CirdanLinweilin
The Wandering Wastrel
- Joined
- May 13, 2016
- Messages
- 1,495
The whole Quest was literally Teetering on the very tip of a knife, more specifically the tip of the blade of Sam, who could have doomed middle-earth by slaying Gollum on the slopes of Mount Doom. Thereby dooming all the world. I know Tolkien made it a point to chide Sam for ruining Gollum's *one* chance of redemption but he also made it a point to congratulate Sam with brisk anxiety for sparing him as Frodo entered the Sammath Naur.
"This dreadful chance!' Gandalf exclaims at the very beginning of our tale, and my goodness how true is during this one riveting climax.
Throughout the whole tale the Fellowship had to adapt to constantly shifting circumstances and dire chances, all the while keeping the ruse up to the very point when Frodo falls, and YET even then Sauron feels such inexplicable and existential dread and cannot get to Orodruin fast enough before he is defeated. Frodo and Sam got all the way to the end goal that it was over for Sauron. Even when he was alerted "and the plan was laid bare." It was TOO LATE.
You just know Nienna, Lady of Mercy, who taught Gandalf who taught the three hobbits: Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam was FIGHTING to the Bitter End. If she never taught Gandalf who taught Bilbo, then Gollum wouldn't be alive. YET! Sam almost ruins the mercy of Bilbo with one slash of his blade.
But that Dreadful Chance!
"I can put it no plainer Frodo than to say Bilbo was *meant* to find the ring, and you were *meant* to have it, and that is an *encouraging thought.*"
Ugh, Tolkien was a MASTER.
CL
"This dreadful chance!' Gandalf exclaims at the very beginning of our tale, and my goodness how true is during this one riveting climax.
Throughout the whole tale the Fellowship had to adapt to constantly shifting circumstances and dire chances, all the while keeping the ruse up to the very point when Frodo falls, and YET even then Sauron feels such inexplicable and existential dread and cannot get to Orodruin fast enough before he is defeated. Frodo and Sam got all the way to the end goal that it was over for Sauron. Even when he was alerted "and the plan was laid bare." It was TOO LATE.
You just know Nienna, Lady of Mercy, who taught Gandalf who taught the three hobbits: Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam was FIGHTING to the Bitter End. If she never taught Gandalf who taught Bilbo, then Gollum wouldn't be alive. YET! Sam almost ruins the mercy of Bilbo with one slash of his blade.
But that Dreadful Chance!
"I can put it no plainer Frodo than to say Bilbo was *meant* to find the ring, and you were *meant* to have it, and that is an *encouraging thought.*"
Ugh, Tolkien was a MASTER.
CL
