At Weathertop, did the Nazgul fear Frodo? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

mark12_30 · 06-18-2002, 01:54 PM

Actually, I don't think that the Nazgul were afraid of anything.

The Nazgul's chief weapon, Tolkien states, was fear itself. Fear takes time to feel, and grows stronger over time. I think that's why the Nazgul move in slow motion: to let the fear sink in, et the panic build in those that they are stalking.

I think that the Nazgul were stalking Frodo on Weathertop, slowly, slowly, letting the fear build, build, until it peaks in sheer terror.

Same thing at the fords (Book version! Movie version is hardly worth the bother..). Notice how they face off with him, talk to him, steand menacingly in their stirrups, threaten him? Only when he waves his sword at them and defies them, do they begin slowly stalking him anyway. "See, little hobbit, how little affect your words had on our darkness and evil." And sure enough, our singularly brave hobbit keels over at that point, between the knife-tip and his weariness-- and I think, the pressure of the building fear had been the final straw.

Once the Nazgul are airborne, the fear goes far, far ahead of them. Even those on the ground cower in terror as they pass.

mark12_30

06-18-2002, 01:54 PM	#22
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Actually, I don't think that the Nazgul were afraid of anything. The Nazgul's chief weapon, Tolkien states, was fear itself. Fear takes time to feel, and grows stronger over time. I think that's why the Nazgul move in slow motion: to let the fear sink in, et the panic build in those that they are stalking. I think that the Nazgul were stalking Frodo on Weathertop, slowly, slowly, letting the fear build, build, until it peaks in sheer terror. Same thing at the fords (Book version! Movie version is hardly worth the bother..). Notice how they face off with him, talk to him, steand menacingly in their stirrups, threaten him? Only when he waves his sword at them and defies them, do they begin slowly stalking him anyway. "See, little hobbit, how little affect your words had on our darkness and evil." And sure enough, our singularly brave hobbit keels over at that point, between the knife-tip and his weariness-- and I think, the pressure of the building fear had been the final straw. Once the Nazgul are airborne, the fear goes far, far ahead of them. Even those on the ground cower in terror as they pass. mark12_30 __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.