"Lord of the Rings" Read Along Part I. Prologue through "Three is Company"

I left out a "summary" of the Prologue since there is no story, and I need to save space to hit the Character limit.

Chapter 1: A Long Expected Party

We meet (or reunited with if you've read the Hobbit) Bilbo Baggins and his first-cousin once-removed, or “nephew” Frodo. We learn they are preparing for their shared birthday party. Bilbo’s 111 and Frodo’s 33 (the coming of age year for hobbits). We learn how peculiar it is that Bilbo has maintained his youth well into old age. The legend of Bilbo’s “endless” treasure has grown over the years and everyone for the most part just seems Frodo and Bilbo as eccentric. However, they do disapprove of the queer visitors Bilbo gets.

The party approaches and every is getting excited. Adults for the food and drink, children for the presents (which will be particularly if not uncharacteristically good) and fireworks. The party comes and lasts well into night and we get Bilbo’s speech. After some a rather cleverly worded comment Bilbo announces his plans to leave the Shire, slips and his Ring, and vanishes, alaring the guests who think it is a poor joke and need much more food and drink to remedy it.

Meanwhile Bilbo sneaks home and packs for his trip. He decides at the last minute to keep the Ring, which he had intended to give to Frodo along with the rest of Bag End. Gandalfs confronts him, saying he should leave the Ring behind and Bilbo displays an unordinary possessiveness of the Ring. Bilbo however does eventually leave the Ring behind.

Frodo dismisses the guests and regrets not being able to see Bilbo off himself. Gandalf tells Frodo of his concerns about the Ring and leaves promptly, but not before warning him to keep it safe and use it seldom.

• Hobbits seem to live much longer than Men but come to adulthood much slower. Why this would be?

• Hobbits give away presents on their Birthdays, but often times they merely give away things they are previously received. Odd isn’t it?

• Many of Bilbo’s party gifts bare the mark “DALE”, the reclaimed city outside the Lonely Mountain. The name appears to set the presents above others. I find it peculiar that the Hobbit of the Shire find the likes of Bilbo’s visitors strange but their workmanship magnificent.

• Do the family’s insulted by Biblo have some legitimate cause for anger? They were referred to as a “gross” but the Baggins did throw one hell of a party.

• Gandalf wants Bilbo to leave the Ring behind but is surprised (worried?) about his possessiveness. If Gandalf doesn’t know it is the One Ring yet why should he care about it so much? Is he simply bothered by the possessiveness or is it something else?

• Frodo reveals to Gandalf that he know the true story of Bilbo’s acquisition of the Ring. Bilbo had originally told him it was a “present” in order to solidify his claim. Why would Bilbo lie about such a thing to his own heir?

• Tolkien goes at to great lengths to describe that happenings of the Shire. From the comfortable life to the petty disputes of its inhabitants. Why might he bother doing this? To contrast it to the outside world? To make the reader connect better with the Hobbit?

Chapter 2: A Shadow of the Past

Frodo doesn’t see much of Gandalf for seventeen years, by which time Frodo is nearly fifty years old and show all the signs of “good ‘preservation’” as Bilbo as done. Stories start to circulate the Shire - about an Enemy whose power grows in the land of Mordor, as well as tales about walking trees, and elves leaving Middle Earth.

Suddenly, Gandalf returns with ominous news. Gandalf believes Frodo’s ring to be the One Ring. Forged by the Dark Lord Sauron to rule over all the other Great Rings and all of Middle Earth. Gandalf takes the ring and throws it in the fire. Fiery words in the language of Mordor appear on the ring, confirming Gandalf’s fears.

Frodo asks Gandalf why the Ring cannot simply be destroyed. On Gandalf’s invitation to try, Frodo finds that he is unable to bring himself to attempt to harm it. Gandalf refuses to take the RIng. He claims that if he took the ring, he would become too powerful, and inevitably be corrupted.

Frodo realises that the Ring is not safe in the Shire. Gandalf informs him the only way to destroy the Ring is to cast it into the Mountain of Fire, Oroduin, where it was forged. Frodo decides he must take the Ring and leave.

Gandalf explains the name “Baggins” is not safe outside the Shire and gives him the travelling name of “Mr Underhill”. At that moment, Gandalf catches Sam Gamgee, who has been eavesdropping from the garden. After scolding him, Gandalf determines that Sam would be the perfect companion for Frodo. Sam is overcome, and breaks down in tears of joy.

• 17 years have passed and Frodo is now almost 50, the same age when Bilbo left for his adventure. He feels it is significant (or ominous). Why might just his age make him feel this way?

• Impressions of Gandalf. Mentoring Frodo to make the right decisions or willingly thrusting him into danger? After all, why does Gandalf seem so sure that Frodo has to make a decision about the Ring?

• Gandalf’s wary caution of all Rings of Power, “But the Great Rings, the Rings of Power, they were perilous.” Compared to Saruman whom we are told takes great interest in Ring-lore: “His knowledge is deep but his pride as grown with it, and he takes ill any meddling. The lore of the Elven-rings, great and small, is his province.”

• During these long years Gandalf has been researching Ring-lore and finds the scroll of Isildur. Knowing the Gandalf’s main purpose was Sauron and the Ring, why did he wait so long to find research the Ring in depth? Why did he not consult Saruman? He says “something always held me back.”

• Why does Gandalf seem as if he was avoiding the problem of Bilbo’s Ring? He seemed to be in denial of some of the signs, like Bilbo’s preserved youth.

• Gandalf says the Ring left Gollum and could make no more use of him as if the Ring has a will of it own and potentially has foresight. Thoughts?

• Up this point, what are the powers of the One Ring? Frodo is also concerned how much of a hold the Ring had over Bilbo. Yet, Gandalf believes Bilbo escaped the main danger, but Gollum did not.

• Now that we know a bit about Smeagol’s story this is a bit of re-examination from a question posed last chapter and one that one of our mods, Bostonion brought it up as well. Bilbo and Smeagol lie and want to be considered as legitimate owners of the Ring. But why would Bilbo care about being a thief in the eyes of the Dwarves? After all he was hired for that purpose.

• Gandalf believes Hobbits seem to be more resilient to the Ring than Men or other races. Why might this be? But on the other hand Smeagol is hobbit-like and the Ring affected him immediately.

• Why do you think Tolkien made Gollum a hobbit when acquiring the ring (for he could hardly be considered a hobbit now)?

• What do you think of the story of Smeagol? Why did Gollum travel to Mordor rather than trying to follow Bilbo?

• Why do you think Sam is so enthusiastic about leaving the Shire?

• The physical characteristics of the Ring are described with soft or passive verbs. “The Ring felt suddenly heavy” or “the Ring seemed to change size.” Are these effects of the Ring on the bearer’s mind or actual changes?

Chapter 3: Three is Company

Frodo is reluctant to leave the shire, but finally decides to plan his trip East to Rivendell so Sam can meet elves. He bought a home and sold Bag End to the Sacksville-Bagginses so he could disappear more discreetly. As Frodo’s leave date, his fiftieth birthday, approaches there is no sign of Gandalf who had planned to return. Frodo’s closest friends, Pippin and Merry, also join on the trip. Before even reaching the edge of the Shire, the travelers heard hooves stomping and hid to see who it was, hoping it was Gandalf. A black horse appeared with a rider shrouded in black. The rider sniffs the air as if sensing their presence and Frodo gets a sudden urge to put his Ring on. Then the rider then moves on. Sam then tells the group that there was a black rider asking about Frodo to his father, and the group cautiously moves on. Later, as another rider approaches, a group of elves comes along singing. The travelers join them, and then go to a safe place and eat and drink. Frodo shares of his worries of Gandalf’s disappearance and that he is leaving the Shire. They learn of the flight of the elves, darkness, and that the black riders work for the enemy.

• Why has Frodo developed a sudden fondness for the Shire?

• If Frodo leaving is so important, why does he wait months to do so?

• Why do you think Tolkien chose a fox to point out how curious it was that the hobbits were sleeping under a tree?

• What do you think is under the black cloak of the rider?

• Do you read the songs in the book? What do they add (or take away) from the story?

• Where is Gandalf? Why could he have failed to return?

• Why won’t the Elves tell all the know?

• This is the 2nd time the “The Road goes ever on and on” verse appears. First, when Bilbo leaves Bag End, and now Frodo. There is one interesting difference. Frodo changes “Pursuing it with eager feet” to “weary feet.” Why the change?

• Frodo nearly has three encounters with the Black Riders. We could easily have seen a very short novel. Is it just chance that Gaffer and the Elves happened to be in the right place at the right time?

• Frodo is asked if he thinks the Shire can fence out the world. Foreshadowing?

• We know the Dunedain patrol the borders. How is it the a group of “Black Riders” slipped through.

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Of course don't limit yourself to just these topics I provided, feel free to discuss whatever you want. Also, please try to mark major spoilers since there are some people who haven't read the book yet.

Next week will include chapters 4, 5, and 6.

[Spoiler](/s "write spoiler-text inside quotes")

Don't forget Unfinished Tales is Thursday as well!