Abducted by Fellowship Friday: The Council of Elrond

I have learned there is actually a silver lining in having nobody else sign up to do a readalong with you!

When you get stuck on a chapter, and it takes you two weeks to read it, and you miss a post...who cares!!!

So, I was reading along in the Lord of the Rings, and having an awesome time with it, until I got to the chapter that was the Council of Elrond. My reading came to a screeching halt! I was supposed to read through the next 100 pages and write about them last Friday, but that deadline came and went and I was still stuck on the same chapter.

It was hard because so much information is contained within it. They don't go into much detail in the movie because you don't really need to understand all the information right up front. But because I have seen all the movies and read through these books in the past, I know that this information comes up later. So, I really was trying to pay attention. Today, I started over with this chapter and forced myself to get through it. Of course, by the time I was done I had so many notes I knew that I wouldn't be able to write about anything else for this post.

So, today, we are going to get through all the information given to us during the council and next week we will get back on track!

Gloin, father of Gimli, speaks first. And he tells about how the Dwarves came to live in the Mountains of Moria and how they came to the city of Khazad Dum. All of this information I found to be important. I don't want to compare the movies and the book too much, but I did think that this part in particular was interesting. Mostly because, in the movie version the Fellowship are so shocked to find the Dwarves of Khazad Dum in the state that they do. But in the book they are told here and now that things aren't going well there and that the Dwarf Lords are worried.

But I think I will save more of that information for when the Fellowship actually make it to the Mountains of Moria and it all becomes more relevant.

After Gloin speaks, Elrond takes over. He tells about the first battle, when Sauron lost the ring, and about how the Elves and Men used to be united, but after that great battle their alliance was broken. Then we learn about the three cities that make up Gondor. Minas Ithil (Tower of the Rising Sun), Osgiliath (Citadel of the Stars), and Minas Anor (Tower of the Setting Sun). Again, none of that really comes to any importance for us until at least The Two Towers. But when the history of Gondor is being explained, Elrond does talk about how after their alliance with the Elves is no longer, the men of Gondor do become weaker and eventually lazy. Darkness creeps into the cities and because of this Osgiliath is deserted, and Minas Ithil and Minas Anor get new names! Minas Ithil becomes Minas Morgul (Tower of Sorcery) and Minas Anor becomes Minas Tirith (Tower of the Guard).

Hmm...I wonder if those "two towers" become important in the next book...

Anyway, moving on!

So, Boromir hears all this talk about Gondor not being as strong as it once was and he gets pissed! At first he is all "Just let me tell you what Gondor has done to keep you all safe."  He kind of comes off sounding like one of those grouchy old veterans that are all "If it wasn't for me you'd all be speaking German right now!"

Then he opens up about this crazy dream that he and his brother had. Darkness was to the east, a pale light in the west, and a voice that cries out telling him to look for the sword that was broken and a token that will signify that doom is at hand.

And Aragorn brings out the pieces of his sword and was all "BOOM! SWORD!"

Then Boromir is all "SAY WHAT!!!"

So then Frodo jumps in with "Dude! You've got the sword! Let me give you the ring that matches it! They'll look so great together!"

And Boromir goes "It's the token that brings doom! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"

And even though I wasn't there, I can still picture Aragorn rolling his eyes at this before he finally plays the trump card by saying, "Shut up, this is not about you! Here is the Sword that was broken. Which could help you to protect your people. But if it is to be reforged then the House of Elendil (meaning me) gets to reclaim the throne."

To which Boromir throws up his hands in surrender saying "Whoa, now, calm down! I just came to understand a riddle in my dream. That's all man. Let's just be cool, alright?"

And then Aragorn totally steps up and goes "Well, my people, the Dunedain, having been keeping the lands around your borders safe for ages and you'd be nothing without us. And I'm coming back to Minas Tirith, period!"

Which is shocking because, according to Peter Jackson, it takes Aragorn all three movies to come to that conclusion!

Then Boromir tries to back track and say that he doubts that the Ring Frodo presented was really "the Ring".  Even though he practically wet his pants at the sight of it. So, in order to give more information about how the Ring came to the Hobbits, Bilbo tells his story, then Frodo tells his story, and then Gandolf tells his story. Gandolf also goes on to tell of Saruman's betrayal and Gollum's journey.

After all this talking, finally Elrond says...

Well, the Tale is now told, from first to last. Here we all are, and here is the Ring. But we have not yet come any nearer to our purpose. What shall we do with it?

and then they talk a whole bunch more before Elrond then says...

There lies our hope, if hope it be. To walk into peril - to Mordor. We must send the Ring to the Fire.

DUH!

Now, at first Bilbo offers to take the ring himself, which I thought was incredibly sweet! I think I am paying more attention to his character because I am preparing myself to reread the Hobbit and ultimately see all the movies. Plus, I now have an even bigger soft spot for him because he is being played by Martin Freeman!


But of course Bilbo is too old. A silence falls because no one wants to be the one to take the Ring. And then our beloved Frodo steps up! Followed, almost immediately by Sam.


And that is where the chapter ends.

Life Lesson # 4

To be a hoarder, or to not be a hoarder? That is the question...

Basically this entire chapter was dedicated to a bunch of people putting way to much importance on a silly old ring! Not everything needs to have such sentimental value you guys!

And may I remind you that this is a ring that is not adorned in any way! It is a plain simple gold ring that no one even has the ability to wear anymore because it drives people crazy! 

Why? Oh, Why do people hold on to such things! 

Of course, it could just as easily be argued that because Aragorn's ancestors were such hoarders and passed down that stupid old broken sword, he was able to reforge it later. But still! I would say that if Isildur hadn't been such a hoarder in the first place and gotten rid of the Ring when he had the chance no one would have  been in this mess!

I know a lot of women (and men too) who have closets and jewelry boxes filled with things they can't use anymore. Clothes they are holding onto just in case one day they can wear them again...

But let me give you this simple rule of thumb...if the article in question can no longer be worn, whether because it does't fit anymore or because it will turn you into some black enraged evil spirit...

JUST GET RID OF IT!