Why did the Nazgul not succeed in Bree and on Weathertop?

[Raynor]

I've also had the impression that the Nazgul became more powerful the closer they came to Sauron in Mordor. During the passage of the Dead Marshes Sam and Frodo were more terrified by the cries of the Nazgul than they had been in the Shire.

According to the Tale of Years, RotK, that event happens ~two weeks before the attack on Minas Tirith. Concerning the witch-king at that time, Tolkien stated:

Originally Posted by Letter #210

The Witch-king, their leader, is more powerful in all ways than the others; but he must not yet be raised to the stature of Vol. III. There, put in command by Sauron, he is given an added demonic force.

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

I think it's worth quoting the above passage in full, since it reveals a lot about the innate powers of the Ringwraiths.

Originally Posted by J.R.R. Tolkien (Letters #210)

Their peril is almost entirely due to the unreasoning fear which they inspire (like ghosts). They have no great physical power against the fearless; but what they have, and the fear that they inspire, is enormously increased in darkness. The Witch-king, their leader, is more powerful in all ways than the others; but he must not yet be raised to the stature of Vol. III. There, put in command by Sauron, he is given an added demonic force. But even in the Battle of the Pelennor, the darkness had only just broken.

Therefore, Frodo's call to Elbereth and attack on his assailant succeed because he overcomes his fear, which is the Ringwraiths' chief weapon. Perhaps Cardinal Ximenez could be defeated in the same way, but that's another argument. Of course, knowing that Frodo had received a Morgul wound, which was enough to kill the great Ruling Steward Boromir (not to be confused with his namesake from the Fellowship), probably played a part as well. What would be the point of risking a fight with Aragorn (in which one or more of the Nazgul might themselves be destroyed, just as the Witch-King was by Eowyn) when the Ringbearer will soon become a lesser wraith himself? The Nazgul aren't really that powerful: they seem so only because of the fear they inspire. This, of course, makes more sense when one considers Sauron himself. He deals in treachery and betrayal, and those are things which he expects from his followers. Why would he want minions who were powerful enough to offer him resistance if the thought took them?

The presence of Aragorn at Weathertop and Glorfindel at the Ford of Bruinen, together with the surprise release of the floodwaters, are unexpected setbacks to the Nazgul. Sauron knows enough to know that hobbits are small and unwarlike, so his Ringwraiths ought to be enough to overcome four of them. It's only the presence of those factors that cause their efforts to fail so early in the story, even if one takes into account the hidden qualities of the hobbits themselves. It's a wonderful irony that those whose main weapon is fear are themselves so easily overcome by it.

[The 1,000 Reader]

There's a problem with that though. Fear or not, the Nazgul could still just shiv Frodo, which they did. Also, I doubt that Aragorn could have vanquished any Nazgul at that point with a broken blade. If anything, he'd be vanquished.

[Raynor]

This passage in TTT is rather puzzling, seeing how Mordor was desolate at the time of the making of the swords:

Originally Posted by The departure of Boromir, TTT

They were borne by the hobbits. Doubtless the Orcs despoiled them, but feared to keep the knives, knowing them for what they are: work of Westernesse, wound about with spells for the bane of Mordor

I found another interesting quote in the Reader's companion; it sheds more light on this

Originally Posted by Chapter 6: THE BATTLE OF THE PELENNOR FIELDS, page 564, LotR Companion, by Hammond and Scull

On 18 April and 6 May 1963, Tolkien wrote to Anneke C. Kloos-Adriaansen and P. Kloos that the incidents of the witch-king in Book I, Chapter 12, and of Merry's sword in the present chapter:

[alatar]

Surely a frequent poster to the Movies section will just love to read this, but the more I read it, the more I don't get the shiv at Weathertop.

Assuming we all know what does take place, let's recap what could have fared for fair Frodo as the Nazgul approach on Weathertop:

• Like every other hobbit on the scene, he swoons. Does the Witch-King stab his prone body? Can the King even see the hobbit?

• Frodo does not put on the Ring and stands his ground, sword and brand in hand with elvish words on his lips. Does the Witch-King attack?

• He gets shivved, Ring on, and dies immediately. What then?

What happens if the Witch-King hits his mark? If Frodo dies, wouldn't another of the party take the Ring to bear? Would Aragorn not be a somewhat better bearer ("Merry, Sam, Pip - we must bury the fallen. Why don't you guys start while I search for some...ah...athelas" Aragorn runs off eastward when their backs are turned.)? The Nazgul flee, and so the Ring stays with Frodo. If Frodo were to become a wraith, could he carry the Ring to the Nine?

Surely Frodo had the luck on that hill, but think that the Witch-King lucked out as well. By not killing him on Weathertop, and by horse-surfing the Bruinen, the Witch-King sets up the conditions for Frodo to hand deliver the Ring to its Master.

Conspiracy indeed.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

but they are able to cut the Hobbit's pillows, so they must have some physical power.

Um, no. That was Bill Ferney, the Isengarder, and (probably) Harry Goatleaf.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

Um, no. That was Bill Ferney, the Isengarder, and (probably) Harry Goatleaf.

Really? What's your support for this theory?

I know, there is that thing with them being afraid of attacking the Inn, but... I am not sure whether I'd buy this. "He's a thief, he's a liar, but he's not a murderer."

[skip spence]

As much as I love "The Fellowship of The Ring", I've always found the Weathertop episode rather ridiculos. I can see why they failed in Bree but at Weathertop they should have taken the ring, if they indeed were Sauron's deadliest servants. They knew it was there and attacked at night, unseen and led by their great captain. It should've ended there and then, if they had any power apart from fear.

And also, even if they did fail to win the ring at weathertop, how come they lost their trail and allowed their pray to get away? Did they just flee like headless chicken?

Originally Posted by The Squatter of Amon Rûdh

It's a wonderful irony that those whose main weapon is fear are themselves so easily overcome by it.

That is ironic. The most fearful creatures known to men scared ****less by a midget and a name. It's like a monster too afraid to come out from under a little kid's bed at night.

[davem]

Originally Posted by skip spence

That is ironic. The most fearful creatures known to men scared ****less by a midget and a name. It's like a monster too afraid to come out from under a little kid's bed at night.

My take is that its not simply a 'name' - Frodo invoked Elbereth, called down her protection, & she intervened directly - or at the very least the Nazgul feared that she might do so. However powerful the Nazgul might be in M-e Varda could have squished them without a thought.

[Boromir88]

However powerful the Nazgul might be in M-e Varda could have squished them without a thought.~davem

Isn't it also mentioned in The Silmarillion that even Morgoth (and all "dark" creatures) fear/hate Varda?

Calling upon Elbereth was important, but let's also not forget Frodo was wielding a blade that was specifically designed to take down the Witch-King:

...work of Westernesse, wound about with spells for the bane of Mordor.~The Departure of Boromir

As well as the tremendous courage Frodo showed. In an unpublished manuscript Tolkien wrote (that appears in Hammond and Scull's book)...

'But above all the timid and terified Bearer had resisted him, had dared to strike at him with an enchanted sword made by his own enemies long ago for his destruction. Narrowly it had missed him. How had he come by it -save in the barrows of cardolan. Then he was in some way mightier than the B{arrow} -wight; and he called on Elbereth, a name of terror to the nazgul. He was then in league with the High Elves ofthe Havens.

Escaping a wound that would have been as deadly to him as the Mordor -knife to Frodo (as was proved at the end), he withdrew and hid for a while, out of doubt and fear both of Aragorn and especially of Frodo. But fear of Sauron , and the forces of Sauron's will was the stronger

Frodo found the courage (during the night when the Nazgul have their greatest "fear factor") to lunge out and strike him...not only have the courage to take a swipe at him, but take a swipe at the Witch-King with an enchanted blade that was designed to destroy him.

As I said in another thread, the Witch-King has a tendancy to know when he is overmatched, and when he knows he is overmatched he has a tendancy to run away.

[skip spence]

Nah, I don't buy it.

Why would the Witch King be afraid of Frodo and the name of Varda if he wasn't a big sissy?

Frodo is less then four feet tall and although he had a tiny sword that could actually harm the nazguls the five of them should still have been able to deal with him easily to say the least. And with the ring on they could see Frodo clearly, whereas Aragorn and the others could not see the wraiths, which they would've known very well.

They must also have known that Varda was sitting with Manwë up on Taniquetil and wasn't going to Weathertop anytime soon. And she certainly could not squish even a bug with thought only.

And perhaps they were afraid of fire, but isn't that just another example of their sissyness? I mean, brands are no match for swords and would also cool off very quickly.

Actually, that name 'Elbereth' would be more deadly to the Witch King than Frodo's strike I always interpreted as grim sarcasm from Aragorn. You know, the brave but pathetic stab wasn't going to harm the Witch King at all, whereas the name 'Elbereth' at least hurt his feelings. I always figured they drew back because they took pleasure in tormenting their pray by prolonging their misery or something like that.

[Galendor]

Originally Posted by skip spence

And perhaps they were afraid of fire, but isn't that just another example of their sissyness? I mean, brands are no match for swords and would also cool off very quickly.

The wraiths are ghostly forms wearing black cloth robes. Regular swords might not hurt them - but Aragorn's fiery brand could have caught their robes on fire and burnt them up. Then the wraiths would find themselves completely naked and very far from home - a scary thought for anyone!