E270 Tolkien Chris Barkley Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring BOOK 1 Will address plot elements / compare to Hobbit LOTR 6 books, wait to end to trace overall motifs Will mention so before lecture on bk 6, you try to plot them out

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Plot Summary  Prologue Why? Red Book of Westmarch  Connects MIDDLEEARTH to our world, gives ending away  The Long-Expected Party /55 17 years  Shadow history/RING/Gollum Frodo chooses  Black Riders (and Gildor)  The Old Forest like MIRKWOOD  Barrow Downs undead world  Strider variation on disappeare/reappeare  Weathertop worse than SMAUG  Flight to the Ford Frodo challenges (inner heroism)  Black Riders lose mounts

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Characters Major Characters Hobbits: Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin Gandalf knowledgeable moral anchor pity, judgment Strider mysterious, skilled, disappear/reappear Minor Characters Tom Bombadil omitted from film but IMMUNE to RING Barliman Butterbur Bree men/hobbits coalition building Glorfindel, Gildor elves save hobbits Fortuitous Fate Farmer MaggotPredistination vs Free Will

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Monsters  Black Riders nightmare, smelling, fear  Old Man Willow malevolent not like Ents  Barrow Wights undead motif  Trollsreminder of Bilbo after Weathertop

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 The RING  What are Characteristics of the RING?  Makes one invisible Becomes addiction  Puts one in wraith world, unDead world  Frodo sees Glorfindel as white light  Perceived by Black Riders, draws eye of Sauron  Prolongs life Gollum 500 Bilbo thin and stretched  Has a will of its own leaves gollum, Bree  Has power to overcome will of others  Impervious to regular fire, Orodruin alone hot enough Frodo can’t throw into his own fire  May speak, discuss later

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Comparison of Characters  Bilbo  Relied on luck, wits, sharp eyes  Generous / shares wealth / Gives away Ring  Has some physical prowess (spiders)  Gathers more and more allies  Frodo  Relies on perseverance, will, humility  Acquires Ring through inheritance  Has less physical prowess than Bilbo (feet)  Gathers some allies, but then must go alone (with just Sam) AND GOLLUM

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Tom Bombadil  Nature character like Anthropomorphic god, no power over him  Immortal like elves yet childlike  Eldest  Married to River Woman’s daughter  Power over Ring / Why?  Exists in both worlds  Does not desire power over others  Unreliable as caretaker of Ring  Rescues Hobbits, teaches them to call for help  Knowledgeable of history, Black Riders, sings stories  Was originally a stuffed doll of Pricilla’s that she wanted her father to include in his story

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Settings The Shire Mathoms, gardening, food, drink, smoke  Place of birthday parties, comfortable living INNOCENT The Old Forest  Malevolent place not under control of Sauron DANGEROUS Bree COMMUNITY  Center is the Inn, The Prancing Pony  Integrated place where hobbits and men live side by side  NOT IDYLLIC BUT MULTICULTURAL, INTEGRATED The Wild  Natural obstacles: midges, rough terrain Weathertop  Place of advantage in sight but open  REMINDER OF NORTHERN KINGDOM / ABANDONED

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Songs Sauron  Three Rings Hobbits  Travel songs “Road Song” “Upon the Hearth” “Farewell We Call”  Food and drink / comforts of home  Bath song  ur-cow jumped over the moon  Troll song (Sam) also quotes “Gilgalad” Bombadil  Nonsense rhymes  stories Elves  Elbereth Aragorn  Tinuviel

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Themes  Inheritance BAG END/RING/RESPONSIBILITY  Connection between past and present  Shadow of the Past TIME  Road Song SPACE  Loyalty Other hobbits to Frodo, Road Song  Pity Frodo begins with no pity  Seriousness and foolishness  Trust friends / stranger like Strider  Temptation leave quest for others, abandon friends (Barrow Downs), put on Ring Road/Weathertop  Power corrupts Desire for power a weakness  DEATH AND DEATHLESSNESS

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Parallels  Black Riders and Merry Suspense  Old Willow / Barrow Wights caught inside  Attack on Creekhollow and the Prancing Pony KNIFE IN THE DARK (11)  Gandalf’s fight with Black Riders and Frodo’s confrontation (FEET and Heroic)  Bilbo’s encounter with Trolls and Frodo’s  Reminder of happy ending, contrast with Bilbo  MORE SERIOUS TONE OF LOTR

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 Motifs  Gifts  Bilbo’s gifts to Frodo: Bag End and Ring  Bombadil’s gifts: swords, lives, peace of mind  Barliman’s contributions because ponies stolen  Growing number of Conspirators/supporters  ROAD SONG

Fellowship of the Ring – Book 1 The Quest  Opposite of regular quest: Quest to destroy or lose not find, not militaristic, Frodo to sneak into Mordor; not fight—resist evil  Nightmare quality of Black Riders: hoarse, hissing, sniffing (animal-like)  Childlike hero, wise old man advisor  FAIL 1 st TEST LEARN