Fellowship of the Ring discussion, Part II chapters 1-3

Hi, all! We're now on Part II of The Fellowship of the Ring. Here are this week's chapters:

1. Many Meetings
2. The Council of Elrond
3. The Ring Goes South

Enjoy!

Hijack: I just found a poster of Vigo in Return of the King. I've had it forever in my closet.

Okay, back to discussion.

Possibly one of the duller bits of the book - as JRR says in the Hobbit, happy times have little to say.

The full story of the history of the ring is good though, and gollum makes his name heard again.

How large is Elrond's household? are they all full elves of power like Glorfindell?

Chapter 1:

I was fascinated by Gandalf's description of Frodo "seeing him (Glorfindel) as he is on the other side." I wish we saw more of that. Why don't more elves use these powers to play a more visible role in the war? Have they just had enough of that? (btw, rf, I think Glorfindel is more powerful than most; he is one of the few who can stand against the Nine, hence his assignment to search for the party before they arrive. Gandalf says he is "a lord of a house of princes" or something like that. Not your garden-variety elf. Might be interesting to learn more about the different elf pay grades. Yes, I know there's some in the Tolkien Companion.)

Seeing Aragorn with Arwen (one of the "many meetings") sheds light on why he chose the song about Luthien in the previous chapter. Then we get Bilbo's chant about Earendil just before we learn (at the council) that he's Elrond's pop. I guess we'll have to look in the chapter after each song to see what it was foreshadowing.

Interesting that he took so long to have Frodo meet Bilbo. Why? To emphasize the changes in Bilbo?

Would Bilbo still be alive if he were anywhere but Rivendell? Is there more to his comment about time not really passing than we might suspect?

additional thoughts I didn;'t have time to include this morning:

Having Frodo pass out is a cool way to avoid showing the company entering Rivendell. It's not the sort of place one finds on the food-gas-lodging signs. JRRT maintains the mystique by not saying how they got there.

The next chapter (The Council of Elrond) contains one of the all-time great sentences: "This is the doom that we must deem." Ouch. Anyone got a dime? I gotta call a dame. Lives in a dome.

Good notes Jim53.

Poor Sam to sit by Frodo's bed all that time and he finally wakes up when Sam is gone. Isn't that what we are always afraid of when we keep vigil?

Notes for Chapter 1:

1) I find that references to the Rangers intrigue me. They're always spoken of in plural, but Aragorn is the only on we really get to know. You would think that the others would be more involved in this story, considering Aragorn's role in the whole saga.

2) "Gandalf has been saying many cheerful things like that." I love Pippin!

3) I always forget about Glorfindel between readings because he was cut from the movie, but he's such an imposing character in the book.

4) The scene with Bilbo wanting to see the ring is much better in the book than in the movie. The movie gets the point across, but it lacks subtlety.

5) Bilbo as a ring bearer would have been out of his depth for an adventure of this scale even if he wasn't so old. Frodo really is an unusual hobbit -- even more so than Bilbo.

6) There were many contenders for the King of Exposition™ title in this chapter, but I'm awarding it to Glóin, our special guest expositor.

7.1 I thought about that, Foggi. Why weren't they summoned to Helms Deep or Gondor? They are described at some point as secretly guarding and keeping bad things out of places like The Shire. I decided that maybe they stay there as a type of last defense, but now that I think about it, they didn't do a very good job with The Shire!

7.5 In the end it was even to much for Frodo. I wonder if Sam could have done it or if despair would have taken over.

8 re: 7.5 I like to think none of them could have done it alone.

CH 1
1. "Talking would stop me thinking and wondering, which are quite as tiring." So true! Just tell Frodo what's going on already!

2. "Hobbits fade very reluctantly." I think this is an important statement. Hobbits with all their creature comforts seem so whimsical and ... doughy. But over and over they are resilient. I love hobbits.

3. I want to go to the Last Homely House east of the Sea. How peaceful.

4. This was the same as foggi's in 7.2. Gandalf being full of dire warnings and Pippin set to be happy makes for a fun scene.

5. I love the fellowship at the banquet.

6. Bilbo seems to understand something about the nature of the ring after Frodo shows it to him. Is it strength or simple mindedness that makes him shake off the ring's effects so easily?

7. Interesting that the elves see all mortals as too similar to distinguish. Though if anyone now were to say "such-and-such race/culture/people are so similar I can't tell them apart" would be rather an uncultured statement. Yet it doesn't sound rude coming from the elf. Or perhaps this mortal isn't easily offended. ;)

Wow, I fell way behind in posting my notes this week!

Chapter 2 notes:

1) "Him we do not name" -- Voldemort had a ring?

2) Elrond found a clever way to keep Bilbo from going on and on -- make lunch happen after he tells his part of the story!

3) This chapter has a complex Exposition hierarchy:
- Elrond: King of Exposition™.
- Boromir: Interrupting Lord of Exposition™
- Bilbo and Frodo: Princes of Exposition™.
- Gandalf: The Emperor of Exposition™
Honorable mentions to Aragorn and Legolas, and possibly others that I forgot to make note of. Basically, there's a lot of talking in this chapter.

Chapter 3 notes:

1) Bilbo has very conservative and traditional tastes in book endings.

2) It is interesting that Elrond is set against Pippin going with the company. Of course, Pippen does have a knack for getting into trouble, of which Elrond is apparently aware!

3) "Elvish smiths" -- try saying that ten times fast.

4) I wonder what Elrond thinks of Bilbo sticking swords in his house.

5) Gimli's mountain names are worse than reading Deuteronomy.

6) I warm up to Legolas later on, but right now he seems insufferable.

Like Foggi I have been deficient in posting my notes this week. Here they are… all five of them:

Ch1.1. I really love this section of exposition telling what has happened in the Lone Mountain area since Bilbo's adventure there.

Ch1.2. Bombur patrol: the worst job in the Dwarven world.

Ch2.1. Sounds like Saruman suffers from "Wizard Envy."

Ch2.2. Saruman seems to be a progress for progress sake kind of guy.

Ch3. Gandalf says "I cannot burn snow," and Boromir responds "When heads are at a loss, bodies must serve." I think Boromir just volunteered to be a human torch.

10.1 That is what I thought! I wonder if JKR was a JRRT fan? I am reading Brisingr and it is obvious he is now that I am reading works by both authors at the same time.

10.3 Maybe this should be the official Chapter of Exposition? (no trademark until Foggi approves it) Since the chapter was about a council, it would tend to have a lot of talking.

11.2 Pippen does make some mistakes, but eventually redeems himself.

12 LOL!