Episode 98 Summary

[Tony Meade]

SESSION 98

Comment on Gandalf’s veiled power:

• Gandalf’s physical body is not a manifestation of his will, but he is truly incarnated, and is subject to the same fears and hurts as other incarnated beings.
• He does use the metaphor of uncloaking in terms of revealing his power, not his true form.
• Note: It’s easy to project the later writings in Unfinished Tales back into the original text of The Lord of the Rings, and Tolkien was a careful reader of his texts, but he was not thinking of those interpretations when he wrote the original texts. These were his later thoughts and theories.
• Gandalf’s metaphorical cloaking has to do with his restraint and humility, regarding his power.
• Note: The idea of angelic visitors who conceal themselves in a form is parallel to the way that the Ainur usually move among the people of Middle-earth, but the wizards are different. Olórin had appeared as an elf in the First Age, but now, as Gandalf, his body is permanent.
• If Gandalf were seen through the eyes of someone in the wraith world, its conceivable that he would look similar to the humans or hobbits, unlike Glorfindel, even showing his power.

Gandalf describes Elrond’s procedure:

• Why do they melt the splinter? It is not simply a foreign object Frodo’s body, but is physical manifestation of the will of the Witch-king and a connection to him.
• Melting the splinter destroys or unmakes the splinter, severing its power over Frodo.
• The splinter is a physical object, which requires physical destruction, but its power is spiritual.
• Gandalf reassures Frodo, using the destruction of the splinter, against any kind of relapse.
• Hobbits have a more than simply physical resilience, but a spiritual one based on their culture.
• Is Gandalf trying to sound more confident of Frodo’s healing than he actually is? He seems confident of Frodo’s curing, though not his complete healing, but needs to raise his spirits.
• The breaking of the Witch-king’s connection is broken, and of that Gandalf is fully confident.
• What was Elrond’s procedure? Was this a surgical procedure involving cutting Frodo’s body?
• Healing scenes are left intentionally vague, and their procedures are usually unseen, as here.
• It’s possible that there was powerful song involved in the spiritual struggle with the Witch-king.
• It’s also possible that the splinter was never physically removed, but sung or spoken out of existence, like the rest of the blade was disintegrated by the sunlight earlier.
• Note: The role of the Vilya, the Ring of Air, is unclear and not a specific power, but more general.
• Note: We have to be careful not to imagine modern medical procedures, as this is spiritual war.
• There is no evidence that the wound was reopened, as there is no reference to bandages.
• The reason for the shift to the passive voice is to keep the subject, the splinter, paralleled later.
• Gandalf also uses the passive voice to emphasize that he was not the one to do all these things, but rather that it has been done. This also adds to the mysterious nature of Elrond’s healing.
• Elrond is likely well-versed in physical medicine, but Elrond’s healing is also largely spiritual.
• Note: The only times that the word “bandage” is used in the text are references to blindfolds.
• Elrond is not only a lore master, but Rivendell is associated with refreshment of body and spirit.
• Gandalf’s suspicion that there was something left in the wound was driven by the ongoing spiritual struggle which Elrond was not able to overcome. It was only confirmed the last night.
• The symbolism of the splinter near Frodo’s heart implies the spiritual struggle for Frodo’s will.
• It is only after they identify the source of this ongoing connection, Elrond can sing the right song.
• In a spiritual sense, this may have been something akin to an exorcism, with Elrond speaking or singing words over Frodo that drive out an evil influence.
• Has this procedure been performed before? There is precedent for Morgul wounds, as Gandalf says, which seems based on his own estimations, but this particular wound may be unique.
• There is a possibility that this kind of Morgul-blade is novel, as evildoers are shown to constantly improve their weapons and other creations and increase their power.
• Its also possible that that they have never seen a hobbit with this kind of wound before, and the fact that this is a hobbit makes things different, spiritually speaking.
• Elrond’s recognition of the role and value of the hobbits in the battle with Sauron is a recognition of the strength of humility, though almost everyone else underestimates hobbits.
• It doesn’t only seem to be hobbit resilience that plays a part in Frodo’s survival for seventeen days. There is also his blessing as an Elf-friend and the assistance of Strider and Glorfindel.
• Frodo and the other hobbits don’t feel strong or even that they are winning these encounters.
• Note: This is not completely true of all hobbits, as Lobelia might be susceptible in her bitterness.
• Gandalf emphasizes that strength does not always look conventionally strong, like warriors.
• Hobbit resistance to fading is more a spiritual attribute than a physiological inherited trait.
• Note: Many people find moral instruction and inspiration in The Lord of the Rings, especially around topics like the strength of humility and resistance to spiritual temptations and downfalls.
• We are shown again and again in Tolkien’s writings that it is the mightiest who fall hardest.

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[Tony Meade]

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Gandalf’s prognosis for Frodo:

• Frodo may be referring to Gildor’s reluctance to give him information as a blessing, though he only now understands why Gildor chose to do that.
• Frodo also may have a lower opinion if himself and his own courage than the reality.
• Note: The use of “narrow shave” between two people who don’t shave is ironic, but he may be using the metaphorical sense of two things passing very near each other.
• Frodo reveals his own humility, and though he may have more courage, he doesn’t believe so.
• His two questions seem similar, but the first is about him personally, and only theoretical, while the latter is about the Black Riders and their immediate plans at the end.
• Frodo starts by asking for lore, but then needs to know how much danger he was actually in.
• He is not thinking about the Ring here, and only about his personal safety, which is good.
• It seems that simply taking the Ring from him was not an option; they needed to capture him.
• Gandalf’s words make the case that the splinter was a failsafe; they intended to stab Frodo in the heart from the start, but the splinter would do the work later if that failed.
• Frodo is undergoing a kind of therapy, allowing himself to overcome his fears by facing them.
• He also understands that his present self is now capable of facing things his past self couldn’t.
• It’s clear that Frodo was to be brought to Sauron himself to take the Ring personally from him.
• Sauron would not value or perceive the kind of strength that hobbits possess, so is surprised.

Questions of will:

• Whether or not the Witch-king could, would, or would be allowed to take the Ring directly is irrelevant, as this seems not have been the orders he was given, and he cannot refuse.
• There is a sense that, one way or another, Frodo is fated to be a Ringbearer and to carry the Ring to Mordor. Exactly in what matter that happens is the question.
• There isn’t any evidence that Frodo has any power over the Ringwraiths using the One Ring. First, he would have to claim it independently and train his will to dominate others.
• Gollum has no power to dominate, only to claim the Ring for himself. If Frodo succumbed to the will of the Witch-king, then he would have no will left to use the Ring for himself.
• As Gollum became a slave to the Ring, he became a slave to Sauron’s will, not the other way.
• There is a sense in which what the Ringwraiths say at the Ford is that it is Frodo’s resistance to them and the Ring that is causing him so much pain, and to come quietly will relieve that pain.
• There is a comparison with Gollum’s experience of losing the Ring and seeing another use it’s power as a lesser version of the pain of seeing Sauron take it and use it on his hand.
• Do the Ringwraiths have any free will left? Their slavery seems to be absolute under the Ring and Sauron, but they have free will in the sense that they can think and reason and do things.
• The Witch-king’s in particular is exercised as power over others, but it seems that comes from Sauron. He is not a puppet of the will of Sauron, but he can only do things that Sauron allows.
• Note: There is a contrast between the Witch-king and the Mouth of Sauron later. The Witch-king asserts his identity in confronting Gandalf, while the Mouth can only speak Sauron’s words.
• Note: There is also a contrast to Sauron’s power over the wills of his servants and the way that all creatures are bound within he will of Eru Ilúvatar. Like Melkor, Sauron’s intent is to make everyone else’s will the same as his own, like in the Music of the Ainur, all of Melkor’s servants played the same notes. The other Ainur all played their own music that was according to the theme of Ilúvatar, but not the same notes, as they were free to improvise.
• The subjugation of the wills of the Ringwraiths was probably over a long time, with one bad decision upon another until it was simply too late to turn back and they were trapped.
• The enslavement of the Ringwraiths has to do with their underlying desires, not their actions.
• Therefore, there would be no question of the Witch-king claiming himself, even though he claims to be as powerful as Gandalf and the other great ones, so he can’t become a Dark Lord.
• Sauron would not have sent the Ringwraiths to recover the Ring if rebellion was a possibility.

END OF SESSION