The dissolving Morgul blade

[Ivriniel]

Originally Posted by Leaf

I have a small question regarding this:




What was the cause for the disintegration of the Morgul blade? Did it disintegrate because it was being touched by Aragorn (like the movie suggests), or rather because it was exposed to the growing light?!

I am not a native speaker but it seems to me that the word even suggests a strong (time-wise) correlation between the dissolving of the Morgul blade and the growing light. I think it's notable that Aragorn (contrary to PJ's film) can touch and lift the blade for seemingly some time before it vanishes.

What do you think?

I'm not sure. I'm imagining first of all that it was rather odd? that a Ringwraith left it behind? Or perhaps, Ringwraith narcissism, i.e. "god complex" "oh look at me, and my evil blade - you won't figure the Sorcery out though, mwa ha ha".

I don't imagine that Aragorn, being of the Line of the King was enough to make a blade dissolve, either. I'm imagining though that the crafter would want to hide his sorcery in order to make a cure more difficult?

That doesn't hold either.

Who knows what Tolkien envisioned. Perhaps, it was 'narrative purpose', i.e. 'let's give the reader a scare, and make them shudder'.

I notice each time when I read, that part of the blade was missing. It must not be the part in Frodo? Or else, perhaps Elrond removed two parts of the blade, and a tiny sliver was left behind, which he caught in a narrow margin of time.

I think the idea of '...growing light....' is the best explanation.