Tolkien's Battles - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 09-08-2002, 01:35 PM

I just finished rereading the battle of the Pelennor Fields. I had forgotten how long the whole thing is from beginning to end. It's not just the one chapter bearing that title, but a whole series of chapters in which Tolkien uses his interlacing skills to maximum effect.

What I find striking, Eol, is that the battle is long and drawn out, but it still works, and not merely succeeds, but is an incredibly gripping, moving, powerful human experience all the way through. I find it to be one of the most powerful sections of LotR (and can't wait to see the scene in the movie of Eowyn, Merry, and the Lord of the Nazgul!). Here's the question: what did Tolkien do to make the Pelennor battle work so well? Detractors' opinions are, of course, welcome as well.

I'll offer one answer, but I think it's only partial: Tolkien weaves through the battle the individual experience of all of his major characters. We see Theoden during the Charge of Rohan into the field. We see the confrontation between the Lord of the Nazgul and Eowyn from Merry's point of view. We see Denethor's suicide and Gandalf versus the Lord of the Nazgul from Pippin's point of view. We see the battle after Theoden is slain and Eowyn has fallen from Eomer's point of view. And so on. And not just merely from their point of view, but wrought with their emotions, be they hope, despair, sorrow, fear, whatever it is. The effect is staggering. I find myself shedding tears at the sight of the courageous, despairing, vulnerable Eowyn facing the Lord of the Nazgul, and I'm astonished by her skill at cleaving the head off the Nazgul's evil flying steed. That's enough for now. I could go on and on.

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09-08-2002, 01:35 PM	#36
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	I just finished rereading the battle of the Pelennor Fields. I had forgotten how long the whole thing is from beginning to end. It's not just the one chapter bearing that title, but a whole series of chapters in which Tolkien uses his interlacing skills to maximum effect. What I find striking, Eol, is that the battle is long and drawn out, but it still works, and not merely succeeds, but is an incredibly gripping, moving, powerful human experience all the way through. I find it to be one of the most powerful sections of LotR (and can't wait to see the scene in the movie of Eowyn, Merry, and the Lord of the Nazgul!). Here's the question: what did Tolkien do to make the Pelennor battle work so well? Detractors' opinions are, of course, welcome as well. I'll offer one answer, but I think it's only partial: Tolkien weaves through the battle the individual experience of all of his major characters. We see Theoden during the Charge of Rohan into the field. We see the confrontation between the Lord of the Nazgul and Eowyn from Merry's point of view. We see Denethor's suicide and Gandalf versus the Lord of the Nazgul from Pippin's point of view. We see the battle after Theoden is slain and Eowyn has fallen from Eomer's point of view. And so on. And not just merely from their point of view, but wrought with their emotions, be they hope, despair, sorrow, fear, whatever it is. The effect is staggering. I find myself shedding tears at the sight of the courageous, despairing, vulnerable Eowyn facing the Lord of the Nazgul, and I'm astonished by her skill at cleaving the head off the Nazgul's evil flying steed. That's enough for now. I could go on and on.