[dancing spawn of ungoliant]

This last chapter has quite a light and humorous tone, much like in the Hobbit. There are little jokes again and almost everything is so well.

Originally Posted by The Grey Havens

Altogether 1420 was a marvellous year. Not only was there wonderful sunshine and delicious rain, in due times and perfect measure, but there seemed something more: an air of richness and growth, and a gleam of beauty beyond that of mortal summers that flicker and pass upon this Middle-earth.

Was it pure chance that the weather happened to be so pleasant, or was there something that Sam would have called Elf-magic involved? Was it because after such a lousy year under the repression of Sharkey's ruffians, just about everything looked so much better?

All the children born or begotten in that year, and there were many, were fair to see and strong, and most of them had a rich golden hair that had been rare among the hobbits.

It's quite natural that there's growth in birth rate after a wartime, but what's the deal with so many kids suddenly showing a recessive trait ie. having blonde hair? Perhaps something to do with the Lady of the Golden Wood? Also,

The fruit was so plentiful that young hobbits very nearly bathed in strawberries and cream; and later they sat on the lawns under the plum-trees and ate, until they had made piles of stones like small pyramids or the heaped skulls of conqueror

Sounds very sweet, but that's an interesting comparison. Where would a hobbit had seen so many pyramids and skull heaps that he would think of them when seeing a pile of stones? Of course imagination is unlimited, but I think that's a rather unfitting figure of speech for the Shire. Anyway, life is good and as though to complete a fairy tale ending, the old feud between the Bagginses and the Sackville-Bagginses is over. Except, Frodo is ill on the same date as the Ring was destroyed and he was wounded at Weathertop.

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Frodo has descended into illness and though he can cope day to day so long as he retreats from society, his trauma shows through especially during the anniversaries.

I always used to think that there was some kind of poison left in Frodo's body from the Nazgul's sword that made Frodo sick, but this time I read the passage, it occured to me that Frodo's illness seems much more psychological than physical. Maybe it's the same kind of feeling that elves eventually have; Frodo's body was fine, but his mind was weary. Just like the elves, he longed to get somewhere else.