Episode 150 Summary

Tony Meade

Active Member
SESSION 150

Comment on smiling characters:
  • Aragorn is recorded in the text as smiling more than any other character, but it is possible that the narrator mentions them because they are remarkable, given Aragorn’s character.
  • In the case of most of the characters, their smiles are described in moments when smiling would seem unlikely, such as Frodo on the borders of Mordor, and he even grins in orc-guise there.
  • This may be attributed to the characters attempting to keep their spirits up in dark situations. It may also be a signal to the reader that there is still hope regardless of the circumstances.
  • There are other characters who are clearly jovial who are never described as smiling, such as Merry and Pippin, which supports the mentions often showing the contrast with the norm.
  • Aragorn is consistently described as grim; even his attempts to engage in hobbitry mostly fail. However, we are shown that under his grim exterior, hope lives, like his childhood name, Estel.
  • Gandalf is more mercurial than Aragorn, so his smiles are more to show his changes in mood.
  • Note: Many readers visualize the Elves as permanently grim, as they were depicted in the films, as they are not described as smiling much, but we know by their songs and laughter that they are joyful. Applying the same logic to them as the other characters, their lack of description of smiles should indicate that smiling is common among them, and therefore not remarkable.
  • Even Elrond seems to be less grim in overall outlook than Aragorn, despite his long and troubled life in Middle-earth, and he is described alternately as kind as either Christmas or summer.
  • Note: Those who believe that the “tralalalally” song described in The Hobbit is out of place are not taking into account the serious histories that Tolkien had already applied to the Elves by the time of that writing, which shows that in spite of their tragic lives, they retain joy and wonder. This objection is voiced by the Dwarves and refuted by the narrator in the text as an error.
  • Galadriel is described as smiling more than any other Elf, despite her short appearance, but by this logic, this shows that she is smiling despite her description of greatness and gravity.
On the future recapture of Gollum:
  • Gollum’s later reticence to go around the Dead Marshes with Frodo and Sam, but rather to go through the middle of them, may be due to being captured on their borders by Aragorn.
  • His being covered in green slime may be due to his reference to trying to touch the faces in the water in the Dead Marches that he describes to Frodo and Sam later.
  • Also, his reaction to walking with a rope on his neck may be due to his experience being taken to Mirkwood bound, gagged, and tied in a halter, though not in an elvish rope.
  • Gollum being deprived food will motivate Frodo and Sam to trust him to find food and return.
  • Gollum’s savagery at being captured will become important when we see the difference after he is taken captive, and then as a guide by Frodo and Sam.
  • This may partly be attributed to the presence of the Ring, though we don’t see much of Gollum’s activity away from one of the Ring-bearers, outside of third person accounts and other rumors.
The journey into the Morgul Vale:
  • Aragorn’s first suspicion after Gandalf leaves for Minas Tirith was that Gollum had entered Mordor, which prompts him to check the entry points at the borders.
  • It may be impractical for Gandalf to enter Mordor, though he has shown stealth around Sauron before when he was able to enter Dol Guldur undetected.
  • Does Aragorn suspect that Gollum was captured by the Nazgûl or others and taken to Mordor?
  • Note: In the original drafts, Frodo and Sam were captured by the Nazgûl, in a similar way to this.
  • This may have been a desperate last attempt to capture Gollum before giving up on the hunt.
  • The reference to the “deadly flowers” of Morgul Vale is an eerie image that speaks of the corruption and twisted nature of that land.
  • Note: Some readers associate these with the poppies that cause sleep in The Wizard of Oz.
  • Aragorn’s reluctance to talk about his experience there may also be related to his shuddering at his mention of the Ringwraiths in Bree with the hobbits, as this may be one of those encounters.
  • Note: When the character was originally a hobbit named Trotter, he had wooden feet due to his capture and torture in the lands of the Enemy. This idea is preserved in the memory of the torture of Gollum’s hands that is described by Gandalf.
  • This seems to have been Aragorn’s first venture into the Morgul Vale, which shows his understanding of the importance of finding Gollum and his willingness to do whatever it takes.
  • Note: Aragorn may have had few opportunities to encounter the Nazgûl before this, as even his travels after his time as Thorongil took him to the South and East, but not to Mordor.
  • These paths may have been the part of his plan with Gandalf, which he continued on his own.
Gollum captured by fortune:
  • Aragorn emphasizes that it was not his skill as a tracker, but an act of seeming providence that allowed him to capture Gollum in the end, as he had given up the chase.
  • It seems a remarkable piece of luck that he happened across Gollum’s fresh trail as he did.
  • Note: This being an act of providence is alluded to by Aragorn, but it’s clear that this is one of the small acts of Providence which have a large impact on all the history of Middle-earth.
  • How did Aragorn know that he had found Gollum if he’d never seen him before? He would have been described by Gandalf based on Bilbo’s story, and was able to eliminate other possibilities.
  • Aragorn employs a degree of understatement in describing the physical altercations between with Gollum. It’s clear that Gollum was extremely violent, and Aragorn had to respond in kind.
  • Though Gollum is much smaller than Aragorn, his strength and ferocity, combined with his slimy exterior, would make his capture nearly impossible without using physical force.
  • Aragorn would only engage in this violence out of necessity, as he would not relish it either.
  • The trip itself took over fifty days, so this would have gone on for many weeks to get him there. Aragorn’s trip would be the longest time that anyone ever spent with Gollum, including Frodo’s.
  • Strider underestimated the hobbits’ in Bree, so he may have done this with Gollum’s strength, ferocity, and willpower. It’s probable that Aragorn still bears scars from Gollum’s teeth.
  • Note: It’s probable that Aragorn would not make the connection between Gollum and Hobbits.
  • Aragorn may have learned more about Gollum from Gandalf’s interrogation, as he doesn’t indicate that he left Mirkwood right away, though he may not have participated.
  • Gollum’s changes over the centuries may make him unrecognizable to outsiders as hobbit-kind.
  • Note: There were already significant differences between Gollum and his folk and the Hobbits of the Shire, so the connection is possible to be overemphasized.
  • Aragorn would have also needed to return to Eriador to oversee the watch on the Shire.
Giving Gollum to the Elves of Mirkwood:
  • Why did Aragorn and Gandalf choose Mirkwood and not Lothlorien? Possibly due to the dungeons there, but it’s unlikely that they would be aware of Gollum’s issues with Lórien Elves.
  • Note: It’s also possible that this was because Tolkien had not created the land of Lothlorien at the time this passage was written. However, Tolkien could have changed this in revision, though he chose not to do it because of the readers’ prior knowledge of Mirkwood’s prisons and the presence of Legolas at the Council, as this is his reason for being there.
  • Would the borders to Lothlorien be closed to Gollum? Probably, though they would allow Aragorn in with a prisoner and would aid him in his imprisonment of Gollum.
  • The Elves of Mirkwood have been involved in the hunt for Gollum since the beginning, too.
  • Did the agreement include the Elvenking? Probably, as he was involved in the initial search.
  • The Mirkwood Elves may also feel that Gollum was under their jurisdiction as he had committed crimes in Mirkwood after he came out of the mountains.
  • What was the plan for Gollum after the interrogation? Gandalf has already stated that he was against his execution, so they might feel it appropriate to turn him over to the authorities.
  • Lothlorien would not be excluded because of a kind of spiritual purity, but due to jurisdiction.
  • Its probable that Gollum was expected to be imprisoned for life, or at least through the war.
  • The Elves did treat Gollum kindly in the hope of his cure, as this was always Gandalf’s intention.
  • Its not clear that Gollum would age or die a natural death due to the Ring, even without it near.
  • Note: The Dwarves’ imprisonment was not indefinite like Gollum’s, and he had given all his information unlike the Dwarves’ stonewalling, helping to explain the difference in treatment.
  • The Elves also don’t have the same issues with feeding and watering Gollum that Aragorn had due to his being in a prison cell, though they still might have used rope to control him outside.
  • Note: They would have not given Gollum lembas to eat, as it is a special travel gift, only given by queens. It’s not clear whether there is a queen in Mirkwood, as its not mentioned either way.
Enduring long speech with Gollum:
  • Its probable that Aragorn had tried speaking to Gollum during his weeks of travel with him, but his praise for Gandalf isn’t for getting the information but enduring the speech with him itself.
  • Gandalf had already said that his talk with Gollum was wearisome, even giving examples of it.
  • Note: Gollum’s talk is like some criminals, who speak endlessly of their crimes, but who also lie.
END OF SESSION
 

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