Tony Meade
Active Member
SESSION 57
Butterbur shows his quality:
Butterbur shows his quality:
- There are two different conversations going on at once. Butterbur and Frodo are talking on the same level, and Butterbur offers to help, while Strider is interjecting ominous portents.
- Butterbur responds to the shocking and frightening news about Mordor by offering to help more than ever, even if it’s not much.
- Why does Butterbur say, “Save us!”? It’s not clear to whom this is addressed, and Butterbur would be unlikely to know about the Valar or other Powers. It seems to be a general appeal.
- Note: When people say, “God bless you” after someone sneezes, this implies an underlying cultural understanding of a monotheistic God. Is this what Butterbur is invoking here?
- The concepts of Eru Ilúvatar and the Valar are not a secret, but not widely known lore. The Dúnedain in Gondor will invoke the Valar, but they have traditions surrounding them.
- Butterbur’s appeal may be to an unnamed human authority, such as the old kings of Arnor, or simply an appeal to anyone who might help, only acknowledging the need for help.
- There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of religious traditions in Eriador, which makes Frodo feel rustic and uncouth when he encounters them among Faramir and his men.
- For the current Bree-folk, the kings of Arnor would be as distant from them as the Valar.
- Frodo had been at a critical moment in deciding whether or not to trust Strider when Butterbur interrupted. Now he has to decide how much to tell Butterbur.
- Frodo is also at a loss for how to explain about concepts like the Black Riders to Butterbur.
- He also reverts back to his instinct in “The Shadow of the Past”, where he concludes that anyone near him is in danger, and he wants to protect them from that by distancing himself.
- Frodo also has this feeling later on the way to Crickhollow and when the conspiracy is revealed.
- Frodo feels torn in how to explain, having had opposite examples in Gildor and Strider. He knows for sure that they are from Mordor, as Gildor confirmed, but he’s unsure about sharing it.
- Strider chooses this moment to help Frodo by stating the facts openly and bluntly. He seems to want to gently but firmly impress on both Frodo and Butterbur the truth of the situation.
- By confirming what Frodo is trying to say, he endorses and encourages Frodo to share.
- Strider chooses to use Butterbur’s first name when addressing him directly now, though he used his surname when talking about him earlier.
- Is Strider being snarky when he says “if that means anything to you” about Mordor? This could be read gently or harshly, but the use of Butterbur’s first name would tend to soften it.
- Strider does speak in a low voice to avoid being overheard, but that wouldn’t affect tone.
- Both Butterbur and Frodo stumble when it comes to naming Mordor and Sauron. They seem to be avoiding mentioning either by name in order to avoid admitting they are real.
- Bree is known for a place to get news, and Barliman says that this is the worst news of his time, though he may still be underestimating how bad it could be.
- The Bree-folk have heard stories of the old days and Sauron and Mordor, and they have heard news about what is happening in the East, but now he is confronted with it in his hometown.
- Having warned Butterbur of the danger, he now offers Butterbur an informed choice to help.
- Butterbur is still unable to put himself and Sauron in the same sentence, which he cannot finish.
- This is parallel to Éomer being confronted with Aragorn as an example of stories and legends becoming real, though in his case, some of those are positive.
- Strider answers by confirming Butterbur’s courage with sincere approval and encouragement.
- Strider also knows that Butterbur has had his worldview turned upside down, and therefore he restates it in terms Butterbur can understand and tasks he had already agreed to do for Frodo.
- Note: This will be echoed later when Aragorn allows the fainthearted of the Army of the West to go to Cair Andros to do deeds that are within their measure. He shows compassion and respect for the courage of weaker creatures and support their ability to still do good deeds.
- Butterbur not only agrees to do what he had originally agreed to do, but he acknowledges the uncanny nature of the enemies and offers to stand guard against them.
- Note: The use of the word “spook” as a noun is unique to this passage. It doesn’t enter the language until the late 19th century from Dutch, so this might be a translation by the narrator.
- There is something like Tom Bombadil in his encouragement of Frodo and assuring his safety, though he is also trying to reassure himself. This is also part of his hospitality.
- Butterbur feels that he has power over the Black Riders on his own ground, and he is not entirely wrong. The hobbits felt reassured after hearing the cheerful sounds from the inn.
- Even Butterbur joins in chiding Frodo on not keeping a low profile while on the run. He does reassure Frodo that he and his people will not betray him.
- Frodo’s calling for breakfast at 6:30am shows that he is still operating like a Shire-hobbit, and as if the threat was not as close as it is. He is trying to take things seriously, but not processing it.
- Butterbur also points out that they are acting like they are on holiday, not on the run.
- Note: The hobbits are actually armed at this point in their journey, which is more than can be said for Thorin & Company.
- Strider and Butterbur had seemed to bury the hatchet and come to an understanding during the conversation, but Butterbur’s look as he leaves shows that there is still lingering suspicion.
- Strider may have his doubts about the ability of Butterbur and his folk to keep watch.
- Butterbur has naturalized the fantastical aspects of the old stories that have now come to life around him, and his response is to do what he knows how to do, namely hospitality.
- Butterbur significantly doesn’t doubt Strider when he is told about the servants of Mordor.
- Strider’s ability to tell rare tales may have conditioned Butterbur to understand that Strider has knowledge and credibility when it comes to subjects like Mordor and old legends.
- Note: The term “holiday” as used to describe a vacation trip may date back to the mid-19th century.
- Note: The letter is sent out on Midyear’s Day, which is one of special days in the Hobbit calendar that exist outside of the fixed months. It is part of Lithe (midsummer), between June and July.
- Gandalf is telling Frodo to leave within a month (July), which says something about Gandalf’s state of mind. He believes that there is a threat, but not an imminent threat.
- Gandalf is correct in his assessment of the closeness of the threat. The Black Riders do not arrive in Hobbiton until late September, so had Frodo left in July, he would arrive in Rivendell in time.
- He is assuming that he’ll be a while coming back to the Shire, probably after Frodo has gone.
- We know that Strider was not in Bree when Gandalf stopped there on Midyear’s Day, and we don’t know when after that Strider arrived in Bree. He didn’t talk to Butterbur about it.
- Strider has been waiting since June to see if Frodo would leave, in and out of Bree.
- Gandalf’s letter is not well-composed, showing that he was writing this in a hurry under stress.
- Gandalf seems to be correcting his thoughts as he goes along, clarifying his instructions.
- He seems to also leave open the possibility of fraud or a trap, even though that is unlikely.
- Gandalf does not fear too much yet, or else he would have gone straight back to the Shire.
- Note: It’s possible that the reason that Butterbur was not able to find anyone to go to the Shire the next day or the day after is that it was a calendar holiday period (Lithe). Bree, and especially the hobbits of Bree, probably keep a similar calendar to the Shire.
- Gandalf uses a similar circumlocution as Frodo in naming the Ring as “our business”.
- “There I hope we may meet again” may seem ominous, but he is setting the rendezvous point as Rivendell, not the Shire or Bree. He doesn’t yet know he is riding into danger.
- Note: Gandalf goes to Isengard instead of the Shire because of Saruman’s offer of help. He may have assumed that he and Saruman would join forces to oppose the Nazgûl. They had joined together with the White Council members to oppose the Necromancer before, so there is a precedent. By having Radagast deliver the message, it would seem to Gandalf that an alliance is being formed, which would be the best way to resist the Nazgûl and protect Frodo.
- There is a parallel with Gandalf leaving Bilbo with his companions to oppose Sauron before.
- Note: In earlier drafts, part of Saruman’s treachery was taking the guise of the Balrog in Moria.
- How much does Elrond know about the current affairs? Not much, probably, but he knows all about the lore of the Ring and Gandalf’s doubts and fears leading up to this.
- Elrond will be able to advise Frodo in general, and Gandalf is relying on his overall wisdom.