Catholic Thought discussion
Lord of the Rings
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Book 2, Chapter 2
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1. The Council itself recalls types of councils that Tolkien might have had in mind and used as a model. One could perceive the Council as some sort of Ecumenical Church Council. Church Councils brought bishops together from across Christendom and they each formulated and provided a context and a perspective and an opinion of a deep question that needed to be address. The fact that dwarves and elves and hobbits and men from the north and men from the south come together and provide such input on what should be done with the Ring does have the feel of an Ecumenical Council. In the end they come to a consensus. If that is so would Elrond be considered the Pope? Although a Pope doesn’t necessarily have to preside a council. That would dispel the notion of Rivendell as a sort of heaven, though perhaps that was a little far-fetched. Rivendell under the Church Council concept could be then seen as a fortified city in Christendom.
2. Since Tolkien wrote the novel between 1937 and 1949, the Council could be seen as some sort of War Council where nations come together to form alliances and plans. There were many War Councils during World War II between heads of nations and their generals to decide strategy, such as the Yalta Conference. Or it could be from World War I where there were numerous alliances between nations, such as the Big Four (US, Great Britain, Italy, and France) signed the Treaty of Versailles. Or perhaps Tolkien had the crusades in mind where nations within Christendom came together to fight Islam, a sort of dark force opposing Christendom. A word that is frequent in this chapter is “allied.” During Boromir’s speech, he says, “We were outnumbered, for Mordor has allied with the Easterlings and the cruel Haradrim.” Just a few sentences later he says, “But I do not seek allies in war.” During Gandalf’s speech, Gandalf reports Saruman as explaining his new outlook with, “A new Power is rising. Against it the old allies and policies will not avail us at all.” Later Boromir again speaks of allies, “I know the Men of Rohan, true and valiant, our allies, dwelling still in the lands that we gave them long ago.” So we hear of allies on the good side and allies on the bad side and of policies old and reformulating between groups. So the Council could also echo a war council.
3. The Ring has power even if it is not carried in possession. Saruman is corrupted without having the Ring but just by the mere study of the history and nature of the Rings. Twice Saruman is characterized as being in lust. First Gandalf,
‘He came and laid his long hand on my arm. “And why not, Gandalf?” he whispered. “Why not? The Ruling Ring? If we could command that, then the Power would pass to us. That is in truth why I brought you here. For I have many eyes in my service, and I believe that you know where this precious thing now lies. Is it not so? Or why do the Nine ask for the Shire, and what is your business there?” As he said this a lust which he could not conceal shone suddenly in his eyes.’
And later Glorfindel on Saruman,
He knew that the Ring was not lost for ever, but wished us to think so; for he began to lust for it for himself. Yet oft in lies truth is hidden: in the Sea it would be safe.’
4. While Boromir’s desire to use the Ring for good was shot down, it is a troubling note. He too has spent time learning about the Ring and comes to the Council with one question, to know what has become of the Ring. When Frodo is asked to show Boromir the Ring and shows it, Boromir eyes expand and thinks of power as he sees it:
Boromir’s eyes glinted as he gazed at the golden thing. ‘The Halfling!’ he muttered. ‘Is then the doom of Minas Tirith come at last? But why then should we seek a broken sword?’
Regarding a hobbit as a “Halfling” is to measure him from his larger physical stature. He views Frodo from a sense of his ability to overpower him. After Gandalf had finished his narrative and the Council members discussed how to dispose of the ring, we get a visual exchange between Frodo and Boromir, and then Boromir speaks of using the Ring for their purposes:
Silence fell again. Frodo, even in that fair house, looking out upon a sunlit valley filled with the noise of clear waters, felt a dead darkness in his heart. Boromir stirred, and Frodo looked at him. He was fingering his great horn and frowning. At length he spoke.
‘I do not understand all this,’ he said. ‘Saruman is a traitor, but did he not have a glimpse of wisdom? Why do you speak ever of hiding and destroying? Why should we not think that the Great Ring has come into our hands to serve us in the very hour of need? Wielding it the Free Lords of the Free may surely defeat the Enemy. That is what he most fears, I deem.
‘The Men of Gondor are valiant, and they will never submit; but they may be beaten down. Valour needs first strength, and then a weapon. Let the Ring be your weapon, if it has such power as you say. Take it and go forth to victory!’
Boromir is making an argument for utility, a sort of cooperation with evil. It brings to mind the use of the atomic bomb to end the war argument. Frodo feels the darkness emanating from Boromir, who in turn uses the argument that came from Saruman. If Boromir is not where Saruman is yet, he is in the process of getting there. Elrond shoots down this argument, but I think the “lust” of it lingers in Boromir’s head.
He kind of argues with himself and mulls things over like we do with a temptation.
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This was a long chapter!
And I agree, the whole world-building aspect of fantasy is somewhat tiresome. You have to learn a whole new geography and history, keep it straight and follow the plot.
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Boromir himself doesn't realize that his rationalistic argument for using the ring against Mordor is corrupting him. Of all the attendants of the Council he is the most vulnerable one to succumb to its power. He should be the last one to ever have possession of it.
The ambition that consumes men from within. Boromir like a Macbeth. Can it be? I don't know, but I like them both :D
Sean Bean as Boromir in the film series seems to have supplanted in my mind the character in the book, who was , I think, a darker figure, or at least a more complicated one.
Frances wrote: "Sean Bean as Boromir in the film series seems to have supplanted in my mind the character in the book, who was , I think, a darker figure, or at least a more complicated one."He has replaced him in my mind, too. He seemed more sympathetic and vulnerable in the film, didn't he?
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That sounds like a good plan, Manny! My impressions weren't too corrupted because I had read this trilogy several times over the course of my life. But once you've seen the wonderful actors in the films, they just sort of supplant the book characters in one's imagination.
I am quite late to the party, but I thought I would share some thoughts and quotes I picked up throughout this very long and difficult chapter. I just adore Tolkien's worldbuilding here, but I admit that were I a first-time reader of Tolkien, I would be very confused!! I would also liken the council of Elrond to a war council, especially when the Fellowship is created - it seems like an alliance between the races of Middle Earth to destroy (or attempt to) evil once and for all.
I really liked when Aragorn said: "If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be, and we must be secret to keep them so." It almost seems like the Rangers are the guardian angels of the normal people, they come and go unseen and they keep the lands safe.
In this chapter, Elrond also says something very important about how Tolkien thought about evil: "For nothing is evil in the beginning." I think this follows the Augustinian view of evil, that evil is the corruption of good.
I really admire your deep reading of the text, Ellie.
Book 2, Chapter 2: The Council of Elrond
The next day after Frodo’s reunion with Bilbo, the great Council of Elrond began. Attending were the hobbits Frodo and Bilbo (though Sam, uninvited, snuck in), the wizard Gandalf, the elves Elrond, Glorfindel, Erestor, Galdor, Legolas, and others unnamed, the dwarves Glóin and his son Gimli, and a man from the south named Boromir.
The state of the world was described. Then Glóin described the tribulations effecting his homeland, Moria, and he has come to Rivendell in part to give Bilbo a warning that he is being sought by the Enemy.
Elrond stated that they are all gathered to decide what to do with the Ring. That is the question for the Council. Elrond provided a history of the creation and disappearance of the Ring, and of a war that was fought over the ring and how the northern people were decimated while those in the south endured.
Boromir then spoke of how the war effected his land of Gondor, and the warrior culture that developed and how he himself had been tested in battle against Mordor. Aragorn then displayed a sword that had been broken in the war that Boromir had sought.
Gandalf then called on Frodo to show all the Ring, and Frodo held it up.
Aragorn then spoke of the hardships the north had faced from the wars, and the disdain that most have toward the north men. He promised that the sword will be re-forged.
Next Bilbo told the true story of his encounter with the Ring, not the fictionalized accounts he used to tell, of how he had found it and tricked Gollum. Gandalf was then asked to tell what he knew of the Ring and of Saruman, another wizard, who is learned of the Rings.
Gandalf then spoke, bringing up the many years of his interested in how Gollum had acquired the Ring. He was on the lookout for Golum, but Gollum escaped him. He asked for the help of the Dúnedain, and they tried to hunt him down. The increase in Enemy activity around the Shire made him suspicious that the Ring was even more powerful than he originally thought. He decided to seek out Saruman, who had the most knowledge of the Rings outside of Mordor. Before meeting with Saruman, Gandalf met with the King of Gondor, Lord Denethor who let him search the history records where he found the writings of King Isildur who was the one who initially got the ring from Sauron, cutting it off Sauron’s finger, was then corrupted by it, and lost it in a river. That was the river where Gollum would eventually find it. This knowledge was an epiphany for Gandalf, realizing now that the ring was from the evil of Mordor.
Upon leaving Lord Denethor, Gandalf received a message from Aragorn that they had located Gollum. Upon meeting with Gollum, Gandalf then learned of how Gollum had found the ring in the river. Aragorn then interrupted Gandalf, informing that Gollum had been jailed, but Legolas followed up Aragorn with the news Golum had escaped.
Gandalf continued with his narrative. In June he was in the Shire where he encountered a fellow wizard, Radagast the Brown, who had news for Gandalf. Radagast told him the Nazgûl (the nine dark riders) are on some mission, and that Saruman the White was offering his help. With that Gandalf made haste to meet with Saruman, going to his fortress, Isengard. At the meeting with Saruman, Gandalf realized that Saruman had been corrupted and now was betraying the allies. Saruman was now after the ring himself, for his own power. He had Gandalf seized and then placed at the top of Orthanc, an immense tower of stone with no means of escape.
But Radagast went to Mirkwood and told the Eagles of the Mountains that Gandalf had gone to Saruman, and when no one could find Gandalf for two months, Gwaihir the Windlord, the most powerful of the Great Eagles, went to Orathanc and lifted Gandalf away to Rohan. From there Gandalf acquired a magic horse, Shadowfax, which bore him to Bree where he learned from Butterbur that Frodo and Aragorn had met up and were headed to Rivendell. He raced toward Crickhollow, where he encountered the Dark Riders, but they left him alone to focus on Frodo. Eventually he arrived in Rivendell.
Now came the moment of the decision of what to do with the Ring. Either it must be hidden where it cannot be found or must be destroyed. Options were presented. Bring it to overseas beyond Middle Earth. Give it to Tom Bombadil to hold. Boromir suggested it be used to defeat the Dark Lord. All were shot down. The only viable and lasting solution was to destroy the Ring once and for all. Bilbo volunteered to take the Ring where it could be destroyed, but that too was rejected. Bilbo was now too old. Frodo then volunteered. It was obvious that only he could be the one to accomplish it. Sam, disclosing himself to the Council, shouted out that he would go with Frodo!