A Parallel between the Poem and the Quest

[Matt DeForrest]

While catching up on what I missed last class, I began to notice a parallel between the poem and Frodo’s quest:

• Earendil comes through death and darkness to Valinor on a mission to save all Middle Earth = Frodo comes through death and darkness to Rivendel on a mission to save all Middle Earth
• Earendil arrives in Valinor = Frodo arrives in Rivendell
• Earendil learns stories and can’t go back = Frodo hears the stories of growing war and can’t go back
• The Valar make a boat (a ribbed structure) made of mithril = Frodo gets Bilbo’s coat of mail (that goes over his ribs — I seem to recall an Anglo-Saxon Kenn ing for the rib cage but I cannot recall it offhand)
• The Valar place the Simaril on the mast to light the way = Frodo gets the Vial of Galadriel to light his way
• The Simaril (the big McGuffin of the SImarillion) is the only thing he gets to carry after Valinor = The One Ring (the big McGuffin of the Lord of the Rings) is the only thing he gets to carry after Rivendell
• The Valar lay on/recognize the doom of Earendil = Elrond recognizes the doom of Frodo
• Earendill doesn’t get to go home = Frodo doesn’t get to go home (in the sense he has saved it for others and not for himself)

I’m not quite ready to declare foreshadowing but the parallel appears to be there — one that helps justify Elron’s pronouncement that Frodo will be numbered amongst the greatest of Elf-Friends.