LotR -- Book 5 - Chapter 02 - The Passing of the Grey Company

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Perhaps Eowyn is following her uncle's example: first she does her duty, as does he, then she goes chasing after glory, as does he.

Actually, I was under the impression that she was chasing death at the time.

Originally Posted by Encaitare

Also, this was to be a last stand of sorts, and knowing they'd be greatly outnumbered, the Rohirrim would need all the morale they could get. To be fighting alongside the king would probably inspire his men to fight harder. It's more heartening to have the king right there than doing what might be seen as hiding away where it was safe.

It could also have been his way of making things up to the Rohirrim after being such a useless king for so long.

Anyways, davem, what took you so long?

Originally Posted by davem

If he knows the words of the Seer & believes himself to be the Heir of Isildur then it is his destiny to take that road, but he is here seeking to avoid it. Halbarad then shows him the Standard of Arwen.

Perhaps he is still in a bit of denial about his kingship before being shown the standard, or he still desires to ride with the Rohirrim. It is interesting that indirectly, it was Arwen who nudged him into 'accepting his kingship'. (Undoubtedly, she has a lot to benefit from that.) Also, we see that Aragorn looked into the Palantir after being shown the standard. That act was the start of his 'journey' to kingship, as what he saw finally convinced him to take the Paths of the Dead. Not only that, he finally revealed himself to Sauron through the Palantir. All in all, he proved himself to be its rightful owner - to be king.

[Kuruharan]

Perhaps he is still in a bit of denial about his kingship before being shown the standard, or he still desires to ride with the Rohirrim.

I don't think he was in denial about his kingship. In the movies he was but I don't get that impression from the book. He may have been in doubt about which was the best way to go though...

[davem]

Baldor the Hapless

Away to the left something glittered in the gloom as Aragorn's torch drew near. Then Aragorn halted and went to look what it might be.
'Does he feel no fear?' muttered the Dwarf. 'In any other cave Gimli Gloin's son would have been the first to run to the gleam of gold. But not here! Let it lie!'
Nonetheless he drew near, and saw Aragorn kneeling, while Elladan held aloft both torches. Before him were the bones of a mighty man. He had been clad in mail, and still his harness lay there whole; for the cavern's air was as dry as dust, and his hauberk was gilded. His belt was of gold and garnets, and rich with gold was the helm upon his bony head face downward on the floor. He had fallen near the far wall of the cave, as now could be seen, and before him stood a stony door closed fast: his finger-bones were still clawing at the cracks. A notched and broken sword lay by him, as if he had hewn at the rock in his last despair.
Aragorn did not touch him, but after gazing silently for a while he rose and sighed, 'Hither shall the flowers of simbelmyne come never unto world's end,' he murmured. 'Nine mounds and seven there are now green with grass, and through all the long years he has lain at the door that he could not unlock. Whither does it lead? Why would he pass? None shall ever know!

The first time I read this chapter I was struck by the finding of the body at the door. This is an ioncredibly creepy moment. as the Comppany pass through the Paths of the Dead they find a corpse. He is not one of the Dead - he is merely dead. At this point in the narrative we are told nothing about him - although Aragorn seems to know his story he does not ellucidate for the benefit of his companions. In fact, it is not till the next chapter that we start to be given his background:

It is said that when the Eorlingas came out of the North and passed at length up the Snowbourn, seeking strong places of refuge in time of need, Brego and his son Baldor climbed the Stair of the Hold and so came before the Door. On the threshold sat an old man, aged beyond guess of years; tall and kingly he had been, but now he was withered as an old stone. Indeed for stone they took him, for he moved not, and he said no word, until they sought to pass him by and enter. And then a voice came out of him, as it were out of the ground, and to their amaze it spoke in the western tongue: The way is shut.
'Then they halted and looked at him and saw that he lived still; but he did not look at them. The way is shut, his voice said again. It was made by those who are Dead, and the Dead keep it, until the time comes. The way is shut.
'And when will that time be?' said Baldor. But no answer did he ever get. For the old man died in that hour and fell upon his face; and no other tidings of the ancient dwellers in the mountains have our folk ever learned. Yet maybe at last the time foretold has come, and Aragorn may pass.

We perhaps learn a little here about the nature of Baldor: he is not afraid to challenge this mysterous figure, the ‘guardian of the Door to the Paths of the Dead. He is also, it seems, an impatient young man. His innate curiosity comes across in the fact that though the man has told him that the way is shut until the time comes Baldor demands to know when that time shall be. This incident clearly plays on his mind - he cannot let it go. It seems to eat away at him, until opportunity arises:

'No man knows,' said Theoden: 'yet ancient legend, now seldom spoken, has somewhat to report. If these old tales speak true that have come down from father to son in the House of Eorl, then the Door under Dwimorberg leads to a secret way that goes beneath the mountain to some forgotten end. But none have ever ventured in to search its secrets, since Baldor, son of Brego, passed the Door and was never seen among men again. A rash vow he spoke, as he drained the horn at that feast which Brego made to hallow new-built Meduseld, and he came never to the high seat of which he was the heir

(2512-70: 2. Brego. He drove the enemy out of the Wold, and Rohan was not attacked again for many years. In 2569 he completed the great hall of Meduseld. At the feast his son Baldor vowed that he would tread 'the Paths of the Dead' and did not return.*2 Brego died of grief the next year.)

At Theoden’s funeral we are given Baldor’s ‘nickname’:

Then a minstrel and loremaster stood up and named all the names of the Lords of the Mark in their order: Eorl the Young; and Brego builder of the Hall; and Aldor brother of Baldor the hapless.

It’s interesting to look at the varioous meanings of the word ‘Hapless’:http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=hapless. There are various meanings, ranging from unlucky to cursed.

So, Baldor swears his rash vow at the feast, & dies mysteriously on the Paths of the Dead. We don’t know what he sought, but its clear that he didn’t die trying to escape from the Paths, but to get through the door he found in the cave wall:

He had fallen near the far wall of the cave, as now could be seen, and before him stood a stony door closed fast: his finger-bones were still clawing at the cracks. A notched and broken sword lay by him, as if he had hewn at the rock in his last despair.

It seems his ‘despair’ was not related to his inability to escape but to his inability to get through the door. What was on the other side - or, more importantly, what did Baldor believe was on the other side of it? Had the dead shown him something, only to take it away? Could he have escaped but chose not to go, preferring to die there? Or was it that he had become trapped by the Dead & saw the door as his only escape from them? We’ll never know, & I think that’s why this episode is at once so mysterious & disturbing. We both want to know what happened and at the same time do [/i]not[/i]!

Something else struck me. Baldor’s place in the royal line is taken by his younger brother, Aldor:

2544-2645: 3. Aldor the Old. He was Brego's second son. He became known as the Old, since he lived to a great age, and was king for 75 years. In his time the Rohirrim increased, and drove out or subdued the last of the Dunlendish people that lingered east of Isen. Harrowdale and other mountain-valleys were settled.

Is anyone else struck by the similarity between Baldor/Aldor & Boromir/Faramir? The older brother in each case is reckless, proud & ‘hapless’. Each falls, to be replaced by a wiser younger brother, who is more suited to rule. Maybe it was better in each case that the older brother died. Boromir redeems himself in his fall, Baldor, on the other hand, remains an example of folly. In the end, whatever vow he took in the Hall that night is not recorded - to go & return? To dare the Paths whetever betide? To test the old man’s words? Like the exact reason for his death in the darkness, we’ll never know. Certainly, it seems his fate was sealed by the old man’s words. And given the situation of the old man, one may be forgiven for wondering if, after all Baldor was cursed.

[Formendacil]

The company halted, and there was not a heart among them that did not quail, unless it were the heart of Legolas of the Elves, for whom the ghosts of Men have no terror.

I find this an interesting line- almost the illustration of the difference between Elves and Half-Elves. Remember, Elladan and Elrohir are not mentioned here!

Quite often, I feel, people have the tendency to focus on the Elven-half of the Half-Elves. Perhaps that's because the most prominent Half-Elves: Earendil, Elwing, and Elrond chose Elven-kind. And as noted when Elladan and Elrohir arrive at the start of this chapter, the Elvish blood in them differentiates them immediately from their human kindred the first time we speak of them:

"But even as Aragorn, they are courteous, if they break their silence," said Legolas. "And have you maked the brethern Elladan and Elrohir? Less sombre is their gear than the others', and they are fair and gallant as Elven-lords; and that is not to be wondered at in the sons of Elrond of Rivendell."

And Elladan and Elrohir are only approximately one-quarter Elf, as their mother was a full-blooded Elf.

Not a huge point, to be made, but I found it fascinating to see a hint of "Man" in these Half-Elves so often portrayed only according to their Elven "half".

[Guinevere]

In this chapter a lot of things happen, some of which I remembered clearly (e.g. the scene with Eowyn) and others I had quite forgotten (eg that the rangers had brought Aragorn's horse Roheryn, and how their horses had such a love for their masters that they followed them into the path of the dead.)

I quite agree with Davem about Merry!

Aragorn becomes more and more a hero who is more than human. He even has the strength to wrench the palantír from Sauron! - yet this description is very touching

He looked like one who had laboured in sleepless pain for many nights

and shows that he is not a "superman".

originally written by Formendacil:
One thing that I find somewhat... annoying about this chapter, is the fact that Aragorn's confrontation with Sauron is just passed over, referred to after the fact.

This would be very difficult to describe - I think it is much more effectful to have just Aragorn tell about it, and show the effect it had on him.

I, too, wondered about Malbeth's prophecy. For how long had Aragorn known that he was the one it referred to ? Still, I think he was not constrained to go that way, it was just that he had that option, that nobody else had. The silver horn Elrohir gave to him (another fact I had forgotten) must have been Isildur's, and Elrond had kept it for that purpose.

The meeting with Eowyn is a very well known and beloved scene, and many girls I know sort of identify with her rebellious longing for freedom and great deeds.(not me, though, I'm more the stay-at-home-type ) It is quite exceptional for a woman in that time, and very brave, to reveal her feelings in that way!

Lhunardawen wrote:
Actually, I was under the impression that she was chasing death at the time.

I'm not quite sure here either. First, Eowyn was dismayed that Aragorn would choose the Paths of the Dead because she was convinced that he would not survive it. Then she offers, nay begs him, to take her with him. Did she mean to die together with him? If he would have ridden to battle with Théoden and Eomer, would she still have wanted to accompany him?

And here is this theme again (that I pointed out in the chapter "The stairs of Cirith Ungol", about Frodo):
to do one's duty is what is most important, not the striving after individual happiness (as it is in most modern novels.); even if one gets no renown for it. This has become a very rare virtue nowadays!

Eowyn: "....may I not spend my life as I will?"
Aragorn: "Few may do that with honour."
Aragorn: Then there will be need of valour without renown, for none shall remember the deeds that are done in the last defence of your homes. Yet the deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised."

Aragorn himself puts duty over what he would prefer to do:

"Because I must." he said. "Only so can I see any hope of doing my part in the war against Sauron."

Halbarad, too, does what he feels to be his duty, even if it may cost his life:

"This is an evil door" said Halbarad "and my death lies beyond it. I will dare to pass it nonetheless."

I have had discussions (in a German Forum) with people who critiziced Tolkien's style for being "not emotional enough", because the thoughts and feelings of the protagonists were not described elaborately. To them, the characters seemed somehow "flat" and "cold". I myself don't have that impression at all!
Of course, we cannot see into Aragorn's mind like into that of Sam and the hobbits, because he is an almost mythical hero to look up to, not to identify with. So we see him only "from the outside" , yet such descriptions like

And he turned and looked away to the North under the great stars, and then he fell silent and spoke no more while the night's journey lasted.

and

Then he kissed her hand, and sprang into the saddle, and rode away, and did not look back; and only those who knew him well and were near to him saw the pain that he bore.

speak more than a thousand words and give a glimpse of emotion and character depth.


Something which makes me wonder, is the stone of Erech: a globe that has the heighth of a man, and has been brought from Númenor and set up by Isildur himself.. Surely there must have been a reason to take this heavy thing aboard a ship when fleeing from disaster? It must have had special power, I guess. And did that power have anything to do with the effect of the oath they swore upon that stone?

Lhunardewen wrote: What authority does Isildur have to keep the Dead from completely departing from Middle Earth? After all, he himself is merely a Man.

I wondered if it has anything to do with the stone of Erech.

Aragorn tells the Dead:

"...and when all this land is clean of the servants of Sauron, I will hold the oath fulfilled."

What exactly does he mean by "all this land"? Not the whole realm apparently, because he will release them after the battle with the corsairs at Pelargir. (Obviously, PJ had the opinion that this was too early! ) Perhaps he means the land that the oathbreakers had originally inhabited?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

Halbarad, too, does what he feels to be his duty, even if it may cost his life:

You remind me of a point I wanted to bring up here: Habarad does die on the Fields of Pelennor - was this an example of foresight, or simply pessimism that proved true? If it was the former then it shows amazing courage to go forward with Aragorn. I suspect this was a case of foresight, as why else would Tolkien put that scene in?

Something which makes me wonder, is the stone of Erech: a globe that has the heighth of a man, and has been brought from Númenor and set up by Isildur himself.. Surely there must have been a reason to take this heavy thing aboard a ship when fleeing from disaster? It must have had special power, I guess. And did that power have anything to do with the effect of the oath they swore upon that stone?

I seem to remember from HoMe that the Stone of Erech was originally to be a Palantir...

[Lalwendë]

'All is well,' said Aragorn, turning back. 'Here are some of my own kin from the far land where I dwelt. But why they come, and how many they be, Halbarad shall tell us.'

'I have thirty with me,' said Halbarad. 'That is all of our kindred that could be gathered in haste; but the brethren Elladan and Elrohir have ridden with us, desiring to go to the war. We rode as swiftly as we might when your summons came.'

'But I did not summon you,' said Aragorn, 'save only in wish. My thoughts have often turned to you, and seldom more than tonight; yet I have sent no word.

Here I get the sense that many are looking out for Aragorn, prepared to give him help where he did not seek it or ask for it, but where others can see it is needed. At first it seems Aragorn has summoned his kindred himself, but it appears they have been brought here at the instigation of Galadriel. As an aside, it is still possible that she had read Aragorn's 'wishes' in the field; he would have had considerable powers of osanwe having lived amongst the Elves, but I would assume Galdriel had greater such skills and he could not block his mind to her, even if he wished.

Yet Aragorn has not asked for his kindred to ride to him, it has been done on his behalf. This throws into relief Gandalf's parting words about the Palantir. He has acted as a mentor to Aragorn, it also appears that Galadriel and Elrond are doing the same. The ways of Elves and Men may have parted, but in some cases they clearly have not.

'I bring word to you from my father: The days are short. If thou art in haste, remember the Paths of the Dead.'
'Always my days have seemed to me too short to achieve my desire,' answered Aragorn. 'But great indeed will be my haste ere I take that road.'
'That will soon be seen,' said Elrohir. 'But let us speak no more of these things upon the open road!'

Even Elladan and Elrohir seem 'in' on the higher powers which are hoping to guide Aragorn. They do not only bring a message to him but when Aragorn expresses his doubts, they dismiss them. Is there anything wrong in the actions of the Elves in guiding Aragorn to such a great extent? Here we have a Man with the greatest potential of his time, and yet the Elves are giving him much more than strategic guidance.

However, in this chapter we also get to see Aragorn's growing self assurance:

You forget to whom you speak,' said Aragorn sternly, and his eyes glinted. 'What did you fear that I should say to him? Did I not openly proclaim my title before the doors of Edoras? Nay, Gimli,' he said in a softer voice, and the grimness left his face, and he looked like one who has laboured in sleepless pain for many nights. 'Nay, my friends, I am the lawful master of the Stone, and I had both the right and the strength to use it, or so I judged. The right cannot be doubted. The strength was enough--barely.'

When he speaks to Gimli here at first he is harsh, even boastful, and he brings up the mistake he almost made at Edoras. These are hints of the older Aragorn who is now slowly changing into the kingly Man he will become. Maybe it is the renewed influence of the familiar Dunedain which causes him to slip back into his old manner for a moment? But his arrogance soon falls away again and he states the facts as he saw them, that he was entitled to use the Palantir, and he emphasises just how difficult it was for him to use it. He shows that the experience has humbled him.

'If you would understand them better, then I bid you come with me,' said Aragorn; 'for that way I now shall take. But I do not go gladly; only need drives me. Therefore, only of your free will would I have you come, for you will find both toil and great fear, and maybe worse.'

Aragorn now makes the first use of this leadership tactic, offering the chance to turn down a mission, just as he does on the way to the Black Gate. This also shows his growing confidence. He is assured that Legolas and Gimli are his friends and would not think of turning aside, and he is confident enough to make it so that they would also find it hard to refuse in any case.

Bells were ringing far below, and all men fled before the face of Aragorn; but the Grey Company in their haste rode like hunters, until their horses were stumbling with weariness. And thus, just ere midnight, and in a darkness as black as the caverns in the mountains, they came at last to the Hill of Erech.

What I want to know is what would have happened to the Grey Company if they had not reached the Stone of Erech before midnight?