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 4: Shortcut to Mushrooms

Chapter 4 is a quick read of a chapter, nestled in between the refreshing evening with the Elves and before Frodo and company makes it to Buckleberry Ferry and their "freedom". This is a bit shorter of a post and I wanted to introduce an important theme of the entire series that makes an early appearance here: the power of voice.

Leaving the Shire by Ted Nasmith

The next morning after the party with the Elves, Pippen is in an extraordinarily good mood considering the circumstances. He had a rather strange day what with Dark Riders and a full day of walking and hasn't slept in a proper bed in several nights. Why, he doesn't even have beer, a fact he bemoans in Chapter 4. Granted, Pippen knows much less about whats going on and the true danger than Frodo and Sam, but his cheer is a strong contrast to Frodo who wakes up troubled and concerned.

This marks the first time that Frodo tries to get his friends to leave him.

Sam seems to understand what Frodo is trying to get at and rejects him firmly. He relays an interesting exchange with the Elves from the night before.

" 'Don't you leave him!' they said to me, 'Leave him!' I said, 'I never mean to. I am going with him, if he climbs to the Moon and if any of those black riders try to stop him, they'll have Sam Gamgee to reckon with!' "

First, this is important because it is one of the earlier instances of "oaths" or promises making their appearance. Words are very powerful in Tolkien's world (which makes sense, being a linguist and language scholar and all) and spoken words can carry weight of their own. Think Gandalf speaking to bring down the Chamber of Mazarbul in Moria, or Grima Wormtongue using his voice to manipulate the King. It's not simple political persuasion, it's actual control.

The power of voice is a strong theme in old Norse mythology and Tolkien uses his research in that area to tie in these traditional elements. It's pretty similar to Skyrim where the Nord characters revere those who can use the Dragon Shouts, essentially, those who can command the world with their voice. This is an old Nordic trope and Tolkien hits it throughout the series.

Oaths, and promises, are of a similar vein and it's important to take note when they are made, by whom, and how they are kept.

Another important piece of this conversation is how Sam comments that he doesn't really have an interest in seeing Elves, Dragons, or Mountains anymore. He wants to continue because he feels like he must. He claims that he feels a sense of duty and there is something that he needs to do before the end. A pretty solid turnaround from the starry eyed boy from a chapter ago. Remember, Sam is a young-guy still. Late teens in terms of human development while Frodo is probably closer to early 30's in this regard. Important to keep in mind.

Tolkien's choice of language and writing style varies throughout the book. In these early chapters, its more casual. He drops parenthetical asides referencing whats really going on such as "Sam claimed his pack was too light (it wasn't)." which is a feature not really seen in later chapters. In Chapter 3, he even writes a paragraph of the inner monologue of a fox who happened to be walking by. In generally, it feels like a children's book that is growing darker and darker with each chapter, which I think is by design.