The Two Towers // Book 3, Chapter 2 // The Riders of Rohan

I. love. this. chapter. so. much.

I love the dogged tenacity and loyalty of our three hunters. I love the camaraderie. And I realized it does still all happen in early spring, but near the beginning I always picture them coming down out of the stony land into a world of water and wind-washed lush, soft, rejuvenating knee high green grass. Pure refreshment.

There's so much development going on theme-wise -- there's the pressing on and persevering with or without hope... discernment... the loyalty... and again, help in unexpected places. Aragorn just keeps getting better and better, and I feel like we learn so much about Gimli particularly too. He has some little flashes of wry humor and in other moments we glimpse his great depth of feeling -- particularly in his worry for Merry and Pippin. Of course Legolas is always great and made me smile several times.

As for the new face in our midst... Isn't Eomer just grand?!? Yup. Definitely utterly and entirely splendid. I could go on and on, but I'm getting so many different ideas popping and zinging round in my head (part of the reason it took me till this evening to post ;P) that I've finally decided that trying to pull it together right now is near impossible and I'm gonna try and do a proper study/tribute post to his character sometime later this year (maybe for Hamlette's Tolkien Week? *hints broadly* xD). At the moment I'll leave you with some eloquent splutters and squeal-y exclamation points. 

So here goes..... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XD 

Whew. Ok, being serious again. Well, as serious as possible.

I had one little unrelated thought about the champing-at-the-bit delays (in Rivendell and Lothlorien) we've all been noticing. Eomer says, "...at this time our chief concern is with Saruman. He has claimed lordship over all this land, and there has been war between us for many months." Simply from a plot point perspective, maybe Tolkien needed time for the tension to amp up and certain happenings in the wide world to get properly under way? I also thought it was funny how Tolkien references elves' sleeping habits twice in the one chapter. It doesn't bother me, but it's encouraging to know it might have taken him awhile to write it and/or things can always slide by during the editing process. (That's if it's a problem at all, which I'm not saying it is. It's just an interesting little side note. ;)) 

To go back briefly to the interchange at the heart of the chapter: there's so much just exploding out -- organically, but like the entire story is really hitting its stride. As aforementioned (and I won't go into it much yet due to spoilers + I'd rather just let it speak for itself) but we can already see the conflict of divided loyalties, having to discern fundamentals/on whose side to fight, truth v. lie/s, which will all just keep getting bigger and coming into clearer and clearer focus as we go on.

It's also really interesting that Eomer knew the words of the riddle/about Boromir's mission. For some reason I thought his quest was more of a deep dark secret (known only to his father and brother). Am I forgetting something? Does Eomer knowing about it strike anyone else as surprising?

Finally, I guess it's not necessarily singular -- plenty of people knew who Aragorn was and the Company had definitely seen little glimpses of him coming into his own (i.e. going through the Pillars of the Kings etc.) -- but the moment when he announces himself to Eomer does seem to be a revelatory turning point:

"Aragorn threw back his cloak. The elven-sheath glittered as he grasped it, and the bright blade of Anduril shone like a sudden flame as he swept it out. 'Elendil!' he cried. 'I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and am called Elessar, the Elfstone, Dunadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil's son of Gondor. Here is the Sword that was Broken and is forged again! Will you aid me or thwart me? Choose swifty!' ...in his living face they caught a brief vision of the power and majesty of the kings of stone. For a moment it seemed to the eyes of Legolas that a white flame flickered on the brows of Aragorn like a shining crown."

Quotes:

• I'm reading and rereading the descriptions near the beginning of sunrise over the meads of Rohan and then the grass swelling up to the Emyn Muil as our hunters go down into the land. I'm not going to copy it out here, but I'm definitely reveling in all the descriptive deliciousness.... <333
• "Eomer stepped back and a look of awe was in his face. He cast down his proud eyes. 'These are indeed strange days,' he muttered. 'Dreams and legends spring to life out of the grass. Tell me, lord,' he said, 'what brings you here? ...What doom do you bring out of the North?" "The doom of choice,' said Aragorn. 'You may say this to Theoden son of Thengel: open war lies before him, with Sauron or against him. None may live now as they have lived, and few shall keep what they call their own."
• "Halflings!' laughed the Rider that stood beside Eomer. 'Halflings! ...Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?' 'A man may do both,' said Aragorn. 'For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time. The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day!'
• "...the Men of the Mark do not lie, and therefore they are not easily deceived."
  
• "I had forgotten that,' said Eomer. 'It is hard to be sure of anything among so many marvels. The world is all grown strange. Elf and Dwarf in company walk in our daily fields; and folk speak with the Lady of the Wood and yet live; and the Sword comes back to war that was broken in the long ages ere the fathers of our fathers rode into the Mark! How shall a man judge what to do in such times?' 'As he ever has judged,' said Aragorn. 'Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them, as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house."
  
• "Farewell, and may you find what you seek!' cried Eomer. 'Return with what speed you may, and let our swords hereafter shine together!' 'I will come,' said Aragorn. 'And I will come too,' said Gimli. 'The matter of the Lady Galadriel lies still between us. I have yet to teach you gentle speech.' 'We shall see,' said Eomer. 'So many strange things have chanced that to learn the praise of a fair lady under the loving strokes of a Dwarf's axe will seem no great wonder. Farewell!"
  
• "The counsel of Gandalf was not founded on foreknowledge of safety, for himself or for others,' said Aragorn. 'There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark."
  

 

For thought:

• What was your favorite moment in this chapter?