William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part II
'My blood runs chill,' said Gimli, but the others were
silent, and his voice fell dead on the dank fir-needles at his feet. The horses
would not pass the threatening stone, until the riders dismounted and led them
about. And so they came at last deep into the glen; and there stood a sheer
wall of rock, and in the wall the Dark Door gaped before them like the mouth of
night. Signs and figures were carved above its wide arch too dim to read, and
fear flowed from it like a grey vapour.
The company halted, and there was not a heart among them
that did not quail, unless it were the heart of Legolas of the Elves, for whom
the ghosts of Men have no terror.
'This is an evil door,' said Halbarad, 'and my death lies
beyond it. I will dare to pass it nonetheless; but no horse will enter.'
1.Who carved this door and its symbols and why? Did you find yourself
wondering this as well?
2. Now to the very first question I ever asked on TORN: Why is only Legolas
singled out as not fearing the ghosts of men? Surely the sons of Elrond, who we
know had the life of the elves while Elrond was still in ME, would also not
fear the spirits. My own theory was that because they had the potential
to be mortal, and presumably they knew their sister’s intentions, the ghosts of
humans would strike a bit close to home.
So time unreckoned passed, until Gimli saw a sight that
he was ever afterwards loth to recall. The road was wide, as far as he could
judge, but now the company came suddenly into a great empty space, and there
were no longer any walls upon either side. The dread was so heavy on him that
he could hardly walk. Away to the left something glittered in the gloom as
Aragorn's torch drew near. Then Aragorn halted and went to look what it might
be.
'Does he feel no fear?' muttered the Dwarf. 'In any other
cave Gimli Glóin's son would have been the first to run to the gleam of gold.
But not here! Let it lie!'
Nonetheless he drew near, and saw Aragorn kneeling, while
Elladan held aloft both torches. Before him were the bones of a mighty man. He
had been clad in mail, and still his harness lay there whole; for the cavern's
air was as dry as dust, and his hauberk was gilded. His belt was of gold and
garnets, and rich with gold was the helm upon his bony head face downward on
the floor. He had fallen near the far wall of the cave, as now could be seen,
and before him stood a stony door closed fast: his finger-bones were still
clawing at the cracks. A notched and broken sword lay by him, as if he had hewn
at the rock in his last despair.
Aragorn did not touch him, but after gazing silently for a
while he rose and sighed. 'Hither shall the flowers of simbelmynë come
never unto world's end,' he murmured. 'Nine mounds and seven there are now
green with grass, and through all the long years he has lain at the door that
he could not unlock. Whither does it lead? Why would he pass? None shall ever
know!
3. Why the switch to Gimli’s perspective here? This is a rare occurance. Is
it because, of the characters in this scene we’re familiar with, he’s the one
we can relate to most in this situation?
4. When I read this passage the first time, I couldn’t wait to find out what
the story was behind that skeleton…but in the course of the book you never do
learn about him. Why leave this ambiguous? Was this just another facet Tolkien
left vague in LOTR to add realism? (Like Queen Beruthiel’s infamous cats.)
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email: elwen3@hotmail.com
"But I say to you, King of the Númenoreans, not till now have I understood the tale of your people and their fall. As wicked fools I scorned them, but I pity them at last. For if this is indeed, as the Eldar say, the gift of the One to Men, it is bitter to receive."
Namarie Widfara, you are always in our hearts.
