Notes on RoTK: The Black Gate Opens
'But Merry to his shame was not to go.' His initial reaction is shame at being once again left behind and useless, but I don't think this is his deepest reaction, as the rest of the scene bears out. As Aragorn says, 'If you do no more in this war, you have already earned great honour.' Then he immediately, with understated humour even in these grim circumstances ('before the black tide overtakes you') brings up Pippin: 'do not grudge him his chance of peril, for thought he has done as well as his fortune allowed him, he has yet to match your deed.'
'And so despondently, Merry now stood and watched the mustering of the army. Bergil was with him, and he also was downcast; for his father was to march leading a company of the Men of the City.' Thus Merry, like Bergil, is being parted, quite likely forever, from one dear to him: 'Pippin was also go to, a soldier of Gondor. Merry could see him not far off, a small but upright figure among the tall men of Minas Tirith. . .And long after they had passed away out of sight down the great road to the Causeway, Merry stood there. The last glint of the morning sun on spear and helm twinkled and was lost' - which structure prefigures Sam watching Frodo's sailing from the Grey Havens - 'and still he remained with bowed head and heavy heart, feeling friendless and alone. Everyone that he cared for had gone away into the gloom that hung over the distant eastern sky; and little hope at all was left in his heart that he would ever see any of them again.' This is not about honour; it is deeper than that.
'As if recalled by his mood of despair, the pain in his arm returned, and he felt weak and old and the sunlight seemed thin.' Despite this 'as if', it seems to be his 'mood of despair' that lets in what seems to be the lingering influence of the Witch King. Does this reflect Eowyn's situation? Does her on-going suicidal despair bring the Black Shadow rolling over her?
'He was roused by the touch of Bergil's hand' as previously by Pippin's voice. Bergil directly addresses the fear of never seeing their loved ones again: 'But do not fear! They will come back.'
The point of view shifts from Merry's to Pippin's.
'Tree and stone, blade and leaf were listening. . .a shadow and a gloom brooded upon the Ephel Duath. . .[The Nazgul] 'flew high and out of sight of all save Legolas' - The sons of Elrond notably cannot see them - 'and yet their presence could be felt, as a deepening of shadow and a dimming of the sun' similar to wht Merry experienced under the influence of his 'mood of despair'.
Aragorn sends away those who fear to enter the Morannon: 'there is a task which you may attempt and so be not wholly shamed'.
The Mouth of Sauron is one of the 'Black Numenoreans; for they established their dwellings in Middle-earth during the years of Sauron's domination, and they worshipped him, being enamored of evil knwoledge. . .he learned great sorcery, and knew much of the mind of Sauron; and he was more cruel than any orc.' He produces 'a bundle swathed in black cloths' and identifies the contents as a sign of unity among his enemies: 'Dwarf-coat, elf-cloak, blade of the downfallne West, and spy from the little rat-land of the Shire' -a phrase that Sauron may have picked up from Saruman.
'[T]heir hearts were dead and their last hope gone.' Even Gandalf seems 'an old and wizened man, crushed and defeated at last.' But he calls the Enemy's bluff, in a message to his own side: '"Where is this prisoner? Let him be brought forth". . .A white light shone forth like a sword in the black place. Before hs upraised hand the foul Messenger recoiled, and Gandalf coming seized the took from him the tokens: coat, cloak and sword. . ."We did not come here to waste words. . .Begone!"
For the most part the message works: '[The Messenger] looked at the fell faces of the Captains and their deadly eyes, and fear overcame his wrath.' But the feeling doesn't last: 'the Nazgul came with their cold voices crying words of death; and then all hope was quenched' - and Pippin didn't hear: 'Pippin had bowed crushed with horror when he heard Gandalf reject the terms and doom Frodo to the torment of the Tower.'
His thoughts keep coming back to Merry: '[B]ut he had mastered himself, and now he stood behind Bergond in the front rank. . .[I]t seemed best to him to die soon and leave the bitter story of his life, since all was in ruin. "I wish Merry was here" he heard himself saying. . ."I understand poor Denethor a little better. We might die together, Merry and I, and since die we must, why not? Well, as he is not here, I hope he'll find an easier end. But now I must do my best. . .If only I could smite that foul Messemger with it, then almost I should draw level with old Merry. Well, I'll smite some of this beastly brood before the end. I wish I could see cool sunlight and green grass again.'
Contrast this with Sam's desire to die with Frodo, which is essential to who he is, and overrides all other possible choices, rather than simply desirable given that death seems inevitable.
'Pippin stabbed upward' to protect his fallen friend Beregond and the troll falls on him 'like a fallling rock. . .Blackness and stench and crushing pain came upon Pippin, and his mind fell away into a great darkness.' The point of view changes from Pippin to 'his thought' - not a particular thought but his capacity to think, his consciousness: '"So it ends as I guessed it would," his thought said, even as it fluttered away; and it laughed a little within him ere it fled, almost gay it seemed to be casting off at last all doubt and care and fear.' This is in itself eucatastrophe - consciousness of death turns out to be gay and laughing. 'Even as it winged away into forgetfulness it heard voices, and they seemed to be crying in some forgotten world far above.' This might be a time-dilation associated with leaving the world.
'"The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!" For one moment more Pippin's thought hovered. "Bilbo!" it said. "But no! that came in his tale, long long ago. This is my tale, and it is ended now. Goodbye!" And his thought fled far away and his eyes saw no more.'
His 'thought' fluttered away, laughed, cast off doubt and fear, hovered, and finally fled; it never ceases, but seems to be going somewhere. Where? This seems a very strong hint of the survival of consciousness after death, presumably outside the circles of the world, not in any way that Pippin knows how to expect. Nevertheless, I am sure that his and Merry's different experiences of death in battle influenced the entire rest of their lives.
Who does Pippin say 'Goodbye' to? Bilbo? Merry? The world?
'And so despondently, Merry now stood and watched the mustering of the army. Bergil was with him, and he also was downcast; for his father was to march leading a company of the Men of the City.' Thus Merry, like Bergil, is being parted, quite likely forever, from one dear to him: 'Pippin was also go to, a soldier of Gondor. Merry could see him not far off, a small but upright figure among the tall men of Minas Tirith. . .And long after they had passed away out of sight down the great road to the Causeway, Merry stood there. The last glint of the morning sun on spear and helm twinkled and was lost' - which structure prefigures Sam watching Frodo's sailing from the Grey Havens - 'and still he remained with bowed head and heavy heart, feeling friendless and alone. Everyone that he cared for had gone away into the gloom that hung over the distant eastern sky; and little hope at all was left in his heart that he would ever see any of them again.' This is not about honour; it is deeper than that.
'As if recalled by his mood of despair, the pain in his arm returned, and he felt weak and old and the sunlight seemed thin.' Despite this 'as if', it seems to be his 'mood of despair' that lets in what seems to be the lingering influence of the Witch King. Does this reflect Eowyn's situation? Does her on-going suicidal despair bring the Black Shadow rolling over her?
'He was roused by the touch of Bergil's hand' as previously by Pippin's voice. Bergil directly addresses the fear of never seeing their loved ones again: 'But do not fear! They will come back.'
The point of view shifts from Merry's to Pippin's.
'Tree and stone, blade and leaf were listening. . .a shadow and a gloom brooded upon the Ephel Duath. . .[The Nazgul] 'flew high and out of sight of all save Legolas' - The sons of Elrond notably cannot see them - 'and yet their presence could be felt, as a deepening of shadow and a dimming of the sun' similar to wht Merry experienced under the influence of his 'mood of despair'.
Aragorn sends away those who fear to enter the Morannon: 'there is a task which you may attempt and so be not wholly shamed'.
The Mouth of Sauron is one of the 'Black Numenoreans; for they established their dwellings in Middle-earth during the years of Sauron's domination, and they worshipped him, being enamored of evil knwoledge. . .he learned great sorcery, and knew much of the mind of Sauron; and he was more cruel than any orc.' He produces 'a bundle swathed in black cloths' and identifies the contents as a sign of unity among his enemies: 'Dwarf-coat, elf-cloak, blade of the downfallne West, and spy from the little rat-land of the Shire' -a phrase that Sauron may have picked up from Saruman.
'[T]heir hearts were dead and their last hope gone.' Even Gandalf seems 'an old and wizened man, crushed and defeated at last.' But he calls the Enemy's bluff, in a message to his own side: '"Where is this prisoner? Let him be brought forth". . .A white light shone forth like a sword in the black place. Before hs upraised hand the foul Messenger recoiled, and Gandalf coming seized the took from him the tokens: coat, cloak and sword. . ."We did not come here to waste words. . .Begone!"
For the most part the message works: '[The Messenger] looked at the fell faces of the Captains and their deadly eyes, and fear overcame his wrath.' But the feeling doesn't last: 'the Nazgul came with their cold voices crying words of death; and then all hope was quenched' - and Pippin didn't hear: 'Pippin had bowed crushed with horror when he heard Gandalf reject the terms and doom Frodo to the torment of the Tower.'
His thoughts keep coming back to Merry: '[B]ut he had mastered himself, and now he stood behind Bergond in the front rank. . .[I]t seemed best to him to die soon and leave the bitter story of his life, since all was in ruin. "I wish Merry was here" he heard himself saying. . ."I understand poor Denethor a little better. We might die together, Merry and I, and since die we must, why not? Well, as he is not here, I hope he'll find an easier end. But now I must do my best. . .If only I could smite that foul Messemger with it, then almost I should draw level with old Merry. Well, I'll smite some of this beastly brood before the end. I wish I could see cool sunlight and green grass again.'
Contrast this with Sam's desire to die with Frodo, which is essential to who he is, and overrides all other possible choices, rather than simply desirable given that death seems inevitable.
'Pippin stabbed upward' to protect his fallen friend Beregond and the troll falls on him 'like a fallling rock. . .Blackness and stench and crushing pain came upon Pippin, and his mind fell away into a great darkness.' The point of view changes from Pippin to 'his thought' - not a particular thought but his capacity to think, his consciousness: '"So it ends as I guessed it would," his thought said, even as it fluttered away; and it laughed a little within him ere it fled, almost gay it seemed to be casting off at last all doubt and care and fear.' This is in itself eucatastrophe - consciousness of death turns out to be gay and laughing. 'Even as it winged away into forgetfulness it heard voices, and they seemed to be crying in some forgotten world far above.' This might be a time-dilation associated with leaving the world.
'"The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!" For one moment more Pippin's thought hovered. "Bilbo!" it said. "But no! that came in his tale, long long ago. This is my tale, and it is ended now. Goodbye!" And his thought fled far away and his eyes saw no more.'
His 'thought' fluttered away, laughed, cast off doubt and fear, hovered, and finally fled; it never ceases, but seems to be going somewhere. Where? This seems a very strong hint of the survival of consciousness after death, presumably outside the circles of the world, not in any way that Pippin knows how to expect. Nevertheless, I am sure that his and Merry's different experiences of death in battle influenced the entire rest of their lives.
Who does Pippin say 'Goodbye' to? Bilbo? Merry? The world?