Episode 243 Summary

[Tony Meade]

SESSION 243

Towards the Redhorn Gate:

• The weather conditions continue to improve while the shadow of fear becomes stronger.
• At this point, they are heading toward the Redhorn Gate, so the initial decision has been made.
• The debate is not about which way they should go, but about whether they should reconsider.
• Gandalf seems to have reluctantly agreed with Aragorn’s choice of path initially, though.
• His concerns are legitimate and include the kind of spies that they have already encountered.
• While they’d temporarily prioritized speed over secrecy, Gandalf returns to the need for stealth.
• It isn’t clear what the Redhorn Gate refers to, or whether there is an actual structure there.
• One of the present dangers are the narrowness of the path, which exposes them to spies.
• This also makes it a very good place for an ambush by waiting for them to pass along the path.
• The scouts from Rivendell had spied out both sides of three main passes over the mountains.
• We don’t know if they did anything to secure them for crossing, like Glorfindel did the bridge.
• It’s important that the Enemy does not know that they are making for Mordor with the Ring.
• The most likely explanation for their direction of travel is to join in the war in Gondor. The only other option that makes sense to Sauron is for the Ring to be sent away West to Valinor.
• It would seem highly unlikely to Sauron that the Ring would be left in the hands of a halfling.
• He would fully expect that one of the great people assembled would claim the Ring’s power.
• Ironically, for the last several centuries, the Ring has remained in the hands of halflings.

Winter deepens behind:

• Trying to cross the high mountain pass in January is already a dangerous proposition.
• It’s not said what the elevation of the Redhorn Pass is, but likely above the tree line.
• Note: Tolkien’s mental model for the Misty Mountains was the Alps, based on his experiences there, so it is more likely that Caradhras is alpine in nature, and so this crossing is dangerous.
• Therefore, the fact that Aragorn thinks that this is the best course is telling of the others.
• Aragorn knows better than anyone what their options are, and this is the least bad choice.
• He seems to consider using the Gap of Rohan even better than trying to go through Moria.
• Gandalf’s argument seems to be that, now confronted with the pass, they might reconsider.
• Note: No one in the story knows about the Balrog in Moria, and only that there is something evil that caused the downfall of Khazad-dûm, and this is what they call “Durin’s Bane”. Even Celeborn didn’t know the actual identity of what drove the Dwarves away, so when Legolas reveals this to him and Galadriel, this is news to everyone, and explains their suspicions.
• On top of spies or ambush, Gandalf is proposing that the other danger is the cold and snow.
• Since the scouts from Rivendell were able to cross this recently, Aragorn sees it as possible.
• Aragorn himself must have crossed the pass many times and in many seasons before this, too.

A black look in the sky:

• Note: The distinction that Tolkien seems to draw between the capitalized “Sun” and “sun” is between referring to the heavenly body itself, and its effects such as the sunshine’s warmth.
• While we can understand that the sunshine might have no ability to warn them in the cold air, the “black look in the sky” might referring to the early morning or to a gathering storm.
• Since they are facing east, and the sun is rising in the southeast due to it being January, this is what allows them to see the red glow from the sun on the southern face of Caradhras.
• Gandalf’s reference to winter deepening behind them in the west refers to the storm coming in.
• Likewise, Gandalf’s sniffing the air is his detecting the smell of a coming snowstorm on the air.
• There has been recent snow on the mountains, too, so this is why Gandalf is more concerned.
• It is significant that Aragorn thinks that the Redhorn Pass is the best route in spite of all of this.

A mighty peak:

• There is a contrast between the beauty of the silver-like snow and the red color of Caradhras.
• This leaves the impression of a threat associated with Caradhras due to its height and solitude.
• It’s possible that the rock itself is red, but the color is associated with the sunrise and sunset.

END OF SESSION