Well, that was a doozy of a first day! You will perhaps be unsurprised that I
abandoned my note-taking at this point during my Encyclopedia work. So from
this point on I will give just a few highlights of each chapter of
Treason from notes made this past week for this discussion.
Chapter X. The Mines of Moria (2): The Bridge
The Mines of Moria (ii)
Wrote first draft for this chapter straight through
and extremely fast – manuscript is almost illegible with few stops for
changes.
Gandalf deliberately blows up the door and chamber
behind them as the Fellowship escapes down the stairs, losing his staff in the
process – says he has weakened himself perhaps for years by doing so. No
mention of balrog on other side of door, etc.
The balrog is explicitly man-high, but flaming. B.
and Gandalf fight on the bridge, but a Troll stepping out onto the bridge is
the cause of the break, and all three fall in to the abyss. T. quickly revises
this to the final version.
Chapter XI. The Story Foreseen from Moria
Tolkien begins to outline where he thinks the story
will go at this point.
Sketch of Plot
Elves help them in Lothlorien, no mention of
Galadriel. At the Angle of Silverlode and Anduin, the company debates its
course. Boromir corners Frodo over the Ring, and Frodo disappears, heads to
Mordor. Sam follows him, as does Gollum. Frodo tames Gollum via the ring, which
re-establishes the power of the ring over Frodo. They reach Mordor, Gollum
betrays Frodo to the Black Riders, now on vulture-steeds, but F. escapes to
Mountain of Fire. F. hears sounds of a great battle behind him.
Frodo cannot throw ring in, Gollum takes it, Sam
grabs Gollum and both of them fall into the Fire. Redevelop plot:
involve spiders and Gollum, Frodo is captured and held in Minas Morgol, Sam
takes Ring, rescues Frodo, they get to Mountain, Sam carrying the Ring, Sam
defeats Gollum and throws him in the Fire. How save them from the eruption?
Other story: Merry and Pippin wander, meet
Treebeard who “turns out a decent giant.” Aragorn and Boromir head for Minas
Tirith. Legolas and Gimli dispirited, head north for home, meet Gandalf! G. is
now white, tells of escape from Moria (water was not deep, found mithril mail,
slew many trolls). G. heads to Minas Tirith with Legolas and Gimli.
Minas Tirith is besieged by Sauron and Saruman.
Boromir turns evil. The Lord is slain, and the city chooses Aragorn as new
chief. Boromir deserts and joins Saruman. Gandalf breaks siege, with help of
Treebeard. Battle must be kept short so as not to compete with Last Battle at
Gorgoroth.
Gandalf leads to final battle. They see the
eruption of Fiery Mountain. Perhaps cowardly Pippin dies heroically while
helping rescue Frodo and Sam.
Return to Minas Tirith. Aragorn becomes Lord of
Minas Ithil (as heir of Isildur). He has slain Boromir. Gandalf and hobbits
head home; on the way Gandalf stops at Isengard and breaks Saruman’s staff.
Rivendell: meet Bilbo. What happens to Shire? Last scene: Elves and Bilbo sail
away, Frodo and Sam retire to a green land by the Sea.
Chapter XII. Lothlórien
Legolas sings of Amroth / Ammalas and Nimlothel /
Linglorel. The Wood-elves take them up into the trees, then lead them into the
Gore. Glimpse of Gollum. Hathaldir is the leader. Beginnings of thought of who
the lord of this land is. Notes on Lord and Lady clad in white with white hair.
The Silverlode is named Blackroot / Morthond here. Aragorn’s name changed to
Elfstone as before, then to Ingold; later changed back to Elfstone.
A few penciled notes on back of manuscript: what if
the Balrog is Saruman: battle on bridge between Gandalf and Saruman. Why a Lord
of the Galadrim? What if Galadriel is alone, the wife of Elrond? Elf-rings’
power must fade if One Ring is destroyed.
Chapter XIII. Galadriel
They come to the city of the Galadrim. They climb
to meet the Lord and Lady. Keleborn greets them. Galadrien tests them. Keleborn
gives them the advice that is later given at the end of their stay.
Notes for rest of chapter: they stay 15 days, King
Galdaran shows Frodo his mirror: events in the future of the Shire, Cosimo
Sackville-Baggins buying up all the land, Gollum and a mountain of fire. As
they depart for the Stone Hills, they get travel food from Elves, and a warning
to avoid Fangorn Forest and the great Ent or giant on the Entwash.
In manuscript: it is Galadrien’s mirror, Frodo sees
visions of the future war, Sam sees events in the Shire. Galadrien shows Frodo
her ring, she laughs at his offer to give her the evil One Ring, says she only
wants an unsullied ring. First conception that Sauron did not make the
Elven-rings. Tolkien revises his thoughts on this, explores who made the
Elven-rings. At one point it is Feanor who made the Three, and the One Ring is
made by Morgoth! Final development: that Sauron made the One in secret to
govern all the others made by Elves using his teachings.
Chapter XIV. Farewell to Lórien
This chapter has repeated stops and re-starts in
the manuscripts. Keleborn offers to send his Elves to accompany the Fellowship
down the Anduin, among the Green Hills, to the Toll-ondren, the isle in the
middle of the river. Boromir obviously conflicted about the plan to destroy the
Ring. Lembas passage almost exactly as in the final text. Elves are the ones
who mention the idea that the cloaks might be “magic”, only to deny it. The
idea of a waterfall (Rosfein) as an obstacle introduced; the Elves that will
accompany them are dropped.
Gimli asks Galadriel for nothing but his memory of
her; in return she gives him from around her throat a brooch of emerald in
gold, and presents him with the Elfstone, which he adopts as a name for his
house.
JRRT immediately perceives this is Aragorn’s true
name. He tries Elfstone, Elfstone son of Elfhelm, Elfstan, Eledon, Aragorn,
Eldakar, Eldamir, Qendamir as names for the big guy. Long discussion of
Aragorn’s names. Tolkien returns to calling him Trotter informally, while
Elfstone is his real name. Of the green stone she gives him, “For it is said
that those who looked through this stone saw things that were withered or
burned healed again or as they were in the grace of their youth.” No mention of
this in final version.
Keleborn’s descriptions of what is to come as they
descend the river show the geography of the next part of the journey developing
even as Tolkien writes and rewrites.
36 footnotes of fabulous erudition for this
chapter. Also an entire section “Additional notes on the name Elfstone”.
Chapter XV. The First Map of The Lord of the
Rings
Tolkien started with a small gridded map of the
area from the Shire to past Mirkwood, obviously based on the Hobbit Map. As his
story moved south and made reference to parts west, he pasted on numerous
additions to extend the map. Then when changes to his rough geography became
necessary as the story developed, particularly in the chapters first discussed
in Treason, he pasted revisions right over the older material.
The result is a fascinating document that still
exists, pasted, folded, erased and rewritten, cracked, and fading. It was
superseded by CT’s colored fine copy done in 1943, and the pen and ink versions
done for publication when the story was finally finished.
CT redrew in pen and ink each section of this map,
gridded for reference, for inclusion and discussion in Treason. Using these
illustrations, he discusses the evolution of Middle-earth in excruciating
detail.
The most memorable thing about the Map, overall, is
the interaction that CT demonstrates between Tolkien’s drafts and his
sketch-maps. Neither came first, but each changed the other repeatedly.
Tolkien’s famous statement “I wisely started with a map and made the story fit”
is thus ingenuous at best: the only map he really started with was The Hobbit
map. After that the story changed the map at least as much as the map changed
the story.
There are at least six versions of the area
covering the Emyn Muil, Rohan, and Anduin’s course from Lorien to Minas Tirith:
that is, the geography that was most involved with Tolkien’s explosion of plot
following the stay in Lorien. That is why the Map chapter, which is pretty
self-sufficient and relevant to the entire history of LotR, is inserted at this
point in Treason.
Chapter XVI. The Story Foreseen from Lórien
Tolkien again prepared an outline of where the
story was going. This includes writing of the scene where Boromir attempts to
seize the Ring from Frodo.
The company, having been attacked by the arrows of
the Orcs, make camp on the island in the middle of the river, halfway between
East and West. Frodo crosses to the East Shore to contemplate his course –
quickly changed to Frodo ascending the hill and looking East. Boromir comes
upon him, scene very similar to final version. Sam discovers Frodo has
disappeared, the company begins to search for him.
Quickly changed again to camp on the west shore,
the central island becomes inaccessible. Sam takes boat to the East to follow
Frodo, tracks him, runs into Gollum who is also tracking Frodo. They surprise
Frodo, who becomes visible again; and tames Gollum, who promises to lead them
over the Marshes to Kirith Ungol.
Plot for the other part of the Company repeats
earlier outline: Merry and Pippin are missing, Trotter berates himself, then
goes with Boromir toward Minas Tirith, while Legolas and Gimli head north for
home.
Tolkien was on a roll with the Frodo story, and so
pursued it here. Gollum leads them to the Spider Glen, Kirith Ungol. The
spiders are greater than Mirkwood’s, they are from the First Age when Beren
fought them. They ensnare and sting Frodo; Sam thinks him dead and takes the
Ring. Gollum brings back the Orc-guard of the Pass, who take Frodo’s body away
to Minas Morgul, chanting “Ringbearer! Ringbearer!”, despite Gollum’s
insistence that there is a second hobbit.
Sam, invisible, follows, seeing from the heights a
great war preparing as Sauron mounts his attack on Minas Tirith. He enters the
dread city of Minas Morgul, which guards the pass of Gorgoroth. He is drawn up
the Tall Tower, comes to an end, sings. The Orcs open a door, reveal they are
saving Frodo for instructions from Baraddur. Sam slips in, finds Frodo. F. sees
Sam as if he were an Orc. Sam gives the Ring back to Frodo. They begin their
escape by luring in an Orc that Sam kills. Sam dresses in his gear, Frodo puts
on the Ring, and they go down the stairs. They hurry through the haunted city.
Sam gets out the gate using “swagger”. An invisible Frodo follows by tripping
the guard, and runs out just as a messenger vulture arrives from the Dark
Tower.
Tolkien notes to himself: “Minas Morgul must be
made more horrible. The usual ‘goblin’ stuff is not good enough here.”
Rewrite: Sam must try to escape past the Sentinels,
that slow his will to a naked crawl. Rewrite: No Orc-gear, the elf-cloaks
magically disguise them in the streets of the City of Sorcery. The Ringwraith
arrives to take Frodo to the Dark Tower. F. and S. escape a hunt for them
throughout the City. They join a company of Orcs in Orc-gear, and march out of
the city. They head for Mordor and so are missed, because the hunt goes West.
Sam and Frodo trudge over Gorgoroth towards Mount
Doom. Sam is injured, Frodo goes on alone. He climbs Mt Doom and sees the Eye
of Baraddur, and hears the Horn of Elendil and the sound of battle in the far
distance.
Chapter XVII. The Great River
Tolkien enlarges on his notes about the company
being attacked by arrows of the Orcs. Beginning of the Great River chapter. Sam
notes the New Moon, and wonders where the time went in Lorien. Trotter agrees
that they left Mortal Time behind in Lorien, having seen no moon when they were
there. The rapids of Sarn-Gebir appear. To Boromir’s wish to head for Minas
Tirith around the Falls, Trotter first mentions the high seat upon Tol Brandir,
made in the days of Valandil. The ‘Gates of Sarn-Gebir’ are passed, with their
ancient statues of Kings. Trotter is revealed as Eldamir (Elfstone), grandson
of Valandil, who is Isildur’s son – only four generations between Isildur and
Elfstone! CT has no explanation for this anomaly.
Frodo’s and Legolas’ debate about the nature of
Time, for Elves in general, and for Lorien in particular, is worked out in
parallel alternative paragraphs as Tolkien tried to capture what he wanted
Lorien to be.
3. NOTES
Tolkien needed Time to have a different quality in
Lothlorien, but the actuality of the matter would affect the calendar he was
keeping for the story as a whole. Did the company spend a calendar month that
seemed a day, or a calendar day that seemed a month, in Lorien? It becomes
important when considering what else was going on in the plot while they were
there; and when defining what date the various episodes of the story occurred.
As seen earlier, Tolkien realized “if Lorien is timeless . . . nothing will
have happened since they entered.” Huge Moon issues develop at this point; the
Calendars and Timelines go nuts. Ultimate Tolkien decision: “Better to have
no time difference.”
Chapter XVIII. The Breaking of the Fellowship
Tolkien picks up writing the scene at Kelufain or
Calenbel (later Parth Galen). Frodo asks for time alone. Trotter reminds him
that whichever direction he goes, he will have company. Frodo has his vision on
Amon Hen – Tolkien’s writing is so fast the pen floats on the paper. CT’s
transcription is very sketchy. It is unclear whether Frodo’s sight is altered
because he is on Amon Hen, or because he wears the Ring.
The discussion among the company while Frodo is
gone took “draft after draft to achieve”. Lines delivered by one speaker are
given to another in the final version. The name Denethor first appears here.
Tolkien now conceives of the Orc attack, and so abandons his plan of Boromir
returning to Minas Tirith a traitor, and Merry and Pippin wandering off to meet
Treebeard on their own.
Yo Adrian! It’s me, squire. Well, that’s the middle
third of The Treason of Isengard, as I divided it up.
Here’s the way I summed these chapters 10-18 up for
the Encyclopedia article:
Chapters 10-18 show Tolkien with renewed energy
developing the story from Moria to the end of FR. The most notable features are
the death of Gandalf on the bridge, the invention of Lórien and the character
of Galadriel, and the beginning of serious consideration of the geography of
the southern part of Middle-earth as the quest began to approach Mordor and
Gondor. In this section also are Tolkien’s story-notes on the coming split in
the Fellowship. These contain the first sketches and drafts for Book 4 in TT
and beyond, with Frodo’s journey to Mordor, the war in Gondor, and the climax
of the quest.
I kind of like this curious kind of discussion –
just exposition, no questions. Tomorrow: the third and last part, then there
really will be some questions on
Friday.
The Critics Speak:
The most striking revision of all, one also noted by Christopher Tolkien, appears in a draft of the preceding chapter, “Farewell to Lórien,” in which two canceled sentences and Tolkien’s note on their cancellation reinforce speculations about whether time does or does not pass and supply the rationale for the debate in all its versions. As the Company prepares to leave Lórien, their Elf-guide Haldir announces, “I have just returned from the Northern Fences . . . and I am sent now to be your guide again. [struck out: There are strange things happening away back there. We do not know the meaning of them. But].” Above the canceled words is penciled the provocative comment “This won’t do—if Lórien is timeless, for then nothing will have happened since they entered” (Treason of Isengard, 286). Tolkien’s mind here is plain. It “won’t do” to have an Elf in a timeless land report things happening in time. (Verlyn Flieger, A Question of Time: J. R. R. Tolkien’s Road to Faërie, pp. 103-04)squire online:
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