The narrator’s careful attention to the food preparation
of Sam, Frodo, and Gollum brings us down to earth somewhat, again reminding
us of the ever-present mundane concerns within the grander scope
of the quest. The author even gives Chapter 4 a
title referring to the stewed rabbit and wild herbs that Frodo and
Sam prepare for dinner. In part, this chapter name is a Homeric
touch. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, Homer
devotes long passages to seemingly trivial concerns such as the
size and smell of the roast ox the warriors eat. Such material details
ground the epic quest in reality and remind us that, however spiritual
or lofty the heroes’ final goals may be, the heroes themselves are
still very human, creatures with bodies that must be fed. Further,
the food episode once again shows us the hobbits’ uneasy reliance
on Gollum. Their food supplies dwindling, Frodo and Sam are nonetheless
unable to catch rabbits themselves, so they must rely on their guide
to do so. In such passages, Tolkien yet again reminds us of the
hobbits’ odd status as epic heroes, with their relative frailty
and inexperience in an environment and role typically filled by
great warriors and Wizards.
The appearance of the oliphaunt, or giant elephant creature,
is yet another small detail in the story of the journey to Mordor
that reminds us of the completeness with which Tolkien has imagined the
world of The Lord of the Rings. Sam and Frodo have
inquired about the existence of oliphaunts when talking to Gollum,
who claims never to have heard of or seen such creatures. But then,
in the battle between Faramir’s men and the attacking Southrons
soon afterward, this very creature is glimpsed and vividly described.
The imagined turns out to be real, and Sam is thrilled. This little
detail reminds us that in Tolkien’s universe, the potential for
amazement is always present. Unlike other works of fantasy, in which
the characters are never surprised by anything within their fantastical
world, in The Lord of the Rings, the characters
of Tolkien’s Middle-earth are often awestruck by what they see.
Sam is amazed by oliphaunts, Faramir’s men are
amazed by Gollum, and many humans throughout the novel are startled
by the hobbits, whose like they have never glimpsed before. In such
episodes, Tolkien constantly reminds us that the surprises of the
imagination are always available to us, an essential and often enjoyable
part of the experience of life.
