LotR -- Book 3 - Chapter 02 - The Riders of Rohan

[davem]

I was struck by the similarity of Eomer's words to Aragorn:

"But now, lord, what would you have me do! I must return in haste to Theoden. I spoke warily before my men.

And Faramir's to Frodo:

"I broke off our speech together," said Faramir, 'not only because time pressed, as Master Samwise had reminded me, but also because we were drawing near to matters that were better not debated openly before many men.

I think this brings out both the similarities between the characters & also the differences. In the first Eomer is in the 'submissive' role & Aragorn in the dominant- even though Eomer seems to have the power, whereas in the second Faramir has the dominant role & Frodo is in the position of having to submit to his will. The similarity is obvious - neither Eomer or Faramir feels comfortable discussing the situation in front of their men.

We have almost a mirror image of the Aragorn/Eomer 'confrontation' in the Frodo/Faramir, & I think the similarities & differences are deliberately pointed up by Tolkien. Aragorn clearly displays an unmistakeable authority, nobility & royalty, such that even when he appears out of nowhere to a total stranger those things are plain to see.

Frodo, on the other hand, even though his mission is the more important, has none of those things. Aragorn will not submit, & if necessary will fight an impossible battle with the Rohirrim:

Aragorn threw back his cloak. The elven-sheath glittered as he grasped it, and the bright blade of Anduril shone like a sudden flame as he swept it out. 'Elendil!" he cried. "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and am called Elessar, the Elfstone, Dunadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil's son of Gondor. Here is the Sword that was Broken and is forged again! Will you aid me or thwart me? Choose swiftly!"

Frodo does submit:

There was nothing for Frodo to do but to fall in with this request, or order. It seemed in any case a wise course for the moment, since this foray of the men of Gondor had made a journey in Ithilien more dangerous than ever.

What's interesting is that Aragorn, with the fate of the West dependent on him refuses to back down, being willing to fight, if necessary, to the death. Frodo, in the same situation, but with the fate of the whole world on his shoulders, submits. Both face imminent death & both make opposing choices.

It seems that Aragorn still has hope (or he has at last found it again). He has accepted his destiny & will from now on do what he knows to be right, whatever risks he must take, while Frodo seems to have submitted to his fate - which is not that of Aragorn - ie to rule, but to serve, to submit to a fate he cannot control, & which has taken him over - took him over way back in Bag End. Frodo's submissiveness increases throughout the story, Aragorn's dominance increases. And in the end Aragorn will choose his own passing from the world, while Frodo will be carried away from it.

But there is a similar mood running through the two halves of TT. The first part is outgoing, 'extravert'; it is the story of men fighting to exert their will, to rule, to order things for the Right. The second half is the story of Hobbits, inward looking, 'introverted', carried along inexorably to their destiny.

[Lalwendë]

This chapter, at first glance, is a simple narrative of adventure and exploration, where we follow the chase and meet Eomer. Yet there is more to it than may at first meet the eye.

Here we see Aragron's superior skills as a tracker and outdoorsman. I was struck by the way he even spotted orc tracks in a waterway (waterways are well known for hiding tracks and scent), and how he put his ear to the ground to detect movement and sound:

He stretched himself upon the ground with his ear pressed against the turf. He lay there motionless, for so long a time that Gimli wondered if he had swooned or fallen asleep again.

We see the contrast between the skills of the orcs and those of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. The orcs leave a trail of litter in their wake, whereas their pursuers are disguised - their Elven cloaks reminiscent of camouflage. They are even able to hide from the Rohirrim, who will be alert after their encounter with the Orc band, and who are also in their own land which they know well.

The second aspect I was struck by was the 'magic' and wonder in the chapter. When Eomer talks with the three travellers, the conversation is a long series of strange revelations for him. Firstly he is surprised by the appearance of the the three, 'sprung out of the grass'. He is then forced to think about the fact that Galadriel exists, who seems to have been a figure of legend to him:

The Rider looked at them with renewed wonder, but his eyes hardened. "Then there is a Lady in the Golden Wood, as old tales tell!" he said. "Few escape her nets, they say. These are strange days! But if you have her favour, then you also are net-weavers and sorcerers, maybe." He turned a cold glance suddenly upon Legolas and Gimli. "Why do you not speak, silent ones?" he demanded.

I can well imagine the suspicion that someone might feel when confronted by an exiled King, an Elf and a Dwarf who claim to say that what you thought only existed in legends is in fact real. He is told of Hobbits and Elves by a King who has sprung from the grass before his eyes. To Eomer's benefit, he is prepared to accept such tales, in fact he goes on to reveal a real sense of wonder and amazement as the interchange continues - perhaps not what we might expect of a military man.

Eomer stepped back and a look of awe was in his face. He cast down his proud eyes. "These are indeed strange days," he muttered. 'Dreams and legends spring to life out of the grass.

Eomer comments on what he has learned from the travellers, and raises a rhetorical question as to how he ought to judge these tales and events.

"It is hard to be sure of anything among so many marvels. The world is all grown strange. Elf and Dwarf in company walk in our daily fields; and folk speak with the Lady of the Wood and yet live; and the Sword comes back to war that was broken in the long ages ere the fathers of our fathers rode into the Mark! How shall a man judge what to do in such times?"

'As he ever has judged," said Aragorn. 'Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them, as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house."

Aragorn's wisdom fascinates me here. He acknowledges two 'spheres' to the world; there is the practical and everyday world, and also that of the Elves, which is at once very different, but very close to the everyday world. He appears to be saying that it is the duty of men to be able to work and exist within both worlds, and to be able to use his judgement in the 'other' world as much as his everyday world. He also makes a comment about the 'equality' between the different races of Middle earth, to say that all races have the same concept of good and evil.

The chapter then moves on and we see the travellers mystified in their turn, as they camp beneath the eaves of Fangorn. Here even Legolas is out of his element, and Aragorn is unable to offer any explanation for the mystery of the trees. The travellers then seemingly receive a 'visitation' - this passage is one of the most vividly magical in the whole book:

The tree rustled. There was no other sound.

Suddenly Gimli looked up, and there just on the edge of the firelight stood an old bent man, leaning on a staff, and wrapped in a great cloak; his wide-brimmed hat was pulled down over his eyes. Gimli sprang up, too amazed for the moment to cry out, though at once the thought flashed into his mind that Saruman had caught them. Both Aragorn and Legolas, roused by his sudden movement, sat up and stared. The old man did not speak or make a sign.

"Well, father, what can we do for you?" said Aragorn, leaping to his feet. 'Come and be warm, if you are cold!" He strode forward, but the old man was gone. There was no trace of him to be found near at hand, and they did not dare to wander far. The moon had set and the night was very dark.

[Boromir88]

I wanted to point out the first steps of Symbolism betweem Rohan and Gondor. Right now we have two aging kings (or stewards) of the respective kingdoms. Rohan's Theoden his mind is overthrown, Gondor's Denethor, has already, or is about to be overthrown by the palantir. You might want to say that the friendships aren't really at the bests either. Denethor hates Sauron but also hates anyone that doesn't fight under him. Theoden is an old man listening to bad councilling. Grant it, these two kingdoms don't "hate" eachtother, but they seem distant, seperated, they aren't as strong as they used to be. I actually think a big reason why Theoden decided to ride for Gondor was to keep true to the Oath of Eorl. Anyway, that's the current situation.

Now, we have Aragorn and Eomer meet. Both are future kings of their respected Kingdoms, but they aren't kings right now. It's the friendship that these two future kings create, which will symbolize the strong bonds between Gondor and Rohan that are to come in later days. For these two do create a strong friendship, and they continue that friendship after the war.

Also in connection with these two future kings are their enemies, Saruman and Sauron. Right now Rohan's enemy is Saruman, and Aragorn comes to aid to help out Eomer (and Rohan) win the battle of Helm's Deep, and defeat Rohan's enemy, Saruman. Later, Aragorn's (Or Gondor's) enemy is Sauron. Eomer (and Rohan) ride out to the aid of Gondor, and defeat their enemy (well praise Eru) Sauon. Rather interesting, and I love this symbolism between the friendships of these two influential leaders, that's all I have to add.

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

"Gondor, Gondor!" cried Aragorn. " . . . Not yet does my road lie southward to your bright streams. . . . " . . . drawing his eyes away from the South, and looking out west and north to the way that he must tread. (LR III 2)

This confirms what I said in the previous chapter:

. . . the other choice he was pondering while in Lothlórien--going to Minas Tirith--was made irrelevant for the moment. (Nilpaurion)

He knew going to Minas Tirith was important--Mandos, he promised it to Boromir--, but he chose to go after his friends first.

[Éomer: ]But there is something strange about you, Strider. . . . That is no name for a Man that you give. (ibid)

It seems Éomer and Aragorn already had a bond. He can see through Aragorn's "Strider" disguise!

[davem]

(Well, like a fool I just posted this in the thread on the last chapter because I wasn't paying attention! It belongs here, but Encaitare placed a response there to it, so I don't want to delete it & make anyone else look silly, so I'm copying it here)

Gimli and Legolas looked at their companion in amazement, for they had not seen him in this mood before. He seemed to have grown in stature while Eomer had shrunk; and in his living face they caught a brief vision of the power and majesty of the kings of stone. For a moment it seemed to the eyes of Legolas that a white flame flickered on the brows of Aragorn like a shining crown.

This is an odd thing - why would Legolas see that? Is he actually seeing something - some kind of 'spiritual' flame-like crown on Aragorn's head, or did is just seem to be there - is Legolas having a 'psychic', precognitive vision of the real crown of Gondor which Aragorn will eventually come to wear, or is he just so impressed with Aragorns newly revealed royalty that he imagines it?

Or is it something else - a kind of 'divine right of kings' thing. Has Aragorn worn this 'spiritual' crown all along, or has it just appeared in this moment? If Aragorn truly wears a 'spiritual' crown, then who placed it on his head? Surely only Illuvatar could place such a crown on Aragorn's head - has Aragorn been divinely appointed ruler of Middle earth by God?

I suppose this is a central question as far as leadership in Middle earth is concerned. Are kings simply appointed by their people, or at the least, must they rule with the consent of their people? Does this shed light on the Kinstrife which nearly brought Gondor to ruin, & on Denethor's dismissal of Aragorn as 'last of a ragged house, long bereft of Lordship & dignity'? Is there some sense in which the Stewards have a role in deciding who has been divinely appointed to rule? So that they must be satisfied not simply that the claimant is a suitable ruler, with the right inheritance, but also that he has been divinely appointed.

Certainly this would make Denethor's reluctance to accept Aragorn more significant - if he believes Aragorn's house has long since been bereft of Lordship & dignity, then he would have some case. And that leads on to a further question - he dosen't say Aragorn's house has lost its 'lordship & dignity' he says it has been bereft of those things - they have been taken away - but by whom, & for what reason? If Illuvatar is the one who bestowed Lordship & dignity (ie the divinely appointed right to rule) then wouldn't that imply that Illuvatar was the one who took it away?

In the end (at the end), we see the people of Gondor accepting Aragorn as their ruler - but is that simply because he has lead them to victory in the war against Sauron, or is there more to it - has he shown, besides that, that he is truly the divinely appointed King?

[Lalwendë]

The light of Aragorn is something I have noticed for a long time as a recurrent theme throughout the books. It is first revealed at the Prancing Pony, where the light is within Aragorn’s eyes:

He stood up, and seemed suddenly to grow taller. In his eyes gleamed a light, keen and commanding. Throwing back his cloak, he laid his hand on the hilt of a sword that had hung concealed by his side.

Again, in Rivendell he is portrayed in terms of brightness and light, this time the light not coming from his eyes but his heart:

His dark cloak was thrown back, and he seemed to be clad in elven mail, and a star shone on his breast.

On the fields of Rohan, the light is on Aragorn’s brow, and it also shines from his sword:

Aragorn threw back his cloak. The elven-sheath glittered as he grasped it, and the bright blade of Anduril shone like a sudden flame as he swept it out. 'Elendil!" he cried. "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and am called Elessar, the Elfstone, Dunadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil's son of Gondor. Here is the Sword that was Broken and is forged again! Will you aid me or thwart me? Choose swiftly!"

What does this tell us about Aragorn and the light? I think this does hint at his ‘divine right’. It could be that he has ‘the divine light of kings’ rather than the ‘divine right of kings’. He goes from having a light in the eyes as a Ranger to having a light in the heart as Arwen’s betrothed, and on to a light in his sword (hint of the origins of light-sabres here) and a light on his brow as both soldier and commander or king in waiting. Where does the light come from? I am certain that Aragorn has something of the ‘otherworld’ about him; after all, he has spent his youth in Rivendell and is one of few Men ever to be welcomed in Lorien. He has walked amongst the Elves for much of his life, and is even loved by an Elf.

But there is something else here. In each of these quotes, he is shown as throwing back his cloak. Aside from this being a grand and dramatic gesture, is his ‘light’ hidden beneath this cloak? Reading on a little, his encounter with Eowyn is slightly different:

And she now was suddenly aware of him: tall heir of kings, wise with many winters, greycloaked, hiding a power that yet she felt.

She sees him as a king, yet he remains cloaked. Does he have no need to impress her in the same way he has had to impress others? Why does he hide his ‘light’ here? This will be discussed soon enough though, so I shall leave that particular mystery there.

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by davem

Certainly this would make Denethor's reluctance to accept Aragorn more significant - if he believes Aragorn's house has long since been bereft of Lordship & dignity, then he would have some case. And that leads on to a further question - he dosen't say Aragorn's house has lost its 'lordship & dignity' he says it has been bereft of those things - they have been taken away - but by whom, & for what reason? If Illuvatar is the one who bestowed Lordship & dignity (ie the divinely appointed right to rule) then wouldn't that imply that Illuvatar was the one who took it away?

Denethor would like to think so. But he can hardly be credited with clear vision; perhaps once he had it, but lately his favorite viewing was what Sauron allowed him to see, which thoroughly skewed his judgement. And Aragorn had looked into the palantir by then, so Sauron knew about him. Certainly Sauron didn't want Denethor welcoming Aragorn back.

This is a whole book ahead of ourselves!

Originally Posted by davem

In the end (at the end), we see the people of Gondor accepting Aragorn as their ruler - but is that simply because he has lead them to victory in the war against Sauron, or is there more to it - has he shown, besides that, that he is truly the divinely appointed King?

That's what the houses of healing are all about: "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and thus shall the true king be known." With his use of Athelas near Weathertop, his kingship is foreshadowed even then.

But in Gondor, such things were dismissed as Old Ioreth Tales, and much wisdom was (almost) lost.

[The Saucepan Man]

First a quick observation:

Before them in the West the world lay still, formless and grey; but even as they looked, the shadows of the night melted, the colours of the waking earth returned: green flowed over the wide meads of Rohan; the white mists shimmered in the watervales ...

Our first proper view of Rohan is described in terms of green and white - it's symbolic colours. And, although it becomes apparent that things are amiss in the realm, it is described throughout the Chapter in terms of its greenery and freshness. To my mind, this conveys the impression that, whatever might be wrong, it is essentially a "good" place. Consider the description of the plains, and the words of Legolas, as the Three Hunters descend from the Emyn Muil:

They seemed to have left the winter clinging to the hills behind. Here the air was softer and warmer, and faintly scented, as if spring was already stirring and the sap was flowing again in herb and leaf. Legolas took a deep breath, like one that drinks a great draught after long thirst in barren places.

"Ah! The green smell!" he said. "It is better than much sleep. Let us run!"

And so to Aragorn, concerning whom I have a little admission to make. As I read the book this time round, I am coming to appreciate him much more as a character. By which I mean his development as a character as the story progresses.

In last week's discussion, I indicated my view that, in the previous Chapter, he reached a low point with Boromir's death, and seemed to almost lose hope. But that Chapter left him with renewed determination and decisiveness. And now we see him in his element - using his formidable tracking skills to follow the trail of the Orcs and pick up the clues that have been left in their wake. Just as the need for these skills in the previous Chapter allowed him to make the choices that were required, so his confidence builds in this Chapter as he relies on those skills which, through many years in the wild, now come almost naturally to him and in which he has complete confidence. And, in turn, he comes to have increased confidence in himself generally. No more is he grappling with hard choices. His actions throughout this Chapter are quick and decisive.

He is momentarily at a loss when the Orcs' trail is lost in the valley but he is able to find the evidence that he needs to point the way and, once found, is swift in his resolve to follow. When the time comes to make a the choice between resting and continuing, Legolas and Gimli, accepting him as their leader, look to him for a decision (having presented the opposing arguments). It is, as he says, a "hard choice" since resting will allow the Orcs to get further away while continuing risks missing clues in the darkness and wearing themselves (or Aragorn and Gimli at least) out. But Aragorn makes his decision and sticks with it. He is still not entirely sure of himself. But he is making choices - and it seems to me that he is making the right ones.

But it is in the encounter with Eomer and his Men that Aragorn really proves his mettle. Whereas Legolas and Gimli risk bringing the wrath of the Riders on them with their words, Aragorn handles the situation perfectly. Although, after stepping in to prevent things "going ill", his first words are conciliatory, he is no less confrontational than his companions in insisting that Eomer declares where his allegiance lies. But he speaks with authority and has the confidence to declare his heritage. His challenge to Eomer is, given their situation, breathtaking in its audacity:

Will you aid me or thwart me? Choose swiftly!

Indeed, it might be considered foolhardy were it not for the fact that Aragorn now has the confidence (not to mention the bearing and the pedigree) to pull it off. And so, rather than being enraged, Eomer is taken aback in awe and "cast[s] down his proud eyes". I would hazard a guess that, had this encounter occurred a few days earlier at Amon Hen, Aragorn would not have had the confidence in himself to pull it off. But, as Rimbaud said, he is developing as a leader. He is, as davem has pointed out, as much on a journey as Frodo (although a different one). Not at all the "flat" character that I had previously perceived.

As to whether he has a “divine right” to rule, I must say that the point seems rather moot to me. If he had not gained the support of the people of Gondor, then divine right would have counted for little. And it is through his words and action that he gains their trust and support, just as he does in this Chapter with Eomer (and it is also notable, in this regard, that Legolas and Gimli accept him as their leader without question or even comment).

I find the reaction of Eomer and his Men to the tales with which they are confronted very interesting indeed:

"These are indeed strange days," [Eomer] muttered. "Dreams and legends spring to life out of the grass".

[Eomer] looked at them with renewed wonder, but his eyes hardened. "Then there is a Lady in the Golden Wood, as old tales tell!" he said. "Few escape her nets, they say. These are strange days! But if you have her favour, then you also are net-weavers and sorcerers, maybe."

"Halflings!" laughed the Rider that stood beside Eomer. "Halflings! But they are only a little people in old songs and children's tales out of the North. Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?"

It seems to me to be a measure of Tolkien's confidence in his own skills as a story-teller that he feels able to have his "historic" (Anglo-Saxon) characters dismiss the "fantastical" elements of his story (Aragorn's heritage, the Lady of the Wood, Hobbits) as dreams and legends in the confidence that his readers will side with the fantastic. And of course we do, because these fantasy elements have become real and credible to us.

And this in itself enhances the credibility of the fantasy. It is the realisation (subconsciously perhaps) of our complete acceptance of the fantasy that affirms it as "reality" for us in the context of the story. Whether this was intentional on Tolkien's part I cannot say for sure, but the way in which he has the Rohirrim regard Hobbits as the stuff of legends persuades me that it was, since they are the characters with whom we have from the start been led to identify most closely with.