"Minas Tirith" - Ben's Thoughts

I had hoped to wait and begin "Return of the King" after Eric blogged about his thoughts on the "Two Towers" film, but since that hasn't been forthcoming, onward into the final book. The first thing to note is that I've always felt "Return of the King" to be an underwhelming title, one that fails to fully encapsulate the themes of the book. It focuses on such a narrow selection of what happens, to the exclusion of the (in my mind) far more important and weighty matters of the destruction of the Ring and the fallout of the war on each of the characters.

And much like the title, I think I've always felt this final book is less than the sum of its parts. There are truly masterful sections in this final journey -- namely, the three chapters from Sam and Frodo's perspective leading up to Mount Doom; the Battle of the Pellenor Fields; and large portions of the denouement, particularly the Scouring of the Shire. But it's padded out with a whole lot of filler, and this first chapter is no exception.

Sadly, as Jacob noted, Pippin's ordeal at the hands of the palantir and Sauron seem terribly downplayed in the chapter. They are only referenced in the first few paragraphs (except possibly for Pippin's ongoing complaint of gloom and loneliness, but he hardly seems singular on that score) and then forgotten. More and more, the palantir seems like a plot device to advance Gandalf and Pippin to the new setting of Minas Tirith.

The new setting is, however, a masterclass in worldbuilding. Here, Tolkien creates a society and people that is wholly different from the Rohirrim we encountered in the last book. It's also helpful that Tolkien chooses to introduce us to the Gondorians (Gondormen? I don't think he ever spells out a clever moniker like "Rohirrim" for the Gondor-folk) through a common soldier, Beregond. By keeping Denethor opaque at this point (and more on Denethor in a moment), he heightens the tension while still providing a relatable figure for the reader to latch onto. Bergil is a bit annoying (and unnecessary -- it seems excessive when Tolkien could have just had Beregond accompany Pippin throughout the chapter), but Beregond is nothing but endearing from beginning to end.

Unfortunately, the transition to Minas Tirith takes the wind out of the sails of the narrative. When we last saw these protagonists, they were rocketing away from Isengard, with the fury of the Nazgul soaring overhead. Now, they're plunked down in a fortress with no forward motion in sight. Perhaps that's the intention -- Tolkien does, after all, have Beregond voice the objection that the men of Gondor can do nothing but wait for their foes to descend upon them -- but it certainly drags the reader down into the malaise with them. I remember being disappointed to come to these chapters after finishing "Two Towers," with its climactic ending. The book should have begun with a bang, but Tolkien insists on easing the reader into the new setting.

Also questionable is the choice of narrator: our boy Pippin. Forcing the reader to experience the city through the eyes of the most immature of the hobbits is frustrating, and forces the reader to digress into episodes like "feeding Gandalf's horse" and "making jokes with 10-year old boy." When you boil the chapter down, a good third of it is Pippin wandering around and moping. Additionally, is Pippin really so idiotic that he hasn't made the connection that Aragorn has a claim to the throne of Gondor? Really, how has he not been eaten by something before now, if he is that clueless?

Complaints about Pippin aside, what the chapter really does well is set up the character of Denethor, who is easily the best part of these Gondor chapters in Book V. Tantalizing hints about the extent of Denethor's power are dropped throughout the section featuring him, and his clash with Gandalf is fascinating. What other leader, to this point, would make Gandalf sit and wait for the sole purpose of showing his authority? And from what other leader would Gandalf put up with it, other than a catty remark at parting? Pippin does acknowledge that Gandalf is the stronger and wiser of the two, but the conflict set up from the beginning energizes the chapter beyond what the rest of it deserves. Denethor's remark at the outset is downright frightening, given the context of the looming war that may snuff out the kingdom for good:

Then the old man looked up. Pippin saw his carven face with its proud bones and skin like ivory, and the long curved nose between the dark deep eyes; and he was reminded not so much of Boromir as of Aragorn. "Dark indeed is the hour," said the old man, "and at such times you are wont to come, Mithrandir. But though all the signs forebode that the doom of Gondor is drawing nigh, less now to me is that darkness than my own darkness."

The Steward of Gondor places his grief above the danger that faces the realm? What kind of a place has Gandalf brought Pippin to? Gandalf's instructions to not mention Aragorn, or the Ring, amplify the reader's concern. Gandalf is right; this is no Theoden, with whom the party could be open and honest. This is a dangerous, powerful man, whose goals and means in achieving them may not align fully with Gandalf's. And Gandalf makes sure that Denethor knows he understands that, and reciprocates in full: "And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come." Gondor may fall, but Gandalf's struggle will go on, with or without her.

The next few chapters are a slog, but we'll plow through them to get to the good stuff. Onward!