Théoden confronts Wormtongue, accusing him of treachery. Wormtongue
tries to defend himself, but Théoden remains firm, and gives his
advisor the ultimatum of either fighting alongside him against Isengard
or leaving the country immediately. Wormtongue flees. Gandalf asks
for Shadowfax as a gift (the horse was merely borrowed from Théoden
before). Théoden offers weapons and coats of mail to everyone in
Gandalf’s group, though the wizard himself rides unprotected. From
the hall, Éowyn watches the group ride off.
Analysis — Chapters 5–6
In the description of King Théoden and the court of Edoras,
Tolkien draws upon the mythical tales of King Arthur and his court
of Ca-melot. Edoras is more than a royal residence. It is described
as a “Golden Hall,” giving it a fantastical feel. Théoden’s Riders
evoke Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table. In nodding to ancient
British myth in this manner, Tolkien signals his intention for The
Lord of the Rings to be not a mere fantasy novel, but a
tale with the feel of ancient myth. Like the old stories about King
Arthur, Tolkien’s novel aims not just to tell a thrilling story,
but to reveal something deeply symbolic about human nature and fate.
The preternatural power and wisdom of Gandalf are in the
foreground in these chapters, and we begin to see the reasons why
his character is the most revered in Tolkien’s novel. The wizard
is highly insightful about the psychology of both good and evil
characters, as we see in his subtle understanding of the wicked
Sauron’s psychology. Gandalf knows that Sauron would never imagine
that the present possessor of the Ring might want to destroy it
rather than use it for his own benefit. The wizard contends that
Sauron, in failing to consider this possibility, has made the error
of searching for the Ring abroad rather than guarding the border
of Mordor so that the Ring may not reach Mount Doom. Here, Gandalf
shows his ability to think like the Enemy and to use this knowledge
strategically. The wizard’s acute understanding of human personality
and motivation is also evidenced in his delicate dealings with Théoden. Gandalf
has the difficult task of convincing the king, whom he barely knows,
that the king’s long-trusted advisor, Wormtongue, is in fact a traitor.
Gandalf pulls off this sensitive task with poise and diplomacy.
He foresees that Wormtongue, if provoked, will lose his cool and
reveal his dark side, enabling the wizard to achieve the desired
end without criticizing Théoden’s judgment.
Gandalf’s wisdom appears somehow related to his experience
of death, as he has come back to life after his death in Moria.
Like many figures in myth who gain superhuman understanding by passing
through the underworld, Gandalf’s demise at the end of the preceding
volume of the novel is not a mark of failure, but is paradoxically
a mark of power, as the wizard reappears stronger than ever. Like
the ancient Roman hero Aeneas in Virgil’s Aeneid, who
gains wisdom from a trip through the realm of the dead, Gandalf
too possesses an enhanced power now that he is reborn. Furthermore,
as in the Christian tradition of rebirth, Gandalf returns as a purified
being, no longer Gandalf the Grey but Gandalf the White. He has
been cleansed, as if earlier weaknesses have been completely eradicated.
The idea of trust is central to the episode at Edoras.
The major crisis of the chapter is Théoden’s inability to realize
that his long-trusted counselor is a spy and traitor who has undermined
the welfare of the kingdom he purports to serve. Wormtongue’s smooth-talking
attempt to discredit Gandalf and to reaffirm his own trustworthiness
to the suspicious Théoden demonstrates the power of language to
deceive and misguide. Trust is also an issue for Gandalf’s party,
as the members are all strangers in Edoras who must prove that they
can be trusted. The guards’ reluctance to allow Gandalf passage
emphasizes that Sauron’s evil has cast a pall of suspicion and mistrust
on all of Middle-earth. Every stranger is automatically suspect.
The value of trust is underscored by Gandalf’s borrowing of the
horse Shadowfax from Théoden. Tolkien could have easily structured
the novel so that the horse was Gandalf’s own property, but he instead
chose to make the horse a loan from Théoden. In making this narrative
choice, the author emphasizes that even the powerful wizard must
rely on others, which both humanizes Gandalf and underscores the
importance of trust in the Fellowship’s quest.
