~ 14 February 2023 ~
Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤ I hope your day is filled with love and with doing the things you love. In my case, reading The Lord of the Rings – what could be better than discussing my favourite book with you all?!
The Reading, and Ensuing Thoughts
This week we finished Book 3, Chapter 1: The Departure of Boromir.
As I mentioned last week, this chapter is fairly short, only about 8 pages in the edition I’m reading. Apologies for the confusion to anyone who read the whole chapter last week.
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli make a bier out of cloaks and roughly hewn branches to carry Boromir back to the riverside, where, once the boats have been collected from further upstream, they place his body in one. A mystery arises when it is noticed that only two boats remain. One is missing.
With Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli in one boat, and Boromir laid out in the other, they head towards the Falls of Rauros before cutting the rope and letting Boromir go. With hearts heavy with sadness, they sing a song in his honour, before turning their boat back towards their camp at Parth Galen.
Aragorn uses his tracking skills to help determine what became of the third boat. No Orcs had been there, but the footprints in the sand are, on the whole, confusing to read. The baggage is checked, and Sam’s pack and another is definitely missing. They deduce that Frodo and Sam have crossed the river with intent to go on alone, meaning Merry and Pippin have been taken captive by the Orcs.
The choice before Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli is whether to the try and catch up with Frodo and Sam or to rescue Merry and Pippin. They choose the latter, though the Orcs already have a few hours head start.
Next week we will begin Book 3, Chapter 2: Riders of Rohan.
Middle Earth Musings and Meditations
So in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be fun to share some quotes on love and friendship and such things from The Fellowship of the Ring:
“But I would have never come, had I known the danger of light and joy. ” (Farewell to Lorien)
“Here is the heart of Elvedom on earth,’ he said, ‘and here my heart dwells ever…” (Lothlorien)
“You can trust 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.” (A Conspiracy Unmasked)
“A hunted man sometimes wearies of distrust and longs for friendship.” (Strider)
“I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.” (A Long-Expected Party)
Elsewhere
Now, I’ve never been one to be into Lego, but when I saw their latest product release last week – a 6,000+ piece build your own Rivendell – I must admit, I thought there’s a small chance I could be persuaded…
The Lord of the Rings Question of the Week
Did Boromir break the fellowship?
This is something I’ve often pondered. And it has lead me down a rabbit hole, if not a rabbit warren, of thoughts and more questions. Here are the highlights of my meandering ramblings for this week’s question:
If he had been stronger, might Boromir have been able to resist the ring, and then be less of a problem for Frodo, so much so, that Frodo would have have remained with the fellowship? Or would Frodo’s desire to keep his friends safe still have prompted him to go it alone? Or had the fellowship been fracturing since they lost Gandalf in Moria? Or is evil, and the evil work of Sauron, ultimately responsible for its breaking? Or does the breaking of the fellowship not come through losing members to death, but rather from conscious choice to pull away and go in a different direction? Was the fellowship always destined to break apart at some point?
Regarding Frodo’s choice, I think he would have still tried to go on alone, to protect those he cares about, yet I can also see that Gandalf could have been holding the fellowship together, at least in a way. Aragorn suspected Gandalf had a plan for more of the journey than he spoke of, and as a leader, and a wizard with a vast store of information in his memory, would there have been much question as to whether to follow him or not? We saw earlier discussions as to the road, where Gandalf and Aragorn were in disagreement, but Aragorn still followed him, so might everyone else? Boromir, was always heading towards home, the only question for him, was anyone else going to go with him. Or would the evil at work on Boromir grown and grown until it was finally acted upon? Would the ring and his desire to possess it have ensured he stayed with the company? I suspect so. Yet if things had been different, and he not be susceptible to its pull, might he have chosen to stay, to see the Ring destroyed, which would have been the ultimate measure of protection and defence of his home? Another question is, if the evil failed to ensnare Boromir, who would it have chosen next?
Sammi Cox 
A lot of the major characters get tested by the Ring: Gandalf in Bag End, Aragorn in Bree, Galadriel in Lothlorien, and Boromir. He fails due to having a tragic flaw. It’s made obvious even in Rivendell
LikeLiked by 2 people
I accidentally pressed the wrong thing. My answer wasn’t finished. It carries on below…
LikeLiked by 2 people
(continuing from above) It’s made obvious, even in Rivendell, that Boromir wishes to take the Ring to Minas Tirith and use it against Sauron. I don’t think that conviction ever left him. The nearer they got to making a decision about which way to go is when he began to get more frantic, and eventually trying to take the Ring from Frodo, even though he knows in his heart it is wrong. Personally I don’t think it’s a question of the Ring working it’s evil will, as it had already ensnared Boromir. I don’t think the rest of the Fellowship would be ensnared the way he was, at least not so easily. I think it all made it easier for Frodo to actually do what he was planning to do: to go alone, though of course Sam joined him… I think it was inevitable for the Fellowship to go separate ways at this point.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have to agree with you on that, Joanne. Many have already been tested by the powers of the ring and Boromir, from the get, was single-minded towards it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That makes perfect sense, Joanne. And as you say, Boromir wants the ring unlike the others, even if it’s only because he thinks he can do good with it. But it makes the ring’s job that bit easier 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Losing Gandalf was definitely losing the ties that bind, so to speak. I really don’t think Aragorn broke the fellowship. Frodo was going to find a way to go it alone, no matter what, out of love for his fellow travellers.
Sam, for me, is the strongest one of the bunch. He is so loyal to Frodo, nothing can pull him away, certainly not that ring. I am so very happy he is with Frodo right now.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree, Sam is so strong, and nothing can stop him from going with Frodo. His determination and single-mindedness is wonderful: he’s said he is going with Frodo, and go with Frodo he will 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, indeed!! Mr Frodo can’t go anywhere without Samwise Gamgee!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gosh, what a lot of questions.
Of Boromir, I think his behaviour was motivated more by his father than by Sauron. Or perhaps the two influences acting together.
Of Frodo, perhaps if Gandalf still was with the companions he might have been able to persuade Frodo against going it alone. But I think Frodo would want to go. He couldn’t put his dearest friends into such danger.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a great point, Crispina. The burden of Denethor’s expectation shouldn’t be overlooked in this. And I agree, no one but Gandalf could have had a chance at persuading Frodo otherwise 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person