Darren Grey
Active Member
Much was made in ep 109 of the politeness of Frodo and Gloin in their interaction and hinting at secrets, but I wanted to bring up how this wonderfully foreshadows the next chapter and hooks the reader in. When Gloin says "Master Elrond will summon us all ere long, I believe, and then we shall all hear many things" he is predicting the Council quite accurately, but the "we" includes the reader too.
Tolkien never likes to throw surprises at us when a heap of foreshadowing can be piled on first, and this is a key piece. It's equating Frodo's tale with Gloin's tale in their reluctance to speak openly, and so opens the reader's mind to the idea that Frodo's perilous journey is just a part of what's going on, and there's a lot more to find out. It gives intrigue and excitement for the tales to be told. In addition in this chapter we get a bunch of other tasters of events that will be fleshed out in the next chapter - the delay of Gandalf, the lineage of Aragorn, the fate of Balin, and the Dark Lord putting forth his strength.
Tolkien never likes to throw surprises at us when a heap of foreshadowing can be piled on first, and this is a key piece. It's equating Frodo's tale with Gloin's tale in their reluctance to speak openly, and so opens the reader's mind to the idea that Frodo's perilous journey is just a part of what's going on, and there's a lot more to find out. It gives intrigue and excitement for the tales to be told. In addition in this chapter we get a bunch of other tasters of events that will be fleshed out in the next chapter - the delay of Gandalf, the lineage of Aragorn, the fate of Balin, and the Dark Lord putting forth his strength.