In Episode 133 some time was spent on analyzing the rhythm of the poem in Boromir’s dream. While watching I came up with a different way of scanning it. Below you can find the Class analysis (as I took it, at least) and the Alternative. These versions differ on lines 3, 5 and 8.
I wonder if you regard this as another valid reading of the poem. I think that both versions have something going for them, and this metric ambiguity would make the poem more interesting. But some of the reasons why I have a small preference for the Alternative analysis:
– v v – v v –
v – v – v –
– v v – v – v
– v v – v –
– v v – v – v
v – v – v –
v – v v – v – v
v v – v – v –
Alternative
– v v – v v –
v – v – v –
v – v – v – v
– v v – v –
v – v – v – v
v – v – v –
v v – v – v – v
v v – v – v –
I wonder if you regard this as another valid reading of the poem. I think that both versions have something going for them, and this metric ambiguity would make the poem more interesting. But some of the reasons why I have a small preference for the Alternative analysis:
- Besides line 4, line 1 also becomes antimetric, which helps to emphasize its command and gives the poem a very forceful beginning
- The final two lines are more unified and so nicely close off the poem as a kind-of couplet. Also, it maintains the (correct?) pronunciation of i-SIL-dur
- The emphasis on ‘shall’ in lines 3 and 5 underlines the prophetic character rather than the location of Rivendell. This is nice, but also the weak part of this reading, as stressing 'There' in line 3 arguably makes for a more natural transition from line 2
– v v – v v –
v – v – v –
– v v – v – v
– v v – v –
– v v – v – v
v – v – v –
v – v v – v – v
v v – v – v –
Alternative
– v v – v v –
v – v – v –
v – v – v – v
– v v – v –
v – v – v – v
v – v – v –
v v – v – v – v
v v – v – v –
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