Michelle J. Haines
2004-05-06 00:44:19 UTC
This is rather dashed together quickly, and hopefully Maxie's
offering is better, but here it is, so we can get going.
The Ring Goes South
This chapter begins shortly after the end of the Council, with Merry
and Pippin kvetching that not only was Sam allowed into the Council
where he didn't belong, he was chosen as a companion -- indeed, the
only companion currently -- for Frodo's journey. Gandalf tries to
tone them down by commenting about how dangerous the journey is (and
by making rude remarks about Pippin's intelligence), which only makes
them more indignant in the name of Hobbit honor and of their own
companionship with Frodo.
Gandalf then points out it will likely be some time before they go
anywhere, since they have to wait for the scouts to come back, and
they've only just begun leaving. Bilbo laments they'll likely leave
just as winter gets going, and adds a side dig about Frodo letting
the S.B.'s into Bag End on his birthday.
They segue into a discussion about the Ringwraiths, and how they
can't be destroyed by such mundane things as huge flash floods with
imaginary horses and big rolling boulders. It's at this point
Gandalf drops his bomb about coming along on the adventure, at which
Frodo is predictably delighted. I know -I- would be, in his shoes.
We have's Bilbo comment about how he can't count days in Rivendell.
Does time work a bit differently here, as it seems to in Lorien, or
is it just Bilbo's comfort and complacency? We then have the meta-
commentary about Frodo helping Bilbo with his book, and starting on
the sequel. In the discussions of endings, Sam has the most
interesting comment, "And where will they live? That's what I often
wonder." Interesting foreshadowing there, I think.
Two months later, the scouts begin to return. No sign of the Riders,
except for the bodies of eight of their horses and a tattered cloak.
No sign of Gollum. The wild wolves are gathering and hunting along
the Anduin. It's decided they need to take advantage of the slight
time respite, and they pack up to go.
Elrond reaffirms Frodo's oath to go, and Sam's to go with him, then
makes a speech about how he can't offer much help. The companions
are then chosen, set at the number nine. This always seemed pretty
arbitrary to me. While I understand the "one for one" symbolism, it
seems like limiting it to nine only was also kinda pointless. Ten
people wouldn't have made any more of a fuss, and then you could send
along an elf-lord with the might of Glorfindel as well as the two
silly hobbits, but I suppose that would that be unwieldy, story-
external. Story-internal, it doesn't make a ton of sense, but there
you go.
Frodo and Sam decided already. Gandalf is going. Legolas and Gimli
to represent Elves and Dwarves, they they'll go at least as far as
the Mountains. I always thought, "Well, THAT'S not very far, is
it?" Aragorn and Boromir are going to Minas Tirith, so will journey
with the Fellowship along the way. This always seems rather
incidental for Boromir, although Aragorn was more deeply and
emotionally involved. Elrond decides to think about who else to send
in the last two slots, at which point Pippin and Merry clamor to go,
of course. Elrond is very worried, and expresses concern for the
Shire's safety. His heart is most against Pippin's going, while
Gandalf's heart counsel's otherwise. Interesting conflict of
prophetic characters, there. Was Elrond Foreseeing the trouble from
Pippin and the Palantir? Was Gandalf's Foresight poking him about the
bloodshed the two hobbits would prevent? On balance, it seems a good
thing that Gandalf prevailed.
Narsil is reforged, and the new sword, named Anduril, is given a
wonderful description:
"The Sword of Elendil was forged anew by elvish smiths and on its
blade was traced a device of seven stars set between the crescent
Moon and the rayed Sun, and about them were written many runes....
Very bright was made the sword when it was made whole again; the
light of the sun shone redly in it, and the light of the moon shone
cold, and its edge was hard and keen."
Frodo spends as much time as possible with Bilbo before he goes,
perhaps worried he might not have any more time later. Bilbo
presents Frodo with Sting and the mithril mail the day before the
Fellowship leaves. Bilbo sings a mournful song that is very
reminiscent of the end of life with much loneliness in it.
The Company sets out. Boromir and Aragorn carry no other weapons but
their swords, which I always thought was a little odd. You'd think
two such accomplished campaigners would at least carry along bows, in
case they needed to shot a deer for food, or something. Gimli has
ring-mail and his axe, Legolas a bow and knife, the hobbits all have
their swords, Gandalf has Glamdring and his staff, and Bill the Pony
insists he has to go, too, to carry extra burdens. Aragorn is
emotionally strained by the good-bye; Sam laments the lack of rope;
Boromir blows his horn before leaving; Frodo is the only member of
the company to take any oath, despite Gimli's protests.
The Company starts out by going south, for two weeks, mostly doing
their marches at night and with bleak weather. They finally see a
little sunshine when they enter Eregion, or Hollin. Gimli gives the
Hobbits a Dwarvish geography lesson, complete with the names of the
mountains in three languages; Gandalf and Legolas lament the loss of
the Elves that have left for the West. After breakfast, Aragorn is
concerned about the silence and watchfulness in the area. During the
watches that day the first flight of crebain fly over, spying out the
land. The collective noun for crows is "a murder of crows", and "a
murder of crebain" would certainly seem appropriate in this case.
Several murders pass over during the day.
The next night, as they begin to move again along the road from
Hollin to the mountain pass, we get a glimpse of a more ominous
hunter:
"Suddenly he saw or felt a shadow pass over the high stars, as if for
a moment they faded then flashed out again. He shivered."
Gandalf and Aragorn don't see it, but they do both feel it. Is this
our first hint that the Riders are remounted on their Fell Beasts,
and again hunting the Company? But later they aren't supposed to
cross the river yet. I'm getting ahead of myself, but it's an
interesting foreshadowing. (I seem to be saying that a lot.)
Three night later, they finally see Caradhas, the mountain they must
climb over. It's starts out with a nasty description; "...but with
sheer naked sides, dull red as if stained with blood." Evil portent
of things to come, and stained red with the blood of unwary
travelers, no doubt. Gandalf is extremely anxious about the weather
and the fact that they're being watched, and he and Aragorn have a
private debate (overheard by Frodo) about whether or not they should
try the mountain, or pass through Moria, seemingly a discussion
they've had several times before. It's decided to go over the
mountain, but Boromir wisely suggests everyone carry some wood, in
case they get caught in the snow, so they don't all die of
hypothermia.
Off they go, but the road is extremely difficult -- broken and
blocked with boulders -- and Gandalf's fears come to fruition when it
starts snowing heavily. We have a throwaway reference to the delight
the Hobbits in the Shire take in snow, and also a reference to the
dangers the Shire hobbits live in unaware, since Bilbo is the only
one alive remembering invasion by wolves during the Fell Winter.
There is speculation about whether or not Sauron could have caused
the storm to frustrate them, but Gandalf's answer, "His arm has grown
long." is really quite ambiguous on the subject.
The Company is forced to stop by a full-on blizzard, not to mention
what sound like voices on the air and stones crashing into the
mountains near them and boulders rumbling down nearby. Are these the
same mountain giants Bilbo saw during a thunderstorm in The Hobbit?
So, maybe not such a fanciful tale after all? Gimli pipes up that
the mountain has had an evil reputation of it's own for a very long
time. "When rumor of Sauron had not been heard in these lands.", in
fact. How far back does it put that? The First Age?
They huddle against the cliff together, and the hobbits do indeed
begin to succumb to hypothermia. They are first treated with shots
of miravor, which helps but doesn't last long enough, and then it's
decided fire is necessary. No one can make a fire by mundane means,
so Gandalf is forced to do it, grumbling all the while:
"I have written _Gandalf is here_ in signs that can be read from
Rivendell to the Mouths of Anduin."
The snow, the night, and the wood end all at about the same time, and
it's decided retreat off the mountain is the better part of valor at
this time. Legolas comments with light-hearted Elvish teasing, "If
Gandalf would go before us with a bright flame, he might melt a path
for you." Gandalf responds with his delightfully crusty snarking,
"If Elves could fly over mountains, they might fetch the sun to save
us, but I must have something to work on. I cannot burn snow." Hee!
Great exchange.
Boromir and Aragorn go off to beat a path through the snow. Legolas
runs on top of the snow to see what's what.[1] It takes an hour for
all of them to come back, where they learn that The Mother of All
Snowdrifts is not far off, but directly after that it tapers off
considerably and becomes nothing more than a slight nuisance down the
slope. Gimli glumly sets the blame on the bad temper of Caradhras.
So, is it really a sentient mountain, or just Dwarvish superstition?
Surely we don't have a snippy Maia out there disguised as a mountain?
As all of them are finally through the path, an avalanche rumbles
down and cuts it off. Gandalf decides they will not stay even on the
low slopes for the night, and the Company staggers off the mountain,
exhausted and defeated, only to be greeted by more crebain spies.
Cheery!
[1] A detail -- Legolas walking on top of the snow -- I was quite
delighted to see in the movie. Although it was subtle enough that
apparently a lot of people missed it entirely.
Michelle
Flutist
offering is better, but here it is, so we can get going.
The Ring Goes South
This chapter begins shortly after the end of the Council, with Merry
and Pippin kvetching that not only was Sam allowed into the Council
where he didn't belong, he was chosen as a companion -- indeed, the
only companion currently -- for Frodo's journey. Gandalf tries to
tone them down by commenting about how dangerous the journey is (and
by making rude remarks about Pippin's intelligence), which only makes
them more indignant in the name of Hobbit honor and of their own
companionship with Frodo.
Gandalf then points out it will likely be some time before they go
anywhere, since they have to wait for the scouts to come back, and
they've only just begun leaving. Bilbo laments they'll likely leave
just as winter gets going, and adds a side dig about Frodo letting
the S.B.'s into Bag End on his birthday.
They segue into a discussion about the Ringwraiths, and how they
can't be destroyed by such mundane things as huge flash floods with
imaginary horses and big rolling boulders. It's at this point
Gandalf drops his bomb about coming along on the adventure, at which
Frodo is predictably delighted. I know -I- would be, in his shoes.
We have's Bilbo comment about how he can't count days in Rivendell.
Does time work a bit differently here, as it seems to in Lorien, or
is it just Bilbo's comfort and complacency? We then have the meta-
commentary about Frodo helping Bilbo with his book, and starting on
the sequel. In the discussions of endings, Sam has the most
interesting comment, "And where will they live? That's what I often
wonder." Interesting foreshadowing there, I think.
Two months later, the scouts begin to return. No sign of the Riders,
except for the bodies of eight of their horses and a tattered cloak.
No sign of Gollum. The wild wolves are gathering and hunting along
the Anduin. It's decided they need to take advantage of the slight
time respite, and they pack up to go.
Elrond reaffirms Frodo's oath to go, and Sam's to go with him, then
makes a speech about how he can't offer much help. The companions
are then chosen, set at the number nine. This always seemed pretty
arbitrary to me. While I understand the "one for one" symbolism, it
seems like limiting it to nine only was also kinda pointless. Ten
people wouldn't have made any more of a fuss, and then you could send
along an elf-lord with the might of Glorfindel as well as the two
silly hobbits, but I suppose that would that be unwieldy, story-
external. Story-internal, it doesn't make a ton of sense, but there
you go.
Frodo and Sam decided already. Gandalf is going. Legolas and Gimli
to represent Elves and Dwarves, they they'll go at least as far as
the Mountains. I always thought, "Well, THAT'S not very far, is
it?" Aragorn and Boromir are going to Minas Tirith, so will journey
with the Fellowship along the way. This always seems rather
incidental for Boromir, although Aragorn was more deeply and
emotionally involved. Elrond decides to think about who else to send
in the last two slots, at which point Pippin and Merry clamor to go,
of course. Elrond is very worried, and expresses concern for the
Shire's safety. His heart is most against Pippin's going, while
Gandalf's heart counsel's otherwise. Interesting conflict of
prophetic characters, there. Was Elrond Foreseeing the trouble from
Pippin and the Palantir? Was Gandalf's Foresight poking him about the
bloodshed the two hobbits would prevent? On balance, it seems a good
thing that Gandalf prevailed.
Narsil is reforged, and the new sword, named Anduril, is given a
wonderful description:
"The Sword of Elendil was forged anew by elvish smiths and on its
blade was traced a device of seven stars set between the crescent
Moon and the rayed Sun, and about them were written many runes....
Very bright was made the sword when it was made whole again; the
light of the sun shone redly in it, and the light of the moon shone
cold, and its edge was hard and keen."
Frodo spends as much time as possible with Bilbo before he goes,
perhaps worried he might not have any more time later. Bilbo
presents Frodo with Sting and the mithril mail the day before the
Fellowship leaves. Bilbo sings a mournful song that is very
reminiscent of the end of life with much loneliness in it.
The Company sets out. Boromir and Aragorn carry no other weapons but
their swords, which I always thought was a little odd. You'd think
two such accomplished campaigners would at least carry along bows, in
case they needed to shot a deer for food, or something. Gimli has
ring-mail and his axe, Legolas a bow and knife, the hobbits all have
their swords, Gandalf has Glamdring and his staff, and Bill the Pony
insists he has to go, too, to carry extra burdens. Aragorn is
emotionally strained by the good-bye; Sam laments the lack of rope;
Boromir blows his horn before leaving; Frodo is the only member of
the company to take any oath, despite Gimli's protests.
The Company starts out by going south, for two weeks, mostly doing
their marches at night and with bleak weather. They finally see a
little sunshine when they enter Eregion, or Hollin. Gimli gives the
Hobbits a Dwarvish geography lesson, complete with the names of the
mountains in three languages; Gandalf and Legolas lament the loss of
the Elves that have left for the West. After breakfast, Aragorn is
concerned about the silence and watchfulness in the area. During the
watches that day the first flight of crebain fly over, spying out the
land. The collective noun for crows is "a murder of crows", and "a
murder of crebain" would certainly seem appropriate in this case.
Several murders pass over during the day.
The next night, as they begin to move again along the road from
Hollin to the mountain pass, we get a glimpse of a more ominous
hunter:
"Suddenly he saw or felt a shadow pass over the high stars, as if for
a moment they faded then flashed out again. He shivered."
Gandalf and Aragorn don't see it, but they do both feel it. Is this
our first hint that the Riders are remounted on their Fell Beasts,
and again hunting the Company? But later they aren't supposed to
cross the river yet. I'm getting ahead of myself, but it's an
interesting foreshadowing. (I seem to be saying that a lot.)
Three night later, they finally see Caradhas, the mountain they must
climb over. It's starts out with a nasty description; "...but with
sheer naked sides, dull red as if stained with blood." Evil portent
of things to come, and stained red with the blood of unwary
travelers, no doubt. Gandalf is extremely anxious about the weather
and the fact that they're being watched, and he and Aragorn have a
private debate (overheard by Frodo) about whether or not they should
try the mountain, or pass through Moria, seemingly a discussion
they've had several times before. It's decided to go over the
mountain, but Boromir wisely suggests everyone carry some wood, in
case they get caught in the snow, so they don't all die of
hypothermia.
Off they go, but the road is extremely difficult -- broken and
blocked with boulders -- and Gandalf's fears come to fruition when it
starts snowing heavily. We have a throwaway reference to the delight
the Hobbits in the Shire take in snow, and also a reference to the
dangers the Shire hobbits live in unaware, since Bilbo is the only
one alive remembering invasion by wolves during the Fell Winter.
There is speculation about whether or not Sauron could have caused
the storm to frustrate them, but Gandalf's answer, "His arm has grown
long." is really quite ambiguous on the subject.
The Company is forced to stop by a full-on blizzard, not to mention
what sound like voices on the air and stones crashing into the
mountains near them and boulders rumbling down nearby. Are these the
same mountain giants Bilbo saw during a thunderstorm in The Hobbit?
So, maybe not such a fanciful tale after all? Gimli pipes up that
the mountain has had an evil reputation of it's own for a very long
time. "When rumor of Sauron had not been heard in these lands.", in
fact. How far back does it put that? The First Age?
They huddle against the cliff together, and the hobbits do indeed
begin to succumb to hypothermia. They are first treated with shots
of miravor, which helps but doesn't last long enough, and then it's
decided fire is necessary. No one can make a fire by mundane means,
so Gandalf is forced to do it, grumbling all the while:
"I have written _Gandalf is here_ in signs that can be read from
Rivendell to the Mouths of Anduin."
The snow, the night, and the wood end all at about the same time, and
it's decided retreat off the mountain is the better part of valor at
this time. Legolas comments with light-hearted Elvish teasing, "If
Gandalf would go before us with a bright flame, he might melt a path
for you." Gandalf responds with his delightfully crusty snarking,
"If Elves could fly over mountains, they might fetch the sun to save
us, but I must have something to work on. I cannot burn snow." Hee!
Great exchange.
Boromir and Aragorn go off to beat a path through the snow. Legolas
runs on top of the snow to see what's what.[1] It takes an hour for
all of them to come back, where they learn that The Mother of All
Snowdrifts is not far off, but directly after that it tapers off
considerably and becomes nothing more than a slight nuisance down the
slope. Gimli glumly sets the blame on the bad temper of Caradhras.
So, is it really a sentient mountain, or just Dwarvish superstition?
Surely we don't have a snippy Maia out there disguised as a mountain?
As all of them are finally through the path, an avalanche rumbles
down and cuts it off. Gandalf decides they will not stay even on the
low slopes for the night, and the Company staggers off the mountain,
exhausted and defeated, only to be greeted by more crebain spies.
Cheery!
[1] A detail -- Legolas walking on top of the snow -- I was quite
delighted to see in the movie. Although it was subtle enough that
apparently a lot of people missed it entirely.
Michelle
Flutist
--
Drift on a river, That flows through my arms
Drift as I'm singing to you
I see you smiling, So peaceful and calm
And holding you, I'm smiling, too
Here in my arms, Safe from all harm
Holding you, I'm smiling, too
-- For Xander [9/22/98 - 2/23/99]
Drift on a river, That flows through my arms
Drift as I'm singing to you
I see you smiling, So peaceful and calm
And holding you, I'm smiling, too
Here in my arms, Safe from all harm
Holding you, I'm smiling, too
-- For Xander [9/22/98 - 2/23/99]