📖👀 The Tower of Cirith Ungol

[m4r35n357]

Most of my comments here have been about references to first-age names. Now I have finished, I can mention a reference (that I forgot!) to the origin of Orcs, by Frodo.

The shadow that bred them can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own.

This is consistent with the Annals of Aman and QS(I) of c.1951,and a change from the Quenta Silmarillion of 1937.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

Our deep cover, licensed to grow potatoes special agent "Samwise the Brave" takes centre stage in this chapter. "The name's Gamgee, Samwise Gamgee and I prefer my rabbit stew stirred not shaken - it avoids spilling any". Sam comes to stunned and confused outside the eponymous tower. Tolkien provides some helpful timeline information. We are about eleven days before the climactic end of book V. At this moment Merry is riding with the Rohirrim to Minas Tirith where Pippin is trying to blow out the flames of Denethor's pyre and Aragorn is exchanging pleasantries with the army of the dead in the Corsair fleet at Pelargir e.g. "do you sleep at night?"

Sam puts the Ring on again though we're not told if and when he took it off. Just like one of Q's clever devices this enables Sam to hear what is happening in the tower and the sight of Frodo's mithril coat has led to the orcs all (or nearly all) killing each other. He can also hear poor Shelob bubbling in misery. There is an instance like this in the Bible (1 Sam 14) though there may well be something like this in northern mythology. Sam also gets delusions of grandeur of leading armies with a flaming sword. He also gets a first clear view of Orodruin or Mt Doom. The Ring's effect is stronger when this is visible: does the Ring know their plan?

Two statues of three-headed creatures or Watchers bar the main gate to the tower with a magic force field but Sam thinks of Galadriel's phial and thus gains entry but not without the Watchers raising the alarm with a shrill cry - very much like a Hammer film. Only the two orc captains, Shagrat and Gorbag and one of Shagrat's company Snaga are left alive. Shagrat kills Gorbag and Snaga dies in a fight with Sam. Mercifully Frodo is still alive but Shagrat escapes with a bundle that must include the mithril coat and Sam's sword.

Frodo thinks the orcs took the Ring but Sam shows Frodo that he has it round his neck. Frodo rather nastily demands it back. Sam does so but warns Frodo how dangerous the Ring has become now and offers to share the load. Frodo even calls Sam a thief though he later apologises. Sam goes foraging for food and suitable orc clothes and they use Galadriel's phial of light and some elvish (Gilthoniel Elbereth and Aiya enelion ancalima or hail Elbereth brightest of stars) to pass the Watchers. After they escape the keystone of the gate arch cracks and crashes, an alarm bell rings and the Watchers wail again. A Nazgul drops down to add to the fun.

Two good passages:
“No, they eat and drink, Sam. The Shadow that bred them can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own. I don’t think it gave life to the orcs, it only ruined them and twisted them; and if they are to live at all, they have to live like other living creatures. Foul waters and foul meats they’ll take, if they can get no better, but not poison. They’ve fed me, and so I’m better off than you. There must be food and water somewhere in this place."
and
“Ever and anon the furnaces far below its ashen cone would grow hot and with a great surging and throbbing pour forth rivers of molten rock from chasms in its sides. Some would flow blazing towards Barad-dûr down great channels; some would wind their way into the stony plain, until they cooled and lay like twisted dragon-shapes vomited from the tormented earth. In such an hour of labour Sam beheld Mount Doom, and the light of it, cut off by the high screen of the Ephel Dúath from those who climbed up the path from the West, now glared against the stark rock faces, so that they seemed to be drenched with blood.”

 

[TrackerOrc]

'while in Minas Tirith flames were rising and Pippin watched the madness growing in the eyes of Denethor.' Another killer line from Tolkien.

I wonder why the Ring sharpens your hearing like this? Maybe Sauron was getting a bit hard of hearing and put this in as a feature; he's getting on a bit isn't he?

 

[Eljorahir]

(This post contains Silmarillion spoilers.)

The chapter includes a dynamic Tolkien uses every now and then: a character is lost, in a dark place, feeling desperate and defeated, stops what they're doing and sings a song. And, the act of singing immediately brings them out of despair because someone else hears the song.

Samwise in the Tower:
"...weary and feeling finally defeated...there at the vain end of his long journey and his grief...his voice rang out...
In western lands beneath the Sun
the flowers may rise in Spring,
the trees may bud, the waters run,
the merry finches sing...
then he stopped short. He thought that he had heard a faint voice answering him...'Frodo!'..."

Beren in Taur-nu-Fuin:
"...being now alone and upon the threshold of the final peril...he believed that he must now say farewell to both love and light...
Farewell sweet earth and northern sky,
for ever blest, since here did lie
and here with lissom limbs did run
beneath the Moon, beneath the Sun...
...he sang aloud, caring not what ear should overhear him, for he was desperate and looked for no escape.
But Luthien heard his song, and she sang in answer, as she came through the woods unlooked for..."

Fingon upon the shoulders of Thangorodrim:
"...in search of Maedhros...looked in despair upon the desolation of the land; but no passage or crevice could he find through which he might come within Morgoth's stronghold...he took his harp and sang a song of Valinor...his voice rang in the mournful hollows that had never heard before aught save cries of fear and woe...

suddenly above him far and faint his song was taken up, and a voice answering called to him. Maedhros it was that sang amid his torment..."

It wouldn't surprise me if there are other examples, but these are the only ones that come to mind at the moment.