Back to the appreciations. From
Journey to the Crossroads:
Quote:
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Suddenly, caught by the level beams, Frodo saw the old king's head: it was lying rolled away by the roadside. 'Look, Sam!' he cried, startled into speech. 'Look! The king has got a crown again!' The eyes were hollow and the carven bears was broken, but abou the high stern forehead there was a coronal of silver and gold. A trailing plant with flowers like small white stars had bound itself across the brows as if in reverence for the fallen king, and in the crevices of his stony hair yellow stonecrop gleamed. 'They cannot conquer for ever!' said Frodo. And then suddenly the brief glimpse was gone. The Sun dipped and vanished, and as if at the shuttering of a lamp, black night fell.
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This isn't personification. It almost feels like authorial intrusion into the story. What are the chances of such a growth occuring? The odds seem against it. Unless mythic Middle Earth, having a life of its own, caused this to be. Or was it Yavanna? but no, the Valar have withdrawn long ago. Elves are rumored to have lived in Ithilien long ago, but no more. There seems to be a virute in the land and flora and fauna itself, of light and joy-giving, and the beauty and vividness and
treasure that this is is made all the more poignant by its snuffing out by the "falling" of black night, a night that tastes like Sauron. And Frodo's words feel ironic at best. Hmm, 20th century irony in Tolkien's unique style? hmm. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
"Sun" is capitalized. I hadn't noticed that before. Does Tolkien always capitalize it?