[davem]

Random thoughts

Some interesting comments have been made about the Orcs in this chapter. We see quite a change in the relationship between Shagrat & Gorbag. Last time we encountered them they seemed to be the best of friends, planning to set up together:

"I'd like to try somewhere where there's none of 'em. But the war's on now, and when that's over things may be easier."
"It's going well, they say."
"They would," grunted Gorbag. "We'll see. But anyway, if it does go well, there should be a lot more room. What d'you say?--if we get a chance, you and me'll slip off and set up somewhere on our own with a few trusty lads, somewhere where there's good loot nice and handy, and no big bosses."
'Ah!" said Shagrat. 'Like old times."
'Yes," said Gorbag. "But don't count on it. I'm not easy in my mind. As I said, the Big Bosses, ay," his voice sank almost to a whisper, 'ay, even the Biggest, can make mistakes. Something nearly slipped, you say. I say, something has slipped

Now, a few hours later, we see what has happened to this 'friendship'. From what Shagrat says it seems that these two may even have run a similar operation together in the past - he speaks about 'old times'. Whether or no, it seems Gorbag is less of a faithful servant of Sauron's than his compadre:

'Then you must go. I must stay here anyway. But I'm hurt. The Black Pits take that filthy rebel Gorbag!' Shagrat's voice trailed off into a string of foul names and curses. 'I gave him better than I got, but he knifed me, the dung, before I throttled him. You must go, or I'll eat you. News must get through to Lugburz, or we'll both be for the Black Pits. Yes, you too. You won't escape by skulking here.'

It seems Shagrat is here displaying the kind of loyalty that we would never expect from one of Sauron's 'slaves'. Gorbag is a 'filthy rebel' & Shagrat clearly feels justified in killing him. He even exults in the act:

But at that very moment a hiss escaped its teeth, a gasp of pain or hate. Quick as a snake Shagrat slipped aside, twisted round, and drove his knife into his enemy's throat.
'Got you, Gorbag!' he cried. 'Not quite dead, eh? Well, I'll finish my job now.' He sprang onto the fallen body, and stamped and trampled it in his fury, stooping now and again to stab and slash it with his knife. Satisfied at last, he threw back his head and let out a horrible gurgling yell of triumph. Then he licked his knife, and put it between his teeth, and catching up the bundle he came loping towards the near door of the stairs.

Its Shagrat's declaring Gorbag a 'filthy rebel' that makes me wonder whether all the Orcs are 'slaves'. Notice how he didn't actually agree to run off & set up a gang with Gorbag - he merely responded with 'Ah! Like old times'. Makes me wonder whether he wasn't just trying to give his old 'friend' enough rope to hang himself. Shagrat seems loyal to Sauron's cause - does this make him 'worse' than Gorbag? He probably sees himself as better - he's the one 'doing the right thing', obeying orders. Indeed, he seems desperate to get his message to Barad dur. It seems that some, if not all, Orcs are loyal to the 'cause'.

Dancing Spawn's mention of the Watchers also got me thinking. These 'statues' are clearly sentient to some degree - they are aware & they can be cowed - in fact, it seems they are also willing 'slaves'.

They were like great figures seated upon thrones. Each had three joined bodies, and three heads facing outward, and inward, and across the gateway. The heads had vulture-faces, and on their great knees were laid clawlike hands. They seemed to be carved out of huge blocks of stone, immovable, and yet they were aware: some dreadful spirit of evil vigilance abode in them. They knew an enemy. Visible or invisible none could pass unheeded. They would forbid his entry, or his escape.
Hardening his will Sam thrust forward once again, and halted with a jerk, staggering as if from a blow upon his breast and head. Then greatly daring, because he could think of nothing else to do, answering a sudden thought that came to him, he drew slowly out the phial of Galadriel and held it up. Its white light quickened swiftly, and the shadows under the dark arch fled. The monstrous Watchers sat there cold and still, revealed in all their hideous shape

Whether the statues they inhabit were made by the Numenoreans is another question - from the description of them it seems unlikely - Numenoreans would be more likely to place statues of eagles or seabirds, one would have thought, yet maybe they were Numenorean in origin - possibly made hideous to intimidate any who sought to escape from Mordor. The spirits that have come to inhabit them are clearly the work of Sauron. In the context of the Witch king's threat to Eowyn, & the earlier words of Shagrat, about the Nazgul stripping the flesh off their victims & leaving them naked on the 'other side' I can't help but wonder about the origin of these indwelling spirits & whether they took up their abode willingly or not.

IT seems that as we enter Mordor we will find that black becomes blacker, evil becomes 'purer'. Not simply living things like Orcs, but statues as well - even the land itself - increasingly become manifestations of evil per se. Within Mordor there are no 'grey' areas. Frodo & Sam become more & more 'isolated'. Frodo himself becomes increasingly 'consumed' by the evil - there is no veil between him & the wheel of fire & he can remember nothing else. In the end he will succumb to the Ring. Only Sam truly remains pure of heart to the end.

It has been pointed out by others that it is the events in the Tower that finally break Frodo's heart & spirit, that after his torture there he never recovers, that it is in that place that all his hope is finally wrenched from him. I think this is probably true. Never afterwards do we get any glimpse of the 'old' Frodo. Something profound happened to him there, alone, helpless, 'naked in the dark'. Certainly his words to Sam

'They've taken everything, Sam,' said Frodo. 'Everything I had. Do you understand? Everything? He cowered on the floor again with bowed head, as his own words brought home to him the fullness of the disaster, and despair overwhelmed him. 'The quest has failed, Sam. Even if we get out of here, we can't escape. Only Elves can escape. Away, away out of Middle-earth, far away over the Sea. If even that is wide enough to keep the Shadow out.'

Are the most hopeless & desparing we have heard him utter. When he gets back the Ring he exults for a moment, but that moment soon passes. His state from now on is best summed up in his own words in the next chapter:

'All right, Sam,' said Frodo. 'Lead me! As long as you've got any hope left. Mine is gone. But I can't dash, Sam. I'll just plod along after you.'