A hundredth re-read of the LotR

[Thinlómien]

I thought I'd only post when I've read this and the following chapter but this discussion and my reading pace are so pitiful that I had a change of plans...

I like Merry very much in this chapter. He seems to be a natural born organizer of stuff. And he's such a lovely person too. Or what would you say of this quote?

"It all depends on what you want," put in Merry. "You can expect us to stick to you through thick and thin - to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours - closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo."

It never struck me like it did now, but it's so very true, and so very beautifully said. One more piece of proof that Tolkien was a wise guy with a gift for phrasing his thoughts in a touching manner.

I also find it interesting how easily Merry found out about the Ring. Makes me think that it wouldn't have been to odd if someone else had known about it too...

[CSteefel]

Probably less to say about this chapter than some, but a few things strike me.

One was the story from Merry about how he found out about the Ring, seeing Bilbo disappear off the road as the Sackville-Baggins were approaching.

And then the short poem along the model of a dwarf-song when they decide they will all set forth together, with one verse:

To Rivendell, where Elves yet dwell
In glades beneath the misty fell,
Through moor and waste we ride in haste,
And whither then we cannot tell.

And then I think we get the first of Frodo's dreams (more later in Bombadil's house), where he begins overlooking a dark forest from a high window (the Old Forest?), but then he hears a sound he takes initially as the wind coming through the trees, then realizing it is the sound of the Sea:

Then he knew that it was not leaves, but the sound of the Sea far-off; a sound he had never heard in waking life, though it had often troubled his dreams. Suddenly he found he was out in the open. There were no trees after all. He was on a dark heath, and there was a strange salt smell in the air. Looking up he saw before him a tall white tower, standing alone on a high ridge. A great desire came over him to climb the tower and see the Sea. He started to struggle up the ridge towards the tower; but suddenly a light came in the sky, and there was noise of thunder.

The tower is clearly one of those in the Tower Hills, perhaps the one that had traditionally held the Elendil Stone. Less clear is the sudden appearance of the light and thunder. Otherwise, one of the first of Frodo's premonitions of his passing in to the West...

[Tuor in Gondolin]

I'd like to jump in here and make a comment on the
last chapter, about Farmer Maggott. he seems to be
one of those interesting barely introduced figures
(like Gildor) who alludes to something thereby giving
depth to the story. Like JRRT said in Letters about
"barely glimpsed vistas", something about being needed
to give depth to a story/world, and if explored/exploited
by the storytellrt then in need of further barely cited vistas to
give a continued feeling of depth. As to Maggott's importance
beyond that of the hobbits understanding consider Tom Bombadil's observation:

...he made no secret that he owed his recent knowledge
largely to Farmer Maggott, whom he seemed to regard as a person
of more importance than they had imagined. 'There's earth under his
old feet, and clay on his fingers; wisdom in his bones, and both his
eyes are open,' said Tom.

And of course, Maggott wasn't daunted by Sharkey's gang.
(In a way, he was taking on a fallen maia)!

An interesting thread here, 'praps I'll follow along.

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by Tuor in Gondolin

I'd like to jump in here and make a comment on the
last chapter, about Farmer Maggott. he seems to be
one of those interesting barely introduced figures
(like Gildor) who alludes to something thereby giving
depth to the story. Like JRRT said in Letters about
"barely glimpsed vistas", something about being needed
to give depth to a story/world, and if explored/exploited
by the storytellrt then in need of further barely cited vistas to
give a continued feeling of depth. As to Maggott's importance
beyond that of the hobbits understanding consider Tom Bombadil's observation:

And of course, Maggott wasn't daunted by Sharkey's gang.
(In a way, he was taking on a fallen maia)!

An interesting thread here, 'praps I'll follow along.

I often wondered (especially with the last reading of the Bombadil chapter) about where Bombadil met up with Farmer Maggot. I am assuming that Bombadil did not leave the confines of the Old Forest, since it is said elsewhere that he sticks with the borders he has set. So it must be Farmer Maggott crossing the river??

[Thinlómien]

I have been reading LotR slowly and occasionally on my own, continuing from what I started here, and I'm currently in the chapter Treebeard. (Wonderful progress, don't you think? )

My question is, is there anybody out there who would like to continue reading from where we left (A Conspiracy Unmasked is the last chapter that has been talked about) or even start from the beginning (since we only got this far) and maybe post a post or two about the previous chapters and then continue with me from the Old Forest onwards?

I would like to continue the discussion here.

[Galadriel55]

I just want to add something to the discussion in general, not just this particular topic.
I think that is anythink in Tolkien's books seems insignificant to you - think again. Every single line in his works has its purpose and weight, even if you don't notice it right away. The first time I read LotR, I thought about how useless the first chapter is. After understanding it better, I realized that that chapter in really one of the most significant things in the book, because it highlights the change in Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry in the end of the book. Every sentence, even the punctuation, has its purpose, useless as it seems.

[Leyrana Silumiel]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

I have been reading LotR slowly and occasionally on my own, continuing from what I started here, and I'm currently in the chapter Treebeard. (Wonderful progress, don't you think? )

My question is, is there anybody out there who would like to continue reading from where we left (A Conspiracy Unmasked is the last chapter that has been talked about) or even start from the beginning (since we only got this far) and maybe post a post or two about the previous chapters and then continue with me from the Old Forest onwards?

I would like to continue the discussion here.

I personally would LOVE it if we could go back and start over again. When the very first chapter-by-chapter was done (and the re-run that followed) in the subforums, I did not have my own computer, so it was very difficult to follow along with the discussions and participate. I've been dying to really join in on a chapter-by-chapter reread but there doesn't really seem to be any going on lately.