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Wight
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<img src="http://www.barrowdowns.com/images/posticons/sting.jpg" align=absmiddle> Re: Aragorn's Dilemma
I agree with much that has been said, particularly Kittle's point that Aragorn no doubt gave much weight to his "intuition" re: the fate of the Bearer being out of his hands. I think he was also aware that his destiny was pulling him towards Minas Tirith, as someone else pointed out. Did he peer into the Mirror of Galadriel during his stay in Lorien? Also, remember, there were practical considerations to rescuing Pippin and Merry -- as far as he knew, the Orcs who took them would head straight off to Mordor so that everything the two hobbits knew (which was much) could be extracted from them. This could have spelt disaster for the Quest.
I don't completely agree with this statement:
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Quote:<hr> Gandalf could not have foreseen that Smeagol/Gollum would bite off Frodo's finger.<hr></blockquote>
Gandalf seems to have had at least some vague feeling that Gollum would play a major part in the final act. He doesn't seem too put out at the Council of Elrond when he finds out that Gollum has escaped.
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Quote:<hr> "Well, well, he is gone," said Gandalf. "We have no time to seek for him again. He must do what he will.
But he may play a part yet that neither he nor Sauron have foreseen."<hr></blockquote>
This is uncharacteristic of Gandalf, who is well known for making sharp, wrathful comments when someone does something stupid or foolish. It's almost like when he hears this news, it "clicks" for him. Even if he isn't able to know the exact details, he clearly has some sense that Gollum will turn out to be an important component of the Quest.
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