Episode 135 Summary

[Tony Meade]

SESSION 135

Comment on the awakening of Isildur’s Bane:

• Are we to understand that it has awakened, or that it is still to come? What does it mean for it to awaken? What does it do when it is awake, and how is it awakened?
• The metaphor of awakening probably refers to its revelation, and the fact that it is linked in the poem to the halfling means that this refers to the moment Frodo brings it out for all to see.
• The awakening probably isn’t referring to any change in the internal state of the Ring,
• In the bigger picture, the halfling standing forth may also refer to Frodo’s taking on the quest to carry the Ring to Mount Doom, though that is not yet decided.
• Any change in the state of the Ring has more to do with its location and the power of the Enemy acting in the world. The Ring itself is not showing more agency or sentience of its own.
• Since the prophecy refers to the awakening of the Ring in the future tense, it cannot be referring to a moment that has already happened. The Council is the earliest moment that it could awake.
• Gandalf has already spoken about the will within the Ring already being at work, so this cannot be what is referred to as its awakening. This was the state it was already in when he told Frodo.
• Is the term “Isildur’s Bane” a reference to the temptation to take the Ring, and not the Ring itself? This might contradict Elrond’s gloss on the story of the Ring, but that also fits the facts.
• In a sense, the term “Isildur’s Bane” is a warning to Boromir, who’s desire for the Ring was immediately awakened during the Council, as Sam will say later.
• While the Ring strengthens over time as it approaches Mordor, this is more of a process than a distinct moment, aside from when Sam crosses into Mordor itself and perceives a difference.
• Also, while the Ring’s finding by Déagol is important in the history of the Ring, it is in the past.
• The poem specifically refers to what will happen in Imladris, and therefore this moment of awakening must happen there, which will prompt all the other actions in the poem.
• Both senses of “doom” are relevant in the doings in Imladris, in that they are facing a final destruction, but also as the great destiny placed upon them.
• This is a message delivered specifically to the leadership of Gondor and requires them to act. This is not a universal message for Middle-earth, but Boromir delivers the words to the Council.
• Frodo “stands forth” in two senses as well, in both his physical standing forth to show the Ring, but also his willingness to take on the quest, and in doing so distinguishes himself.
• Who is speaking the words of the poem in the dream? This is never revealed in the text, though many speculate that it is Gandalf, since as Olórin, he is associated with dreams and with Faramir.
• This seems unlikely, though, since Gandalf’s powers in Middle-earth are limited within bounds, and he is not associated with prophetic visions in the way that some of the Valar have been.
• It seems more likely that this message comes from the West, and that this is a sign that the Valar are still acting within Middle-earth, though from whom specifically is not as clear.

More shall be made clear:

• The only thing that Aragorn volunteers himself is to show the Sword that was Broken. He doesn’t introduce himself, or claim any titles, or explain the meaning of the Sword.
• This responds to the first two lines of the poem, but he doesn’t give any more information.
• Elrond is the one who is not satisfied with this response, and expounds briefly, but Boromir’s confusion is understandable since the poem implies that the person with the Sword matters.
• Boromir raises the two sensible questions, given the instructions he was given in the dream.
• What does Boromir think he is doing in Rivendell? He must have a theory of what might happen.
• It’s important to remember that Aragorn is not impressive-looking at the Council. He is back in his traveling clothes, and looks more like the Ranger, unlike how he looked in the Hall of Fire.
• The leanness of Aragorn’s face implies a hard life, and he certainly doesn’t look prosperous. He also is probably not powerfully built, like Boromir, though his height is emphasized.
• If Boromir perceives that his purpose in coming to Rivendell was to meet whoever had the Sword, he will question him based on his appearance, though it isn’t necessarily hostile.
• It is important that Aragorn doesn’t answer his questions. It is Elrond who answers, but we are not given external cues to know the manner in which Elrond answered, or if he is intervening.
• Is Elrond taking control over the exchange, or is Aragorn allowing Elrond to decide what to reveal and when? Aragorn has taken it upon himself to fulfill part of the prophecy, but no more.
• In the poem, as here, the taking of counsels immediately followed the revelation of the Sword.
• There are many ways that Elrond could have introduced Aragorn, but he chooses to start with his personal name, though it would be meaningless to Boromir, unlike his ancestry.
• Note: In the film, Boromir has heard of Aragorn, but in the book, he is completely unknown.
• Elrond answers the two questions in order; first, he says who Aragorn is personally, and secondly, who he is in reference to Minas Tirith, by explaining his lineage.
• It seems important that Elrond chooses not to emphasize his descent from Elendil, but from Isildur as both Elendil’s son and his connection to Minas Ithil, sister city to Minas Anor.
• Isildur would not be thought of first and foremost as King of Gondor, as he never ruled Gondor personally, but was primarily associated with founding Minas Ithil, and later ruling as High King.
• The word “king” is never mentioned in Elrond’s introduction, so sidestepping any potential conflict for the moment. Elrond is showing care and diplomacy, but not hiding anything.
• There is a parallel being implied between the two sister cities of old, Minas Anor and Minas Ithil, and the peoples of the North and South kingdoms, as the Dúnedain come to aid Gondor.
• However, while people might not recognize Isildur’s kingship in Gondor, Elrond mentions him as Elendil’s son, and Elendil’s position as High King over the Numenoreans-in-exile is unquestioned.
• While Aragorn has a claim to the kingship, he is not actually the king until he is crowned, therefore it would be inappropriate to introduce him as a king at this point.
• It is also important that Elrond is not directly stating Aragorn’s right to claim the kingship, but instead states the evidence for this claim, setting the stage for the claim to be made later.
• Elrond only gives Aragorn’s current title as the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in the North. While this is sensible, the pivot toward the fewness of them, and the term Dúnedain itself, is important.

On the introduction of the return of the king storyline:

• In the earlier conceptions of the Dúnedain, there was no thought of the geography of Middle-earth beyond the areas mapped out in The Hobbit.
• Gondor was invented during the writing of the Council of Elrond, and the few Numenoreans who survived had been taken in as the leaders of Gondor, which already existed as a country.
• However, they were later expelled in a rebellion, and the former Dúnedain rulers escaped to the North and founded a new kingdom there at the city of Fornost.
• So, the return of the king was of a previously exiled house being welcomed back, not of a lost line of heirs to the throne. It is a story of reconciliation rather than a restoration.
• When the lord of Minas Tirith died, the people had to choose between Aragorn and Boromir, who survived, and they chose Aragorn in an election, much to Boromir’s displeasure.
• Boromir would then have rebelled and joined Saruman in the fight against Minas Tirith.
• In the final version, the return of the king is still associated with the former glory of Gondor, which means a lot to Boromir, and he would have some respect and awe for a link to it.

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[Tony Meade]

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Few are now left of that folk:

• Why does Elrond emphasize the fewness of the Dúnedain in the North? Gandalf has already explained for to Frodo, and the reader, that there are few left in the world like Aragorn.
• It re-emphasizes the general sense of the decline of the Dúnedain in both kingdoms, but also that the Dúnedain of the North will not be a source of military aid to Gondor.
• The broken sword is used as a metaphor for the lack of power to wage war left in the North.
• Would Boromir take this as an implied statement of the fewness of those of Numenorean descent, including Gondor? Possibly, but Elrond qualifies it as referring to those in the North.

A question of ownership claims:

• Frodo makes his second interruption of the Council, which takes the discussion in unexpected directions. While he’s learned something of Aragorn’s heritage, his thoughts turn to the Ring.
• Is Frodo feeling freed from responsibility for the Ring, or is he being defensive over ownership?
• The fact that Frodo springs to his feet doesn’t imply relief, but more like amazement, as he immediately draws the connection between the line of Isildur and the Ring.
• Frodo has clearly been paying attention to all that has been shared in the Council up to this point, but he leaps to the conclusion that his purpose there is to give over the Ring.
• He has inherited the Ring in a manner like as if Bilbo had died, and Frodo is assuming that Isildur had a rightful claim to the Ring that he could pass on to his descendants like Bilbo had done.
• While there have been many kinds of legalistic justifications for ownership of the Ring by its bearers, Isildur’s is the first, but also the weakest, as he looted it from Sauron’s body.
• Frodo’s conclusion seems unreasonable, considering the passage of time and the line of actual ownership up until now, but this is not pro forma, but a genuine expression of his feelings.
• Why does Frodo make this leap to conclusion about the Ring? No one is speaking of the Ring, so it is only Frodo’s relationship with the Ring that prompts this, as it is prominent in his thought.
• This doesn’t seem to be inspired by the Ring itself, as it had before when he didn’t want to show it to Bilbo, and this is a panic over having the Ring taken for him, as this feels different.
• Because Frodo imagines someone taking it, that would be consistent with a Ring-induced speech, and this is definitely a spontaneous response, rather than the rhetoric of Boromir.
• However, Frodo doesn’t use any possessive language, and rather expresses the idea that it belongs to someone else, which is the opposite of rationalizing his ownership.
• All of the other Ring claims have been accompanied by a justification of their possession of it. Frodo’s positive assertion that it doesn’t belong to him and rather to Aragorn belies this.
• This is unprecedented in the history of the Ring, including Bilbo when he gave it up. Bilbo doesn’t renounce a prior claim to it, the way that Frodo does, but rather passes it on to an heir.

Frodo’s role as councilor:

• What are Frodo’s expectations for the Council? What does he think is going to happen today?
• Frodo still believes that his job as Ring-bearer will be done when he hands over the Ring to the great and the Wise to deal with afterwards. He feels he is not made for perilous quests.
• He doesn’t think that this will be a “there and back again” quest, as he’s still being hunted, and would draw danger to the Shire if he returned, but he could retire in Rivendell like Bilbo.
• Frodo may not be remembering what happened when he has tried to hand the Ring over before, however, so there many be something unrealistic about that idea.
• It seems that Frodo is more prepared today to give up the Ring than on any other occasion.
• He had been expected for someone greater than him to volunteer to take the Ring on, but now he is being confronted with what he thinks is a better rival claim on the Ring.
• That he expects the Ring to be demanded at once seems to fit with what he had expected. He has been looking around at the other councilors and would think any of them more qualified.
• The word “demanded” is a harsh word for something he expects, but he doesn’t begrudge it. It implies something that is a matter of right, rather than imposition.
• His leaping to his feet seems imply that Frodo thinks that the moment to hand it over has come.
• There is certainly a part of Frodo’s mind that wishes to be rid of the Ring, as he is conscious of the impact that is having on him and that it has a grip upon his mind, though not in control.
• Frodo was not happy about leaving the Shire and being pursued for the rest of his life, and he will later have feelings of dread about taking the quest of the Ring on himself.
• If Frodo is able to deliver the Ring to Rivendell only, that would be a shorter journey than Bilbo’s, and perhaps a better ending than he could have hoped for.
• Frodo didn’t understand the love-hate relationship that Gollum had with the Ring, but now he would understand that much better, and that part of his mind would be happy to give it away.
• That he might give it to his friend Aragorn, this might turn out even better for him after all.
• If Aragorn does have a better claim, then it might make it easier for the part of his mind that wants rid of the Ring to cling to that in order to actually do it, like Bilbo did, though still hard.
• Bilbo thought that giving away lots of possessions would make giving away the Ring easier, but he was wrong, and though he fully intended to do it, he ultimately needed help.

Aragorn rejects the Ring:

• Aragorn’s response not only denies any claim to the Ring for himself, but for anyone else. He emphasizes that this is not about his ownership of the Ring, but also Frodo’s.
• That Aragorn uses the word “ordained” is significant, as he is definitely referring to a higher power, but like Gandalf before, he is being indirect about what power is ordaining this.
• What matters more that which power is responsible is what they have ordained and why. Frodo is being told that he is only ordained to hold the Ring, not for it to belong to him.
• Aragorn also indirectly refers to Sauron; that he’s the one to whom that the Ring truly belongs.
• He also therefore shows the Powers in the West and Sauron as in opposition to each other, and that this is their conflict, and that they only have small roles in that story.
• By using passive voice, Aragorn emphasizes the action itself as important, rather than the doer.
• Does Aragorn understand the experience of a Ring-bearer? No, at least not fully, and not yet.
• Frodo has not volunteered to take the Ring to Mordor yet, so his reference to “a while” might only be about the time up until this moment.

END OF SESSION