As I finished reading this chapter last night, I have some "final" final remarks. The fact that we get some words of wisdom from Haldir, and maybe a hint into the future.
Quote:
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"Folly it may seem," said Haldir. "Indeed in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who oppose him. Yet so little faith and trust do we find now in the world beyond Lothlorien, unless maybe in Rivendell, that we dare not by our own trust endanger our land. We live upon an island amid many perils, and our hands are more often upon the bowstring than upon the harp."
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Indeed in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who oppose him.
Can't begin to say how "wise" this is, The Fellowship is about to break apart, Rohan is falling into decline and the effect of that they began slipping away from their allies Gondor. Haldir just said Lothlorien doesn't trust anyone, perhaps Rivendell. So, the elves are apart in their own seperate world. The Dwarves of Erebor are up defending their lands alone (excluding the men of Dale). Instead of coming together, like in the Last Alliance, they are all seperated from eachother fighting their own war against Sauron. They oppose Sauron but they don't fight together, it isn't until Aragorn and Gandalf stir up Rohan where we see a sense of Unity. And the great symbolism in the bond between the future king of Gondor and the future King of Rohan (anyway that is off topic). I just went on rambling there for a while.
It's funny how it isn't until they reach Cerin Amroth when we see "ease" drop upon the fellowship. They have reached the safe haven of Lorien, but there's still an ill sense about as orcs are entering into the lands and Haldir has hinted of having to fight them off.
Quote:
"You ought at least to guess, since you have seen us," said Merry. "There are elf-havens west of my land, the Shire, where Hobbits live."
"Happy folk are Hobbits to dwell near the shores of the sea!" said Haldir. "It is long indeed since any of my folk have looked on it, yet still we remember it in song. Tell me of these havens as we walk."
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I think we see here more of the arrogance of elves, Haldir isn't concerned about the Shire, it's how's their own elf-haven in the Grey Havens. "oh yay, hobbits happy people, they live by elves, tell me of the elves there?" He isn't like Theoden who is interested in learning about Hobbits, only interested in hearing about his own kind. (I still like you Haldir).