We know from The Silmarillion that Manwë and Varda assist each other, and that it is through Manwë that Varda can hear the voices in Middle-earth, so it seems likely that she heard Frodo.
How much of what is seen as Providence comes from the Valar, and how much from Eru?
Is this the most direct intervention by the Valar that we see in The Lord of the Rings?
Is Varda’s intervention against the policies of the Valar, or in accord with Manwë?
The Lord of the Rings allows for readings in which the Valar are sequestered and uninvolved, and those in which they are heavily involved, but in veiled and subtle ways.
The question of the source of intervention is less distinct in light of the fact that the Valar are delegated power from Ilúvatar and works through them as instruments of his Providence.
One of the only counterexamples is the relinquishing of intervention of the Valar to Ilúvatar during the invasion of Aman by the Numenoreans, and Eru acts directly.
The creation of the Dwarves is an example of Aulë doing what he was delegated the power to do in his subcreative act, though it is amended by Ilúvatar because of Aulë’s humility.
The point of view of the story in The Lord of the Rings is very different from The Silmarillion. The latter is from a mythic and big-picture point of view, while the former is from the Hobbits’.
We are left to imagine what it would have looked like physically to see the workings of the Valar during the shaping of the world, as opposed to the clear, ground-level view of the Third Age.
We also don’t know how aware the Children would have been of the works of the Valar at the time, if they were around to witness it, as all that is described are the mythic facts.
All of the stories of the creation are what was told by the Valar to the Elves, in a metaphor that they could understand, and then preserved and passed on to us through Bilbo’s translations.
It’s likely that any witness to the works of the Valar would look like natural processes, so the current works of the Valar would likely look like natural forces experienced by people.
One of the clearer examples is the changing of the wind at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
The arrival of the Istari is also an example of intervention, being sent as emissaries of the Valar.
That said, this intervention of Elbereth’s power on Weathertop is different, if not unique.
The Valar have learned that appearing to people in their own forms leads to temptation and a fall, looking at the examples of Melkor and Sauron, as well as wars that cause mass destruction.
Does the name “Elbereth” itself have power? The name is significant, but it is not a magic word.
Comments on alternate theories about the Road crossing:
It’s possible that the fear of the hobbits makes them more visible, as it may be perceived by the Ringwraiths, though the ability to sense their presence seems limited by distance.
Frodo has already started entering the wraith world because of his wound, which might make him, but him alone, visible to the Ringwraiths.
The fact that there may be an active connection between the blade splinter and the Witch-king doesn’t explain why they would be more visible once they exit the trees.
As far as human allies, if Bill Ferny is working with the Ringwraiths, he would have to be near one of the Ringwraiths in order to communicate their crossing to the wraith,
Bill Ferny could conceivable arrive there on horseback, as they’ve stolen all the horses in Bree.
There is no positive evidence for human spies, but the land is large enough that they might not be seen by Frodo or the other hobbit narrators.
In the tone of this part of the journey, the use of human spies puts the Nazgûl in a weak position in relation to their human servants, which is something that their pride would never allow.
The Ringwraiths are willing to use others’ resources, but they would never openly rely on others.
Comment on the Nazgul’s restraint:
There is a sense of urgency in the pursuit of the Ringwraiths that we assume but may not be true. They have found the Ring and he is succumbing to his wound, so time is on their side.
Even if the Ringbearer reaches Rivendell, the Ring is not safe there forever, as Sauron can eventually attack Rivendell with his whole army and power and reclaim the Ring that way.
Sauron may fear that one of the people in Rivendell might claim the Ring and become a rival, but this would also cause dissention division among the Free Peoples, as Gandalf warns.
Much like Frodo and Sam feel the oppression and weakness of being in Mordor later, the Nazgûl feel this way in the Shire, because the spiritual power of the Shire and the hobbits is strong.
There seems to have been an upgrade by Sauron in the power of the Nazgûl after their defeat at the Fords and their return to Mordor, which will also weaken Sauron himself, like Morgoth.
With so many immortal characters, there is a trend towards playing a long-term strategy.
The going gets tougher:
The landscape is being anthropomorphized again, being attributed actions like the hills shutting them in and the trees piling up over them.
The reason that they are avoiding climbing is that if the terrain becomes too steep, Frodo will have to dismount and walk. They want to continue to allow him to ride as much as possible.
Note: There are echoes of the night that Thorin’s Company meet the trolls and the night of the storm in the Misty Mountains in The Hobbit in their journey here. In both cases, the conditions lead them to rash thoughts and actions to escape them. By contrast, Strider and the hobbits are holding to a steely determination to do the right things, in spite of the hobbits’ relative inexperience. By the time Bilbo reached this spot in his journey, he was only just coming to the realization of the difficulties he would face, while these hobbits have already been sorely tested.
The fact that the other hobbits are focused on Frodo’s comfort and health shows that they are in a good place spiritually, not giving into selfishness and personal discomfort.
The falls of loosened stone don’t seem to be an indication that someone is following them.
Note: There is no evidence that Gollum is following them, nor that he ever crossed west of the Misty Mountains in his life. Aragorn will say later that Gollum picked up their trail in Moria.
Likewise, the stealthy night noises seem to be natural sounds in the forest in the night.
The use of the capitalized West to describe the wind direction seems to be related to the general area, not anything more significant, though it’s possible that other powers are at work.
The experiences and images that Frodo is experiencing are not while he is asleep, as we’re told that he is unable to sleep due to his pain, which is made worse by the cold and wet conditions.
Strider’s image is set up as if he were sitting between Frodo and the black shapes he sees.
There may be an element of truth in this vision, and not just Frodo’s imagination. Part of Strider’s healing process was a counter-spell over the hilt and his words to Frodo.
It’s possible that Strider is continuing to resist the spell in an ongoing way, but this scene may be evidence that is what is going on, and we see him watching outward against the enemy.
We still have not seen an image of Strider sleeping, though that is only because it is not described. It seems unlikely that he could go for weeks without at least sleeping a little.
Is this a hallucination or dream, or is Frodo perceiving a reality here? This may be a continuation of the spiritual attack to subdue Frodo’s will, that he and Strider are resisting for now.
This partly answers the question as to why the Ringwraiths don’t attack the camp again, which is that they are attacking, at the spiritual level.
The fact that he only sees their shadows and not their true wraith forms is a good sign for now.
Note: There is no evidence that Aragorn’s relatively small amount of elvish heritage allows him to go without any sleep. He is human and is related to his body the way humans are. His Numenorean heritage might make him stronger, but only in the way that mortals are strong. We do see him sleep during the journey of the Three Hunters in The Two Towers.
Frodo, walking in his garden in his dream:
In contrast to Bilbo’s memories of home, which were all indoor memories on Bag End, Frodo thinks about being outdoors, walking in the grass in his garden.
This may be connected to Tom Bombadil’s treatment advice of running on the grass as a cure from the malevolent influence of the Barrow-wight. This may be a similar thought.
Note: Frodo will forget the feel of grass later in Mordor, due to the land’s evil influence.
Frodo is thinking of the good things in the Shire as a whole, rather than just Bilbo’s personal comforts. Bilbo has said that Frodo loved the Shire, not just Bag End.
However, he is unable to see the garden or the Shire clearly, showing this dark influence on him.
The shadows he sees are not in his garden with him yet; they are outside it over the hedge, barred from entering, but they are clearer in his vision than the garden, which is starting to fade.
There may be a sense of the boundaries between our world and Faerie, but also between the safe life of home and comfort, and the wild outside it, like the High Hay against the Old Forest.
Strider at the edge of his reckoning:
Strider is in a different place than he was in the lands between Bree and Weathertop. He was greatly confident of his knowledge of that land, but he is less confident here.
He has taken the hobbits has taken the hobbits up the ravines without a clear plan, except to avoid the Road, and he needs to go out of his way to figure out what to do next.
Note: Aragorn’s grandfather was killed by a troll in the Ettenmoors, so this may be out of bounds for him or the Dúnedain. Also, although Aragorn grew up in Rivendell, he probably didn’t leave Rivendell as a boy to explore the country around it until he was an adult.
Strider has made sure all along the way to avoid places that horses can’t go easily, but Bill the pony is being taken through it, which shows the pony’s fortitude, too.
Strider is doing a “long-cut” between the Last Bridge and the Fords of Bruinen, and while it hasn’t gone wrong, it has taken them out of their way and needs a course correction.
The “cold and comfortless” breakfast is a hobbit point of view on their discomfort. It’s not clear what they are eating on the Road, but it would be non-perishable foods from Bree.
The alliteration of “cold” and “comfortless” emphasizes the unsatisfying nature of their meal.
The hobbits’ fortitude is tested:
Having gone out of the straight way to avoid hard climbing, their need to get back on course now forces them to do exactly that type of arduous climbing, which takes its toll on Frodo.
Strider would probably have had little trouble with this if he were on his own, but for the hobbits, especially Frodo, this is really difficult, and it shows their mettle to endure it.
They had brought a pack animal for their baggage, as Strider thought they needed, but they are now carrying the baggage on their backs in order to let Frodo ride the pony, who also struggles.
The description of the state of Frodo’s wound shows that he is at least as bad as he was before Strider’s healing, if not worse. The cold feels like it is digging into him, like the splinter is doing.
Note: Hobbits are not averse to hard work as a whole. They live in an agrarian society and their life is good, but not easy. But of these hobbits, all of them are rich and leisured, except for Sam.
The metaphor of the icy claws is interesting in that the claws haven’t stabbed him but are holding him with the possibility of being stabbed.
The fact that the trees and rocks are dim shows a new stage of the weakening from the wound.
There is a connection between the flesh and the spirit, and what affects one affects the other.
The dimness Frodo sees is a hint as to the vision of the Ringwraiths, which is much darker.
The hobbits’ fear for Frodo:
Strider treats Merry with the respect of an equal now, not withholding information for their comfort now. He is honest with Merry and the hobbits about the danger to Frodo.
Strider shares information for which Merry has not asked, but in order to share his own anxieties in light of theirs. He has to confess the limits of his healing and the need for haste.
Merry has pleaded for ease on Frodo because of his state, but while Strider understands that, he emphasizes the need for them to push on because of Frodo’s worsening condition.
Note: Why does the narrator continue to use the name Strider, even though he has told them his real name? This is because they hobbits continue to think of him as Strider, even at the end of the story after the coronation, and since they are the narrators, they stick to it now. This does change in the narration later, but not until after they reach Rivendell.
The appealing look of Sam to Strider shows the contrast with Sam’s former suspiciousness. Now, Sam seems to be reciprocating the trust and understanding Strider showed him earlier.
This is another private conversation, though now it’s Sam that initiates it, as Strider did before.
The appeal is for more information than Merry had asked and is based on the fact that Frodo’s condition doesn’t seem to match the physical evidence he can see.
Strider only told Sam about the deadly wound, and now he keeps that in a private aside, too.
The use of the word “cold” is a temperature description in the midst of a number of sight descriptions of the wound. This, along with the whiteness, is unusual for a physical stab wound.
The wound seems to be fine because it is small and closed, but the lack of redness and heat only ten days after a deep stab wound is unnatural. This may come down to Sam’s lack of experience.
The fact that we as readers may know more than Sam about the progress of the wound creates some dramatic irony, in that we understand the uncanny significance of the coldness.
Sam may be speaking metaphorically about the cold appearance, but Frodo sensed the literal coldness since he was first stabbed, and his hand is also cold.
Sam still has misgivings about the state of the wound since he starts with Frodo’s sickness.
Sam’s emphasis is on the dissonance between the outwardly small appearance of the wound and Frodo’s worsening condition, so his request is really for Strider to level with him.
Is the unexpectedly rapid closing of the wound from the knife, or an effect of Strider’s use of the athelas? The effect of the athelas seems to be primarily spiritual and relief from the pain.
Strider doesn’t really give Sam any more information, but he does emphasize that the wound is not the cause, but the poison involved. He probably suspects more but is not telling, as usual.
Strider emphasizes the need for Sam and the other hobbits to keep up their hope. This is not only for Sam’s sake, but a way for them to oppose the evil that is affecting Frodo.
