[Guinevere]

I made notes about what moved me and interested me most in this chapter-
the conversation of Gandalf and Théoden about the Ents and the "fireside tales" and the sadness because much that is fair and wonderful will pass away.
but I see that Lalwendë has written exactly about that and I couldn't agree more!
This passage is so typical for Tolkien - it relates to the story and yet it is a truth. The Ents have passed away and only the unexplained word is left in some old texts - Tolkien had to re-invent a meaning.

I was also moved by Gimli's description of Aglarond - it shows that he has the soul of a poet! Here we see how he and Legolas have become friends indeed. It is so important to them to share what they delight in, that they will overcome their reluctance to strange places.

Davem wrote:
I do find the conversation of Legolas & Gimli regarding the Caves interesting for what it tells us about their relationship. For all their friendship Legloas still clearly sees Gimli as materialistic & fails to understand that his friend could have anything more than a mercenary interest in the Caves' contents.

Well, my impression was that Legolas had this opinion of dwarves in general, but not about Gimli, who seems to him an exeption in his appreciation of beauty.
"But do not tell all your kindred!" he warns him.
I agree with Davem about the Elves general sense of "superiority", but I feel this more about Gildor, or Haldir, or Lindir in Rivendell... Legolas himself never strikes me as particularly smug or "holier than thou". I rather think he is really quite modest - he is just "Legolas the Elf" and never mentions that he is the son of a king, and readily accepts Aragorn as his leader.


But there is one thing in this chapter that makes me wonder:
When the company have reached the Fords of the Isen, Théoden says:

"Alas! Must we pass this way where the carrion-beasts devour so many good Riders of the Mark?"

and then Gandalf shows them the mound on the islet

"Here lie all the Men of the Mark that fell near this place," said Gandalf.
"Here let them rest!" said Éomer. "And when their spears have rotted and rusted, long still may their mound stand and guard the Fords of Isen!"

Why on Earth is Théodred never mentioned ? After all, it is here that the king's son fell, and to go by U.T., he must also be buried here ! (His last words were: "Let me lie here until Éomer comes!") Already in the preceding chapters I thought it rather strange that Théoden doesn't mourn for his son. (Only Grima mentions his death) And now he passes his grave (or at least the place where he fell) and not one word about Théodred!
(Perhaps Movie-théoden overdid it a bit, but on the whole I thought that it was a good idea in the movie to show Théodred's funeral and his father's grief.)

Has anyone an explanation for this?