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Poetry As Metaphor In<I>The Lord of the Rings</I>

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Poetry As Metaphor In<I>The Lord of the Rings</I> Volume 4 Number 4 Article 3 6-15-1977 Poetry as Metaphor inThe Lord of the Rings William Reynolds Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore Part of the Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons Recommended Citation Reynolds, William (1977) "Poetry as Metaphor inThe Lord of the Rings," Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 4 : No. 4 , Article 3. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol4/iss4/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Mythopoeic Society at SWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature by an authorized editor of SWOSU Digital Commons. An ADA compliant document is available upon request. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To join the Mythopoeic Society go to: http://www.mythsoc.org/join.htm Mythcon 51: A VIRTUAL “HALFLING” MYTHCON July 31 - August 1, 2021 (Saturday and Sunday) http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-51.htm Mythcon 52: The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien Albuquerque, New Mexico; July 29 - August 1, 2022 http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-52.htm Abstract Close examination of the three versions of the Walking Song in The Lord of the Rings that shows how it captures the themes of the book in miniature. The metaphors “encapsulate the same view of history and man’s role in it that he conveys through the larger metaphor of the trilogy itself.” Additional Keywords Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings—Poetry; Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. “Walking Song”; Tolkien, J.R.R. Poetry; Annette Harper This article is available in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol4/iss4/3 Poetry as Metaphor in The Lord of the by William Reynolds Rings In investigating J. R. R. Tolkien's The L ord Finally, the poem signals Frodo’s acceptance of the Rings critics have generally concentrated of what Gandalf had told him earlier: "There was on large scale questions about the trilogy's myth­ something else at work, beyond any design of the ic qualities or its moral, philosophical, and theo­ Ringmaker. I can put it no plainer than by saying logical systems. This concentration has proved that Bilbo was m eant to find the Ring, and n o t by something of a mixed blessing; for while definite its maker. In which case you also were m eant to critical positions on most of the major issues have it" (I, 88)„ Frodo neither designed not built have been established, whole sections of the epic, the Road. He knows neither its beginning nor its even some which illuminate the larger matters, end. But, because he "must," he trusts the power have not received the attention they merit. By that made the Road and permits himself to be swept examining in detail the three poems from The L ord off (I, 110). of the Rings which Tolkien calls "The Old Walking For Frodo, the awareness of these things is Song" and "A Walking Song"l I intend to demon­ something new, something he voices only after he strate that in the metaphors of these short poems has sold his family home at Bag End, spent one Tolkien encapsulates the same view of History and fairly uncomfortable night in the open, and medi­ man's role in it that he conveys through the larg­ tated on what Gandalf told him five months before. er metaphor of the trilogy itself.2 But Tolkien makes clear that Frodo's views are As has been noted, one accomplishment of "The not frivolous by contrasting his reflective medi­ Old Walking Song " (I, 62) is to deepen the char­ tation on "The Old Walking Song" with the joking acterization of Bilbo Baggins.3 After Bilbo has complaint of young Pippin: "The road gove on for finally given up the Ring he has guarded for so ever . but I can't without a rest. It is high many years and is prepared to leave the Shire, he time for lunch" (I, 109). can declare that he is as happy as he has ever It is significant, too, that Frodo uses been to be "off on the Road with dwarves" (I, 62). "weary" with its connotation of utter exhaustion But he still experiences not only the typical rather than simply saying his feet are "tired" or hobbit reluctance to cut himself off from what is "fatigued." The exhaustion cannot be merely phys­ fam iliar but also a troublesome foreboding about ical. The hobbits have been on the road for only what the future holds for one who has given up his a few hours, and the night before it had been power. All this the poem makes clear: while Bilbo Pippin not Frodo who had asked for a halt. In­ can claim to be "pursuing it [the Road] with eager stead, Frodo is starting to feel the effects of feet" (I, 62, line 5) he repeats the poem slowly the spiritual burden he has taken upon himself, the and quietly, pausing after its final verse, "And "dreadful, dragging weight" (III, 268) which in the whither then? I cannot say," balancing within end w ill trouble him more than weeks of wandering, himself the new freedom to be gained against what knife wound, and spider sting. may v e ry w e ll be l o s t . It is surely no accident then that Tolkien Further along in The Fellowship of the Ring follows this example of Frodo's growth in in telli­ Tolkien uses "The Old Walking Song" for a sim ilar gence and strength with the first real threat to purpose. Having learned the history of the Ring, him — the appearance of a Black Rider, one of the Bilbo's nephew Frodo Baggins has resolved to do dread Nazguls sent by Sauron. The point seems what he can to save the Shire from danger (X, 96), clear, to the reader if not to the hobbits cower­ but he too is reluctant to take the final step. ing beside the road: the Good is to be chosen, but After some months of delay, Frodo together with choosing the Good insures neither happiness nor two other hobbits, Sam Gamgee and Pippin Took, safety and may, in fact, guarantee their opposites. leave the Shire; on the second day of their jour­ For the Black Rider's business is not with a hobbit ney Frodo — like Bilbo -- speaks the poem "aloud, but with the Ring the hobbit carries, not with but as if to himself . slowly" (I, 110). His Frodo Baggins but with the Ring-bearer. version of the poem differs from Bilbo's in only But the result of the Black Rider's appear­ a single word. Frodo's feet are "weary" (I, 110, ance is not the terrified despair Sauron hopes line 5) while Bilbo's had been "eager" (I, 62, for. Frodo knows no more than he did before and line 5). But this single alteration is signifi­ s till wishes Gandalf were present to make the cant. By disclosing that Frodo, more knowledge­ choice (I, 113). But his decision is made without able about the Ring's history and power, is more hesitation: "We'll move on now" (I, 114). And reluctant than Bilbo to begin his journey, the once again Tolkien uses poetry to enrich his ac­ poem shows how dangerous Frodo considers the s it­ count; for as the three hobbits move on, they hum u a tio n . another of Bilbo's songs (I, 115). "A Walking But the poem discloses more of Frodo's char­ Song" is primarily a celebration of courage, a acter; despite his fear of the known and dread call to postpone the return to hearth and bed and of the unknown, Frodo s till bravely chooses to push forward to "meet / A sudden tree or standing continue his journey. Frodo chooses freely, re­ stone / That none have seen but we alone” (I, 115, jecting the tempting plan to spend an extra day at lines 4-6). But it is also a reaffirmation (par­ Crickhollow to wait for Gandalf, just as he had ticipated in this time by Sam and Pippin) of Fro­ earlier responded to Gandalf's direct challenge, do 's earlier decision; for the emphasis in the "the decision lies with you" (I, 95), by taking it second stanza is on freely braving the unknown to upon himself to "keep the Ring and guard it well" take the "secret gate . [or] the hidden paths (I, 96). Yet the poem also reveals that Frodo feels an obligation to choose one course rather that run / Towards the Moon or to the Sun" (I, 115, than the other. His weariness is no excuse; he lines 12, 15-16) while the third stanza combines an acknowledgement that evil may wait along the paths says plainly, "I must follow if I can" (I, 1 1 0 "Through the shadows to the edge of night" (I, 115, n o t "I wil1 follow, if I like" or "I should follow, if I can." line 23) with a calm trust that ultimately all will be w e ll: 12 Mist and twilight, cloud and shade, Two Towers, the second volume of the trilogy. In Away shall fade! Away shall fade! the final volume, The Return of the King, B ilb o Fire and lamp, and meat and bread, recites "The Old Walking Song" on the evening be­ And then to bed! And then to bed! fore Gandalf, Frodo, and the others depart Riven- dell for the last time; and Frodo sings it while (I, 115, lines 26-30) waiting to accompany Bilbo, G aladriel, and Elrond Though the poem is prim arily a repetition of to the Grey Havens and thence over Sea to the what has already been said, Tolkien also uses it to West.
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