I Found the Entwives!

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by the phantom

In Lorien, Tolkien specifically mentions that the Elves had to untie the ropes from the trees and then draw them in. Tolkien also mentions more than once that Sam was very skilled with ropes and knots. And then there is the rope incident. What is the point of it?! Did Tolkien have it happen just to contradict himself? No, obviously not. I don't think Tolkien would contradict the logic that his own words created if there wasn't a point to it.

But isn't that the point of magic--it isn't predictable, and it arises to some extent based on the need of the person wielding it. The elves had no need of these magic (i.e., fundamentally unpredictable) characteristics of the rope, since they had Elves on both side of the river. The hobbits, in contrast, had no way to get down and to keep their rope at the same time, so this is where the magic comes in. Magic in Tolkien is not like it is in Harry Potter, where it is taken to the point of a classroom lesson where such and such a spell will always produce a predictable result when given in the right way. I agree with those above who mentioned the idea that magic is linked in some mysterious way to divine Providence or intervention. It is fundamentally unpredictable and arises chiefly at need...

What is more, there are specific allusions to the magical qualities of the rope, including its luminescence in the low light, and its ability to dissipate the blindness of Frodo associated apparently with the appearance of the Black Riders in the sky. So there are very specific allusions here to its magical powers...