LoTR-The Two Towers: Book discussion (The Green Dragon Inn) III

The Journey Continues…

Green Dragon Ping!

Hullo friends! And welcome to our new thread! As we start our story, Frodo and Sam have left the others behind and set off for Mordor alone, and the rest of the fellowship are at a crossroads.

The Two Towers

Topic for the week:
Chapter 1: The Departure of Boromir
Chapter 2: The Riders of Rohan

The Departure of Boromir:

…A mile, maybe, from Parth Galen in a little glade not far from the lake he found Boromir. He was sitting with his back to a great tree, as if he was resting. But Aragorn saw that he was pierced with many black-feathered arrows; his sword was still in his hand, but it was broken near the hilt; his horn cloven in two was at his side. Many Orcs lay slain, piled all about him and at his feet.
Aragorn knelt beside him. Boromir opened his eyes and strove to speak. At last slow words came. 'I tried to take the Ring from Frodo ' he said. 'I am sorry. I have paid.' His glance strayed to his fallen enemies; twenty at least lay there. 'They have gone: the Halflings: the Orcs have taken them. I think they are not dead. Orcs bound them.' He paused and his eyes closed wearily. After a moment he spoke again.
'Farewell, Aragorn! Go to Minas Tirith and save my people! I have failed.'
'No!' said Aragorn, taking his hand and kissing his brow. 'You have conquered. Few have gained such a victory. Be at peace! Minas Tirith shall not fall!'
Boromir smiled.
'Which way did they go? Was Frodo there?' said Aragorn.
But Boromir did not speak again.
'Alas!' said Aragorn. 'Thus passes the heir of Denethor, Lord of the Tower of Guard! This is a bitter end. Now the Company is all in ruin. It is I that have failed. Vain was Gandalf's trust in me. What shall I do now? Boromir has laid it on me to go to Minas Tirith, and my heart desires it; but where are the Ring and the Bearer? How shall I find them and save the Quest from disaster?'
He knelt for a while, bent with weeping, still clasping Boromir's hand. So it was that Legolas and Gimli found him. They came from the western slopes of the hill, silently, creeping through the trees as if they were hunting. Gimli had his axe in hand, and Legolas his long knife: all his arrows were spent. When they came into the glade they halted in amazement; and then they stood a moment with heads bowed in grief, for it seemed to them plain what had happened.
'Alas!' said Legolas, coming to Aragorn's side. 'We have hunted and slain many Orcs in the woods, but we should have been of more use here. We came when we heard the horn-but too late, it seems. I fear you have taken deadly hurt.'
'Boromir is dead,' said Aragorn. 'I am unscathed, for I was not here with him. He fell defending the hobbits, while I was away upon the hill.'
'The hobbits!' cried Gimli 'Where are they then? Where is Frodo?'
'I do not know,' answered Aragorn wearily. 'Before he died Boromir told me that the Orcs had bound them; he did not think that they were dead. I sent him to follow Merry and Pippin; but I did not ask him if Frodo or Sam were with him: not until it was too late. All that I have done today has gone amiss. What is to be done now?'
'First we must tend the fallen,' said Legolas. 'We cannot leave him lying like carrion among these foul Orcs.'
'But we must be swift,' said Gimli. 'He would not wish us to linger. We must follow the Orcs, if there is hope that any of our Company are living prisoners.'
'But we do not know whether the Ring-bearer is with them or not ' said Aragorn. 'Are we to abandon him? Must we not seek him first? An evil choice is now before us!'…

OK! We have a week now to read and discuss the first two chapters… I grouped them because chapter one is a very short chapter, and I am excited to get on our way! So come on!

'We will go now. Leave all that can be spared behind! We will press on by day and dark!'

Let me be the first to say:

Let's hunt some orc..."

When I was doing my bedtime reading to my wife, came to this chapter, and read the title:

The Departure of Boromir

...Valerie said, "Tricksy."

Get it?

Dan

Before we get too far, we better have a map - so we don't get lost!

I am glad you were the first to say it...

I almost included it in my post!

Hullo Dan!

Hit me over the head with it... I am not sure I do get it!

Welcome again to everybody as you wander in! - I must confess I am not caught up with my own homework, so I am going to go find a quiet spot and read up!

Great - I like the way TTT opens. It gets going pretty quickly... Boromir's funeral being the only bit of "standing around and singing" we get. I'm going to insult all our Dwarves and ask why Gimli didn't even try to make up a song for Boromir, Dwarves can't sing or something? ;-)

This is the turning point for the series, where Aragorn decides to go after Merry and Pippin rather than Frodo and Sam. Now the Ringbearer has to go on alone, and the things that must come to pass in the other parts of the world will happen. There is a sense of destiny about much of LotR, and this bit is one of places where, IMO, it comes through most strongly. If, if, if - look at all the things that are set in motion here -not mentioning them for spoiler reasons - that will result in the eventual outcome.

Also, I would point out that Gimli and Legolas follow Aragorn unquestioningly; he has become the leader now and they know it. No comment on anyone else since there are no other characters to talk about here!

Tricksy title.

If you're reading for the first time, you assume his "departure" is just his booking off for Gondor, about which he's constantly harped hitherto. But alas! it's the other definition.

Tricksy.

Dan

Yes, it does start out quickly and with much confusion.

Orcs of many different types lay about... What are all these strange symbols they have on their armor?

Everyone wonders at the riddles... wonders where Frodo is. Where's Sam? - Missing boat. Poor Merry and Pippin... Not dead, we think. Boromir said they were bound and carried off. What is the right course? 'Maybe there is not right choice,' said Gimli

Aragorn doubts his decisions... doubts his ability to lead.

Still reading!

Which tower is that in front?

You can start quite a discussion by asking which two towers the title refers to. The Hobbit Hole had much discussion on that.

Yes it is tricksy! hmmm... seems one of my childhood cats 'departed' mysterioulsy once

So now as the clues add up, the mystery becomes clear...

'How then do you read this riddle?' asked Gimli.
Aragorn did not answer at once, but went back to the camping-place and looked at the baggage. 'Two packs are missing.' he said, 'and one is certainly Sam's: it was rather large and heavy. This then is the answer: Frodo has gone by boat, and his servant has gone with him. Frodo must have returned while we were all away. I met Sam going up the hill and told him to follow me; but plainly he did not do so. He guessed his master s mind and came back here before Frodo had gone. He did not find it easy to leave Sam behind!'
'But why should he leave us behind, and without a word?' said Gimli. 'That was a strange deed!'
'And a brave deed,' said Aragorn. 'Sam was right, I think. Frodo did not wish to lead any friend to death with him in Mordor. But he knew that he must go himself. Something happened after he left us that overcame his fear and doubt.'
'Maybe hunting Orcs came on him and he fled,' said Legolas.
'He fled, certainly,' said Aragorn, 'but not, I think, from Orcs.' What he thought was the cause of Frodo's sudden resolve and flight Aragorn did not say. The last words of Boromir he long kept secret.
'Well, so much at least is now clear,' said Legolas: 'Frodo is no longer on this side of the River: only he can have taken the boat. And Sam is with him; only he would have taken his pack.'
'Our choice then,' said Gimli, 'is either to take the remaining boat and follow Frodo, or else to follow the Orcs on foot. There is little hope either way. We have already lost precious hours.'
'Let me think!' said Aragorn. 'And now may I make a right choice and change the evil fate of this unhappy day!' He stood silent for a moment. 'I will follow the Orcs,' he said at last. 'I would have guided Frodo to Mordor and gone with him to the end; but if I seek him now in the wilderness, I must abandon the captives to torment and death. My heart speaks clearly at last: the fate of the Bearer is in my hands no longer. The Company has played its part. Yet we that remain cannot forsake our companions while we have strength left. Come! We will go now. Leave all that can be spared behind! We will press on by day and dark!'

So Aragorn comes to a decision... but he withholds some of the reasoning. Frodo certainly left alone (or tried to) to spare his friends from his hopeless journey, but also to spare himself from the evil temptation The Ring might bring. (does Aragorn fear the same fault that Boromir had?)

Who among us would make the other choice and follow Frodo? - After all, Frodo's mission is more important, is it not, than saving Merry and Pippin. Would you have held to the mission, or to plight of the Merry and Pippin?

Which tower is that in front?

Orthanc.

The front tower is Orthanc.

Orthanc concept art, by Alan Lee

Orthanc, from Fellowship of the Ring

Of the three volumes, I think that TTT is the most exciting -- so much that is new is introduced here and the action is at a break-neck pace. (And to get way ahead of the thread, the cliffhangers at the end are perfect).

Boromir had to die so that his antithesis, Faramir, could have his chance. It is fascinating construction, on Tolkien's part, to think of placing the Boromir character where he did. Had Boromir not startled Frodo with his open lust for the ring, would Frodo have ever decided to set off on his own? The seed of conflict had to be placed in the Fellowship, for otherwise it could not have been broken when it truly needed to be. Had it not been broken could Saruman have been dealt with effectively? Who would have gotten the Ents to rise up ? (I'm getting ahead again). Boromir was there to break up the Fellowship (Elrond's wisdom?) when it had to happen for the quest to continue.

You can start quite a discussion by asking which two towers the title refers to.

And the answer to the question is found only in the Letters. I don't have the Letters, perhaps Jen or Overtaxed will post it?

For the record, the answer suprised the heck out of me. I thought wrong all these years... As does Jackson in the film, and many other fans... I would have thought The Two Towers were Orthanc and Barad-dûr .

Very good post! - Welcome!

While it is easy to say that Frodo's mission is the most important -- that doesn't mean that assets are not needed in other missions, the success of which are absolutely necessary to the success of Frodo's. Without the defeat of Saruman, Rohan would not be free to aid Minas Tirith. Saruman was unwittingly (we think) providing Sauron with a second front -- dividing the enemy. Aragorn's decision may have been based on where he could provide the most service. Also, Aragorn knew that his future included a date with the army of the dead -- which were in the direction he would head in following the Orcs.

I think he at least suspected that Frodo's mission did not depend on the protection of his strength...but that in the other battles his strength might be decisive.