234 – Knockin’ on Sauron’s Door

Move over, Saruman! There’s a new contender in the running for Worst Curb Appeal in Middle-earth, and he’s got noise coming out of the place at all hours to boot. But after taking in the awesome unpleasantness of Sauron’s front porch and the utter certainty of capture and death, Frodo realizes with grim determination that he has to continue with his quest, and that this is the only way in… unless Gollum has something he’d like to tell him? Explore more word-nerdery on Mordor place names than you thought possible, and does Frodo finally go too far with a threat?

Recommended Reading:

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of The Lord of the Rings (Mariner Books, paperback) “The Black Gate is Closed”, pp. 622-27

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit (Mariner Books, paperback)

Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) The Silmarillion (Mariner Books, paperback)

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings (Mariner Books, paperback)

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings (Mariner Books, paperback)

Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth (Mariner Books, paperback)

Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) The War of the Ring (The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 8) (Houghton Mifflin, paperback)

Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) The War of the Jewels (The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 11) (HarperCollins, paperback)

Tolkien, J. R. R. (translator) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo (HarperCollins, paperback)

Hammond, Wayne G. and Christina Scull. The Lord of the Rings: A Reader’s Companion (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, hardcover)

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4 comments
  • If Eowyn got the Ring and rode invisible then everyone would be asking “Where is the horse and the Rider?”.

    Sorry but my mind works this way.

    Great Show BTW.

  • Re: the way way Frodo threatens Gollum… I don’t think it’s the influence of the ring causing Frodo to be so harsh. Frodo’s words remind me very much of Gandalf, and I like to think that this is a Frodo who has learned much of late – both from Gandalf and life in general. I am persuaded of this by the way he dials it right back afterwards – again, in a way very reminiscent of the wizard.
    Phil

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