My thoughts: There is a lot to be found in this short passage, but I think Merroe has hit the nail on the head: At least on first reading I mostly like the interactions between the
Hobbits and
Strider, and the Hobbits becoming exposed to the whole wide world. Up until now, their adventures have been mostly '
Hobbit adventures', both in the sense that they have been rather episodic like
Bilbo's adventures in 'The Hobbit', and in the sense that it is conceivable other Hobbits may have had similar adventures: expeditions into
the Old Forest certainly, maybe meeting
Tom Bombadil, possibly also being attacked by
barrow-wights, and again certainly visiting
Bree. But now the Hobbits are really leaving the familiar behind and experience the world outside their little bubble (would this area beyond Bree still be on any Hobbit
maps?).
On a closer reading I keep finding stuff to like about the passage however, so here goes:
1) The personification of the landscape itself: This happens several times in this passage, here are some examples: 'The
hills drew nearer', '[the track] ran cunningly, taking a line that seemed chosen so as to keep as much hidden as possible from the view', 'hewn stones that screened the travellers', 'a rough crown on
the old hill's head'. Such personifications make
Middle-Earth really more than just a setting of the story, and rather like an actual character with it's own agenda. This is of course found over and over in the
books, and it is often seen that the land remembers its inhabitants and takes on some of their character. This area having been part of
Arnor then unsurprisingly seems quite helpful to the Hobbits traveling in companionship with
Elendil's heir.
2)
Aragorn's description of
Weathertop seems almost symbolic of the fate of his own line:
It was burned and broken, and nothing remains of it now but a tumbled ring, like a rough crown on the old hill's head. Yet once it was tall and fair. It is told that Elendil stood there [...]'
Note both the mention of a crown and the explicit connection to Elendil.
3) It also hinted at that Strider already knows much more about
Frodo and the Hobbits than he let on before. Previously he seemed to know of their business only from
Gandalf and just seemed to have general knowledge of
the Shire and it's inhabitants. But on the Fall of
Gil-Galad he says here that
Bilbo must have translated it. I never knew that.
That seems to imply that this is something Strider could have known, i.e. that he knows Bilbo personally, and probably quite closely to normally know about Bilbo's poetry and other writings. This is the case, of course, as we learn later. But if Strider knows Bilbo closely enough to share in his poetry, then surely he has also heard all about Frodo and to some extent his friends. This then throws a new light on his first meeting with Frodo & friends in
the Prancing Pony.
4) In general this passage contains many themes that are also to be found in the larger story: Theses themes include but are not limited to:
- The interaction of land and inhabitants with the overgrown walls and remains of Arnorian buildings,
- The Hobbits being put out of their comfort zone into the wide world,
- The sense of decline with the ruined watch tower and mention of the Last Alliance and Gil-Galad,
- 'Historic depth' with the hinting at the conflict of Arnor and Angmar,
- 'Textual depth' with the hinting at the full 'Fall of Gil-Galad' as is found in so many places where Tolkien had written some longer version, often in poetry, of some event only mentioned briefly in the text,
- The notion of the narrative frame as the reader is reminded that what we read here was 'in the story' actually written by some of the characters we know,
- Mention of the 'ancient tongues'
I agree that it is a great passage, and maybe this is why for me: It contains so many elements that intrigue me about
the Lord of the Rings as a whole.
On the last lines: I agree with Rilien. Some words seem to carry power in themselves, and (at least Aragorn seems to think) it is not wise to utter them carelessly. I'll just throw in this quote from the previous chapter, where the word '
Mordor' comes up as well:
[Frodo:] These Black Riders: I am not sure, but I think, I fear they come from -'
'They come from Mordor,' said Strider in a low voice. 'From Mordor, Barliman, if that means anything to you.'
[...]
'I am,' said Mr. Butterbur. 'More than ever. Though I don't know what the likes of me can do against, against -' he faltered.
'Against the Shadow in the East,' said Strider quietly.
Note how both Frodo and Butterbur don't want to or can't quite utter the name, and even Strider says it 'in a low voice' and then uses some other term. Now is this restriction self-imposed, like the 'You-know-who' in Harry Potter, or is there some deeper reason for not using the word casually?
Drifting completely into speculation, I could also imagine a combination of both, where saying 'Mordor' actually does have some power, maybe the
Ringwraiths are particularly sensitive to that word and can hear it over greater distances, and therefore usage of the word was 'banned' in ancient Arnor during their struggle with Angmar. This 'ban' is now only remembered in the Shire and the Breeland as some kind of societal inhibition that Frodo and Butterbur display above. Who knows? I certainly don't...
Anyways, it is always fun to delve into some short passage like this. Thanks for the assignment
