Episode 66 Summary

[Tony Meade]

SESSION 66

Leaving the Bree-lands:

• Pippin is literally talking about the Old Forest as their last shortcut, which did nearly lead them to disaster, but he is also referencing their earlier shortcuts in the Shire.
• However, we know that Pippin partly wanted to avoid shortcuts to drink at The Golden Perch.
• Frodo has already led them on two shortcuts which led to delays, but they were able to avoid the Black Riders both times. These apparent disasters also led them to be protected.
• Note: This is a less obvious version of what happens several times in The Hobbit, where seemingly unwise actions and disasters turn out to be their only way through to their goal.
• There is a question as to how the hobbits might have reached Rivendell without Strider’s guidance. They may have stuck to the Road, but none of them know the exact location.
• Pippin’s comments seem to be directed at both Frodo and Merry. Even though it was Merry leading them initially through the Old Forest, going through was Frodo’s idea.

Strider takes the lead:

• Strider doesn’t play along with Pippin’s teasing, and takes it as a true observation, though he does pick up on the humorous tone and laugh.
• The underlying issue at hand is Strider’s trustworthiness. The hobbits are putting themselves in his hands as a guide, but also their general safety in his company.
• While Strider laughs, he reassures them of his skill at the risk of sounding boastful. He seems to know that they need reassurance at this moment.
• All the hobbits, except Sam, seem to trust Strider at this point, at least in their words. They have been convinced at an intellectual level, but he is still a stranger and one of the Big People.
• Note: Frodo will speak with Gandalf about how the hobbits have had to warm up to Strider after he arrives in Rivendell. A lot of this is related to the fact that they are hobbits.
• Strider doesn’t seem very good at hobbitry yet, which highlights the differences between Men and Hobbits and their estrangement.
• At this point, the reader doesn’t know how old or experienced Aragorn is, nor do the hobbits, so he has to say this out loud to reassure them.
• Note: Is Strider “condescending” to the hobbits, in the positive sense? As Aragorn, maybe, but his Strider persona is actually beneath them in social standing. Three of them are Hobbit gentry or aristocrats, and Strider has presented himself as a traveling rogue. Incidentally, there is no modern word that captures the older meaning of “condescension”. The closest term is when people compliment celebrities as “down-to-earth”, which implies a celebrity’s superiority.

The view from the Road:

• There is a strong sense of receding civilization, as they can see lights and glimpses of the other three towns of Bree as they go into the wild country of the Lone-lands.
• Note: There is some confusion as to the pronunciation of Combe. The name refers to a “coombe”, or a small copse of trees, and the town lies in the woods, and therefore, many people pronounce Combe like “coombe”. Rob Inglis uses this pronunciation in the audiobook.
• There is a brief recollection of the beginnings of this trip as a hobbit walking party in their feelings early on. The hobbits enjoy walking and they find the country beautiful.
• The tactics used by Strider are similar to what Frodo did in the Shire to make a shortcut, but the difference is that Frodo did not know the country, while Strider does.
• Cutting across the large curve around the Midgewater Marshes is not usually the shortcut that they would want to make, but Strider is doing this is deliberate so as to throw off trackers.
• It is country like the Midgewater Marshes that to which Strider was referring when he promised to take them through places where horses won’t be an advantage.
• Strider is taking an indirect route, but doing so deliberately, as opposed to Frodo’s shortcut.

Strider’s confidence:

• Note: In many traditions, boastfulness is a heroic trait, as long as the boasts are true. This is seen in Beowulf, for instance. Therefore, Strider’s proclaiming of his own skills is not out of place.
• Strider is acknowledging their fears of being followed and allays them, while also acknowledging that he is deliberately leading them in a way to confuse any of Bill Ferny’s reporting.
• Strider is explaining what he’s doing, even though it’s not necessary, in order to reassure them. This is an example of his good leadership, as opposed to making them follow without comment.

Traveling through the Midgewater Marshes:

• This is an example of Tolkien’s skill of describing both the landscape and the passage of time.
• The reference to Rangers not being to find the trail that Strider does is a subtle highlighting of Strider’s superior skill, even among the Rangers.
• The mention of quagmires shows the actual danger involved in crossing the Midgewater Marshes, especially for the hobbits.
• The lack of any incidents, even with the annoyance of the midges, reveals Strider’s skills.
• Note: There is an anticipation of Gollum leading Frodo and Sam in the Dead Marshes.
• Why does the narrator leave the question open as to why they don’t see any other living things? There is no definitive answer given, but it lays the emphasis on the hobbits’ uncertainty.
• The hobbits don’t know if Strider is good or lucky, which plays back into their lack of trust of him. Frodo, as the author, is being transparent as to their uncertainty.
• The idea of luck or vague “other reasons” does imply the possibility of other powers at work. But it is possible that Strider is both good and lucky here.
• Note: The term “midges” is a term used more in Britain than America and are more like gnats. They are district from the flies, which are biting insects more like horseflies. The “Neekerbreekers” are almost certainly insects as well, because of the comparison to crickets, but the comparison is to the sound. They may be frogs, but the insect population is too high.
• Note: The parenthetical allusion to Sam’s naming the bugs around them is certainly a Frodo line. This seems like Frodo’s following through on his promise to include more of “Sam’s talk”. By contrast, the colorful description of the insects as “abominable” and “evil” may be from Sam.

The faraway light in the east:

• The use of the terms “flashed and faded” not only alliterates, but implies a similar effect as fireworks, where there is a bright flash, but with a slowly fading light.
• Note: The evidence of scorching flames that we will see on Weathertop will show that fire was involved, though the color is white, implying lightning. The light that Gandalf does as part of his magic is often compared to lightning, though there are similarities and differences. Gandalf is also described as using a “sheaf of lightning” against the Black Riders in the early drafts, so there is some precedent in Gandalf doing this, and Tolkien may be reusing this idea on Weathertop.
• Both the narrator and then Strider compares the light to lightning in its flashes, but it’s leaping up from the hilltops show that it is not natural lightning.
• Strider knows where Weathertop is, so he must know that the light is coming from that direction. His watchfulness implies his considering the light source and their next move.
• Strider knows that the Black Riders are surrounding them on the Road, including up ahead of them and he would see this as a probable fight against the Ringwraiths, which is a positive sign.
• We don’t yet know who else could fight the Ringwraiths with fire, but the list is short.
• Note: Gandalf will later reveal that he has spoken with Radagast in Eriador, but it’s unlikely that Aragorn would think of Radagast or Saruman or even Elves over Gandalf in this context.
• Strider now has to choose whether to go toward the lights on Weathertop, or away from them.
• Another possible explanation is that this could be a signal from Weathertop, but from whom?
• Gandalf has made a special study of fire and lights, so Aragorn’s primary theory is that it’s him.
• Frodo’s reaction to Strider’s standing guard by asking for his explanation, and then afterwards falling asleep, shows his building trust for Strider.
• Does Strider get to sleep at all on their journey? Part of Aragorn’s heroism is in his sleeplessness in guiding and guarding the hobbits. We don’t know if he finds time to rest on the trail.
• Note: Aragorn’s ability to go without sleep will be evident later and throughout the story.

Catching a view of Weathertop:

• The rising land is the reason for the end of the marshes and marks a change in terrain type.
• Frodo’s “What do you mean?” question may be to prompt Strider to clarify his suppositions and be more specific as to the danger. He may be sensing Strider holding something back.
• The use of the lowercase “eastward” shows that it is being used as a simple compass direction, and not pointing to works of the Enemy necessarily.
• Frodo is also pointing out the contrast between Strider’s confidence and reassurances earlier and his uncertain expressions here.
• Strider’s uncertainty is about what he thinks has happened on Weathertop, but what he thinks he should do with that knowledge.
• Since this is the fifth day of their journey from Bree, one day has passed since the flashing lights were seen on Weathertop, and Strider has had time to consider his decision.
• Frodo might also be questioning his doubt about going to Weathertop, though Strider doesn’t answer this. The assumption is that they have always been heading for Weathertop since Bree.

END OF SESSION