Tolkien Calendar: The Great Years
Showing Single Newsitem
March 24, 3019
24 March 2006 19:25:27Frodo and Samwise make their last journey to the feet of Mount Doom. The Host camps in the Desolation of the Morannon.
Aragorn and the remaining host, now numbering something less than six thousands, reach the Morgul Vale at nightfall.
The Morgul Vale is a bleak and nearly barren place laid desolate by long years as the doorstep of Mordor. The host camps here in the dark, Mordor enhanced, night. At the edge of the encampment wolves howl and other fearsome things prowl giving the host a sleepless night. I can imagine that the entire host is huddled with their own troubled thoughts of what tomorrow will bring.
Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam continue their journey. They take the last of their water and face the day. Tolkein describes it:
Quote:
The last stage of their journey to Orodruin, and it was a torment greater than any Sam had ever thought that he could bear. He was in pain, and so parched that he could no longer swallow even a mouthful of food. It remained dark, not only because of the smokes of the Mountain: there seemed to be a storm coming up, and away to the southeast there was a shimmer of lightnings the black skies. Worst of all, the air was full of fumes; breathing was painful and difficult, and a dizziness came on them, so that they staggered on and often fell. And yet their wills did not fail.
In those words, I think that Tolkien captures the total day for both Frodo and Sam as well as for the host. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have to carry on with such lack of hope. And yet, as Tolkien states, "their wills did not fail."
Images © "Red Eye of Sauron Atop Barad-dur" by Alan Lee.