LotR -- Book 2 - Chapter 04 - A Journey in the Dark

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

Sorry for being quite late. Two chapters late, to be specific.

But these thoughts must be said. Be free, my words!

Gandalf's flowchart.

I should have discussed Gandalf's reason for the passage of Moria in the previous chapter, but it seems better to put them here, as most of my quotes come from this chapter.

There are two levels to Gandalf’s reasoning, whether be it choice of Ringfinder, Ringbearer, or a proper path.

I. The Immediate

[Gandalf: ]To do that I used in my waking mind only such means as were allowed to me, doing what lay to my hand according to such reasons as I had. (UT III 3)

The quote seems pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll add a comment anyway. Every decision Gandalf makes has a reason that is sufficient for him, however it may seem to anyone else. (Case in point: why need a stolider breed in a hobbit going on an adventure, or why bring that hobbit at all? Those are my personal doubts, and before you barrage me with answers, we’ll move on to the next.)

II. Higher Guidance

To Gandalf the far-off memories of a journey long before were now of little help, but even in the gloom and despite all the windings of the road he knew whither he wished to go; and he did not falter as long as there was a path that led toward his goal. (LotR II 4 – emphasis mine)

[Aragorn: ]He will not go astray—if there is any path to find. He has led us here against our fears, but he will lead us out again, at whatever cost to himself. (ibid)

Here in the modern times we call such things luck, or fate, or intuition. But in Middle-earth it is something else. From such trivial task as choosing the right path through Moria to such major decisions as choosing to march to Morannon, Gandalf remained faithful to the One that put him on this mission, knowing that this “fool’s” quest to Mt. Doom (and indeed, his entire quest in Middle-earth) would be finished by his master, accepting any limitations as a part of his decision to trust higher guidance (as we will see in the next chapter). We may not know the reason for his actions (perhaps even he himself does not, at times) but we need not have one. Hey, after all, they worked, didn’t they?

Pippin and the Atani

Once, as part of a reply to Fordim’s “Paired Characters in LotR” thread, I tried to determine whether Merry and Pippin’s link to Rohan and Gondor, respectively, has a deeper significance. I ended up not posting it because I lacked the sufficient proof to make it stand. But now I know my research has not been all in vain. Whee!

Pippin’s “flirtation” with the darkness mirror’s Men’s (specifically, the Atani's) dealing with the darkness at large. At first, it was out of innocence; hey, he didn’t know what was in the well! The same can be said of Men. Morgoth came and seduced them to darkness while they were still new to the world.

Then the second was out of defiance. He wanted a look at the palantír, and he was gonna get it himself. Now tell me: doesn’t this remind you of a certain golden king? Wanted a taste of that immortal land, sent an army to take it? Now here is where it gets stickier: as a result of the Downfall, Elendil and his sons ended up where they were needed. Horse ride to Minas Tirith, anyone?

Some Comments

1.

So from the group of 9, we'll call it a "loose friendship", not really strong, and as you say it just seems one despair after another. It breaks, and out pops out, smaller, stronger bonds, between the fellowship members. (Boromir88)

. . . shared fear wasn’t something to overcome. It was the mutual support system that turned people of disparate backgrounds and intellects and interests into a single bonded organism . . . It was what made a whole greater than the sum of its parts (Op-Center: Mirror Image)

At first, these people had their own reasons for joining the Fellowship. Boromir and Aragorn were off to Minas Tirith. Sam, Merry, and Pippin still think of this as a hobbit walking-party. In a word, the Fellowship was unglued.

For a moment, during the Warg attack, they became united. They all feared the attackers, and that forced them to aim for one thing. But as the fears subsided, they disintegrated again. Once again, it was a fear (of Moria this time) that forced them together again. Clearly, this Fellowship would not go far without fear to bind them, but they couldn’t do their mission if they kept focusing on an immediate fear.

After the breaking, they all became bound by some shared fear. The Three Hunters feared for Merry and Pippin. Merry and Pippin feared the Orcs (who can blame them?) Frodo and Sam feared the deadly effect of the Ring on the rest of the Companions. Later their old fears subsided but new ones took their place. Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli feared for Rohan, then Gondor. Merry and Pippin feared Isengard, then Merry (with Éowyn) feared for Théoden, while Pippin (with Beregond) feared for Faramir. Their shared fears progressed from the immediate to something worthy of the quest.

Of course, their bond didn’t remain fear forever (case in point: Legolas and Gimli) but it was due to the fears they shared that they were knit together more closely than anything else. And more quickly, might I add.

2.

Uh, Fordim . . .

. . . Boromir’s sentiment is rather dismissive of Gimli — is he classing the Dwarf as one of “the little folk” or is he pointedly not seeking his opinion? (Fordim)

Gimli already voiced his opinion. He was the first to speak up.