Chapter 2

The Last Line in Tolkien

Dedication

Introduction

It takes an astute first-time reader to note that J.R.R. Tolkien divides the text in each of the chapters that make up the six books of the Lord of the Rings (LoTR). Plain and simple, the writing is so good, and the reader so involved in the reading, that the ending of one segment passes unnoticed as the reader plunges into the next one. By the second or third reading, however, most readers recognize that the text of each chapter is characteristically broken up into a number of segments, some longer, some shorter. Indeed, early on in The Fellowship of the Ring, one sees that there is almost a cadence to the passage of the segments. With the introduction of Aragorn in Chapter 10 (“Strider”) and continuing with the journey of the Hobbits and Aragorn towards Rivendell (“A Knife in the Dark” and “Flight to the Ford”) the growth and end of each segment assumes an almost musical quality, with Aragorn often closing a segment with a word of warning, or the need of haste, or hope for the future.

The goal of this short study is to look at the last lines of each of the segments that make up the chapters in the six books of the LoTR. The initial hypothesis behind this study was the idea that Tolkien might be drawing our attention to a particular character or event, or emphasizing their significance, by placing them at the end of a segment. If this hypothesis is then correct, the reader might infer something about the relative importance of a particular character, event, or scene, based upon the number of times they are involved in closing a segment. The results of this study suggest that while the hypothesis in general holds up under close scrutiny, the analysis of the “last lines” in Tolkien’s LoTR show their far more subtle use than simply assigning relative importance to characters, events, or scenes. Many ideas that presented themselves in this study went far beyond the scope of the initial hypothesis.

The data presented in the Appendix as Tables 1 through 14 provide another tool to be used in the analysis of the LoTR. As seen above, the data cannot be used to form any sort of an absolute scale of precedence in the LoTR, even though the data does suggest a loose correlation between the number of times a character closes a segment and their relative importance to the story. The data offers, however, an intriguing “jumping off point” for much further investigation. Some examples of how this data could be used as a tool for additional analysis will be provided later in this Chapter. The main contribution of this work may be to show how focusing on one small part of the overall architecture of the LoTR may yield a rich harvest of ideas with which to analyze and appreciate this masterful epic.

I. Some Mechanical Issues

Looking over the segment-ends for each of the 675 segments within the LoTR, two problems present themselves at once.

First and foremost, there are many editions and printings of the LoTR. Oftentimes, what appears to be a segment in one edition may not appear as a separate segment in a different edition. This may reflect an artifact of the printing process, or an editorial preference. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the segments as used in this study seem to be consistent in most editions of the LoTR. The editions used in this work include the Houghton Mifflin Company paperback edition (ISBN 0-618-00222-7), last copyright 1994, the Ballantine Publishing Group edition (ISBNs 0-345-33971-1 and -8), last copyright 1994, and The Two Towers (ISBN-0-395-48933-4, last copyright 1993).

Second, as noted in the section above, it was the almost musical quality of Aragorn ending each segment in Chapters 11 and 12 of The Fellowship of the Ring (Book I) that drew attention to the possible significance of their endings. As may be seen in these two chapters in particular, there is little difficulty in reckoning who ends each segment. A more detailed look at segment-ends shows that many of them are ambiguous: they end not with a simple statement, but perhaps with some commentary on statements made earlier in a paragraph of varying length. Other segments conclude with a description of a scene or event, or involve more than one character -- often just a few more, or perhaps several thousand more (e.g. the final segment of “The Ride of the Rohirrim” ends with the 6,000-strong host of the Rohirrim bursting into song as they charge onto the Pelennor Fields). To be consistent in determining who or what should be tallied for ending a segment, an “order of precedence” was used to give “credit” for the person or event closing a given segment. This order will be given below.

The primary emphasis of this chapter is to figure out how often each of the various characters in the LoTR ends a segment. With that in mind, the end of each segment was looked at from the “bottom” up. Thus, in the shorter final paragraphs where a character does not end the segment with a statement in the last line, it was decided to see if a character said something at the start. In longer paragraphs, if no character said anything within the last several sentences, a tally could be given for an individual character or a group of characters involved in a significant action, or the segment could be tallied as descriptive. In many cases, the end of a segment involves a statement by one character followed by a significant action by one or more other individuals. In such paragraphs, a tally would be given not only for the last speaker, but for characters involved in significant action following the statement. It can therefore be seen that there are more “tallies” (715) for the characters, events, and scenes described as ending a segment than there are segments (675)! The relatively small difference between the number of “tallies” and the actual number of segments shows however, that it was usually not too hard to figure out which character or thing “earned” a tally. Nevertheless, some degree of subjectivity is involved in assigning the tallies as a result. However, adhering to the “rules” provided below minimizes the need for subjective analysis, and it is believed that the data presented in the Appendix fairly represents an accurate assessment of who or what closes each segment.

Order of Precedence for Tallying Segment-ends

A “tally” for a given character or event that ends each of the segments in the six books of the LoTR will be made by looking at the last line or lines of the final paragraph(s) in the segment. The tally will be assigned based on this order of precedence:

(1) If the last line of a segment is a statement, the character making that statement is given a tally for ending the segment. No further tallies are given. This is the most straightforward case, exemplified by Gandalf addressing the Rohirrim following the battle of Helm’s Deep: “‘Let the Orcs lie,’ said Gandalf. ‘The morning may bring new counsel.’” (TT-III-8-2).

(2) Book II, Chapter 2 (“The Council of Elrond”) contains three unusual segment- ends in which Gandalf, speaking to the Council, directly quotes other characters (Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown, and Gwaihir the Windlord). In these three cases, a tally was assigned to Gandalf for each of the three segment-ends and one tally was given to each of the characters who were directly quoted. These three segments form part of the 40 segment-ends in which more than one tally is assigned for ending the segment.

(3) If no character makes a statement in the last line of a segment, the last character to speak within, usually, the six to seven last sentences of the segment-end is given a tally. If another one to two characters, either directly named or unnamed, make a significant action after this statement, they are given a tally as well. An example of this case comes from “The Passage of the Marshes,” in Book IV: “‘No birds,’ he (Gollum) ended sadly. Sam looked at him with distaste.” (TT-IV-2-6). In cases where three or more characters are involved in a significant action to close a segment, a tally is given to “them” or “they.” Tables 1 through 6 provide footnotes for tallies given to “Them/They” that show which characters are involved.

(4) If no character makes a statement within the last six to seven sentences of a segment-end, a character(s) making a significant action at the end of a segment is/are given a tally. If only one or two characters are involved in this action, each one receives a tally. As in (3) above, if three or more characters are involved in a final action, these characters will be described as “them” or “they.” A footnote for the heading “Them/They” will show who the characters are in the Appendix, Tables 1 through 6. Example: “He (Sam) put Frodo in front of him now, and kept a watchful eye on every movement of his, supporting him if he stumbled, and trying to encourage him with clumsy words.” (TT-IV-2-10).

(5) Some segment-ends are clearly descriptive of a scene or event. No characters are involved in speaking or in doing a significant action within the last six to seven sentences or more of these segments. Such segment-ends are tallied as “Descriptive” in the Appendix. Tables 1 through 6 provide footnotes for tallies under the “Descriptive” heading that name the scene or action described. Example: “But that shoulder, which rose up to the height of the Fifth Wall, was hedged with great ramparts right up to the precipice that overhung its western end; and in that space stood the houses and domed tombs of bygone kings and lords, forever silent between the mountain and the tower.” (RK-V-1-4), part of the description of Gondor as seen by Pippin as he and Gandalf approached Minas Tirith, riding on Shadowfax.

Notes on Tables 1 through 14

Tables 1 through 6 give the “raw data,” chapter-by-chapter, for the six books in the LoTR. The character headings for each chapter are arranged in these tables roughly following the order in which the characters or events appear in the chapter. As noted above, footnotes provide some explanatory identification for tallies under the “Them/They” or “Descriptive” headings.

Following the name of each chapter, Tables 1 through 6 show the number of printed pages and the number of segments in that chapter. A calculation is then given for the average number of printed pages per segment (pps/seg) for that chapter. Like all averages, this number can be misleading and should be considered with caution. Generally, the pps/seg does give some idea of segment-length within each chapter, but there are more than a few exceptions that will be discussed in the next section of this essay.

Tables 7 through 12 in the Appendix summarize the data presented in the earlier tables. Characters or events are listed in the left-hand column of each table, and the number of times that they end a segment are listed to their right, in columns headed by the chapter number. The total number of segments that they end in each book and the number of chapters in which they have a section-close are listed in the two right-hand columns of each table. The horizontal line, “Total,” at the bottom of the tables shows the total number of tallies for each chapter in the six books of the LoTR. This number is not to be confused with the total number of segments in each chapter, and as discussed above, the number of “tallies” (715) exceeds the number of segments (675) in the LoTR.

The initial hypothesis of this study was that the number of segment-ending appearances by each character might shed some light on their relative “importance” to the plot of the LoTR. Table 13 was therefore, at first, thought to be the culminating effort of this study, and the final table in the Appendix. Perhaps unsurprisingly this proved not to be the case, however, as will be discussed later. In Table 13, the characters or events/things are listed in the left-hand column, arranged in decreasing order of the total number of segments that they close. The number of segments that they close, along with the number of chapters in which they close a segment (in parenthesis) is given for each character.

As this work progressed, it was realized that just as there might be some significance to the number of segments each character closes in the LoTR, there might be some special importance attached to those segments that end a chapter in each book. Table 14, the last table in the Appendix, shows which character closes each of the chapters in the six books of the LoTR.

The next section of this essay will look at the use of the data presented in this study, as a potential took for furthering our understanding of the LoTR.

II. Seeds: Segment-End Analysis and Interpretation

What began as a single task -- figuring out how many times the many characters in the LoTR cumulatively end the 675 segments in the six books -- rapidly evolved into a more daunting task. The more deeply one looks at segment-ends in the LoTR, the more one sees a wealth of meaning that can be gleaned from studying them. This section of the essay will look at just some of the ideas (in no special order) that presented themselves during the course of this study. It is by no means exhaustive, and as stated earlier, the many observations that can be made from the data in this study form a fertile field for creating new insights into the LoTR. Thus, the work presented here may perhaps fulfill its goal, yielding another tool for looking at and thinking about the multi-layered complexity of the LoTR.

Segment-Ends and Emotional Contrasts

At the outset of this section, it should be noted that segment-ends show all sorts of feelings and emotions. The wide variety of feelings expressed at segment-ends ranges from hubris (Denethor on the keener sight of Lords of Gondor than “lesser men,” RK-VI-1-7) to humility (Frodo on taking the Ring, FR-11-2-19, or Galadriel passing the test, and “diminishing” to go into the West, FR-II-7-9), and from urgency (“Let us go!” Gandalf, FR-II-4-9) to patience (“But I spoke hastily. We must not be hasty.” Treebeard to Merry and Pippin, TT-III-4-7). The woefully inadequate list below shows just a few of the feelings expressed at segment-ends. Many more could be added by any reader of the LoTR.

Often the feelings expressed at the end of one segment form a strong contrast to the emotions given at the start of the next segment. A good example would be the exchange between Pippin and Beregond while they talk about the fortunes of Gondor in the coming battle with Sauron (RK-V-1-10). In this segment, Beregond asks Pippin what he thinks the chances are for the success of Minas Tirith in the fight ahead. Segment 10 ends on a note of complete angst and gloom (“‘Yes, the shadow of doom,’ said Beregond. ‘I fear that Minas Tirith shall fall. The Night comes. The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away.’”). Right on the heels of this despairing segment-ending comment comes a note of hope and faith for the future from Pippin. “He shook himself. ‘It is passed,’ he said. ‘No, my heart will not yet despair. Gandalf fell and has returned and is with us. We may stand, if only on one leg, or at least be left still upon our knees.’ Beregond’s response following Pippin radically changes from despair to one of hope: “‘Rightly said!’ cried Beregond, rising and striding to and fro. ‘Nay, though all things must come utterly to an end in time, Gondor shall not perish yet. Not though the walls be taken by a reckless foe that will build a hill of carrion before them. There are still other fastnesses, and secret ways of escape into the mountains. Hope and memory shall live still in some hidden valley where the grass is green.’” ¹

A similar, rapid change can be seen later in the same chapter. Pippin and Bergil (Beregond’s ten-year-old son) have enjoyed a wonderful and happy afternoon together, and are returning to Minas Tirith after watching the arrival of troops from the Outlands. As they see the fiery sunset, Pippin, forgetting for the moment that he is in the company of a young boy, mutters aloud “So ends a fair day in wrath!” Bergil immediately ends the segment (RK-V-1-16) by misinterpreting what Pippin has said, and assumes that wrath will indeed fall upon him if he does not return to the City before sundown and the closing of the gates. “‘So it will be, if I have not returned before the sundown bells,’ said Bergil. ‘Come! There goes the trumpet for the closing of the Gate.’” It is interesting to note how, in the last several paragraphs of this segment the mood shifts rapidly. Pippin, walking back to Minas Tirith with Bergil, thinks about the fact that he has not enjoyed as much fun and companionship as he had with Bergil since leaving Merry near the Fords of Isen. Tolkien emphasizes that Pippin and Bergil “were laughing and talking gaily as they went about the streets” and walked back “hand-in-hand.” Then Pippin sees the setting sun turn the fume emanating from Mordor into a fiery panorama, and is reminded that “he was in deadly earnest the servant of a grim master in the greatest peril.”

This change from a cheerful, happy afternoon with Bergil to a foreboding of doom continues immediately in the next segment. Pippin leaves Bergil and hurries to rejoin Beregond for dinner in the mess. After eating with Beregond and his troop, Pippin excuses himself. As he returns to his room, “a strange gloom was on him, and now he desired very much to see Gandalf again.” After he reaches his quarters, “Gloom settled still more heavily on Pippin. He climbed on the bench and tried to peer out of a window, but it was like looking into a pool of ink. He got down and closed the shutter and went to bed. For a while he lay and listened for sounds of Gandalf’s return, and then he fell into an uneasy sleep.” (RK-V-1-17). Later on in the night, when Gandalf returns to their room, Pippin is easily awakened, but he is told to go back to sleep, and get ready for his service to Denethor at dawn. Gandalf then corrects himself: there will be no dawn, the murky night will simply merge into a gloomy, dark, and sunless day.

Born in 1892, J.R.R. Tolkien was 22 years of age at the start of World War I. He survived part of that great conflict in the prison-like morass of the trenches. Commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the 13^th Reserve Battalion of the Lancaster Fussiliers, on 7 July 1915, Tolkien began his active service after the summer. No doubt his worry over his coming role in the war was tempered by this marriage to Edith Bratt, the woman of his dreams, on 22 March 1916. Against the backdrop of a war, Tolkien was able to experience for himself the speed with which one mood can change into another, often in little more than the twinkling of an eye. Days and weeks of uncertainty and fear could at once be turned into a time of bliss -- for Tolkien, the day of his marriage had to be one of the happiest days of his life. Reflecting back on his wartime experiences, Tolkien later said “I was brought up on ‘the war to end all wars’ which I didn’t believe at the time and believe even less now.” Most of us who have spent some time in the military can readily recognize the rapid change of emotions when in or near a combat zone.

It is difficult for us today to imagine the hellacious existence of those soldiers, locked in their trenches, day after day, night after night: the mud, the filth, and unsanitary conditions, punctuated by periods of intense artillery bombardment followed by short respites of quiet and peace. World War I, so similar to the later stages of the American Civil War, was significantly different from the more mobile World War II and most wars thereafter, with which we are today more familiar. In a sense, World War I was unique unto itself.

One has to have served as a soldier or sailor to know the speed with which rumors can spread; one has to serve under conditions like those of the trenches to understand how the senses are heightened living daily with uncertainty, gloom, and the repetitive, mind-numbing dullness of day-to-day existence. As attested by many veterans of World War I (and other conflicts), they had to deal with depression, loss and separation, and the constant presence of death. It is a tribute to the stamina and endurance not only of Tolkien, but of all his fellow veterans, that they were able to maintain the sense of hope and optimism so richly-found in Tolkien’s writing.

There is no doubt that the experience of “The Great War” had a long-lasting impact on Tolkien and his writing. With the knowledge of a true veteran, he can write about how the rumor that spread like wildfire throughout Gondor; that Pippin was a “Prince of the Halflings,” the leader of a 5,000 hobbit-strong force of warriors, “small but doughty.” As any soldier knows, news travels fast, rumors even faster, but the word is spread regardless. Tolkien can write from personal experience about how, the day following the battle of the Pelennor Fields, Gimli and Legolas sought out Merry and Pippin in the Houses of Healing, and their meeting was “a merry one.” The companions saw that they had some time to enjoy themselves for a day or two in the midst of war and conflict, and seized the opportunity to do so, as all good soldiers will when the chance presents itself. Another example could be the way that Tolkien writes about the ever- changing, fast-moving circumstances during the battle on the Pelennor Fields, or of Helm’s Deep. Only a veteran like Tolkien could write a segment-end like this: “But now all the land was empty, and there was a silence that did not seem to be the quiet of peace.” (TT-III-2-8). This last example might be the best one: perhaps only a survivor of a war or a similar catastrophic event could write “He knew all the arguments of despair and would not listen to them. His will was set, and only death would break it.” (RK-VI-3-5, Sam).

Tolkien acknowledged the influence that World War I had on him in the Foreword to the Second Edition of the LoTR. “One has indeed personally to come under the shadow of war to feel fully its oppression; but as the years go by it seems now often forgotten that to be caught in youth by 1914 was no less hideous an experience than to be involved in 1939 and the following years. By 1918 all but one of my close friends were dead.” Consider for a moment the weight of the last sentence above, and the burden it was for Tolkien the rest of his life. While not the only source of experience for him, Tolkien was able to combine the remembrance of his wartime service with other happier events, so as to give him a great deal of balanced psychological insight into human nature. It should be recalled that the LoTR was a story written under the shadow of World War II, that involved Tolkien’s own children, and once again the author was reminded of the horror of war, and of evil  and which refreshed his own memories of World War I.

When Tolkien writes about the weight of the Ring on Frodo struggling to cross the desolation of Mordor, he is writing also about the burden on a soldier in the trenches, a feeling he knew well. When Tolkien writes about Aragorn and the Captains of the West setting up their defense on blasted hills amid the pock-marked, war-ravaged landscape north of the Morannon, he knows what he is talking about. The battlefield in front of the Towers of the Teeth must have resembled the trench-filled, scarred and desolate, barbed-wire-battlefields of Tolkien’s World War I memories: of Verdun, of Ypres, of the Somme. He can distill into a few well-written lines his remembrances of the war in which he fought, and use those experiences to make his own writing ring with realism. When Tolkien writes about the strength and endurance of Sam to support not only his own will but that of Frodo as well, he is remembering his own survival against the gloom and depression of the trenches. In a larger sense, Tolkien is writing not only about the burden of the soldiers in the trenches, but perhaps also about the weight that all of us bear on our journey through life. Tolkien can teach us worthwhile life lessons in a powerful tale of transformation by drawing on his own life story; in so doing, he gives us knowledge to help us with our own struggles.

To return to the motif of this study, whether it is because of the climax they represent or their position in the text, segment-ends often give us some of Tolkien’s clearest insights about duty, war, change, and human nature. Some of Tolkien’s most realistic writing can be seen in his description of battlefield feelings, sights, smells, and sounds, or in his depiction of how his characters must change, or quick decisions about weighty matters, another trait of battlefield choices. It is interesting to note that a close comparison can be made to Tolkien’s intimate knowledge of battlefield confusion and smoke in a non-fictional work, “Vom Krieg” by Karl von Clausewitz, when the latter describes “The Fog of War. ² ” The segment-ends associated with war, or those where a major character has to make a choice about the Ring or some other external condition, offer Tolkien the opportunity to bring to bear all of his craft as a writer. He can combine his depth of experience, insight and wisdom, distill it into a segment-end in a realistic fantasy, and use it to reach the deepest levels of our own experience.

Much has been made of Tolkien’s love for the Elves; he has endowed the men and women of Númenor, the elf-friends, with a similar, higher level of existence. Tolkien closes a segment with Pippin gazing at Beregond: “Pippin looked at him, tall and proud and noble, as all the men that he had yet seen in that land; and with a glitter in his eye as he thought of battle. ‘Alas! my own hand feels as light as a feather,’ he thought, but he said nothing. ‘A pawn did Gandalf say? Perhaps, but on the wrong chessboard.’” (RK-V-1-11). (See Chapter Seven)

Tolkien is using the following segment-end to talk to us directly. “And of Eärendil came the Kings of Númenor, that is Westernesse.” (Aragorn to the Hobbits, FR-I-11-11). The two sons of Eärendil, Elros and Elrond, chose their dooms to be considered as either Elf or Man. Elros chose to be a man, but to him and his descendants, a long life was given. They and their descendants, the elf-friends, lived on the island of Númenor, within sight of the undying lands. The people of Gondor, descended from the people of Westernesse (as are the Dúnedain of the North, Aragorn and the other “Rangers”), are more than mere mortals. Touched with the wisdom and sorrow of the Elves they befriended, they are more than we are. As Frodo and Sam, along with Gollum, bid farewell to Faramir and his Companions, Tolkien notes that “They marveled to see with what speed these greenclad men now moved, vanishing almost in the twinkling of an eye. The forest where Faramir had stood seemed empty and drear, as if a dream had passed.” (TT-N-5-11). Beregond, another man of Gondor, like Faramir, his Captain, inspires people like us -- like Pippin -- to be more than we are as well. Pippin, thinking to himself at the end of RK- V-1-11, is speaking for all of us when he recognizes that his hand ‘feels as light as a feather.’ Unlike the men of Gondor, Pippin and the other Hobbits have feelings that we can identify with. No matter our strength, we all feel some fear while waiting for battle, as Tolkien, a survivor of the trenches, knows well. This segment-end, like those describing the choice of the Ring talked about above, indirectly reflects the choices made by Elros and Elrond, two ages before the action of the LoTR, at the end of the First Age, described in The Silmarillion.

As noted in the introduction to this essay, the initial idea behind this study was that the number of times a character in the LoTR makes an appearance in a segment-end might shed some light on their relative importance to the work as a whole. Table 13 gives a listing of the characters in the LoTR arranged in descending order of the number of segment-ends in which they make a statement or are involved in some significant action. A natural supposition might be that the nine members of the “Fellowship of the Ring” (or the “Company (companions) of the Ring” as per Elrond) would figure prominently in any such list as Table 13. Indeed, the data shows that 13 characters in the LoTR have “double-digit” (ten or more) appearances in segment- ends and included within these 13 are eight members of the Company. The eight members included, in order of segment-end appearances, are Frodo (86), Sam (78), Gandalf (77), Aragorn (68), Merry and Pippin (32 each), Gimli (24), and Legolas (11). The ninth member of the Company, Boromir, does not appear in the top 13 characters, and has only three segment-ending appearances. This may be due to his relatively early death at Parth Galen, in the last chapter of Book II, “The Breaking of the Fellowship.” Even so, considering Boromir’s significance to the story as a whole, and the leadership he shows in the journey of the Company, one might think he should have more segment-ends than he does. Other ideas could be given to explain this observation. Table 13 reveals that three characters (Gollum-15, and Théoden and Bilbo-13 each) have more segment-end appearances than Legolas. Furthermore, the two remaining characters in the “top 13” (Faramir-11, and Treebeard-ten) appear in segment-ends just about as often as Legolas. Possible reasons for this abound. Many intriguing possibilities of explaining the data in Table 13 exist; some will be discussed here, others will be discussed in later chapters.

If we consider the members of the Fellowship of the Ring as the “major” characters in the LoTR, and some justification for this can be seen in Table 13, then there is a large number of characters who make more than two appearances in segment-ends who form a “middle” group of important characters. There is little doubt that characters like Galadriel, Elrond, and Denethor are far more important to the story than the number of their segment-ends suggests, and it is fitting to close this section of the chapter by noting that as this study progressed, it became more and more apparent that the high degree of emotionalism, content, and power of the segment-ends might tell us more about the characters than just the number of times they appear.

In the beginning of the discussion on the feelings and emotional contrasts at the end of one segment and/or the beginning of another, the issue of Denethor’s hubris was used as an example. Segment-ends reveal much about a character’s personality or outlook. Of course, for characters with the most segment-ends, such as Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, and Aragorn, we can see a good development of their characters through their segment-ending statements that supplements their character development in the text as a whole. As the number of segment-ending lines for other characters decreases, however, segment-ends become relatively more important for them, and can provide clues about the emotional nature of the character under consideration.

Short and Long Segments

A good way to begin this section is to look at the contrast between short and long segments. In tallying up the segment-ends and their length (pps/seg) in each chapter (Tables 1 through 6), it was readily apparent that there were some very long segments and some very short ones. This observation was mentioned in “Notes on Tables 1 through 14” above, but needs further discussion here.

Based upon the pps/seg data in Tables 1 through 6, most segments in the LoTR, on a chapter-by-chapter basis, average out to be a little less than 2.0 pps/seg. There is a great deal of deviance from the mean for the 62 chapters in the data set. A plot of the average pps/seg for each chapter in the LoTR is bimodal. 23 chapters cluster around a mode of 1.4 pps/seg. Even within one chapter of the LoTR there can be significant differences in the lengths of the various segments. In “The Breaking of the Fellowship” (FR-II-9), segment 8 is 5½ printed pages long -- slightly over 1/3 of the total number of pages in the chapter.

There are six chapters that contain an average number of 2.8 pps/seg or greater; these six chapters skew the 62 chapter average pps/seg up somewhat. Chapters FR-I-9 (4.7 pps/seg), TT- III-9 (3.5 pps/seg), and TT-III-10 (3.0 pps/seg) have the longest pps/seg in the LoTR. “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony” (FR-I-9) is mainly descriptive of the scene and events at Barliman Butterbur’s Inn when Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin arrive, find their rooms, and join the company in the fun of the common room. Similarly, “Flotsam and Jetsam” (TT-III-9) and “The Voice of Saruman” (TT-III-10), are highly descriptive and/or contain long passages of discourse. In the former chapter (TT-III-9), Merry and Pippin describe their adventures with their captors, Orcs from Isengard, the Misty Mountains, and Mordor. In the latter chapter, the narrative largely deals with Saruman’s lengthy conversations with Théoden and Gandalf, with a few interruptions by Gimli and Éomer. By and large, “descriptive” segments (even if they end with one or more characters making a statement at the end of the segment) in the LoTR are usually longer than segments involving action or direct conversation. Three remaining chapters with higher average pps/seg include “Many Meetings” (FR-II-1, 2.9 pps/seg), “The Forbidden Pool” (TT-IV-6, 2.8 pps/seg), and “The Tower of Cirith Ungol” (RK-VI-1, 2.8 pps/seg). Descriptive segments embedded in a chapter that contains considerable action tend to be shorter than other descriptive segments elsewhere.

As can be seen in Tables 1 though 6, “Helm’s Deep” (TT-III-7), .9 pps/seg) and “The Field of Cormallen” (RK-VI-4, 1.0 pps/seg) have the shortest average number of pps/seg. Both chapters favor hefty action over description, in particular “Helm’s Deep.” Other chapters that are heavy on action and have a lower average pps/seg include “The Choices of Master Samwise” (TT-IV-10), and two chapters with an average of 1.2 pps/seg (“Flight to the Ford,” FR-I-12, and “The Ring Goes South,” FR-II-3). There are 32 chapters in the LoTR that have no descriptive segment-ends in them. There is also a coarse symmetry between the number of high and low pps/seg chapters.

While contrasting the data on longer versus shorter segments (average pps/seg) can be interesting, focusing on the shorter segments in the LoTR may offer more intriguing insights into the architecture and meaning of the work. Longer segments, often containing descriptive passages or lengthy narratives, serve a vital function in the LoTR. Shorter segments, however, often serve to highlight or emphasize key points that Tolkien is trying to make throughout the tale.

The shortest segment in the LoTR occurs as Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, return to the Shire near the end of Book VI. This segment consists of 4 printed lines, and in it Frodo comments on his feelings about returning to the Shire: “‘Not to me,’ said Frodo. ‘To me it feels more like falling asleep again.’” (RK-VI-7-7). Now, after all his adventures, hardships and sacrifices, and the destruction of the Ring he came to covet, Frodo has ambivalent feelings about the Shire. A source of strength to him throughout his long journey (“‘I feel that as long as the Shire lies behind, safe and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable: I shall know that somewhere there is a firm foothold, even if my feet cannot stand there again.’” (FR-I-2-13), Frodo now understands and sees things far more deeply than he did growing up in the Shire. As Merry suggests to Pippin in “The Houses of Healing,” “Still there are things deeper and higher; and not a gaffer could tend his garden in what he calls peace but for them, whether he knows about them or not. I am glad that I know about them, a little.” (RK-V-8-11). Frodo too knows there is far more to life than one can see in his own homeland.

Many of the other short segments in the LoTR talk about important events, or significant actions, that occur throughout the text. Examples could include Gandalf standing alone inside the ruined gates of Minas Tirith, facing the confident Lord of the Nazgul, as the sound of the Horns of Rohan is heard in the distance (RK-V-4-20, 7 printed lines); or the Lord of the Nazgul’s retreat at the encounter, so he can return to the Pelennor Fields (RK-V-6-1, 7 printed lines). Arguably one of the most significant segments in the entire LoTR is the short segment in which Frodo ends the segment by saying “I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way.” (FR-II- 2-19, 9 printed lines). Close to that one in importance is Gandalf declaring “The realm of Sauron is ended!” (RK-VI-4-2, 9 printed lines), or Gwaihir spotting Frodo and Sam on the slopes of Mount Doom amidst its lightning-crowned-volcanic-eruption and violent storm (RK-VI-4-5, 11 printed lines).

Several of the short segments in the LoTR are used to contrast or emphasize different viewpoints. Much has been made of the relationship between Gimli and Legolas that evolves from one of enmity to one of a deep and mature friendship. Gimli and Legolas are featured in many short segments, in which they, representing their kindred, give a respectively dwarvish or elvish view on events. One of the two-second-shortest segments in the LoTR has Gimli and Legolas standing on the fortress wall around the Hornburg at Helm’s Deep, comparing the number of Orcs they have killed (TT-III-7-15, 5 printed lines). Other segments that highlight their different perspectives on things will be discussed in Chapter Seven (Character Develop).

Another short segment that shows two different outlooks on the same event, this time voiced by two men, is given when Háma and one of the guards of King Théoden talk about the sudden departure of Gandalf on the way to the Fords of Isen. After riding a short distance ahead, Gandalf return to King Théoden and tells him not to go to the Fords, but to proceed directly to Helm’s Deep. At a word to Shadowfax, Gandalf gallops into the west, “a flash of silver in the sunset.” The guard, professing some apparent skepticism about counselors and wizards in general (possibly typical of many Rohirrim who prefer a more direct, action-oriented and straightforward way to face events) is not sure what to make of Gandalf’s abrupt exit. Perhaps he is thinking that, like Grima Wormtongue and typical of “counselors,” Gandalf is seeking to avoid real combat. Perhaps he is thinking that Gandalf is secretly in league with Saruman, and is willing to sell the Rohirrim out. The guard suggests to Háma, Captain of the King’s Guard, that it would not be hard for Grima to explain Gandalf’s sudden departure. Háma shows more confidence in Gandalf, and says “‘True enough, but for myself, I will wait until I see Gandalf again.’ ‘Maybe you will wait long,’ said the other.” (TT-III-7-4). This short segment, with its prophetic segment-end, is an interesting contrast. Sadly, Háma, a man already shown to be a loyal, truthful, and discerning man, does not survive the battle of Helm’s Deep and does not live to see Gandalf again.

A thorough study of the short segments and their associated segment-ends in the LoTR can provide a stimulating starting point for further insight into this work.

Go, Going, Gone! Gehen, Gehend, Gegangen!
Some Short Comments on Tolkien’s Use of Language

In a book the size of the LoTR, containing approximately 715 segments, it is perhaps inevitable that some segments may end in a similar fashion. What is intriguing is that in the LoTR, 29 of the segments end with Tolkien using some form of the word “go.” A total of 17 segment-ends include the very same expression “Let us go!” or “Let’s go!” (Category I). An additional 12 segments end with a variation of the verb “to go,” (Category II), such as Bilbo’s statement “I am going. I am leaving NOW! GOODBYE!” at his farewell party. Two or more examples would be Aragorn’s warning the Company, prior to their arrival at Parth Galen, that “We must go warily tomorrow,” or Pippin’s telling Merry that “No, we are going to the Houses of Healing.” after Merry enters Minas Tirith following his helping Éowyn to kill the Lord of the Nazgul on the Pelennor Fields.

In addition to segment-ending lines that contain “Let us go” or some direct form of “to go” (“we will go thence to the Butteries,” Beregond to Pippin), an additional 5 segment-ending lines (Category III) include a combination of the phrase “let us” with a verb requiring some movement, or “going.” These five segment-ends include “Let us hasten!” (Aragorn to the Company as they go to Lothlórien). “Let us hurry!” (Gimli to Frodo after they pause to listen for the sounds of following feet on the way to Lothlórien), “Let us search northwards!” (Aragorn to Gimli and Legolas after they leave Parth Galen), “Let us leave them.” (Gandalf to his companions after turning away from Orthanc), and finally “Let us ride on!” (Théoden to Éomer and the Rohirrim as they approach the Hold of Dunharrow).

Another eight segment-ending lines (Category IV) extend the range of this group with only slight variation. These eight segment-enders include examples such as “Run for it!” “Make haste!” or “Ride on!” While not specifically using the verb “to go,” these sayings certainly do imply a sense of “going” or of “movement.”

The “Living Creatures” (as described by Treebeard) who utter these lines form a veritable roll-call of the important characters in the LoTR. Characters who utter the phrase “Let us go!” at least once include Bilbo, Pippin, Gandalf (three times), Galadriel, Legolas, Aragorn (three times), Gimli (two times), Frodo, Théoden, Merry, Treebeard, and Denethor. Those who make a statement that uses “to go” include Sam (five times), Beregond, Pippin (two times), Gandalf, and Frodo.

Category IV exclamations are made by Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Denethor, Legolas, and Treebeard. It is worthy of comment that of the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring, seven of them make Category I segment-ending utterances, with only Sam and Boromir not appearing in this category. Almost half of the total number of Category II sayings are made by Sam. Other Companions who make Category II statements are Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, and Pippin. Category III sentences are made by only three of the Companions: Gandalf, Aragorn, and Gimli. Similarly, only Gandalf, Aragorn, and Legolas make Category IV sayings. Both Sam and Boromir make statements that fall within only one category. As noted, Sam makes five of the 12 utterances in Category II, and dominates this group. Boromir makes only one appearance in Category IV. This may be a reflection of Boromir’s low total number of segment-ends, or it may suggest something else. Only Gandalf and Aragorn make statements that show up in all four categories.

A little more than 2% of the 715 segment-ending lines in the LoTR include “Let us go.” Slightly less than 2% of the segment-ends have some variant of “go.” Categories III and IV combined form another approximately 2% of the segment-ending lines. Thus, in total, 6% of the segment-ends in the LoTR end with a sense of “going” or “movement,” using the verb “go” or a close approximation. Perhaps this emphasis on purposeful movement, on “going,” is an integral part of a text that in itself is an experience in flowing onwards from the doorstep of Frodo’s house in Hobbiton, to Mount Doom, and back. Every character in the tale is going on both a physical and spiritual journey; this point is hammered home to the reader time and time again. One section ends and flows into the next, the sense of movement that begins early in Chapter 3 of The Fellowship (Book I, “Three is Company”) builds inexorably throughout the book. It is not only the section-ends that show this “going,” this passage onward: Tolkien’s many poems scattered throughout the LoTR also incorporate a theme of movement, from the Elves yearning to go into the west, to Valimar, to the simple walking song introduced by Bilbo that subtly itself changes from the beginning of the story to the end. ³

As a linguist, and a specialist in the Old English of his lectures and other writings, such as “The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth,” Tolkien delights in using Anglo-Saxon words that have survived the ravages of time, and come from the Germanic roots of English to the present day. The name “England” itself reflects the settlement of the Angles in Anglia (Angle’s-land): Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. A close look at the words of the segment-ending lines described in this section once again reveals Tolkien’s love of the foundations of English. Much of the LoTR’s beauty and resonance stems from Tolkien’s superb use of the simplicity, power, and eloquence of the oldest words in English, the words that come from the ancient root of English, Dutch, German, and Yiddish. ⁴ To paraphrase Winston Churchill, it is best not to use a more complex word when a simpler one will do, a feeling echoed, perhaps, by Ernest Hemingway. Tolkien has taken this adage and used it to great effect in the LoTR.

We do not need to be linguists ourselves to see the similarity between “go!” and German “gehe!”, “make haste” and “macht Hast,” or “Ride!” and “Reit!”. In The Mother Tongue, Bill Bryson (1990) estimates that about 85% of the original Anglo-Saxon words disappeared after the invasions of England by the Danes (another Germanic-speaking people) and the Normans from France. Bryson states that only about 4,500 old Anglo-Saxon words survive in modern English, and these represent only 1% of the words listed in the Oxford English Dictionary. Yet these 4,500 words form the foundation of English. It would not be possible for English to function as a language without its core of Anglo-Saxon words, whereas we could eliminate almost all of the words English has “borrowed” from other languages and still express complete thoughts, needs, and wants. Bryson reports that “at least half the words in almost any sample of Modern English writing will be of Anglo-Saxon origin.” Furthermore, Robert McCrum, William Cran, and Robert MacNeil (1987), cite a study that has shown that of the 100 most common words in English, every one of them is Anglo-Saxon.

Tolkien’s insistence on maximizing the use of the oldest words in English, along with their occasionally unusual spellings, has led others, such as Douglas Anderson, to comment on it. In his “Note on the Text” that appears at the beginning of the 1994 Houghton Mifflin edition that combines the six books and associated appendices of the LoTR into one volume, Anderson mentions Tolkien’s “sometimes idiosyncratic usage” of the English language. Nevertheless, Tolkien has indicated that he wanted to create a “national epic” for England, and if so, his skillful use of the surviving, old Anglo-Saxon words, so evident in his segment-ending lines, forms a subliminal backdrop that takes us to the almost forgotten point-in-time of England’s origins, lost in the misty, deep, past. This will be further discussed in Chapter Eight, On Etymology.

Character Couplets

In looking at segment-ends and trying to establish an objective way of determining who receives a “tally” for that end, one of the early “puzzlers” was found in “The Shadow of the Past” (FR-I-2-1): “He (Frodo) took to wandering further afield and more often by himself; and Merry and his other friends watched him anxiously. Often he was seen walking and talking with the strange wayfarers that began at this time to appear in the Shire.” It is important to note that among Frodo’s “other friends” (Pippin, Fredegar Bolger, and Folco Boffin), only Merry is specifically named in this segment-end. Given the underlying hypothesis behind this study, the idea that Merry was being singled out for some reason relative to Frodo’s “other friends” immediately presented itself. As the data was being collected for this study, however, a sub- theme emerged. Within the broader development of the plot, Tolkien is using several “character couplets” to perhaps give himself the chance to express differing viewpoints about a common circumstance or character, or to show a given character’s growth throughout the LoTR. The reader has, in these cases, the opportunity to evaluate Tolkien’s “take(s)” on an event and compare it to her or his own. Several “character couplets” stand out, such as Frodo and Sam, Merry and Pippin, Gimli and Legolas, Faramir and Boromir, or Gandalf and Saruman. There are many other couplet combinations, and a character such as Aragorn, or Faramir, may appear in more than one couplet. For example, Aragorn can be coupled with Denethor, Boromir, or even other kings of Gondor or Arnor not appearing in the LoTR (except in the Appendix). Faramir can also be compared to Éomer, as both become leaders of their people at a relatively young age. Denethor can also be coupled with Saruman as both are powerful characters who allowed pride to overcome their caution in using the Palantirs in their possession. Frodo can be compared to some of the elf-friends of the First Age. The use of segment-ends as one tool to help in evaluating some of these “character-couplets” as well as individual characters will be considered in Chapter Seven.

Segment-ends also highlight important events that can be used to portray a character’s nature or mood. One of the most important choices facing some of the major characters in the LoTR is how to respond to the chance they have to accept, reject, or try to seize the Ring for themselves. Their response to this opportunity sheds a great deal of light on their intents and purposes, and their innermost nature. Early in the text, Frodo, suddenly realizing the deadly power of the Ring, offers it to Gandalf. A little later in the text, Aragorn has three of the four frightened hobbits alone in a room in “The Prancing Pony.” He can easily take the Ring for his own, if he chooses to do so. When Boromir encourages the Council to take the Ring and use it as a weapon, Elrond emphatically states he will not take the Ring for any purpose (FR-II-2-18). He is quickly and publicly seconded by Gandalf, who had already rejected the Ring when it was offered by Frodo. Frodo is the only character who agrees to take on the burden of the Ring when it is “up for grabs” at the Council of Elrond. Later, in Lórien, Frodo once again willingly offers the Ring to Galadriel, and she too passes up the chance to take the Ring unto herself, and in so doing, saves herself from becoming a new Dark Lord. Boromir, who while in Lórien finally realized that with the Ring he could achieve all his desires, is the only major character (besides Sauron) who has the ability to easily seize the Ring for himself, and tries to do so. Boromir’s response can be contrasted with that of Faramir, who recognizing the irony of the situation, rejects taking the Ring from Frodo, although it would be easy enough for him to seize it. Sam unwillingly takes the Ring only when he believes Frodo to be dead, and is the only character who returns the Ring to Frodo without some strong encouragement, as when Gandalf exhorts Bilbo to free himself of the Ring in Hobbiton. All of these events occur at or near the ends of segments in the LoTR, and Tolkien has saved some of his best writing for these moments of transcendental majesty. Let us look at some of these events in detail, and see how Tolkien elevates their meaning by using them to close segments or even chapters.

To Accept or Reject the Ring

With the exception of Elrond, the major characters who have the chance to take the Ring for themselves act on their choice at or very near the end of a segment. Gandalf refuses to take the Ring, even as a freely-offered gift, in the last paragraph save one of FR-I-2-12. The rapid shift in mood that is typical of many segment-ends themselves or the break from one segment to the next is highly evident here. In an emotional outburst, Gandalf springs to his feet and cries “‘No! With that power I should have power too great and terrible. And over me the Ring would gain a power still greater and more deadly.’ His eyes flashed and his face was lit as by a fire within. ‘Do not tempt me!’” Note carefully Tolkien’s careful choice of words in this, and many other segment-ends.

It is hard to mistake Gandalf’s vehemence in rejecting the Ring, even as he tells Frodo that the appeal of the Ring for him stems from his pity for Frodo, and his desire to do good. Gandalf, like the other “good” characters in the LoTR, is sophisticated enough to understand the corrupting power of the Ring, and the influence it has on its master. Gandalf fully knows that even those who take the Ring to do good will ironically become evil in the course of doing so.

Once Frodo learns about the power of the Ring, and Gandalf has rejected it when it is offered to him, it is Aragorn (the last scion of the Kings of Númenor, descended from Lúthien the Fair and Beren One-hand, son of Barahir) who next has a chance to take the Ring for his own. ⁵ Raised as a son by Elrond Half-Elven, fighting the battle against the evil of Sauron for nearly seven decades, yet still in the bloom of young manhood, Aragorn could gain everything he desires with the Ring. Like King Thingol in the First Age, who laid a task on Beren before he could gain the hand of Lúthien, Elrond requires Aragorn to assume the kingship of both Arnor and Gondor, no small task indeed, before allowing him to marry Arwen. All this could be his with the Ring, yet he chooses not to take the Ring for his own, in the end validating his elvish- taught wisdom, integrity, strength, and humility ⁶ . Alone in a room with only three hobbits between him and the Ring, he says “‘If I had killed the real Strider, I could kill you. and I should have killed you already without so much talk. If I was after the Ring, I could have it -- NOW!’

“He stood up, and seemed suddenly to grow taller. In his eyes gleamed a light, keen and commanding. Throwing back his cloak, he laid his hand on the hilt of a sword that had hung concealed by his side. They did not dare to move. Sam sat wide-mouthed staring at him dumbly.

“‘But I am the real Strider, fortunately,’ he said looking down at them with his face softened by a sudden smile. ‘I am Aragorn son of Arathorn; and if by life or death I can save you, I will.’” (FR-I-70-4).

Having established his rectitude by refusing to take the Ring so temptingly close-at-hand, Aragorn goes on to grow both as an individual and as the leader of the West. As Gandalf before him, Aragorn passes his “test” of loyalty to the values of justice, freedom, and kindness represented by the Valar and their followers in Middle-earth. Free of any temptation to use the Ring for his own purposes, Aragorn’s stature waxes to a level rivalling Lúthien’s descendants of old. This concept will be further developed in Chapter Seven, Character Development.

In “The Council of Elrond” the Ring is not “offered” to anyone, although it seems that Frodo would be willing to give it away if one of the members of the Council asked for it directly. Since Frodo does not offer the Ring to Elrond, Elrond’s rejection of the Ring does not have an emotional impact similar to that of characters like Gandalf, Galadriel, or Aragorn. Nevertheless, although it appears in the middle of a segment, Elrond’s rejection of the Ring is clear and unequivocal: “‘I fear to take the Ring to hide it. I will not take the Ring to wield it.’” (FR-II-2- 18).

As a legacy from Bilbo, who “willingly” gives up the Ring, Frodo becomes the possessor of the Ring at the start of the LoTR. When he is made aware of the power and the significance of the Ring, Frodo willingly undertakes its guardianship, and agrees to transport it to Rivendell. At the Council of Elrond, the assembled leaders understand the threat that the corrupting influences of the Ring work upon its owner, and agree that its attempted destruction is the only real option available to them. In one of the very short segments of the LoTR, fully understanding the burden of the Ring, Frodo accepts the task of taking it to the Cracks of Doom: “‘I will take the Ring,’ he said, ‘though I do not know the way.’” (FR-II-2-19).

The case of Boromir is more problematic. The Ring is never offered to him, but as the representative of Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, at the Council of Elrond, he learns of its great power. He can understand the power of the Ring, but he fails to understand or accept its baleful influence on any who wield it, despite the assertions of Gandalf and Elrond at the Council. The Ring later tempts Boromir to take it for himself, and with it save Gondor and win glory for himself. The temptation gnaws at him, and grows stronger after the Company leaves Lothlórien. At Parth Galen, a fit of madness and desire overcomes Boromir, the son of Denetehor, and he tries to take the Ring by force from Frodo. He realizes his error and achieves something rare in the annals of the Ring: he redeems himself by giving his life in defense of Pippin and Merry. He dies a repentant and honorable man, saved from the evil of the Ring.

Galadriel, like Gandalf and Elrond, wields one of the three Elven Rings. Although one of Tolkien’s more enigmatic characters (see The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales), she is consistently recognized as perhaps the greatest of Elven women. A major figure in the fight against both Morgoth in the First Age and later Sauron in the Second and Third Ages, Galadriel has had ample time to think about her leadership and why she has chosen to exercise it. Driven by pride, she willfully left the Blessed Realm to return to Middle-earth to help in the Noldors’ fight to take back the Silmarilli that Morgoth had stolen from Feanor. In leaving Valinor against the will of the Valar, she suffered the consequences of the Ban of the Valar. Mindful of her own power, and desirous of ruling a realm of her own, she proudly refused the invitation of the Valar to return to Aman at the end of the First Age. She chose instead to remain in Middle-earth, and continue to fight against evil. When Sauron returned both to Middle-earth and his corrupt ways, Galadriel became the leader of the fight against him and later the organizer behind the White Council. Galadriel’s rejection of the Ring is one of the most poignant scenes in the entire LoTR. Anyone familiar with her history, and the sadness of the Elves in general, will empathize with her plight. When Frodo, again willingly, offers her the Ring at the Mirror of Galadriel, three ages of sorrow, suffering, and long thought allow Galadriel to finally overcome her pride, and turn away the chance to become, as she had originally perhaps wanted, the ruler of all of Middle-earth. What compounds the sadness and irony of this rejection is that Galadriel fully understands at this point that she may never be allowed to return to the Blessed Realm, since she had rejected the invitation the last time it was offered. Given Tolkien’s religious beliefs, pride by itself is not a positive value ⁷ . It has its place, certainly, but must be tempered by love and humility. When Galadriel reaches the climactic moment when she overcomes her pride and rejects the Ring, our hearts miss a beat; we sigh, and say to ourselves “that is good” (if not sublime). The eloquence of the two final segments of “The Mirror of Galadriel” is superlative; these two segments can be read with appreciation by themselves, alone. It is enough to conclude this discussion of Galadriel with her segment-ending line: “‘I pass the test,’ she said. ‘I will diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel.’” (FR-II-7-9).

Although not as snug and cozy as the Prancing Pony in Bree, the large cave behind the waterfall at Henneth Annun is described by Faramir as “‘Not a place of great ease, but here you may pass the night in peace. It is dry, at least, and there is food, though no fire.’” (TT-IV-5-7). It is here, in this refuge used as a shelter and storeroom for the marauding Rangers of Ithilien, that Faramir, Captain of Gondor, and Boromir’s younger brother (by five years), talks with Frodo and Sam about their journey. Sam inadvertently “lets the cat out of the bag” when he blurts out to Faramir after dinner that he believes that Boromir wanted the Enemy’s Ring for himself. Realizing immediately that he has made a terrible mistake, Sam turns to Faramir and asks him not to take advantage of Frodo because of his revelation. Sam challenges Faramir to “show his quality.” (TT-IV-5-11). He does so at the end of the two segments that close “The Window on the West” (TT-IV-5). Faramir reveals the nobility and character for which the Men of Westernesse, the elf-friends of the First Age, have maintained from those days to the present. Noting the irony of the situation, that Frodo ran from Boromir’s attempt to take the Ring “by force,” only to find himself and his servant in the hands of Boromir’s younger brother and a host of men, Faramir reassures the fearful hobbits that he has no desire to own such a weapon of the Dark Lord. Laughing quietly, Faramir sits down, and becomes stern once again.

Like Aragorn, but unlike his older brother Boromir, Faramir is wise enough and humble enough to know to avoid the Ring. He later tells Frodo not to fear; he does not want to see the Ring, or touch it, or even know more about it. To have discussed it even once is enough for Faramir, son of Denethor, and the eventual Steward of Gondor. Faramir’s rejection of the Ring starts in the middle of a segment and ends with its conclusion. Once again Tolkien uses a segment-end for great dramatic effect, emphasizing the strength, humility, and wisdom of those who refuse to take the Ring for themselves.

III. Conclusion

A remark attributed to Mark Twain, and which may provide his understanding as an extant folk-saying is that “there are lies, damned lies, and statistics. ⁸ ” True enough. One can use statistics to say nearly anything…and this Chapter provides sufficient data to qualify as a statistical compendium of segment-ends in the LoTR. Nevertheless, several ideas presented themselves during the course of this analysis. As noted earlier in this Chapter, it is not advisable to make hard-and-fast conclusions based upon the data presented herein, but considering segment-ends from either a quantitative or qualitative perspective may provide a useful “jumping off” point for further research.

Tolkien’s Catholic upbringing has given him certain values which become themes, or leitmotivs, throughout the LoTR. The role of pride in the LoTR can be examined by looking at character-couplets such as Denethor and Saruman, Faramir and Boromir, or many others. These issues will be considered further in Chapter Seven. Pride plays a role in the makeup of characters by themselves also. Brief mention has already been made about Faramir’s humility as compared to Boromir, but much further work needs to be done to flesh out this intriguing idea. Another excellent example that begs for study is the role of pride as shown by Denethor and Saruman. Though not falling into evil, or becoming subservient to the will of Sauron, Denethor’s pride does lead him to use the Palantir of Minas Tirith. Only the Kings of Arnor or Gondor had the “right” or the power to use the “seeing stones,” gifts of the Eldar to the Lords of Andunie in Númenor. Indeed, the last two Kings of Gondor, Eärnil and Eärnur, dared not use the Palantir of Minas Tirith once Sauron gained mastery of the Palantir of Minas Ithil. The lack of confidence of the last two Kings of Gondor should be contrasted with Aragorn’s ability to exercise his right and strength to use the Palantir of Orthanc as he chose to, wrenching it away from the control of Sauron. For a Steward to presume to use a Palantir without “authorization” from the rightful owner was a prideful violation of long tradition. Denethor’s use of the Palantir led to his despair and eventual suicide ⁹ . Saruman, in his pride, did fall into evil. Although he still thought he hoped to capture the Ring for his own use, Saruman in the meanwhile became just another servant of Sauron, doing his bidding as needed. This was attested by Gandalf both at the Council of Elrond and again while talking to Saruman at Orthanc after the defeat of the forces of Isengard. These issues will be further examined in Chapters Five and Six.

From the many examples cited in this Chapter, it is evident that segment-ends can serve as a starting point for a deeper analysis of how many different characters in the LoTR respond to circumstances. Segment-ends also draw attention to some of the feelings, virtues, vices, and ideas, that Tolkien wants us to think about. One could make a study of the emotions of love, pride, and hope, using segment-ends in the LoTR as a jumping off point. It is intriguing to look at how different characters and character-couplets respond to these emotions and traits throughout the LoTR, and how segment-ends allow Tolkien to reveal some of his own thoughts about these feelings.

A related study to this Chapter would be to look at which characters prompt many of the segment-ends. No attempt was made to do so as part of this work, but it would seem that such a study might yield additional insights.

Tolkien frequently uses the last few paragraphs of a segment or the segment-end itself to comment on the elf-like nature of the hobbits, or of Aragorn and his companions. Within three short paragraphs of the end of a segment, Faramir tells Frodo that “there is something strange about you, Frodo, an elvish air, maybe.” (TT-IV-5-3). Sam returns the compliment to Faramir at the end of “The Window on the West” when in the third to last sentence, he tells Faramir “‘you said my master had an elvish air; and that was good and true. But I can say this: you have an air too, sir, that reminds me of, of -- well, Gandalf, of wizards,’ ‘Maybe,’ said Faramir. ‘Maybe you discern from far away the air of Númenor. Good night!’” (TT-IV-5-12). While not Elves, the Wizards come from the immortal Maiar, the people of the Valar, who in addition to their immortality share many other characteristics with the Elves. Aragorn is frequently described as “elvish.” As Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, the sons of Elrond (Elrohir and Elladan), and the Dúnedain leave Dunharrow to travel the Paths of the Dead, some of the people who kept themselves hidden during their departure, said at the end of a segment “‘They are Elvish wights. Let them go where they belong, into the dark places, and never return. The times are evil enough.’” (RK-V-2-9). One of the tragic themes of the LoTR is the estrangement of Elves and Men, and how that separation causes men to mistrust and fear the Elves, who taught so much to Men in the First Age.

At the immediate beginning of a segment, Merry and Pippin are compared to Elf- children: “Out of the shadows the Hobbits peeped, gazing back down the slope: little furtive figures that in the dim light looked like elf-children in the deeps of time peering out of the wild wood in wonder of their first dawn.” (TT-III-3-11). Other like references are scattered throughout the LoTR; either clustered around a segment break (at the end of one segment or the beginning of another), or in the middle of a segment.

Another theme to explore is the role of “greater” and “lesser” characters vis-à-vis their segment-ending appearances. The number of segment-ending appearances by Elrond, Galadriel, or Denethor (not to mention Saruman) clearly does not reflect their full influence through the plot. For other characters, in Table 13, however, the number of their segment-enders may offer some insight into their roles. This will be further considered in Chapter Seven.

Questions abound from an examination of Table 13. Why does Treebeard have so many tallies relative to Elrond, Galadriel, or Denethor? Barliman Butterbur, the innkeeper of the Prancing Pony in Bree, has as many segment-end tallies as Boromir and the Lord of the Nazgul. Is there a reason for this? How come Bergil, a ten-year-old, has more tallies than his father, Beregond, whose importance to the tale is far more significant? Should Gollum appear in more, or fewer segment-ends? Many other questions could be asked, and thoughtful consideration of Table 13 could provide hours of pleasure around a fire on a snowy evening, perhaps.

The initial hypothesis behind this study was simply that the number of times a character appeared in a segment might reflect on their overall significance to the LoTR. To this end, a series of Tables (1 through 14) was created, included in this Chapter. The premise of the hypothesis appears to generally be true, as shown in Table 13. However, like many of the characters in the LoTR, this essay grew through its writing. Other intriguing ideas presented themselves, and the initial effort mushroomed into this study. The data in Tables 1 through 14 may be of interest to readers, and may serve as another tool for examining the rich trove that is Tolkien’s masterwork. It is hoped, however, that some of the applications of this data, initiated in this study, may prove to be a source for new insights into J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings.

IV. Tables 1 through 14

This section includes Tables 1 through 6 summarizing, chapter by chapter, the section- ending quotes or lines made by the characters in the chapter. Short footnotes list the characters involved where a section ends with a statement including “they” or “them.” Sections ending in a descriptive mode are also clarified by a footnote giving a short note about the subject. Next to each chapter title is a listing of the number of printed pages in that chapter (pps), the number of segments or sections (segs), and a calculation of the average number of pages per segment (pps/seg). Further discussion of these calculations is given in the text. Characters are listed, from left to right, in the order they first appear in a given chapter.

Tables 7 through 12 are a recapitulation of the numbers of segment-ending appearances by the characters or things appearing in the first six tables.

Table 13 provides a summary, by Book, of the number of section-ending lines for each of the characters or things previously cited in this appendix, arranged in descending order of the number of appearances.

The final table (Table 14) shows the characters involved in closing the final section in each of the 62 chapters in the 6 Books.

The Reckoning:
      Frodo-18
      Sam-10
      Descriptive-9
      Aragorn-8
      Pippin-6
      Merry-4
      Gandalf, Gimli-3
      Legolas, Treebeard, Faramir, Gollum-2
      Bilbo, Galadriel, Éowyn, Mablung, A Minstrel of Rohan, The Horns of the Rohirrim, A Nazgul, The Host, Arwen, Them-1

Footnotes

¹In the Silmarillion, it is related that Idril Celebrimbal, the elvish wife of the mortal Tuor, covertly constructed “secret ways” of escape from Gondolin. She had a foreboding that mighty as it was, Gondolin -- the city built by her father, Turgon, at that time the High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth -- might not prove to be impregnable. This may reflect the fact that her mortal husband, Tuor, had originally arrived at Gondolin to remind Turgon of Ulmo’s warning: “Love not too well the work of thy hands and the devices of thy heart; and remember that the true hope of the Noldor lieth in the West, and cometh from the Sea.” Unlike his cousin, Turin, son of Hurin, Tuor, son of Huor, was amenable to counsel, as was his wife, Idril, and they probably long pondered the meaning of Ulmo’s warning to Turgon. A good thing, too: when Tuor led the refugees from Gondolin out of the sack of the city by the forces of Morgoth, using the “secret ways” built by Idril, she carried the infant Eärendil with her. For an additional note on the “secret ways” out of Gondor in the Third Age, see Chapter Five "Denethor".

²Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz (1780 – 1831) wrote “Vom Kriege“ (”From the War”, or “On War”) between 1816 ad 1830, shortly after the Napoleonic Wars. When he discusses the “fog of war,” he is referring to the huge amounts of smoke generated by the cannons of that era, far surpassing those of modern weaponry. The “fog” about which he writes was, in fact, a thick, dense fog, that often prevented officers from seeing what the actual battlefield conditions looked like.

³Part of Bilbo’s “walking song” is first sung in “A Long Expected Party” (FR-I-1-8), then repeated as in “Three is Company” (FR-I-3-7), and then repeated in the final chapter of The Return of the King “The Grey Havens, RK-VI-9-9) as Frodo and Sam ride to meet Bilbo, Elrond, and Galadriel and others, who are enroute to the havens to take leave of Middle-earth. This sense of “going” pervades the LoTR as a recurring theme, and will be further discussed in Chapter 9 "Leitmotivs".

⁴Many good dictionaries provide a chart that lays out the “phylogeny” of the modern languages that descend from what many linguists refer to as “Proto-Indo-European” often abbreviated PIE). The study of such etymological relationships is both fascinating and demanding of one’s time. It is far beyond the scope of this book to examine in detail how this etymological history has affected Tolkien’s writing in the LoTR, however, some limited discussion of this matter will be provided in several of the next few chapters as appropriate. “Proto-Germanic” is a sub-group of PIE and has been divided into a “Western” and “Northern” collection of languages. The Scandinavian, Danish, and Icelandic languages are derived from the northern subset of Proto-Germanic, while English, Dutch, German, and Yiddish are derived from the southern subset. The diagram in the cited source shows English at the extreme left of the West Germanic, proceeding to the right through Frisian, Dutch, Low German, and finally, on the extreme right, German and Yiddish, thereby indicating a very close genetic relationship between them (Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 1987).

⁵Although Tom Bombadil asks Frodo for the Ring in order to examine it, and Frodo freely gives it to him (FR-I-7-5), it is clear from the text that Bombadil has no interest in keeping the Ring for himself. Indeed, the Ring has no apparent effect on Bombadil when he puts it on his finger (op. cit.). There is a great deal of mystery about who Tom Bombadil is, but it is clear that he can make the Ring disappear! For this reason, Bombadil is not presented here as a character who faces any real choice in whether to accept or reject the Ring. It seems as if he is above any such choice. This issue is further explored in Chapter 7 "Character Development".

⁶A brief example of the formation of Estel’s character is presented in a fan-fiction story on "Stories of Arda" written by PSW entitled “Beyond Imadris,” where Estel’s empathy and compassion are almost too much for Elrond to bear, until Glorfindel points out to him that Estel learned these traits from Elrond himself. There is a vast fan-fiction literature concerning Estel’s (Aragorn’s) upbringing in Imadris, under the direct supervision of his loving surrogate father. Some of these stories will be referenced in later chapters in this book.

⁷As a devout Catholic, Tolkien was no doubt familiar with the “Seven Deadly Sins” that hold a special significance in the traditional Catholic world-view. Scholars have noted that the Seven Deadly Sins actually have Greek and Roman antecedents that pre-date the rise of the Catholic Church in Europe. The fourth-century monk Evagrius Ponticus enumerated eight vices, including gluttony, prostitution or fornication, avarice, sadness, wrath, dejection (acedia), boasting, and pride. Upon translation into Latin, these vices became the more familiar gluttony, lust, greed, despair, wrath, sloth (laziness), vainglory, and pride. These form the sins listed by John the Ascetic (John Cassian, 360-435 C.E.). Perhaps the Greek word “hubris” better denotes the overweening pride that is implied by the inclusion of “pride” among the Seven Deadly Sins. In 590 C.E., Pope Gregory amended the list to its more familiar modern form, and listed the Seven Deadly Sins as pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. Teachers traditionally emphasized the first deadly sin, pride (overweening pride) as the underlying sin that informs the remaining six, since it was considered that pride could sever the link between the soul and ultimate grace (Wikipedia, 2021).

⁸Often attributed to Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), Twain attributed this saying to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, but scholarship suggests an anonymous authorship around 1891, or perhaps it was coined by Sir Charles Dilke. Wikipedia provides a full discussion of this question (2021).

⁹The issue of Denethor’s use of the Palantir will be more fully explored in Chapter 5.