LotR -- Book 5 - Chapter 10 - The Black Gate Opens

[Lalwendë]

Then Aragorn set trumpeters at each of the four roads that ran into the ring of trees, and they blew a great fanfare, and the heralds cried aloud: 'The Lords of Gondor have returned and all this land that is theirs they take back.'

This brings to mind Wiccan rituals. The Men are in a circle, which is reminiscent of the magical circle cast for protection; that it is one of trees makes this more significant. But what really caught my attention was that Aragorn had trumpeters at the four roads. In Wicca there are the four corners, or guardians of the four towers, each of which are invoked at commencement of the ritual and then thanked at the end. Here each of the roads heads North, South, East and West, and this also corresponds to the Wiccan corners or towers.

I'm sure Tolkien would not have intended this as to be seen as specifically Wiccan (not least because this would have been fairly arcane knowledge at the time), but otherwise, I'm not sure where he would have gained this image from, and what the significance of it is. I'd be interested to hear what other 'Downers think.

The hideous orc-head that was set upon the carven figure was cast down and broken in pieces, and the old king's head was raised and set in its place once more, still crowned with white and golden flowers; and men laboured to wash and pare away all the foul scrawls that orcs had put upon the stone.

This is a touching moment as time is given up to the restoration of this monument, and as a statue of an 'old king' it must be something deserving of respect, particularly by the Gondorians. I wonder which King this statue commemorates?

Again, this moment reflects upon real world activity; statues are often torn down after revolutions/wars, and it is considered a great dishonour to deface a memorial or statue - as seen when a Churchill statue was spray painted during a demo in London a few years back. The demonstrators wished to deface the icon, while to others it was an act of disrespect; it is not the statue, not the thing, which is at fault/venerated, but what it represents, and here this is what the Gondorians are doing, reasserting their rule.

It was near the end of the second day of their march from the Cross-roads that they first met any offer of battle. For a strong force of Orcs and Easterlings attempted to take their leading companies in an ambush; and that was in the very place where Faramir had waylaid the men of Harad, and the road went in a deep cutting through an out-thrust of the eastward hills. But the Captains of the West were well warned by their scouts, skilled men from Henneth Annun led by Mablung; and so the ambush was itself trapped. For horsemen went wide about westward and came up on the flank of the enemy and from behind, and they were destroyed or driven east into the hills.

Did anyone else get the suspicious feeling that some of these assailants might have been here before? Or at least that the tale of what Faramir's men had done there previously has spread amongst the enemy? Either that or this must have been a well known skirmish/ambush point. I noted how well the men led by Mablung knew the lie of the land and were able to stop the attack.

Was this an opportunistic attack? It surprises me that Sauron did not send more forces out to attack the group heading his way; they would have ben incredibly easy to pick off at many stages, and the Nazgul were watching them all the way. this only serves to underline just how much Sauron thought they were walking into a trap. Maybe he thought that the forces of the West were mistaken in believing they had won the whole war at Pelennor and wished to spring his surprise on them, but I don't think even Sauron in his arrogance would underestimate Gandalf's attention to strategy.

It seems, with all the stops to mend statues, blowing horns, sending out lieutenants and the like, that both sides are playing games with one another at this point. Which then leaves you at the end of the chapter, with Pippin possibly dead, wondering where on earth is Frodo?

[Kuruharan]

Gandalf shows his strength briefly in taking the tokens from the Mouth of Sauron, but even then, there is no violence on his part. Yet the enemy ambassador fears him, Aragorn, and the Captains! Why?

The treacherous always expect treachery.

[Lalwendë]

Aragorn said naught in answer, but he took the other's eye and held it, and for a moment they strove thus; but soon, though Aragorn did not stir nor move hand to weapon, the other quailed and gave back as if menaced with a blow. 'I am a herald and ambassador, and may not be assailed!' he cried.

What happens when Aragorn does this works on two levels. It can simply be seen that Aragorn's presence or hard stare is the thing which makes the Mouth of Sauron quail, but it could also be that Aragorn is using (my old favourite ) osanwe. This 'mental strife' happens on several occasions in LotR, and to view it as osanwe of course depends upon whether you know about/have read the Osanwe Kenta, which I am beginning to think was written by Tolkien to 'explain' these occurences to some extent.

At its head there rode a tall and evil shape, mounted upon a black horse, if horse it was; for it was huge and hideous, and its face was a frightful mask, more like a skull than a living head, and in the sockets of its eyes and in its nostrils there burned a flame. The rider was robed all in black, and black was his lofty helm; yet this was no Ringwraith but a living man. The Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dur he was, and his name is remembered in no tale; for he himself had forgotten it, and he said: 'I am the Mouth of Sauron.' But it is told that he was a renegade, who came of the race of those that are named the Black Numenoreans; for they established their dwellings in Middle-earth during the years of Sauron's domination, and they worshipped him, being enamoured of evil knowledge. And he entered the service of the Dark Tower when it first rose again, and because of his cunning he grew ever higher in the Lord's favour; and he learned great sorcery, and knew much of the mind of Sauron; and he was more cruel than any orc.

I wonder if the description of what the MoS wore reminded anyone else of the uniforms worn by the Guards in Minas Tirith? He wears a 'lofty helm' as they do, minus the wings. And he too is descended from Numenor. That he and Aragorn may share a common ancestry makes their 'struggle' more interesting.

The MoS is obviously a descendant of the Black Numenoreans ('who came of the race of those that are named the Black Numenoreans'), which hints that they, like the Gondorians, must have preserved their culture to a certain extent.

This culture 'worshipped' Sauron, rather than Eru which brings me to another thorny idea. It is not obvious that there is any organised religion in Middle-earth and it is not clear if anyone actually 'worshipped' Eru; there is the instance where Faramir's men 'look to the west', but this is not an overtly ritual moment and could easily be in remembrance of Numenor. Yet now we know that some people in Middle-earth do have some kind of religion, except it is of an evil bent, and they worship Sauron. Why do they do this? Because they are 'enamoured of evil knowledge'.

I'm not sure if there is some kind of message in this, but what it does show is how Sauron may have tempted followers to him, through his 'evil knowledge'.

And now he shall endure the slow torment of years, as long and slow as our arts in the Great Tower can contrive, and never be released, unless maybe when he is changed and broken, so that he may come to you, and you shall see what you have done.

I wonder if this type of torture is any different to what the WK threatens Eowyn with? The MoS seems to have been bestowed (cursed?) with unnatural long life, and though this cannot have been for the same length of time as those lives which the Nazgul have 'lived', I do wonder how this can be. Surely the MoS will lead a tortured existence if his life has been extended? When he says that Frodo 'shall endure the slow torment of years, as long and slow as our arts in the Great Tower can contrive', it is clear that Sauron knows how to extend life; but there must also be some kind of palliative which means they do not live a tortured existence.

I think one of Sauron's temptations for Men may be that he can extend life, and thus many will flock to his 'side'; perhaps he then keeps them in line with the promise of something which will also ease the suffering they would endure as they entered unnatural lifespans.

[Essex]

this might be better discussed in the field of cormallen chapter discussion, but I've always thought Pippin DID die, and was brought back to life through the 'Grace of the Valar' because of his great deeds. I have this view because of Gimli's line to him on the field of Cormallen

I love you, if only because of the pains you have cost me, which I shall never forget. Nor shall I forget finding you on the hill of the last battle. But for Gimli the Dwarf you would have been lost then. But at least I know now the look of a hobbit's foot, though it be all that can be seen under a heap of bodies. And when I heaved that great carcase off you, I made sure you were dead.

Now, I suppose we could put this down to a mistake by the dwarf, but why would Tolkien write it like this? Why wouldn't he say 'I thought you were dead' for example - Anyway, may resurrect this when the Cormallen chapter comes up, but raised it here as Pippin died at this point. I remember first reading Pippin's demise as a young teenager in my bedroom at home late one night, and falling to sleep balling my eyes out......

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Essex, I think it's a matter of use of language - "I made sure you were dead" means "I was sure you were dead" - that's how we would say it today. We may often be mistaken even though we are sure of something. I also think the Valar were a bit more exclusive in their use of resurrection - Pippin is no Gandalf; he's not absolutely necessary to the success of the Quest, so there would have been no reason for him to die and come alive again.

[drigel]

Most of the quotes I was going to use have been touched upon. I like this chapter especially because of the Mouth of Sauron. Throughout the work thus far, Sauron is an Eye, a character that dominates the story, yet never really seen physically. The author uses this tool to great effect in the story, enhancing the evil doings and strategies of the character of Sauron. But with the MoS, we are placed as close as we ever will be to Sauron himself. Here we have an entity who, unlike a Wraith, is cogent and communicates excellently.

Aragorn said naught in answer, but he took the other's eye and held it, and for a moment they strove thus; but soon, though Aragorn did not stir nor move hand to weapon, the other quailed and gave back as if menaced with a blow. 'I am a herald and ambassador, and may not be assailed!' he cried.

Before the Oswane Kenta came to light, I read that passage as some kind of mental \ psycho struggle. After all, the MoS faces and works for Sauron Gorthaur. I dont think a hard stare from anyone would affect him in any way....

[arcticstorm]

There are a few things I would like to point out about the MoS. When I read through the book I really enjoyed this scene btu I knew that Sauron did not have the ring, because we left off from book four with Sam taking the ring in "The choices of Master Samwise." However this would be torture to the men of the west not knowing if Sauron had retrieved the ring. I beleive Gandalf at first was mortified, but then realized, wait, they brought out Sam's sword with all Frodo's gear. The trained observer could tell that Sauron did not have the ring, even if they skipped book four and read from 3 to 5 to 4 to 6. The reason Ia m bringing this out is because a blade of Gondolin woul dbe more telling than a blade of the downfallen west. Even the MoS's words point to the fact that Sam is still free if Frodo is not. I do not have my books on me, but the MoS says something along the lines of

and a spy out of that rat-land called the shire

or something along those lines. If Sauron had caught them both, he would have said some spies. I b eleive Gandalf after thinking about everything realized this and knew that Sam was wise enough to realize that the quest cannot fail. evidenced by the fact that he would have taken Galadriel's light and Frodo's sword, this can be seen by the fact that Galadriel's light was not a token brought out to be shown. This is why I think Gandalf rejected the terms.

[Formendacil]

Not a lot struck me as I finished Book V this time--beyond the thought that that may mean this is the most expendable chapter of Book V, the very one in which the host of the West assaults the Gates if Mordor! In any other book, indeed in the movie renditio , this would be a centerpiece. Here it's a denouement and a cliffhanger, one that's only to be resolved through being overshadowed by the true climax in Book VI.

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

This is a touching moment as time is given up to the restoration of this monument, and as a statue of an 'old king' it must be something deserving of respect, particularly by the Gondorians. I wonder which King this statue commemorates.

Given it's location on the road to Minas Ithil, it's just possible it was Isildur. Granted, there's no proof of this at all in the text, it would sharpen Aragorn's point to Sauron to restore it: the Heir of Isildur is come.