I apologize for taking some time, but this is a long chapter and I had lots of other things to do lately. But now, let us take a closer look at this particular chapter.
It maps the journey from the feet of Caradhras to the Gates and then inside, almost all the way through Moria (although the whole chapter after this one is devoted to Moria as well). If I start from the end, then it's worth mentioning that the Fellowship was probably very lucky this time. "It was good that the Company had such a guide", indeed, since the three roads choice they went pretty straight and fast. Just imagine what maze must have Moria been! I really like the way Khazad-Dum is depicted, and how its current emptiness and darkness (ah! The chapter title is really appropriate) is put into contrast with Gimli's poem.
Mentioning chapter title, one thing I realised this time that I did not notice before, although now thinking of it it seems pretty important and maybe very important and seemingly intentional (I would like to know if others noticed it or if they did not, like me): Gandalf keeps talking all the time (since the chapter before) about "another dark road", which is slowly building a tension, and when it finally comes to that, this is repeated as well (at night!), and when we really come to Moria, we see it's indeed dark - and all of it corresponds with the chapter title. I honestly confess I never thought that Gandalf's hints about dark paths may have any connection with the chapter title. Do you think they do? Because the word "dark" or "darkness" seems to have a prominent role in this chapter, and helps to make its atmosphere.
I should also point out one impressive thing about this chapter: there are whole
two illustrations (if you can call it that) in this chapter, which you don't have anywhere else in LotR (unless you count the Ring script). Of course you can have plenty of illustrations in LotR, but these I would think are in any edition of LotR, are they? And they are "original": the Gate (quite impressive, I was never able to read half of it, but I always liked to check the depiction with the description
- and I was seriously impressed when I found out that the treebranches' ends are supposed to be moons) and Balin's tombstone. Quite nice, isn't it? Was the Prof in "drawing mood" when writing this particular chapter? Apparently he was
Balin's tomb and the whole scene is moving anyway, and the last words of the chapter still move me when I read it. Although I found out I have to reflect it always to actually realise the dead Balin is THE Balin, the wonderful good fella from the Hobbit! How sad!
Before it, we learn briefly about the history of the Dwarves and mithril, and we hear (or are reminded of) some "Durin's Bane" - now one has to wonder, what kind of a horror will that be, and will the Company be forced to face it? Another thing I noticed this time was that the Dwarves have another secret word for mithril in their own (secret) language. I wonder what may that be, don't you as well?
Now to the beginning of the chapter again: I see the strange Wolves whose bodies disappear (but there are all the arrows that hit them!) were discussed at length here, so whoever is interested, I forward him to what was said here. Only for myself I could say that it's really odd, until last year - and it's really right about a year ago now - I didn't actually realise the wolves disappeared. Or I didn't mind. I thought "well they were probably wargs, and clever ones, and for some reason they took their dead away" - when I even thought about it. And Gandalf's words "these were no ordinary wolves" I interpretated just that way: they were not wolves, but Wargs, clever ones, and sent here on purpose, which is supported by the fact that they took away their dead. Only the radio play of LotR I heard last year made me realise what's actually written in the books, as the play contained added words of Gandalf: "They were not common wolves - they were beasts created by Sauron's sorcery!" And I, being very catchy when it comes to canonicity, said: "What the heck?" And then looking into the book, I at last realised this interpretation is quite plausible.
And last, but not least:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar
Another much-discussed enigma is presented in this chapter – the Watcher in the Water. Is it a single or multiple entity? More interesting is the question of its arousal – was it already triggered when the Fellowship waded through the water, or was it Boromir’s stone that angered it? Sam shows heroism in saving Frodo at this point.
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One note to this. The Watcher (although we don't know here that it is that! And I actually had problems connecting "the Watcher" with the creature - some giant octopus for sure, although who knows if we are not being mislead by countless illustrators, and not even mentioning the move) has also reached for Frodo first of all people. A "coincidence"? Even if we didn't know how "coincidences" work in Middle-Earth, the fact that this is pointed out in the text speaks about something else. So what? Was the Watcher specifically instructed by Sauron? (But what did he tell him? "If you see a fella with a golden ring, eat him, but keep the ring until I come?") Or was he just an evil creature who was drawn by the Ring? (But Balrog isn't?) To me, the Watcher looks a lot like the Barrow-Wight: green, slimy... erm... I meant: it's an evil creature, but I'd think it has its own will and is only "stirred by the evil will of Sauron", much like the Wight was. To the questions
Esty posed I would also add "Where did he come from?" or "How did he appear there?" and mainly, when; as we learn later that he was there definitely by the time Balin's group dwelt there.
So what do you think about this chapter? Anything to add? Anything you remember? Anything that had strong impact on you? Or anything you consider dull?