Flammifer
Well-Known Member
The two versions of the "All that is gold does not glitter" poem are almost identical. But, not quite.
The last two lines in the poem in the Prancing Pony are:
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
The words are the same when the poem is recited in Rivendell. But, the comma after 'broken' is changed to a colon.
The effect of this greater pause is to add greater emphasis to the last line (which, of course, everyone has been carefully not referring to in the Council until Bilbo puts his foot in it).
The homework instructions were to pay attention to the different contexts in which the two versions of the poem appear.
The contexts are similar, in that the poem appears both times when the identity and trustworthiness of Aragorn seems to be doubted. In Bree, both Butterbur and the Hobbits are doubtful of Aragorn. In Rivendell Bilbo feels that Boromir is doubtful of Aragorn. However, in Bree there is doubt around both Aragorn's identity and his trustworthiness, Whereas Boromir seems to accept Aragorn's identity, but doubt his effectiveness. Bilbo does not seem to discern this distinction (or, if he does, is he presenting his poem as prophecy, rather than hope?).
In Bree, the poem dispels the doubts of Frodo and Pippin (less so Sam). The poem comes from a trusted source (Gandalf). It is complemented by other evidence (in Gandalf's letter). It is confirmed by Aragorn reciting a few lines of the poem, without having read it.
The poem's impact on Boromir is far less certain. The source (Bilbo) is not trusted. Furthermore, in Bree, the poem just acts like a secret password, with the content of the poem being of secondary importance. To Boromir, however, the content is important (especially the last line). To Boromir, the whole structure of the poem, as a riddle poem, and as 'prophetic' has to seem greatly significant. Boromir must be thinking furiously.
"I come with a riddle poem. I get a riddle poem in return? What is the connection? I have found the Sword, as instructed. I think I am now to 'take counsels'. Is this poem 'counsel'? My poem is divine, it came from the Gods. It is prophecy. (Compare and contrast Boromir and Joan of Arc?) Is this poem divine? Is it prophecy? Or is it just mundane and the product of this Halfling? (Yes, I know a Halfling is supposed to be important!) How should I interpret or understand this poem?"
Fortunately for Boromir, he will have time to think, while Aragorn recites his c.v. By the time Aragorn has finished, Boromir has collected himself and decided he will address neither Bilbo's poem, nor Aragorn's announcement that he will go to Minas Tirith. Rather he will attempt to direct the Council back on track after recent diversions. "Elrond started with history. If we get back to history, maybe that will lead on to counsel?" "How do the Wise know that this Ring is his? And how has it passed down the years, until it is brought hither by so strange a messenger?"
(By the way, as a build on last week's question on why Legolas was called 'a strange elf' by the narrator, this marks the third person at the Council referred to as 'strange' or a 'stranger': Legolas, by the narrator; Boromir, by the narrator; and now Frodo, by Boromir.)
Boromir, showing more wisdom and diplomacy, than anyone else at the Council, (though, I think his 'so strange a messenger' is a slight diplomatic slip, indicating that he is not perfectly collected) does succeed in getting the meeting back on to its agenda. But, I don't think he has stopped thinking about Bilbo's poem!
The last two lines in the poem in the Prancing Pony are:
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
The words are the same when the poem is recited in Rivendell. But, the comma after 'broken' is changed to a colon.
The effect of this greater pause is to add greater emphasis to the last line (which, of course, everyone has been carefully not referring to in the Council until Bilbo puts his foot in it).
The homework instructions were to pay attention to the different contexts in which the two versions of the poem appear.
The contexts are similar, in that the poem appears both times when the identity and trustworthiness of Aragorn seems to be doubted. In Bree, both Butterbur and the Hobbits are doubtful of Aragorn. In Rivendell Bilbo feels that Boromir is doubtful of Aragorn. However, in Bree there is doubt around both Aragorn's identity and his trustworthiness, Whereas Boromir seems to accept Aragorn's identity, but doubt his effectiveness. Bilbo does not seem to discern this distinction (or, if he does, is he presenting his poem as prophecy, rather than hope?).
In Bree, the poem dispels the doubts of Frodo and Pippin (less so Sam). The poem comes from a trusted source (Gandalf). It is complemented by other evidence (in Gandalf's letter). It is confirmed by Aragorn reciting a few lines of the poem, without having read it.
The poem's impact on Boromir is far less certain. The source (Bilbo) is not trusted. Furthermore, in Bree, the poem just acts like a secret password, with the content of the poem being of secondary importance. To Boromir, however, the content is important (especially the last line). To Boromir, the whole structure of the poem, as a riddle poem, and as 'prophetic' has to seem greatly significant. Boromir must be thinking furiously.
"I come with a riddle poem. I get a riddle poem in return? What is the connection? I have found the Sword, as instructed. I think I am now to 'take counsels'. Is this poem 'counsel'? My poem is divine, it came from the Gods. It is prophecy. (Compare and contrast Boromir and Joan of Arc?) Is this poem divine? Is it prophecy? Or is it just mundane and the product of this Halfling? (Yes, I know a Halfling is supposed to be important!) How should I interpret or understand this poem?"
Fortunately for Boromir, he will have time to think, while Aragorn recites his c.v. By the time Aragorn has finished, Boromir has collected himself and decided he will address neither Bilbo's poem, nor Aragorn's announcement that he will go to Minas Tirith. Rather he will attempt to direct the Council back on track after recent diversions. "Elrond started with history. If we get back to history, maybe that will lead on to counsel?" "How do the Wise know that this Ring is his? And how has it passed down the years, until it is brought hither by so strange a messenger?"
(By the way, as a build on last week's question on why Legolas was called 'a strange elf' by the narrator, this marks the third person at the Council referred to as 'strange' or a 'stranger': Legolas, by the narrator; Boromir, by the narrator; and now Frodo, by Boromir.)
Boromir, showing more wisdom and diplomacy, than anyone else at the Council, (though, I think his 'so strange a messenger' is a slight diplomatic slip, indicating that he is not perfectly collected) does succeed in getting the meeting back on to its agenda. But, I don't think he has stopped thinking about Bilbo's poem!
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