In these chapters, Frodo and his companions leave the dwelling of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry and make there way into the Barrow-Downs and, beyond, Bree, a small town inhabited by hobbits and "Big Folk." The Barrow-Downs is a hilled area, carpeted in fog, in which the hobbits are separated from each other. Merry, Pippin, and Sam are captured by a barrow-wight, a sort of evil spirit that inhabits the barrows of the hills, small underground burial chambers. Upon its treasure hoard, the three hobbits are paralytically bound; Frodo nearly joins them but is saved by, yet again, Tom Bombadil, who is summoned with a special sort of song. I find the songs and chants Tolkien very interesting and often entertaining, as it is one of the few books in which I have seen something like this fully written out so frequently (and some are quite good). It is from song, in fact, that Bombadil's influence comes. He sings away the wight and frees the hobbits, retrieving what of their belongings he can. He then leaves them, and Frodo and his companions continue on to Bree, where they make their way to the Prancing Pony, an inn recommended by Bombadil. In the inn, they are greeted by the innkeeper Barliman Butterbur, and among others, Frodo meets Strider, a mysterious ranger who will play a huge part in the later story.
Very little of chapter eight appears in the film. Again, I note that I wish that Tom Bombadil had made a movie appearance. In chapter nine, I find that the film represented the inn as a much more hostile environment full of leering drunkards and angry men, though in the book it seems a warm and cheery place. I thought that Strider was rather well represented, and look forward to seeing more of him.
Tomorrow, July 12th, I plan to post some interesting resources about the writer -- JRR Tolkien -- and his work. If you wish to add your opinion on anything here to my own, please feel free to comment below.
Thanks for reading,
C
No comments:
Post a Comment