Key Facts
full title · The Two Towers, being the second part
of The Lord of the Rings
author · J.R.R. Tolkien
type of work · Novel
genre · Epic; heroic quest; folktale; fantasy; myth
language · English, with occasional words and phrases from various languages
of Middle-earth that Tolkien invented
time and place written · 1937–1949; Oxford, England
date of first publication · 1954
publisher · Allen and Unwin
narrator · The whole of The Lord of the Rings is
told by an anonymous, third-person narrator.
point of view · The Two Towers is narrated in the
third person, primarily following the exploits of Merry and Pippin
in Book III and the exploits of Frodo and particularly Sam in Book
IV. The narration is omniscient, which means the narrator not only
relates the characters' thoughts and feelings, but also comments
on them.
tone · The narrator is unobtrusive, not allowing himself any
authorial commentaries on the fate of the characters or any exclamations about
the story as it unfolds. The tone is somewhat reminiscent of the
tone used in the Odyssey and other ancient poetic
epics: it focuses on actions in a simple, direct manner, and generally avoids
psychological explorations in the narrative. There are minor exceptions
to this rule, especially in the narration of the thoughts and feelings
of the hobbits at moments of crisis, but these are infrequent.
tense · Past
setting (time) · The end of the Third Age of Middle-earth
setting (place) · Various locales in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, including
Rohan, the Forest of Fangorn, Edoras, Helm's Deep, Isengard, and
Mordor
protagonist · Primarily Merry and Pippin in Book III and Frodo and
Sam in Book IV, though the Fellowship as a whole might be considered
a single protagonist
major conflict · Frodo struggles with the ever-heavier burden of the
Ring as he and Sam convey it to Mordor. Meanwhile, Gandalf attempts
to obstruct Saruman's quest to gain power in support of Mordor.
rising action · Boromir's death; Aragorn's attempt to reunite his group
with the hobbits after the battle separates them; Aragorn's meeting
with Gandalf, and later Pippin and Merry; the group's collective pursuit
of Frodo and Sam; Frodo and Sam's wanderings, and their acceptance
of Gollum as a guide; Frodo and Sam's passage into Mordor
climax · Gollum's betrayal of Frodo and Sam; the hobbits' struggle
with the spider-monster Shelob
falling action · Frodo's paralysis from Shelob's bite; Sam's assumption
of the role of Ring-bearer; Sam's anguished uncertainty about how
to proceed with the quest
themes · The decay of civilization; the value of fellowship;
duty
motifs · Songs and singing; the natural world; suspicion
symbols · The two towers; the palantír; Pippin's
pipe; the Dead Marshes
foreshadowing · Frodo's assertion that Gollum is full of wickedness;
Sam's repeated doubts about Gollum's trustworthiness
