Flammifer
Well-Known Member
There are two riddle poems in ‘The Council of Elrond’. Boromir’s Dream poem, and Bilbo’s ‘All that is gold does not glitter’ poem. Sort of akin to the poetic riddles Bilbo and Gollum use to contest the Riddle Game. They are separated by only about a page of text.
Why are these two poems juxtaposed?
Now, it could be that Tolkien so loved Bilbo’s poem that he wanted to get it in twice, with no change from its appearance in the ‘Prancing Pony’ other than swapping a colon for a comma in line 7? Or he might have felt it was a perfect way to showcase Bilbo at this point. Perhaps it seemed like an ideal ‘covering letter’ preceding Aragorn’s imminent recitation of his c.v.? Or, could it be that these two poems are connected in some more fundamental way?
How are these two poems similar? How are they different? How are they related?
The Dream poem contains an instruction, ‘Seek’, and then 8 riddles for Boromir (and perhaps some subsidiary questions).
Could it be though that, unbeknownst to Bilbo, his poem could also have 8 different answers?
Why are these two poems juxtaposed?
Now, it could be that Tolkien so loved Bilbo’s poem that he wanted to get it in twice, with no change from its appearance in the ‘Prancing Pony’ other than swapping a colon for a comma in line 7? Or he might have felt it was a perfect way to showcase Bilbo at this point. Perhaps it seemed like an ideal ‘covering letter’ preceding Aragorn’s imminent recitation of his c.v.? Or, could it be that these two poems are connected in some more fundamental way?
How are these two poems similar? How are they different? How are they related?
The Dream poem contains an instruction, ‘Seek’, and then 8 riddles for Boromir (and perhaps some subsidiary questions).
- What is the Sword that was broken?
- What and where is Imladris?
- What is meant by ‘counsels’?
- What is meant by ‘Morgul-spells’?
- What could be the ‘token’?
- What is meant by ‘Doom’
- And by ‘near at hand’?
- What is ‘Isildur’s Bane’?
- And what is meant by ‘waken’?
- Who, or what is ‘the Halfling’?
- And what does it mean that he will ‘stand forth’?
- What is gold that does not glitter?
- Who are those who wander, but are not lost?
- What is old and strong that does not wither?
- What are the deep roots not reached by frost?
- From which ashes shall fire be woken?
- And which fire?
- What light, from shadows shall spring?
- And from which shadows?
- What is the blade that was broken?
- And how shall it be renewed?
- Which crownless again shall be king?
Could it be though that, unbeknownst to Bilbo, his poem could also have 8 different answers?
- The most important gold in TLOTR is the Ring, which should not glitter, in the minds of Elves, Dwarves, and Men, but burn.
- Those who wander are the High Elves, established as such by the song to Elbereth, way back in ‘Three is Company’, “O light to us that wander here Amid the world of woven trees!” The High Elves wander through Middle Earth, but they are not lost. They know the way home. They just don’t know when they will take it. Also, Gandalf, known as ‘Mithrandir’, the Grey Wanderer, who, unlike others in his Order, is not lost. Also, Earendil, “a wandering light”, who also wanders, but knows exactly where he is, as he is an ‘orbed star’ constrained by the music of the spheres to a fixed path.
- Strength and Courage as shown by heroes of yore, are old and strong, and do not wither.
- Faith and Hope are deep roots not reached by the frosts of Thangorodrim.
- From the ashes of Sauron’s overweening Pride and careless Arrogance, the fires of Mt. Doom shall be woken.
- Light springing from shadows could be Hobbits emerging from the Shire, could be the light of Earendil, from both the star, and Galadriel’s glass, sending light into dark places, or it could be Providence, nudging success into the darkest and most disastrous moments.
- The sword is Narsil/Anduril.
- The crownless is Aragorn.
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