LotR -- Book 4 - Chapter 10 - The Choices of Master Samwise

[Estelyn Telcontar]

We’ve reached the last chapter of Book 4, which is also the last chapter of The Two Towers – congratulations and a big thanks to all who are still with us! It begins and ends in great suspense with Frodo’s desperate fate, though he himself remains passive throughout it, first presumed dead and then known to be only unconscious. As the title reveals, this is Sam’s chapter, showing his courage and determination, but also his limits.

Sam accomplishes something that no great warrior has ever done, wounding Shelob! He takes up the tokens of Frodo’s quest – first the sword, then uses the phial which he already carries, and finally the ring. Is there any significance to the fact that he did not attempt to take the mithril vest off his master?

Again Galadriel is invoked – one of Tolkien’s Catholic revisions, perhaps, giving her more of the Virgin Mary’s function? In song, it is Varda who is called upon – both female – yet another indication of the importance of Mary in the Catholic church? I always find it interesting that a book normally thought to be rather patriarchal has its characters praying to females, rather than their male consorts/counterparts.

It’s also interesting to see that the Phial is “interactive”, apparently responding to the person or situation in which it is used.

What additional details do we learn about Shelob here, especially her weak spots?

Sam reacts with grief, then anger, then despair. Then he makes his decision – was it the right one? Later on, he doesn’t think so, but what would have been different had he stayed with Frodo? Would he have been able to save him from captivity? He shows the truth in Gandalf’s words that there’s more to a hobbit than one first thinks, rising to greatness yet remaining humble.

But you haven’t put yourself forward; you’ve been put forward… They didn’t choose themselves.

And he grows with his new task, gaining strength enough to carry the weight of the Ring.

What more do we notice about the effect of the Ring when he puts it on?

We are introduced to two orc leaders, Gorbag and Shagrat – let’s discuss their conversations and what we deduce about orcs from them.

Isn’t it funny that Gollum gets the same nickname from orcs that Sam gave him – Sneak?!

The chapter (and book) ends with the ultimate cliff-hanger, a sentence that has become one of the best-known:

Frodo was alive but taken by the Enemy.

What a brilliant closing! Can you imagine how torturous it must have been for the first readers to wait so long for the next book?!