Tony Meade
Active Member
SESSION 81
Comment on the Nazgûl and Rivendell:
Comment on the Nazgûl and Rivendell:
- Do the Nazgûl know exactly where Rivendell is? The Witch-king would have a general idea from his time as the ruler of Angmar during the wars there.
- The Nazgûl would certainly know about Rivendell from the wars of Sauron in the Second Age.
- Rivendell was besieged during the Second Age, but it’s unclear what form that took, as it is not a walled city. It may have had a magical protection around the valley, similar to Melian’s girdle.
- Were the Nâzgul susceptible to Frodo’s commands while he wore the One Ring? Did Frodo’s invocation of Elbereth do more damage because he was wearing the Ring at the time?
- Frodo cannot command them, even wearing the Ring, because he hasn’t tried to learn how.
- Galadriel will explain to Frodo later that he could access all the powers of the One Ring, including dominating others, if he applies his mind in that way, but warns him not to do so.
- Frodo will later begin to apply his mind that way in threatening and daunting the will of Gollum.
- At Weathertop, Frodo’s own will is dominated, so that he puts on the Ring against his will.
- Rather than being commanded, the Ringwraiths are daunted by his resistance to their attack.
- The power of Elbereth and/or Gildor’s blessing is responding when Frodo calls out Elbereth’s name is not in cooperation with the dominating power of the One Ring, which is Sauron’s.
- The call to Elbereth is an expression of praise and supplication to her, which is in direct opposition to the assertion and domination of one’s will associated with the One Ring.
- Did the Witch-king make any tactical mistakes in the tracking and pursuit of Frodo?
- Given the scant information available to them, the name Baggins, and the country name of Shire, he seems to have done well to find him in only a few months.
- The attacks at Crickhollow and on Weathertop should have worked using their usual tactics, and they did not count on being thwarted by hobbits, who were an unknown quantity to them.
- They were also unknowingly impeded by Gildor and Tom Bombadil, and Aragorn was a surprise.
- After their rout on Weathertop, the tactics of the Witch-king are valid, but this is also thwarted.
- The only mistake seems to be allowing four of the Ringwraiths to pursue Gandalf, which divided their numbers, making them weaker when attacking Frodo on Weathertop.
- However, they pursue Gandalf in order to prevent him from coming back to aid the hobbits.
- Neither Gandalf nor Aragorn know where the other one is, but the Nâzgul do know the general location of both. Therefore, they can’t allow those two to meet up and join forces.
- Overall, the Witch-king’s plans are perfectly sound, and his decisions are the best he can make.
- That the Ringwraith’s fail comes down to incomplete information and unexpected resistance.
- Given that the Nâzgul do not operate like physical foes, but more as spiritual foes, then the resistance to them is more understandable.
- The appearance of so many allies to aid the hobbits in this spiritual warfare looks like a plan.
- In addition to the great people who aid them, the hobbits are aided by the likes of Gaffer Gamgee and Farmer Maggot, who allow the Ringwraiths to miss Frodo by mere minutes.
- Both the meeting with Tom Bombadil and his sheltering the hobbits, and the meeting with and protection of Strider were unknown variables to the plans of the Ringwraiths.
- The intervention of the power of Elbereth would be an unexpected defeat.
- All these intrusions of luck and chance and coincidence seem to point to another power at work.
- Gildor and Tom Bombadil both hinted heavily that another power was working in their meeting.
- We should not think less of the power of the Nazgûl here, but more of the power of the Shire and Bree and the hobbits, along with Aragorn and the others who intervene on their behalf.
- Gandalf will explicitly refer to this later in the Council of Elrond, highlighting the power opposing the Ringwraiths, and spoke of the influence of Providence to Frodo earlier.
- The near-miss at Bucklebury Ferry seems to be due to an error in assuming that the hobbits would have to cross the river by Brandywine Bridge, and being unaware of the ferry.
- The fog, the presence of running water, and sheer bad timing allowed the hobbits to escape.
- Frodo doesn’t feel as though as though he is lucky, but he has been very fortunate so far.