Episode 13 Summary

Tony Meade

Active Member
SESSION 13

The textual significance of the encounter with Gildor:
  • This is not a major plot element, compared to other encounters with Elves.
  • Gildor even pointedly refuses to give them more information.
  • Note: This has never been included in any of the adaptations.
  • The importance is primarily for Sam’s character, and his worldview.
  • It’s also important that this is our first significant encounter with Elves within this world.
Tolkien vs. Tinkerbell-ism:
  • Tolkien goes to great pains to fight against the image of diminutive elves, and in doing so changed the public perception of Elves back to the older, medieval version.
  • At the time of Tolkien’s writing, “fairy” or “elfin” was used as an adjective meaning small.
  • The one exception was those working in Arthurian traditions, which preserved medieval Elves.
  • Note: One of the most famous counterexamples was Spenser’s The Fairie Queene. C.S. Lewis was a big fan of Spenser, while Tolkien was not.
  • Even Tolkien uses this diminutive version of elves in his early writings, such as Roverandom.
  • There were no full-sized elves in the public consciousness at the time of The Hobbit.
  • This moment is when Tolkien re-introduces the 20th century to older version of Elves.
  • Note: Disney’s version of Tinkerbell was one of the last gasps of the 19th century tiny fairies.
Frodo recognizes the High Elves:
  • Frodo has understood the song both in their language and in his own mind, and he understands the significance of the name of Elbereth to the exiled Noldor.
  • The description passage of the Elves recalls the third verse of their own song, describing the starlight on the grass and the trees and other imagery, glimmering on their hair and eyes.
The Elves and the starlight:
  • The starlight in their hair and eyes is more than a physical description. Starlight doesn’t reflect off of objects well, so this is more of a radiance coming from the Elves themselves.
  • This radiance is something that the Elves have willed into being, possibly through the song.
  • This is related to how the Elves’ words formed themselves as images in the hobbit’s minds.
  • Note: This is also similar to how Bilbo is enchanted by the dwarf song in The Hobbit.
  • Tolkien was uncomfortable with the term “magic”, preferring “enchantment”.
  • Enchantment is the combination of art and magic, when the art conjures images of the thing itself. Tolkien described enchantment as the highest of elf artistic achievement.
  • The feet of the elves are radiant, likened to the moonlight just before moonrise.
Meet Gildor Inglorien:
  • Gildor’s laugh at the sight of the hobbits shows that they didn’t know the hobbits were there.
  • Gildor’s banter is very Elvish, which goes against many fan stereotypes.
  • This stereotype carries over the LOTR films, in Hugo Weaving and other’s performances.
  • Many fans see the Elves as very serious, grave, and tragic. This is a human perspective.
On Elvish banter:
  • Gildor’s back-and-forth teasing with the hobbits is against the stereotype, but typical of Tolkien’s Elves, going back to The Hobbit, and the Elves’ silly song in Rivendell.
  • Is Gildor singing “tralalalally” in The Hobbit? Probably, yes.
  • The way that they respond is in line with the “thinking fox”.
  • Gildor asking for the meaning of the hobbits’ presence can be taken multiple ways, implying that there is more to this encounter than mere chance.
  • Frodo responds shrewdly, with the same bantering tone, which deflects their curiosity.
  • Frodo also asks for what he needs, as in protection from the Black Riders, without letting on.
  • Frodo turns the questioning back on the Elves, playing mysteriously to match the elves.
  • The banter is also very Hobbitish, but the similarity is there.
  • The Elves also deflect Frodo’s question about their destination.
On Elvish nature:
  • Elves are a bundle of contradictions, as Sam will describe. They are not one thing only.
  • They are merry and joyful, while simultaneously carriers of tragic and sorrowful memories.
  • The image of the Elves as merely tragic is a symptom of readers’ projection.
  • This is a phenomenon of modern expectations of relatability, but this is not how Tolkien wrote.
  • Tolkien is interested in the experience of encountering things and people that are completely alien to the human experience, and what that is like.
  • We should remember that some of the people singing “tralalally” and teasing the hobbits in this passage were probably survivors of Gondolin. They can be merry and sad at once.
Going against Elvish custom:
  • The Elves are happy to meet the hobbits and talk, but they had no intention of taking them.
  • Their minds are changed by the presence of the Black Rider.
  • In this, they see the workings of chance, and understand that this is a significant moment.
  • This shows the long experience and wisdom of the Elves regarding the world.
Frodo becomes an Elf-friend:
  • Pippin’s line beginning with “O Fair Folk” goes against his usual character.
  • This shows hidden depths, as he’s been superficial and casual so far about the journey.
  • Pippin is addressing the Elves as an outsider, and the formality shows his upbringing as the son and heir of the Thain of the Shire.
  • He’s showing his good manners, saying “a few very suitable words”.
  • Frodo speaks in Quenya, more like an insider to the Elves.
  • Sam understandably is speechless, as this is his lifelong dream coming true.
  • Most hobbits would respond like Sam, but Frodo and Pippin are of unusually high status.
  • Gildor not only reveals that they know Frodo, but that they will take them on a forced march.
How do the Elves know so much?
  • Note: In both The Hobbit and here, the Elves know more about their visitors than they should.
  • In The Hobbit, the explanation is given that Gandalf had encountered some Elves from Rivendell, and informed them about his companions.
  • Here, the source of their knowledge is unknown.
Why is this against Elvish custom?
  • Elves are elusive by nature, and generally don’t welcome guests.
  • In fairy tale tradition, encountering Elves usually ends with their vanishing, or else abducting or seducing those that encounter them.
  • This tradition is referenced in what happens with the wood-elves in The Hobbit, with Beren and Aragorn, and even in the reference to a Took possibly taking a fairy wife.
The trip to Woodhall:
  • The landscape description is very important on this journey.
  • The lane that the Elves follow is a Hobbit road at first, but then they turn off to an Elf path.
  • The entry to the path is an opening in the thicket, which is a secret way.
  • The Elves hall is a secret place that sits above the Shire.
  • This gives the impression that the hobbits could not have found this location without the guidance of the Elves, to the point that there may be magic involved in its hiding.
  • The hobbits are seeing the village of Woodhall, and the rest of the Shire, from a perspective that they would not get otherwise.
Elvish timekeeping:
  • The Elves know it is time for speech of merriment by the rising of the stars and constellations.
  • It is possibly around midnight, as this is the time when Menelvagor (Orion) rises.
  • The clearing of the mist seems to be at the Elves’ command, along with the fire and song.
  • Note: The star called “red Borgil” is what we know as Aldebaran, and the “netted stars” correspond to the Pleiades constellation.
The feast hall of the Elves:
  • This is architecture that is formed by living trees. There is a resemblance to a human mead hall.
  • It doesn’t seem to be coincidence that the nearby Hobbit village is called Woodhall.
  • There may be some memory of the hall preserved or communicated to them.
  • Note: Another exaggeration about Elves among Tolkien fans is their unwillingness to harm living things. Elves hunt and use wood, so they do harm things when necessary.
The memories of the hobbits:
  • Pippin cannot remember details, but the impression of the food and drink was deep upon his memories.
  • Sam contextualizes his experience as a gardener, but his lasting impression is the singing.
  • Tolkien is not just describing the appearance and behavior of the Elves.
  • Rather, he focuses on the subjective experience of meeting the Elves.
  • It is the experience of meeting the Elves that makes this scene important.
  • This is an example of Tolkien attempting to describe the indescribable.
  • Sam’s focus on the singing recalls his chanting about the Elves’ departure earlier.
  • It is notable that we don’t get Frodo’s impressions, but we get his conversation with Gildor.
  • This is also not a new experience for Frodo, so this is not the same for him as Sam and Pippin.
  • Frodo is also concerned about the Black Riders, which makes him think differently.
END OF SESSION
 

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