Strider's 2nd best story

[Lincoln Alpern]

This is just a humorous little observation, but I thought I'd share it:

In last week's class, we wondered a bit why, given how effective the Tale of Beren and Luthien was in fending off the Ring-wraiths' spiritual attack on the Hobbits, Strider didn't immediately launch into his second best story after finishing it, to keep up the defense.

Someone in the chat - sorry, I've forgotten the username - suggested he start the Tale of the Children of Hurin, at which point I said to myself, 'Well, there's your problem.' Remember, the entire point of Strider telling the Hobbits the Tale of Beren and Luthien was to lift their spirits and bolster their courage against the waves of fear and despair the wraiths were beaming at them. If Strider tried to tell the Hobbits his second best story, he'd just be doing the Nazgul's work for them.

 

[amysrevenge]

It's not a defense. It's an attack against the Nazgul. Use their own weapons against them. Hahahaha

 

[Wingéd Elf Girl]

I wanted to add a question/observation about this "story defense" situation also, but @Lincoln Alpern's comment is really similar so I'll just add on. After listening to the discussion of how the Nazgul were already surrounding them during the story and their presence/influence begins to draw in once the story is finished, I have to wonder if either:

A. The Nazgul's timeline of attack was not encumbered, but Aragorn (either subconsciously or consciously) knew that with his story he had shielded the hobbits from the spiritual attack and given hope and optimism, therefore making it the best possible time to make a stand against an inevitable physical attack.
B. Aragorn's story actively shielded the group against the spiritual attack AND the physical advancement of the Nazgul, and knowing that other stories might not have the same effect, or thinking that he wouldn't be able to summon the right kind of stories continuously until dawn, decided to end the story and begin the stand.

I suspect that A might be the case, but that Aragorn was just reacting to the situation as it happened. He didn't seem to have a thorough "story shield" planned out in advance, as the suggestion was made independently and he had to veto another story before he began the Tale of Tinuviel.

 

[Lincoln Alpern]

I have to wonder if either:

A. The Nazgul's timeline of attack was not encumbered, but Aragorn (either subconsciously or consciously) knew that with his story he had shielded the hobbits from the spiritual attack and given hope and optimism, therefore making it the best possible time to make a stand against an inevitable physical attack.
B. Aragorn's story actively shielded the group against the spiritual attack AND the physical advancement of the Nazgul, and knowing that other stories might not have the same effect, or thinking that he wouldn't be able to summon the right kind of stories continuously until dawn, decided to end the story and begin the stand.

Last week's class, Episode 76, opened me up to a completely different interpretation of the Battle of Weathertop that I'd never considered before. Corey made the case that the spiritual attack by the Nazgul on the hobbits and Strider wasn't a warm up for an inevitable physical attack, but was, itself, the primary attack. Similarly, Strider telling the tale of Luthien and Beren, and then having the hobbits take up defensive positions and muster their courage wasn't preparation to fend off a physical attack, but was itself the counterattack.

Corey went so far as to cast doubt on the idea whether the Nazgul were even capable of attacking the party physically - with the exception of Frodo, who was also partially within the wraith world when the Witch-king stabbed him. (It might also be that Morgul knife was a fully physical weapon - but the only such weapon the wraiths had between them.) Seems pretty wild at first, but when Corey breaks it down, it actually makes a lot of sense. It even gives a potential explanation for why the wraiths didn't just grab Fatty on his way out the back door when he fled the house at Crickhollow - because they weren't physically able to do so.

It was a really thought provoking episode, and I highly recommend it, no matter how much I bemoan our tendency these days to spend long chunks of time dissecting minor - I would even say trivial - details.

 

[Wingéd Elf Girl]

Last week's class, Episode 76, opened me up to a completely different interpretation of the Battle of Weathertop that I'd never considered before. Corey made the case that the spiritual attack by the Nazgul on the hobbits and Strider wasn't a warm up for an inevitable physical attack, but was, itself, the primary attack. Similarly, Strider telling the tale of Luthien and Beren, and then having the hobbits take up defensive positions and muster their courage wasn't preparation to fend off a physical attack, but was itself the counterattack.

Corey went so far as to cast doubt on the idea whether the Nazgul were even capable of attacking the party physically - with the exception of Frodo, who was also partially within the wraith world when the Witch-king stabbed him. (It might also be that Morgul knife was a fully physical weapon - but the only such weapon the wraiths had between them.) Seems pretty wild at first, but when Corey breaks it down, it actually makes a lot of sense. It even gives a potential explanation for why the wraiths didn't just grab Fatty on his way out the back door when he fled the house at Crickhollow - because they weren't physically able to do so.

It was a really thought provoking episode, and I highly recommend it, no matter how much I bemoan our tendency these days to spend long chunks of time dissecting minor - I would even say trivial - details.

Sounds awesome!! I have to listen incongruously via the podcast feed, so I'm always an episode or two behind. I'm excited to hear this next one when I have a chance. 🙂