#the stairs of cirith ungol

[la-pheacienne]

I'm normal about this.

[the-ephemeral-ethereal]

The Two Towers Listening / Reading Order

What follows is a suggested listening / reading order of The Two Towers that I've been working on. I enjoy it so much, I felt the need to share. The idea first came from my annoyance of hearing none of Andy Serkis' Gollum in the first half of the audiobook, and then all of it in the second. I also think it improves the narrative experience overall, as I think it becomes easier to follow all storylines across the trilogy this way. I also think it naturally lends itself to being chunked into three Parts, instead of Tolkien's original two (especially if you're going to take significant breaks and / or enter-exit at certain key points). The first number per line below is of the suggested listening / reading order. The X:X number indicates the Book:Chapter originally sequenced by Tolkien. I also included the chapter titles.

Part I

3:1 The Departure of Boromir

4:1 The Taming of Sméagol

3:2 The Riders of Rohan

4:2 The Passage of the Marshes

3:3 The Uruk-Hai

4:3 The Black Gate is Closed

3:4 Treebeard

Part II

4:4 Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit

3:5 The White Rider

4:5 The Window on the West

3:6 The King of the Golden Hall

4:6 The Forbidden Pool

4:7 Journey to the Cross-Roads

3:7 Helm's Deep

Part III

3:8 The Road to Isengard

4:8 The Stairs of Cirith Ungol

3:9 Flotsam and Jetsam

4:9 Shelob's Lair

3:10 The Voice of Saruman

3:11 The Palantir

4:10 The Choices of Master Samwise

[monathedefiant]

"'I think we shall get tired of that word soon,' said Sam. 'But never mind. I'll wake master up.' Gently he smoothed the hair back from Frodo's brow, and bending down spoke softly to him.

'Wake up, Mr. Frodo! Wake up!'

Frodo stirred and opened his eyes, and smiled, seeing Sam's face bending over him. 'Calling me early aren't you, Sam?' he said. 'It's dark still!'"

[ach-sss-no]

The prompt for today was “Music For A Sushi Restaurant” which seems oddly specific and might be related to some pop culture thing I know nothing about. Also seems a bit ghoulish considering these are appropriated mermay prompts. but what do I know!

[makuyi13]

If these things over on the Pass of Cirith Ungol are "stairs" (as Gollum called them), then Éowyn is a man

[velvet4510]

“Frodo was very brave, wasn’t he dad?” “Yes, my boy, the famousest of hobbits, and that’s saying a lot.”

“I want to hear more about Sam, dad. Why didn’t they put in more of his talk, dad? That’s what I like, it makes me laugh. And Frodo wouldn’t have gotten far without Sam, would he, dad?”

(The Lord of the Rings Book IV Chapter VIII “The Stairs of Cirith Ungol”)

This is seriously one of the most romantic exchanges of dialogue … ever.

The way they’re indirectly saying what they really feel about each other, but disguising it as someone else’s hypothetical words.

The way they each consider the other to be the true hero of the story.

The way Sam makes Frodo laugh in the darkest and most hopeless place in Middle-earth.

The way Sam is trying to tell Frodo that he thinks Frodo is brave, and admires him for it.

The way Frodo is trying to tell Sam that he likes what Sam has to say…he likes it when Sam talks, no matter what he’s talking about.

The way Frodo is trying to tell Sam that he makes him laugh, that he brings him joy, that he makes him happy, even in the darkest times and places.

The way Sam is saying “they will love you, Mr. Frodo” while actually meaning “I love you, Frodo.”

The way Frodo is saying “they will love you, Sam,” while actually meaning “I love you, Sam.”

This moment is everything.

[remusjohnslupin]

"Not the imprisoned moonlight welling through the marble walls of Minas Ithil long ago, Tower of the Moon, fair and radiant in the hollow of the hills. Paler indeed than the moon ailing in some slow eclipse was the light of it now, wavering and blowing like a noisome exhalation of decay, a corpse-light, a light that illuminated nothing." —The Two Towers, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol"

[invisiblewashboard]

I usually have a book club to attend on Thursday nights, but tonight I did not. And so, I used that time to instead compile some more of Small Child’s Thoughts and present you with a Triple Feature! Now you are all caught up on his thoughts. Two more chapters of The Two Towers left, and then it’s on to The Return of the King!

Small Child’s Thoughts on “The Forbidden Pool”

I wish Faramir just wouldn’t have woken Frodo up. That guy needs sleep.

Ooh, that’s just Gollum. Sam will not be happy about that.

Why is Faramir asking if that’s a bird? He knows it’s not a bird. I don’t like when people ask questions when they already know the answer.

That’s gross. I don’t like eating fish. But I really wouldn’t like fish if they weren’t cooked.

Um, no, Frodo should not say they can shoot him because he has stuff to do.

Gollum is not listening. That’s not a good idea.

Well, that’s just going to make Gollum angry. I would be angry too. I don’t like it when people make me go where I don’t want to go.

He has a name! Why is he saying he doesn’t have a name?

I don’t know why they are saying they are going to kill Gollum.

Hey Mom? (Yes, Small Child?) I don’t really like Faramir. (Oh, that makes me sad! Why don’t you like him?) He just talks too much about things I think are not important.

“Journey to the Cross-Roads”

He had no thoughts about this chapter other than “too much scenery.”

“The Stairs of Cirith Ungol”

That Ring is so bad, so, so bad.

I know what “illuminated” means, and this book said something that doesn’t make sense. A light always illuminates something because that’s what light does!

I bet those flowers smell like the fish trees. You say those are bad trees.

Frodo should just not go there. That is a bad place.

Woah! That Ring is bad! I didn’t know it could move like that.

That is just one tired guy.

Aw, poor, poor Frodo. He’s just trying his very best even though he is so tired.

You are reading a lot of words about screaming and lights and thunder and I just do not know what any of this means.

The Black Riders are back and that’s bad. Is that guy going to stab Frodo again? Oh, I am really glad Frodo isn’t getting stabbed. He’s been stabbed a lot.

The book says “almost forgotten,” but it wasn’t almost for me. I did just really forget about that thing from Galadriel.

I think probably Faramir will just be dead soon.

Gollum needs to let them rest a long time, because their legs are tired and probably they are hurting really bad.

I know that tunnel they have to go through is not a train tunnel with track going through it. But I think that would be a good thing to put in this story. I like it when stories have trains and this one doesn’t have them.

I think Sam should not be so rude. I just think he knew they would have to be sneaky even if Gollum didn’t say it.

I don’t think people or hobbits or anything wants to go where Frodo and Sam are. I don’t want to. I like to stay at home and eat bread.

Is the silmaril from that book you have that is called “The Silmarillion?” Can you read me that one when we finish the last book? (I’d love to read it to you someday, Small Child, but you may need to be just a little older before you’ll like that one.) Is it an old people book? (Maybe.) You’re just very old, so I guess that’s why you like it, probably.

The great tales never end like the biggest story never ends, right? Like God’s story isn’t over yet.

This story is one of your favorite stories! (It is! Is it one of yours?) No.

Gollum is not good in this tale. He just wants to get the Ring back, right? Even though it is not good for him.

I just don’t know why Gollum is angry that Sam said he was sneaking. Because he was sneaking.

See? Gollum says he was sneaking, so he can’t be mad.

It can’t be tomorrow if they are talking about it. For them it is just today. Because it’s always just today if that’s the time you’re in. It is just NOT tomorrow. It’s today!

[arofili]

@aspecardaweek day five | relationships | queerplatonic frodo + sam

Sam sat propped against the stone, his head dropping sideways and his breathing heavy. In his lap lay Frodo's head, drowned deep in sleep; upon his white forehead lay one of Sam's brown hands, and the other lay softly upon his master's breast. Peace was in both their faces.

—The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, “The Stairs of Cirith Ungol”

[trahald-the-burrower]

Happy 20th Anniversary to Jackson's Return of the King!

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Peter Jackson's Return of the King, I drew my favorite scene in the movie!

Déagol: I caught a fish, Sméag! Sméagol! Sméagol: Pull it in! Go on, go on, go on! Pull it in!

I saw this movie in the theaters when it was released, and I was very excited to see young Sméagol!!! And shocked! I was also very incredibly disappointed because I hadn't read ROTK yet at that point and didn't know Sméagollum died. Very depressing! BUT, I'm glad at least that he didn't die miserably in the films, he finally reclaimed his precious and had a nice big smile, and didn't seem to be in a great deal of pain, he was so focused on the ring. And at least he was alive for most of the film, and very fun to watch ~

This is the order of my favorite scenes in ROTK:

1.) The Finding of the Ring (I really love that we got to see young Sméagol, see what he was like before the Ring, see Déagol and his relationship with him, see the transformation Sméagol went through! Amazing!)

2.) Gollum's Villainy (I just really love when Gollum and Sméagol talk to each other, they're very funny and it's wonderful to see them scheming.)

3.) The Stairs of Cirith Ungol (I LOVE how Sméagollum convinces Frodo that Sam wants the Ring, how close he gets, whispering in his ear, it's delicious~)

4.) Mount Doom (I love when Sméagollum attacks Frodo, it pleases me in many ways, the way he CHOKES him, mocks him! "Sméagol lied"!!! it gives me the shiveries ~ )

5.) Sam's Warning (Sméagollum knowing Sam knows he's up to something, and knowing Sam can't do anything about it, he just SMILES, and leans against the rocks looking so devious and pleased with himself, I love him so much)

6.) The Parting of Sam and Frodo (Sméagollum pretending to be asleep, so cleverly framing Sam, convincing Frodo that he TAKES things! Frodo choosing Sméagollum over Sam, YES!!!)

7.) Shelob's Lair (Sméagollum's clever plan, I love when he mockingly sings to him as he's stuck in the web, and I also love how Frodo wants to choke Sméagollum but stops himself. Sméagol's face when Frodo tells him he has to destroy it, Frodo saying "I have to destroy it for both our sakes", he cares about Sméagol even yet, beautiful!!)

8.) Crack of Doom (Sméagollum attacking Frodo, biting his finger off, reclaming the precious at last! Dancing and overjoyed! He and Frodo becoming one, fighting over the Ring, neither able to let it go!)

9.) Journey to the Cross-Roads (Wake up SLEEPIES!)

10.) Cross-Roads of the Fallen King ("We're not IN decent places..." "Come on HOBBITS!")

11.) Minas Morgal ("Full of... enemies...")

[la-pheacienne]

The nightmare core of this treacherous landscape poses not only an obvious mortal peril (accidental drowning) but also a very particular spiritual temptation for the hero at this moment in his quest. As Shippey has noted in J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century, that temptation is despair. In his view, Frodo and Sam's passage of the Dead Marshes is an episode that "lean[s] towards despair". (...) Tolkien fashioned his unique mesmerizing corpse lights in the Marshes to symbolize the temptation of suicide for the Ringbearer (...) With both a hypnotic and partially paralyzing power, these lights disorient the living, and above all, exercise a compulsion over them, luring them to an apparently restful, watery death. To drown here is to sleep, an equation the text repeatedly stresses. With a horrific and repellant immediacy, the Marshes and the corpses they conceal reify the danger of turning aside from the quest, of falling off the path to rest at last. (Source)

Obsessed with the fact that Frodo is repeatedly faced with two main challenges of a different nature, one from the outside world (the many materialized perils) and one from within (his despair). This scene in the Dead Marshes strongly mirrors the one in the stairs of Cirith Ungol. There Frodo sees the atrocious Minas Morgul, whose light is described as paler than the moon, "a corpse-light, a light that illuminated nothing". From Minas Morgul Frodo sees the host of the Black Rider marching towards the West and repeats "all is lost, all is lost, I am too late" because even if he manages to destroy the Ring it will be too late since there will be no one left alive by then. What is left for Frodo to do? All he can do is follow the tricksy lights, both literally and metaphorically. In the Dead Marshes he almost falls inside the water, he almost becomes one of the dead faces. In Minas Morgul he blindly follows the corpse-light to his doom, as if he was possessed by some sinister power. Deep down both situations materialize his state of mind, his lack of hope, his despair, his need to just end it all and sleep aka cease to exist. It is his only confort. In both occasions it is Sam that brings him back, it is Sam that literally has to verbally and physically tear him away from this moral peril, despair, because this is actually the biggest threat to their quest. No matter what is happening in the outside world, no matter the dangers and the horrors, if one's spirit is intact and resilient there is still hope. If one's spirit cracks, it is truly over. Everything comes from within. We must not look at the tricksy lights, they are beautiful and they are stimulating and mesmerizing but they are just a facade for despair and death. We must go on straight ahead and it helps if we have someone on our side that can tear us away from this mental dread. Kinda insane if you think about the fact that the person who wrote this grew up without a mother or a father and was raised in an orphanage and lived two wars. That is why Frodo's despair, his hopelessness, his need to end it all feel so real and palpable to me, it is basically the author's effort to exorcise his own demons. It just feels so deeply personal, and that's why Frodo's resilience moves me so deeply. And when he cracks, because even someone as determined and resilient as Frodo is bound to crack eventally, he has Sam by his side. And together they move on, but they could have never made it without one another. I am fine.

[sindar-princeling]

so about that mistake I think I caught

(this post is brought to you by me tearing my hair out over March 11th-March 13th multiple times ajsnxjdnf and there WILL be a part two tomorrow)

so Frodo, Sam and Gollum reach the top of the stairs of cirith ungol early on March 11th and sleep there (we know it's already the 11th, because the fragment mentions Gollum sneaking away the day before and how they thought he was hunting for food and 1) this exact situation happened on the morning of March 10th 2) Gollum didn't sneak away anywhere on March 9th). they sleep for around 24 hours, because when Gollum finds them he says it's tomorrow and it's daylight again. so now it's March 12th and they go into the tunnels, just like it says in the appendices

(i erased some spoilers for the other plotlines)

except in the appendices we also get this

(again, i erased spoilers)

which would have been more than fine if there was just the Gollum visits Shelob part, and the repenting part was included with March 12th. But phrasing it this way makes it seem like these two events (Gollum finding Frodo and Sam asleep, and them all going into the tunnels) happened on two different days, when in the text Gollum coming back and Gollum saying it's tomorrow happen in the same scene and there is no way to pretend the day changed somewhere in there

(cue me going so that was a fucking lie dot jpg, and pulling out my atlas of middle earth where thank god Karen Wynn Fonstad pointed out the same doubts that I was having (and explained where the mistake may come from) and spared me some time I would otherwise spend losing my mind even more ajdnddnfn)

[is-today-a-lotr-newsletter-day]

today's a reading day!

chapters we're reading from: merry and the rohirrim - book five chapter 3. the muster of rohan, pippin and gandalf - book five chapter 4. the siege of gondor, frodo, sam and gollum - book four chapter 7. journey to the cross-roads and chapter 8. the stairs of cirith ungol

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Favourite Chapter of The Lord of the Rings - Part 4 of 8

The winning chapters from The Fellowship of the Ring are “Strider” and “The Council of Elrond”, and the winner from the first half of The Two Towers is “Treebeard”!

[shelobslairr]

physically in my room mentally at the stairs of cirith ungol where frodo and sam are discussing the tales and songs that will be made about them