Although all of our heroes are in relative safety in Middle-earth today, there is certainly no lull in the dramatic action, especially in the dramatic geography, if I may use the term. For the horizons of Middle-earth are expanding right before our eyes today. Pippin is speeding with Gandalf and Shadowfax across Gondor toward Minas Tirith. Frodo and Sam are being led, blindfolded, to the primitive yet civilized refuge of Henneth Annun in the land of Ithilien, with its "dishevelled dryad loveliness" (perhaps my favorite of all Tolkien phrases). Merry is with the King, preparing for the Muster of Rohan, with all its diverse characters and regions. And Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, along with the Dunedain and the sons of Elrond, have formed the Grey Company, riding for the White Mountain range and the Paths of the Dead. Indeed, once again today, geography is a character in the story.

Tolkien tells us that when Frodo and Bilbo sat down for a good hobbity talk, they would talk about all the beautiful places they had seen in the world. I imagine that Frodo must have told Bilbo about Henneth Annun, revealed to Frodo and Sam in dramatic fashion:

At daybreak on this day, Aragorn sets out to meet his appointed destiny on the Paths of the Dead, where he hopes to rally the ancient and cursed army to the cause of Isildur's heir, luring them with the promise of their freedom if they fight for him. The journey starts fraught--Eowyn, desperate with both love for him and desire for great deeds, falls upon her knees before him to beg leave to go along. He must refuse her, "and only those who knew him well and were near to him saw the pain that he bore."

Tolkien then describes the long hours of a dreadful journey under the mountains of Dunharrow along the Dimholt Road in the company of the Dead--a journey that the Dunedain and their horses, the sons of Elrond, and Gimli and Legolas can bear only because of their love for Aragorn and the strength of his will. When they finally emerge the race is on for the Stone of Erech, which they, and the following Army of the Dead, must reach ere midnight. Along the route people flee and hide in stark terror of the King of the Dead. They reach the Stone, and here the Ranger gives way at last, irrevocably, to the King. Aragorn blows a silver horn made for the purpose, and Dead Army answers.
By the Stone of Erech, Aragorn speaks.

And then for the first time, Aragorn unfolds his royal banner, the one Arwen made for him. The King has returned.

At the same time Aragorn rides out on the Dimholt Road, Frodo and Sam, with Gollum in tow, prepare to leave the last sanctuary they will find before Mt. Doom. Faramir is troubled by their plans to go to Cirith Ungol, but as Frodo says, there is no other way for them to reach Mordor, and they must try it. Faramir gives them food for the journey, walking staves, and his blessing--in fact so important are these words of parting that Tolkien has the scene take place twice--once within the stronghold, and once when the travelers reach the point beyond which they can identify Henneth Annun and the blindfolds they all wore to reassure Gollum are removed. The hobbits' last contact with friends will be an important comfort to them in the days to come--as Frodo tells Faramir, "To have found it turns evil to great good." (The Two Towers) For Tolkien, Boromir's gentle brother symbolizes all that is good in Middle Earth, all that Frodo must carry within if he is to go on.

What a day in Middle-earth! It seems that events are being catapulted forward and deeds take on a heightened sense of urgency. All of our key players rush to stem the tide of darkness that now begins to pour out of Mordor. We readers are left to devour each page as quickly as we can. Our friends are in the breech as they, and we, wonder if their efforts (though earnest...almost desperate) will be enough to stop the imminent onslaught from the Land of Shadow.

Gandalf has reached the City of Kings and is confronted by a cynical and what appears to be a demented Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. Pippin offers the gallant gesture of service to the Steward, but he and Gandalf, and indeed the rest of the White City, feel the oppression of the Darkness on their doorstep. As Faramir leaves Henneth Annûn, he knows full well that his decision to release Frodo and his secret burden will not sit well with his father, the Steward. We can only imagine the thoughts going through his mind as he travels swiftly to Minas Tirith to face Denethor.

More than most, Aragorn understands the urgency of this day...how high the stakes...

Meanwhile to the north, Théoden and the Rohirrim gather at Dunharrow and Hirgon of Gondor arrives with the token of war. Presenting the Red Arrow to Théoden, his words are no less urgent... "Often the Rohirrim have aided us, but now the Lord Denethor asks for all your strength and all your speed, lest Gondor fall at last."

And in the East, Frodo and Sam have reached the Morgul-road. You can imagine the terror and misgivings they feel. They are determined, but the task is overwhelming, and Gollum is...well, Gollum.

Can it get anymore desperate than this?

Now Tolkien introduces another player. We have seen how Tolkien uses the landscape as though it were alive. With the arrival of the Dawnless Day, we see the same effect with the weather. This is the Dawnless Day. The darkness has crept out of Mordor and is covering all the land. Riders reported to Theoden that the darkness crept up in the night "a shadow that ate the stars as it grew." By morning, the darkness was too dense for the sun to penetrate. This unnatural darkness forged out of Mordor takes its toll on the spirits of each of our company. From the eyes of our company, hope darkens.

Aragorn and the Grey Company have passed through the paths of the dead and now they are riding like the wind. All the people of the valleys are fleeing before the rumors of the passing of the King of the Dead. Aragorn is only slightly less frightening and grim.

Pippin and Gandalf are in Minas Tirith. Pippin, serving Denethor as squire, watches the steady decline of affairs and the rising fears of the people in the city through out the day. For him the day is also a wearing one. Late in the day Pippin and Belregond take a rest from their duties, on the wall looking over the Pelennor field, just in time to see Faramir and his men in full retreat from the Marannon forces that have overrun Cair Andros. They are harried by Black Riders in the air, the horses panic and the men are thrown. Only Faramir keeps his mount and in riding back to save his men, he is beset by the Nazgul. Pippin sees Gandalf riding fast on Shadowfax and driving the shadows away and sending the Nazgul flying away. Gandalf escorts Faramir, his news of the forces from Morrannan, and his men safely to the city.
The day grows darker.

Merry is with Theoden. He is wakened, he thinks, in the dark night but no, the man tells him, it is just after dawn. On this dark day, all of Merry's fears of being left, like baggage, appear to be coming to pass. Theoden releases Merry from his service and bids him to stay with Eowyn in Edoras, keeping her company as she rules the people of Rohan in the King's absence. The king takes his leave of Merry late in the day and the gloom of the day fills Merry's heart at being left. As the Rohirrim prepare to leave one rider comes to him "'where will wants not, a way opens up,' so we say". You wish to ride with the King. You will go with me, the rider says. Merry asks the rider's name as he does not know him. "Do you not?" said the rider softly. "Then call me Dernhelm". And so the Rohirrim ride to Gondor.
The day grows darker.


Frodo and Sam are approaching the crossroads with Gollum. They alone do not see the effect that this day is having on others around them. Gollum wakes the hobbits a little after midnight, a darkness that no light penetrated and they till on for many weary miles. Taking a rest, they peer out through holes in the covert where they are hiding and watched for the growth of the day.

Frodo and Sam sleep most of that day but by mid afternoon Gollum is urging them on. They pass the crossroads at sunset and begin to climb the path to Cirith Ungol in the deepening night. There, Frodo, drawn by the ring towards the Tower, barely escapes discovery when the host, led by the Morgul-king, pours out of the gate. In a telling passage, Frodo feels again the intense pressure to put on the ring, but this time he "felt no inclination to yield to it" knowing that the ring would only betray him and that he had not the strength to face the Morgul-king. At least not just yet.

The Day grows Darker.

Today's action in Middle-earth is truly heartrending, isn't it? The realms of Rohan and Lothlorien are the victims of long-planned attacks, pawns in the big chess match. Aragorn, rightful king who has never sat on the throne, is wondering whether he will make it to Minas Tirith in time to save her. Yet perhaps the most heartrending encounters are the more personal: perhaps the coldest words in all of The Lord of the Rings are those of Denethor to his second son.

However, long after his masterpiece was published, Tolkien was asked by letter what part of it still moved him. He replied that it was today's scene, when Gollum finds Frodo and Sam asleep, Frodo's head pillowed on Sam.

"Gollum looked at them. A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and grey, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away, peering back up towards the pass, shaking his head, as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo's knee--but almost the touch was a caress. For a fleeting moment, could one of the sleepers have seen him, they would have thought that they beheld an old weary hobbit, shrunken by the years that had carried him far beyond his time, beyond friends and kin, and the fields and streams of youth, an old starved pitiable thing."

But at a harsh word from Sam, the repentant moment is lost forever.