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Old 07-18-2004, 01:37 AM   #5
davem
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Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties
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davem is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.davem is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aiwendil
And Merry broke the same oath she did, did he not? He did swear fealty to Theoden and then disobey Theoden's command. I'm not sure what that says about oaths and oath-breakers, but it can't be ignored.
The interesting thing about Merry's 'oathbreaking' here is that Merry is actually trying to fulfil his oath:
Quote:
' I have a sword,' said Merry, climbing from his seat, & drawing from its black sheath his small bright blade. Filled suddenly with love for this old man, he knelt on one knee, & took his hand & kissed it. 'May I lay the sword of Meriadoc of the Shire on your lap, Theoden King?' he cried. 'Recieve my service, if you will!'

'Gladly will I take it,' said the King; & laying his long old hands upon the brown hair of the hobbit, he blessed him. 'Rise now, Meriadoc, esquire of Rohan of the household of Meduseld!' he said. Take your sword & bear it to good fortune!'

'As a father you shall be to me.' said Merry.

'For a little while,' said Theoden
'
The Passing of the Grey Company

Later, when Theoden tells Merrry he will not be allowed to ride into battle , Merry is shocked:

The King turned to Merry. 'I am going to war, Master Meriadoc,' he said. In a little while I sahll take the road. i release you from my service, but not from my friendship. You shall abaide here, & if you will, you shall serve the lady Eowyn, who will govern the folk in my stead.'

'But, but, lord,' Merry stammered. 'I offered you my sword. I do not want to be parted from you like this, Theoden King. And as all my friends have gone to the battle, I should be ashamed to stay behind.'
The Muster of Rohan

Finally, Theoden's words are almost an admission of his own fault:

Merry could not speak, but wept anew. 'Forgive me lord,' he said at last, 'if I broke your command, & yet have done no more in your service than to weep at our parting.'

The old King smiled. 'Grieve not! It is forgiven. Great heart will not be denied'.
The Battle of the Pelennor Fields
It seems that Merry has taken his oath of service to Theoden far more seroiusly than Theoden himself! Its also another example of how binding an oath actually is. Merry swore service to Theoden (he's even told Theoden he will follow him on the Paths of the Dead, if he is asked to), Theoden will put aside the oath, but Merry will not, & because of that the oath still binds Merry, & works itself out on the battlefield.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aiwendil
On a far lighter note, I was flipping through Letters the other day and remembered an anecdote of Tolkien's with some connection to this chapter. In 1958 he attended a "Hobbit Dinner" in Holland, held by a Dutch bookseller. One of the items on the menu was a mushroom soup. Apparently, by way of alluding to the book and as they did not know "all the names of the English vermins", they called it "Maggot Soup".
If anyone is interested, there is a 'reconstruction, of this event, with menu, speeches, account of Tolkien's journey & his feelings, & photographs of the actual event in the Proceedings of the JRR Tolkien Centenary Conference volume.
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