FoTR - Conspiracy Unmasked: Bk 1, Chapter V

[Philipa]

Conspiracy Unmasked



Crickhollow

© Riv Res

Farewell we call to hearth and hall!
Though wind may blow and rain may fall,
We Must away ere break of day
Far over wood and mountain tall.

To Rivendell, where Elves yet dwell
In glades beneath the misty fell,
Through moor and waste we ride in haste,
And whither then we cannot tell.

With foes ahead, behind us dread.
Beneath the sky shall be our bed,
Until at last our toil be passed,
Our journey done, our errand sped.

We must away! We must away!
We ride before the break of day!

A rather joyous song was sung the night before half of the Fellowship was to depart Crickhollow. There were several firsts in this chapter. We meet Merry and Fatty Bolger, Sam crosses a river for the first time and lastly the Ring was not a secret from these Hobbits. Still one mystery remains, where is Gandalf?

House Rules

[bruce rerek]

What strikes me most about this chapter is how well loved is Frodo by his friends. This is the hardest test of true loyalty, when a friend is in peril one must see to his safety or to recovery. Once they knew what the nature of the threat and what Frodo had to do, they moved quickly and quietly to aid Frodo. The fact that Sam gathered the lion's share of information shows again how Tolkien stresses that even the least of us can do great things. As we all know it was Sam's love that accomplished this task to the cracks of Doom.
What do you all think of Frodo's dream, being in an open area, a dark heath seeing a white tower, and the smell of salt in the air, wanting to see the open Sea?

[hope]

Could it be Frodo anticipating that the quest will change his life forever and that life in The Shire will not be as before or that he cannot settle there anymore if he suceeds?? (just my thoughts)

[Philipa]

Good question Hope. I think Frodo even in chapter four knows he may not be coming home again. He does in fact make several referrences to this fact.

bruce wrote:

What do you all think of Frodo's dream, being in an open area, a dark heath seeing a white tower, and the smell of salt in the air, wanting to see the open Sea?

I think indeed his premonition is perhaps hightened because of the ring. I suppose its powers are many that are not named and Frodo's forsight could be caused by it.

Does anyone else have thoughts either way about this dream?[/quote]

[bruce rerek]

I fear that it was the Grey Havens that was to bear him away.

[Merry]

The dreams in LOTR are interesting, aren't they? I remember reading somewhere that Tolkien was quite taken with Jung for a while during the writing process. Wonder what Jung would have said about this dream?

[Philipa]

I fear that it was the Grey Havens that was to bear him away.

I understand what the dream represented but I wonder if having dreams of the future was something new to Frodo brought on by the keeping of the Ring.

Yes Merry, dreams do play an interesting part even in these books.

[Merry]

It seems to be the sort of dream an elf would have.

The contrasts in this short chapter are pure Tolkien: the pleasures of a snug house, a warm bath, and supper with friends (who could ask for more?) contrasted with the stark dangers to come.

[Riv Res]

Is it just me or does it seem that this setting at Crickhollow is deliberately painted so warm and glowing by Tolkien because it is the last stop before the Hobbits leave their (and Tolkien's) beloved Shire. Terror, in the form of Black Riders, has pursued them from the outset in Hobbiton. They have been helped by friends along the way...but now as they make their final plans for leaving the Shire...the atmosphere at Crickhollow is the warmest yet...

As they walked up the green path from the gate no light was visible; the windows were dark and shuttered. Frodo knocked on the door, and Fatty Bolger opened it. A friendly light streamed out. They slipped in quickly and shut themselves and the light inside.

Safety and warmth at last.

Then there is singing and merriment...Bilbo's favourite bath-song.

Then the entire point of the Conspiracy Unmasked...Frodo doesn't have to go off alone...remember, it is only here that Frodo realizes that Sam and Merry and Piipin will accompany him further. Relief and respite...respite for the last time in the Shire.