![]() I don’t think that’s necessarily a wrong interpretation, but it’s been interesting diving into Book IV and seeing him in a different light. I essentially thought of him as the protagonist of the series. Growing up, Sam Gamgee was my favorite character by far in The Lord of the Rings. And “The Passage of the Marshes” underlines both the isolation and connectivity of these characters, how internal, near-unshareable problems become buffeted about based on how these characters interact with each other. There’s an odd sensation that the hobbits are moving very slowly – first picking their way through rocks and cliffs, then picking their way through bogs and fens – but also inexorably tumbling forward to a destination that feels immutable and fixed. There are repeated moments, throughout the chapter, in which the quest is treated (explicitly or implicitly) as a suicide mission. Sméagol is flickering in and out of existence alongside Gollum. Frodo is exhausted and fraying at the edges. ![]() ![]() It’s an interesting narrative choice on Tolkien’s part. They make it out to the other side, and things only get worse. But Frodo & Company don’t fight any monsters. See some new scenery, fight some monsters, make it out to the other side and a well-deserved respite. In a lesser fantasy novel, the marshes would essentially function as a level to be beaten. Sharp stones and shallow pools get exchanged for greasy bogs, rotting moss, foreboding lights. As Frodo, Sam, and Gollum move from Emyn Muil into the Dead Marshes, the mood noticeably darkens and chills. It starts early, through one of Tolkien’s favorite techniques: the transition in landscape ( chapter 2 of Book III featured one as well). There’s a sense of motion and movement in “The Passage of the Marshes” that’s quiet, persistent, and devastating.
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