LotR -- Book 4 - Chapter 09 - Shelob’s Lair

[Lalwendë]

I've never been scared of spiders, and I've been close to some very hairy tarantulas and large tropical jumping spiders, but when I first read the books I found this a truly frightening chapter. I think there is definitely something of the horror film conveyed here; the overly large, human eating bug is a well used motif in horror and sci-fi. I think it resonates with our basic fears that in general spiders and insects are not wholly safe creatures, and are to be avoided. Even if we don't have that fear, the idea of a huge, ravenous, murderous creature who only desires to kill us is one that will give us a thrill of fear.

Monstrous and abominable eyes they were, bestial and yet filled with purpose and with hideous delight, gloating over their prey trapped beyond all hope of escape.

Shelob appears to be a real spider - the other week I was looking at a dead spider through a magnifying glass and could see its many faceted eyes. But she is also an evil spider, one with purpose and intent, which adds to the scary image of her; all spiders are fairly ruthless predators, but cannot be said to be evil as it is their nature. To have a sentient, hungry, giant spider is surely one of the ultimate nightmares?

she served none but herself, drinking the blood of Elves and Men, bloated and grown fat with endless brooding on her feasts, weaving webs of shadow; for all living things were her food, and her vomit darkness. Far and wide her lesser broods, bastards of the miserable mates, her own offspring, that she slew, spread from glen to glen, from the Ephel Duath to the eastern hills, to Dol Guldur and the fastnesses of Mirkwood.

And what is worse, she has offspring...