Tolkien Tuesday: Re-Reading "The Lord of the Rings: A Conspiracy Unmasked"
A relatively short chapter in "Fellowship" nevertheless sets the stage for more adventures to come.
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With “A Conspiracy Unmasked,” we come again to a rather liminal chapter involving the crossing of borders and the exploration of new territory. Having received the generous assistance of Farmer Maggot and his family and reunited with Merry, Frodo, Pippin, and Sam set out for Crickhollow but, as they cross the Brandywine, they look back and see a huddled shape in the darkness. It’s another of those chilling moments, as it reminds the hobbits (and the reader) of the implacability of their foe. Though they might have eluded the Black Riders for the time being, it won’t be long before the pursuit is on again. And, as true Tolkienophiles know, that particular shape is none other than Khamûl, the only one of the Ringwraiths to be specifically named by Tolkien himself.
Just as fascinating is Sam’s thought as they pass over the waters of the river: “he had a strange feeling as the slow gurgling stream slipped by: his old life lay behind in the mists, dark adventure lay in front. He scratched his head, and for a moment had a passing wish that Mr. Frodo could have gone on living quietly at Back End.” It’s quite a lovely little passage, but it also brings home to us just how much of a sacrifice Sam has made in deciding to join Frodo and leave his entire home and everything he’s ever known behind. Both symbolically and in a very real, physical sense Sam is moving into the unknown, and we can’t really blame him for his momentary wish that his master could simply have remained the simple hobbit that he had seemed to be for so many years.
But of course, neither the waters of the river nor time itself can be stopped, and so the wayfarers finally make their way to the little cottage of Crickhollow. We get some lovely passing mentions of the venerable history of Buckland and of Brandy Hall, all of which add further texture and complexity to the insular little world of the hobbits. And, here again, there is also a brief glimpse of the menace that lurks at the very borders of the Shire, as we get several mentions of the looming specter of the Old Forest. Some of this is filtered through Fatty Bolger who, it must be said, seems a rather frightened sort of hobbit, but it’s also mentioned that the hobbits of Buckland keep their doors locked, so clearly there is good reason to be concerned about what lurks under the eaves of the Old Forest.
The true centerpiece of the chapter, however, is the revelation that Frodo’s companions knew far more about his perilous mission than he had ever suspected. I give particular props to Merry, who not only managed to figure out Bilbo’s secret about the Ring but even succeeded in getting a look at the book in which the old hobbit was recording his life and journeys. Even more startling is the fact that Sam revealed what he knew about the quest to Merry and Pippin, though his reasoning for doing so is sound. In this particular case, his loyalty to his master’s well-being seemed to outweigh the injunction to keep the whole affair of the Ring a secret, and one can hardly blame Sam for spilling the beans. As is quite clear by this point, he really does want what’s best for Frodo, and if gathering others to support him is what’s necessary, then that is exactly what he will do.
It’s actually quite touching to see the extent to which Merry and Pippin, no less than Sam, are willing to accompany Frodo on this journey. At this point, of course, they have no inkling of just how dangerous this will be, and this makes their decision all the more remarkable. For these brave and intrepid young hobbits, what matters most is making sure that Frodo doesn’t feel as if he has to undertake his quest alone. Though they don’t yet know just how perilous it will become–and they certainly know nothing of the great deeds they will do and the harsh losses they will suffer–they nevertheless agree to set out with him. It’s yet another of those moments in which we learn that there is far more to the hobbits as a race than most, even the very wisest, would ever believe.
And then there is the very ending of the chapter, in which Frodo is haunted by the sound of the sea and the image of the Tower Hills (or so we’re led to presume). It is, I think, one of the strangest and most ethereal of the images that we’ve yet encountered in Fellowship particularly since, as Frodo himself acknowledges in his dream state, he’s never been to the Sea in the waking world, for all that it haunts his dreams. Once again, Frodo shows himself here to be a hobbit of a very different character than is usual in the Shire, as he feels the desire to not just climb the tower but also to view the Sea. One gets the feeling that there is more than a little foreshadowing here, that somewhere inside of him Frodo senses that he will one day be undertaking his own perilous journey across that great body of water. First-time readers don’t know this, of course, but it’s a beautiful little moment, and yet another indication of Tolkien’s skill as a writer and spinner of narrative.
Though it’s a very short chapter, there’s a great deal of important information. It marks the last true moment in which the hobbits can experience the safety and serenity of the Shire before they set out into the true unknown. As for Fatty, though he is left behind to man the fort, it’s still clear that the menace of the Black Riders is very much present, and that it might not be very long at all before they make their presence felt in ways that they have not yet dared to do.
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