious and unimportant. He just is. 

Frodo pushes on a bit, "does this land belong to him, then?"

Goldberry laughs, "The trees and grasses and all things growing or living in the land being each to themselves.  Tom Bombadil is the Master." Note the capital M, it's meant to be a title.

When asked directly by Frodo, Tom throws down a long quote full of interesting tidbits

Eldest, that's what I am.

Mark my words, my friends: Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the little People arriving. He was here before the Kings and the graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent. He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.

Well, shit.

So I think it's clear that Tom isn't some wayward Hobbit, or powerful wizard, but is something else entirely. Tom could be speaking hyperbolically, but nothing he has done up until this point indicates he would. Also, why? To impress the Hobbits?

Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn, meaning he had a consciousness before the Elves and Men awoke from their slumber at the dawn of time. The world was full of life, but not the humanoid races, and it seems like Bombadil was there.

Additionally, he mentions that he was there before the Dark Lord came from the Outside, which likely implies Melkor (the original big bad ass of Middle Earth) and not the new-kid-on-the-block Sauron. Melkor came into Middle-Earth from the Outside, as in the void outside of Middle-Earth itself. This is Tolkien stretching deep into his mythos for a reference that most will miss but really is impactful to those who get it.

So what could Tom be?

Is he an Ainur? (one of the "pantheon" that helped Eru create the world and now rule it from Valinor)? Unlikely. These are nearly all accounted for, and only a major Ainur (Valar) could have the power Tom does. Gandalf is a Maiar (a "lesser" Valar) and he is very fearful of being given the Ring, afraid it would corrupt him. Saruman, another Maiar, is driven mad by his pursuit of the Ring and by fellow Maiar Sauron. Tom laughes at the Ring, throwing it on casually and not being overly concerned about it. Also, he wouldn't really be able to live on Middle Earth without the most powerful Valar Manwe approving it and that's not likely.

Is he a manifestation of Eru himself? Eru is the closest thing to God in Tolkien and is never directly interacted with outside the Silmarillion. However, Tolkien was a very religious man and it stands to reason that some religious tropes made it into the books. Bombadil is vastly powerful and also aloof, as if he has a higher concern than what happens on Middle-Earth. He measures time in millenia and even then, it's not that long. He has no fear or regard for the Ring, or any of the numerous cataclysms of Middle-Earth's history. He didn't fight against Melkor, or Sauron, and pretty much just hung out.  This was my favorite theory, until I read a letter where Tolkien dismissed this idea.

Is he a representation of "nature"? Probably. Bombadil is a way for Tolkien to engage with the fact that the modern world is creeping up everywhere and even old, dark forests cannot be immune to the effects. He's "Mother Nature" in a sense, the physical embodiement of the soul of Middle-Earth.

Can he be known? No and Tolkien is pretty clear in his letters. Bombadil is meant to be an enigma, and not to be unraveled because in all things there should be a sense of mystery. Not everything can be known, and accepting that is very important in Tolkien's mind.

My current favorite theory?

Tom is us. He is the "reader" transposed into Middle Earth. 

• He exists seemingly outside the normal boundaries of space and time (Eldest, etc
• His clothes are very unique and not a fit anywhere in Middle-Earth
• He is immune to the effects of the Ring, much like the reader knows the risks and also knows they cannot be harmed by it.
• Spoiler for the next chapter: Tom saves the Hobbits in the Barrow-downs after they sing a song to call him. He just appears and saves them as a reader can just appear, come in, and the story goes on

It's certainly not perfect but I like the idea that Tolkien painted a little window into his world where we can insert ourselves.

What are your favorite interpretations of Tom Bombadil?

Chapter 6: The Old Forest

Chapter 6 is really the first chapter where no one is really comfortable or knows what to expect.

Merry does a fine job of leading the party as best as he can through the trails of the Old Forest and using what knowledge he has to be a suitable guide. However, it seems like even a Hobbit who spent all his years next to the brooding and forlorn Old Forest is unable to navigate it successfully.

The Old Forest is a really fascinating area, so close to the Shire, yet impossibly strange and old. Living next door for centuries and the Hobbits still don't know very much about it and don't venture in for fear of the Forest. This fear is both a physical fear (remember the story about the trees rising up and attacking Buckland that is told in the previous chapter?) and a mental one (I probably wouldn't handle living next to violent trees very well either).

The Willow Man is Tamed by Ted Nasmith

Old Forest is remnant of the ancient forest that also included Fangorn. This is more obvious and apparent in the next chapter but it's good to remember up front. Merry describes how trees seem to talk to each other and move and there is an ever-present sense of always being watched.

Again, I come back to the story of the trees attacking the Hedge and the Hobbits that cut down hundreds of these trees and burned them in a gigantic clearing that can still be found at the edge of the Forest. This is one of Tolkien's early and very strong examples of the struggle between nature and people. Really, the entire series can be seen as a story of this struggle but this is a pretty obvious case. I think that through this lesson of Hobbits co-existing with the Forest, Tolkien is really saying something like, "sometimes nature is weird and wild but balance is needed between destroy it all and let it dominate." The Hobbits have learned to live in peace in the shadow of the Forest and just because there is a mystery, does not mean they need to destroy it all.

I also like to view this chapter as an extension of the Shire chapters where I discussed the theme of a "Children's book" that progressively gets darker. Parts of this chapter feel very much like a classic fairy tale with the Hobbits getting lost in the woods as if they were children in a generic Brothers Grimm story.

The Forest actively pushes the Hobbits deeper into the woods and towards the Withywindle River which Merry had wanted to avoid at all cost. Instead, they end up at the river and rest under the branches of a gigantic willow tree. Again, Tolkien is showing the power of nature here, but this time, commenting how even something good can be despoiled and twisted. In this case, evil has pervaded the Forest and has twisted the once pure nature into something with malice and hate.

Old Man Willow, who will be discussed more in the next chapter, is a sentient tree (remind you of anyone?) and lulls the Hobbits to sleep. Hope is almost lost and the Hobbits nearly perish but Sam resists the allure of Old Man Willow and knows something is wrong. He rescues Frodo from drowning, the FIRST TIME HE SAVES FRODO'S LIFE! Cool point of trivia.

Finally, Merry and Pippen are rescued by the oddest of Tolkien's characters and the focus of the next chapter, Tom Bombadil. I'll just save that discussion for that post because it will be a doozy!