Episode 36 Summary

Tony Meade

Active Member
SESSION 36

Comment on Tom’s guided tour of the history of Eä:
  • Why does Tom drift off to sleep at the end of his vision of the beginning?
  • The trip is generally backwards in time, though not always consecutively.
  • Was this Tom’s state at the beginning of time? Did he sleep through the Music of the Ainur?
  • If he is one of the Ainur, then he would have to predate the Music.
  • It’s possible that he was asleep at the creation of Arda and awoke within it, but that doesn’t fit within the system of the legendarium.
  • Would such a sleep be literal or metaphorical?
  • This may not be an autobiographical statement, but rather has to do with the enchantment he is weaving for the hobbits.
  • Tom slipping into sleep is a transition from telling stories to dreaming and allowing the hobbits to participate in his dream directly.
  • Note: This is an example of “Faërian Drama”, a term from “On Fairy-Stories”, in which one person brings others into their own thoughts through enchantment.
Comment on Goldberry’s washing day:
  • What is it about this day that makes it suited to Goldberry’s washing? What is she cleaning?
  • Tom and Goldberry’s attire have been strongly associated with their identities, but they change clothing today. This seems important.
  • Is the change in clothing a signal of a change to get ready for winter?
  • Since the first frost came the night before (why Tom had to collect the water-lilies), this may be why Goldberry has changed to winter colors.
  • Tom’s colors may reflect hope for the spring and a memory of the pool where he met his wife.
  • It seems important that after the hobbits hear Goldberry’s singing and her washing, the next time they see her, she is changed in appearance.
  • There is a mythic tension between whether Tom and Goldberry are representing the change in seasons, or if they are in fact causing those changes, or both.
  • The phrase “washing day” is meant to invoke a day of domestic chores, and their change of clothing would reflect that, but the rain and Tom’s explanation shows there’s something more.
  • It does not seem likely to be a coincidence that Goldberry is singing and it is raining.
  • Is Goldberry causing the rain or merely celebrating the rain?
  • In either case, the rain brings a cleansing, but to what? The forest? The river? Herself?
  • She may be cleansing herself, as a flower would go in for the winter, and come out in spring.
  • If the analogy is to a human washing day, then she would be washing something else.
  • Note: This is a few days past the autumnal equinox, but still related to it.
  • It’s important that we are not given enough information to answer these questions, which Tolkien admitted was deliberate.
  • There is a direct connection between Goldberry and the Withywindle valley, so in one sense they are the same thing. She is the subject, actor, and object of the action all at once.
Tom’s unexpected perceptiveness and gentility:
  • Tom’s phrase “keep your feet from wandering” is double-edged. He is talking openly about the hobbits’ departure in the morning, but also about Frodo’s impulse to leave the house now.
  • There is a tact and politeness in his desire to spare Frodo shame, even knowing and understanding what is happening with Frodo. He lets Frodo save face.
  • This is a very different approach to Gandalf, who is more likely to call out foolishness directly.
  • Note: This is similar to the gentle chiding that the Green Knight gives Gawain for taking the belt in an attempt to save his life.
  • Frodo takes up the invitation to take the incident lightly, but it is clearly an act. He is also unsuccessfully trying to feel pleased, because of disquiet at being unable to resist the Ring.
  • It is more likely that this feeling is coming from Frodo and not the Ring. There is not enough evidence to show that the Ring itself is planning or reacting to the situation.
  • The power of the Ring to tempt is shown in Frodo’s series of rationalizations, which is something that we have seen before.
  • The impulse to separate oneself from others seems to be the next step in the temptation of the Ring. This will be a pattern over time.
  • These impulses do not necessarily support sentience and planning on the part of the Ring.
On Tom’s transition to travel guide:
  • Tom’s assertion that he is not a “weather-master” once again raises the question of what mastery means in relation to Tom.
  • Note: The hyphenated phrase “weather-master” points to a non-English word without a direct English translation.
  • If Tom is not the master of the weather, that means that the weather is beyond his control.
  • Does this mean that the weather can catch him, even though rain doesn’t fall on him?
  • Even if Tom is not the master of the weather, the weather is not the master of Tom.
  • Is Goldberry not a “weather-master”, although she seems to cause the rain?
  • The concept of “weather-master” seems to be a different concept from simply causing local weather phenomena. This seems to be bigger in geography and scope.
  • Tom is declaring that he is not in charge of the rain, and therefore cannot predict it.
  • Tom may be able to prevent the effects of the rain on the hobbits but doesn’t do that as a rule.
  • The mastery of Tom is associated with knowledge and understanding, rather then dominance.
  • This means that he does not have the same knowledge of the weather as the life of the forest.
A plan to go forward:
  • Note: It’s conspicuous that Tom advises the hobbits not to pry into the houses of the Barrow-wights, as one of them pried into Tom’s house in the poem.
  • There are two ways to think of Tom’s advice to pass the mounds on the west-side. One is that this is on the bigger, metaphorical level of “East” vs “West”, and one is the practical, as they will pass the Barrows in the afternoon and the west side will be the sunlight side.
  • Who has Tom known who came to a bad end by prying into the barrows?
  • Are the doors to the barrows on the East side?
  • Keeping to the green grass seems to be important, as this keeps them in contact with living things, as opposed to the stone, which is associated with dead and/or inanimate things.
  • The coldness and oldness of the stone is associated with both things in the Barrow-wights.
  • Note: There is a relationship between this advice and Legolas’ lack of affinity for the stone-spirits he encounters in Eregion later.
(continued below)
 

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(continued)

Tom’s verse of invocation:
  • The verse they are taught not only invokes Tom, but also his aura of playfulness and lack of care.
  • The second line is to invoke him by the elements of his realm: The Old Forest and Withywindle.
  • There is no weather imagery here, as he is not master of the weather.
  • The third line invokes things not usually associated with Tom: three different sources of light.
  • There is an undercurrent of the four elements, but they are not directly invoked.
  • Between the second and third lines, there is an appeal to something greater than Tom.
  • There is a mythic resonance, with many legendary elements associated with fire, sun and moon.
  • The most important aspect of this verse is that this is a spell; an incantation that’ll have power.
  • Note: It’s important to remember that both music and names have power in Tolkien’s stories.
  • This invocation does not give the hobbits power, but rather calls to Tom’s power.
  • Note: There is a fairy-tale resonance with calling on a guardian spirit.
  • Why don’t the hobbits write this rhyme down? Tom needs them to sing it from the heart.
  • Note: There is a connection between a lack of personal memory and writing down records. Aristotle was generally opposed to writing for this reason, and this has been repeated later with regards to printing and computers.
Frodo has a vision of a song:
  • Note: Since Peter Jackson used the imagery from this dream in Gandalf’s comforting of Pippin, some people assume that this is a statement about the afterlife. This is not the case in the book.
  • This is not necessarily a dream but is caused by singing he can hear in his mind. Who is singing?
  • Is this related to the Music of the Ainur? It’s possible that it is related.
  • The images used are a simile and metaphor to describe the sound of the song he has in his head.
  • Note: This technique of mixing simile and metaphor is also used with the “wings” of the Balrog.
  • The light referenced is being obscured by the veil of water at first, until it is transformed.
  • What is the barrier between Frodo and the song? Possibly his lack of understanding.
  • The rolling back of the barrier seems to symbolize the real thing and not just the indicator.
  • Note: This is reminiscent of Plato’s cave and the metaphor of the shadows on the wall.
  • The source of the pale light is in the far green country, but what does that represent?
  • Is this Elvenhome? Valinor? Somewhere else? We don’t know and we are not given enough information to assume that this is in the West, especially since this is at sunrise.
  • Frodo would have no reason to associate this with the West, based on his knowledge.
  • There is a connection to Tom’s advice to keep to green grass, in order to hold to life over death.
  • It’s important that this is a remote vision, not somewhere Frodo sees himself.
  • Why is the sunrise swift? This may indicate that he is seeing the country outside of real time.
  • This image also invokes something mythic and timeless, but not static and fixed in time.
  • We don’t know the full nature of this land, as Frodo is only given a glimpse.
  • Who is sending this song/vision? In Frodo’s first dream, he seems to get a vision of hope from the Valar, and in the second, from Gandalf.
  • This is not truly a dream, but it is also being sent more directly to him, and audibly.
  • Frodo’s mind is taking in the song and conjuring the images based on what he hears.
  • Note: There is a parallel between Frodo’s experience and St. Paul’s vision, and not knowing if this was a fully spiritual or physical experience.
  • The singer does not seem to be Tom or Goldberry, as this seems outside of their singing style.
  • This seems to be something more than mere encouragement, as in the Gandalf dream.
  • Is this related to estel, or high hope? Partly, and it is like Sam’s vision of the star in Mordor, but not entirely. In this vision, the veil seems to be part of it, rather than an obstacle to it.
  • It is like a glimpse into Faerie, but Frodo is already in Faerie while in Tom’s house.
  • Hope has been a theme in Frodo’s dreams so far, and the relationship between hope and fear.
  • There is a sense in which the sufferings and dangers Frodo faces are transformed by hope.
  • It may be that this represents the whole mortal world, through which we glimpse the eternal.
  • More literally, this may represent the barrier between Valinor and Middle-earth, but it is not possible to make an exact equivalence.
Frodo’s awakening
  • The sight of green and gold outside that greets Frodo parallels the vision in a diminished way.
  • The sunrise is swift here because they slept through it and it is now midmorning.
  • The sound and the light that Frodo hears as thunder and lightning in his dream in Crickhollow were an interruption to the dream he had there.
  • Here, the light that Frodo sees upon waking is an echo of the true light he saw in his vision.
  • Frodo is left with a notion that hope is not just a vague concept, but a real thing.
  • The Valar may be showing Frodo that they are far away, and yet with him.
  • Upon awakening, the veil has returned, but Frodo has the memory of his vision going forward.
END OF SESSION
 

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