Gandalf is the first to see the Eagles coming out of the North upon the field of battle. Soon all the hosts of Mordor tremble when the will of Sauron is removed from them, and the armies of the West watch in awe as Barad Dur crumble and the spirit of Sauron makes one last hateful threat against Middle-Earth. But Gandalf bids Gwaihir the Windlord bear him to Mt. Doom. There Frodo and Sam wait for the end in the fires.
Our heroes awaken in fair Ithilien in the keeping of the King. There they receive the praise of the armies of the West, and after long ordeals are finally reunited with their friends.
How is Sauron’s fall described, and what does it tell us about the Dark Lord? Sam’s indomitable spirit once again makes a difference between life and death on Mt. Doom, but I cannot help at times feeling that Tolkien chose an ‘easy way out’ to save his heroes from the fire. What do you think?
What do you think about Frodo’s reluctance to carry a sword?
Tolkien wanted to create a feeling of Eucatastrophe in this chapter. His definition of Eucatastrophe being “sudden joyous ‘turn’…it denies (in the face of much evidence, if you will) universal defeat and in so far is evangelium [good news], giving a fleeting glimpse of Joy, Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief”.
How do you think he succeeded in this undertaking?
Join us in #thehalloffire as we discuss this chapter that poses so many interesting questions.
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October 4-5: Leaf by Niggle
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