LotR -- Book 1 - Chapter 08 - Fog on the Barrow-Downs

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Origenaly poster by Noxomanus:
I suddenly wonder: what would have happened if the Barrow-Wight,or Old Man Willow, had taken the Ring?? Could they have used it?

I'm not sure about Old man willow, but the Barrow wights were servants of the Necromancer, AKA Sauron and so would have sought to return the ring to him. Old man willow would probably perceive that it was a great power and may have kept it to himself, it would eventually have come into the hands of Tom Bomadill I expect, he would probably know that OMW had some mighty power and so taken it from him. Then thrown it away thinking it useless. So soon it would have fallen back into the hands of evil once again.

[Evisse the Blue]

Reading that, I assumed that the wights's spell forced everyone to relive the last day of the men of Westernersse and the whole dressing them up in those outfits and the jewellery served to enact the moment. If Tom Bombadil did not come to their rescue, they would probably have spent an eternity dreaming of that last battle, and believing they were indeed the men who were murdered. Why the wights were doing that is a mystery, and that's what makes it so scary.

The fact that only Merry voices it, does not mean that only Merry remembers it, or that this dream came to Merry alone. The others may have been to frightened or confused to be able to put into words similar visions they had.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

This is "our" chapter! Actually, back in the early days of the forum, The Barrow-Wight used its title for the site's newsletters.

I must say, even after repeated readings, I find the atmosphere that Tolkien creates here eery, spooky, and creepy. It seems such a short time between the Hobbits' cheerful start in the morning to the events on the Downs. I wonder - on the next day they notice that they could not have reached the road within that one day. Was their encounter with the Wight inevitable? Did Tom realize that and allow it to happen for some reason?

After MovieFrodo's rapid deterioration into helplessness, it's refreshing to see BookFrodo's courage here. He relinquishes the passivity that envelopes him at first and is now the person who saves the others - as Sam was in the Old Forest. Later in Rivendell, Gandalf says to him, "You have some strength in you, my dear hobbit! As you showed in the Barrow. That was touch and go: perhaps the most dangerous moment of all." And that was after Weathertop!

The LotR Reader's Companion has a number of interesting and informative tidbits in the accompanying chapter. For example, it compares the "Cold be hand" poem to the oath of the Orcs of Morgoth in the Lay of Leithian, beginning: "Death to light, to law, to love!" It also points out a severed, sinister hand and arm in Tolkien's picture Maddo, illustration #78 in JRRT: Artist and Illustrator, which has no contextual connection with this story at all. Did Tolkien draw upon personal nightmares in this passage?

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

I must say, even after repeated readings, I find the atmosphere that Tolkien creates here eery, spooky, and creepy. It seems such a short time between the Hobbits' cheerful start in the morning to the events on the Downs. I wonder - on the next day they notice that they could not have reached the road within that one day. Was their encounter with the Wight inevitable? Did Tom realize that and allow it to happen for some reason?

I completely agree. This chapter has always had some sort of magic about it. The atmosphere is truly chilling.

I do not think Tom realized it was going to happen, because of his unaware nature, but I do think that the encounter was inevitable. Maybe Tom just didn't put it together?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Good thoughts on the matter! I will try to add some of my own. But first...

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

I wonder - on the next day they notice that they could not have reached the road within that one day. Was their encounter with the Wight inevitable? Did Tom realize that and allow it to happen for some reason?

I don't think it was inevitable. Remember they fell asleep - but they could have reached the road in one day! Surely, they would have to ride fast and not stop for too long. But they could have surely left the Downs before sunset. The next day, they spend a lot of time in lazing around while Tom brings back the ponies. And mainly, I believe even if they had to stop for night outside the Road, it will be far beyond the reach of most of the Barrow-Wights. Or surely not in such a horrible trap like this one was.

Anyway... I will start from the wights, when I am already speaking of it. I think it's really scary, and this time when reading it, I was really close to being scared. From the moment when Frodo sees the two "stones" in the mist and rides through them it starts to be really scary. All the following passage is just horrific. When he awakens in the dark, it's a little better (although the crawling hand... well, but it's that silly zombie-like thingy which is rather disgusting than scary).

A funny side-observation. It was only now when I realised that the words "In the dark there was a snarling noise" are from this chapter, or, from Tolkien at all. The quote appeared in my mind from time to time (like last time when I was making breakfast in the kitchen. Don't ask how the connotations came). Anyway, I was carrying this quote in my head, but until this time I had fixed that it's from the Moomintroll books by Tove Jansson. Well, a man always learns something.

And the most important thing. Has no one realised that thing at the very beginning of the chapter, when Frodo awakens in Bombadil's house?
The very starting words:

That night they heard no noises. But either in his dreams or out of them, he could not tell which, Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind; a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to glass and silver, until at last it was rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise.

The boldened part. Don't tell me it does not remind you of something. (Okay, okay, just for the sake of being clear: I am referring to Frodo's departure from the Grey Havens where he saw exactly the same. But I believe you all know too well.)
My question would be: Why this? Why here? Bombadil's house is obviously the place for various visions and such things (Gandalf in the last chapter), but this is quite strong for a vision. Here the folks who fancy the theory of Bombadil or Goldberry or both being Maiar would surely find support. But otherwise... just a strange thing, even story-wise, why to introduce this - here? Maybe the reader does not notice now, and thus, will not remember when he sees that in the end for the second time - but the connection is there and one can see it. So, why?

[Rumil]

Ah, the Barrow Downs,

first a rather off-topic question for the Barrow-Wight and any other grizzled veterans. What made you choose the Barrow Downs as the name of this site? Is there a story of intrigue, infighting and wild artistic differences that goes with the genesis of the Downs? Your public must be told!

Anyway, on with the chapter. Legate- Frodo's dream - absolutely, though why now indeed? Perhaps now is the start of the 'real adventure' ie ring, nazgul etc and a premonition of suffering followed by reward? A conviction planted in Frodo's mind that he will come through everything, perhaps giving him strength at that crucial time in the Barrow?

On the scariness, quite right, my two local barrows are fine pleasant places......in the daylight.....by night, well I wouldn't know having never been that curious!

The pair of standing stones, does anyone else find these particularly sinister? To me they suggest 'This is the gateway to the Land of the Dead, Cower ye mortals!' sort of thing.

The Last Prince of Cardolan, or one of his friends and relations, well that's who seems to 'possess' Merry, initially this does not seem a problem, you go to a scary tomb, who would possess you but the spirits of people that have been buried there? However, we believe that this cannot happen due to men receiving 'The gift' and therefore their spirits being unavailable for haunting. Furthermore the wights were spirits out of Angmar, and I can't see houseless elf fea bothering to do impressions of Cardolanian princes. Hmmmmmm.

According to present day spiritualists (with whom I hold little truck!) locations can preserve 'echoes' of the people that died there, perhaps something similar is going on here, not real possession by an active spirit, but 'tape recorded' events of the past going through Merry's mind. Well I ain't convinced but otherwise am flummoxed on how to explain this incident.

Any takers for the theory that the Wights were previous victims of Morgul-knife stabbings?

Finally, the Arthedainian Hadrian's Wall (and defensive ditch) that the hobbits cross before reaching the road. This implies a very extensive defensive system indeed around Arthedain, with the fortifications on the Weather Hills as well (and Weathertop as the Key feature). It has been said that Hadrian's wall (and similarly the Great Wall of China) was not really of use as a fortification, due to the impossibilty of defending such a long stretch of masonry when attackers could concentrate forces where they wished. It was said to be mainly used as a method of controlling cross-border travel, as a prestige factor (don't mess with us we've built something bigger than you've ever seen before), and a blunt statement of 'Thus far but no further'. Also makes me think of Offa's dyke and the Wansdyke.

I wonder if there were supporting forts dotted along the Arthedainian Wall, now long since collapsed back into the greensward?

[alatar]

This chapter ends with Tom seeing the hobbits off on the Road towards the next chapter in their adventure, the Prancing Pony. Later, in Strider's tale, we learn that the ranger listened in while Tom directed the hobbits eastward.

Question1: Was Tom aware of Aragorn? (2) If Aragorn saw Tom guiding the hobbits, why does he later mistrust them (he considers that the hobbits may be a trap)?