best speeches lord of the rings

The 20 Best Quotes From 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy, Ranked

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Fans continue to wait for details about a second season of The Rings of Power , which is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on August 29. The TV series, while flawed, still managed to depict aspects of J. R. R. Tolkien ’s legendary work, and renewed interest in the award-winning movie adaptation directed by Peter Jackson , The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

As both new and long-time fans discover or revisit Frodo Baggins’ epic journey to Mordor, it’s the perfect time to look back at some of the most iconic LotR quotes. The best quotes from The Lord of the Rings trilogy often capture major events, reflect characters’ personalities, or even represent the witty humor from the beloved movies . Of course, these have also earned lasting spots in pop culture, with fans still quoting or referencing these iconic lines today.

The Lord of the Rings

20 "let this be the hour when we draw swords together. fell deeds awake. now for wrath, nor for ruin, and the red dawn. forth eorlingas", king theoden, 'the two towers' (2002).

Few characters in the trilogy were realized as brilliantly as King Théoden, which is a testament to Bernard Hill ’s phenomenal performance as the ruler of Rohan. While he is introduced as a sickly and manipulated lord, Théoden is soon cured of his unnatural affliction and takes command of his kingdom once more, with the true quality of his leadership exemplified during the Battle of Helm’s Deep during the climax of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers .

With the Uruk-hai pressing and breaking through the fort’s outer defenses, Aragorn ( Viggo Mortensen ) implores Théoden to gather the men he has left and ride out to face his enemy. Mustering his courage, the Rohirrim king delivers one of the most rousing monologues in the franchise as the Uruk-hai break down the door, only to be met by Théoden and his men charging out on horseback.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

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19 "Fool of a Took."

Gandalf the gray, 'the fellowship of the ring' (2001).

As calm and composed as Gandalf ( Ian McKellen ) always presents himself as being, the bumbling and unfortunate hobbit Pippin ( Billy Boyd ) has an uncanny tendency to get on the wizard’s nerves. This is never displayed more than when the fellowship is in Moria, exploring an old tomb to find out what exactly transpired to bring about the downfall of the famed mine.

As Gandalf recites the log of a long-dead solider, Pippin’s clumsy curiosity sees him poke around at an arrow shaft, inadvertently knocking the skeleton, armor, chain, and even a bucket noisily tumbling down the well and throughout Moria. After a few tense moments, Gandalf scolds not only poor Pippin but his entire lineage as well with his memorably scorching line . Of course, the scene then takes a very abrupt turn when an orc drum begins thundering in the distance.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

18 "that still only counts as one.", gimli, 'the return of the king' (2003).

As awe-inspiring and mighty as the battle sequences in The Lord of the Rings are, they still always implement small gems of comedy between characters – namely Legolas ( Orlando Bloom ) and Gimli ( Jonathan Rhys Davies ). The friendly rivalry between the dwarf and the elf forming is one of the defining duos of the trilogy, and their interactions during combat as they vie off against one another to amass a higher body count are fondly remembered by the fans as some of the funniest moments in LotR .

While established with their competition during the Battle of Helm’s Deep, the contest returns when they face off against Mordor’s army at Gondor in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Having felled an olyphant and its crew, Legolas swiftly surfs down the great beast’s trunk only to be greeted by Gimli, who assures him that his heroics still only amount to one kill in the context of their duel.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

17 "arise arise riders of theoden spears shall be shaken. shields shall be splintered. a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises.", king théoden, 'the return of the king' (2003).

Another outstanding and rousing monologue from Théoden delivered just moments before he leads his troops into battle, the speech he delivers as the Rohirrim arrive at Pelennor Fields to fight for Gondor is truly the stuff of cinematic legend . With the orcs in control of the battle and the Witch King of Angmar using his power to prevail over Gandalf, Rohan’s cavalry announce their arrival at the battlefield in the nick of time.

With the music swelling as Théoden rides along the front line of his forces, clashing his sword against their spears, the king bellows one of the most stirring speeches in cinematic history. Culminating in the Rohirrim charging into battle , the quote is but one astonishing part of the mesmerizing sequence that defines the epic grandeur of The Lord of the Rings .

16 "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door."

Frodo baggins (quoting bilbo baggins), 'the fellowship of the ring' (2001).

For a long time, the unusually curious Frodo relied on his Uncle Bilbo’s stories about his adventures to get a sense of what was out there, way beyond the safe and comfortable Shire. This is why it makes sense that Frodo would quote him to encourage Sam, who hesitates to continue on with their journey just as they reach the border of the Shire.

Frodo tells Sam to “remember what Bilbo used to say” about how dangerous it is to go out the door, ending with a hopeful comment about how “there's no knowing where” they “might be swept off to.” It’s a quote that underscores how much the Hobbits have to overcome to complete the arduous journey , and also a nostalgic line that makes viewers wonder if the two would have made the same choice knowing what they'd have to go through to reach the end.

15 "What about side by side with a friend?"

Legolas greenleaf, 'return of the king' (2003).

While Legolas and Gimli start out as enemies who want nothing to do with each other, the iconic LotR duo develop an unexpected friendly rivalry that soon turns into a genuine friendship over the course of the trilogy. The precise and majestic Legolas and the chaotic and strong Gimli make an unlikely duo, but it just works.

The moment that cements their bond happens right before the Battle of the Black Gate, when Gimli remarks how he “never thought” he’d “die fighting side by side with an Elf.” Legolas’ touching response shows just how much their relationship has transformed , as neither of them likely ever expected to befriend each other. The moving line points out the way they draw strength and comfort from one another, knowing they may die in the battle.

14 "A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early."

Gandalf the grey, 'the fellowship of the ring' (2001).

The first movie introduces one of the most powerful characters in LotR in a funny way. Gandalf is shown as a mysterious figure entering the Shire before he’s confronted by the eager Frodo for being late. Gandalf seemingly chides the Hobbit by reminding him that “a wizard is never late” nor “early,” as he “arrives precisely when he means to.”What follows is raucous laughter that signals to viewers that it’s okay to relax, as it’s just playful banter between friends.

The line hints at Gandalf’s sense of humor while also establishing the friendly relationship between the two characters. For those who read the book and knew everything that led up to this point, it makes perfect sense. For everyone else, they'd have to wait until a few points of exposition to understand Gandalf's relationship with the Hobbits of the Shire.

13 "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

As the Fellowship go on their tough quest, Frodo is undeniably under the most pressure, with the increasing power of the Ring influencing his decisions. Frodo’s burden is a heavy one, and something he decides to carry alone once he separates from the Fellowship. He recalls a conversation with Gandalf during this difficult time, as he complained to the Wizard about how he wished “none of this had happened.”

Gandalf’s wise reply reminds Frodo that everyone wishes that in “such times,” but, much like the Hobbit, they have no choice. The only decision to make is “what to do with the time” Frodo does get, which is precisely what he does when he tries to be brave by going at it alone. Gandalf delivers a profound and beautiful line int that flashback that serves as a useful life lesson for viewers as well.

12 "There is courage also, and honor to be found in Men."

Boromir, 'the fellowship of the ring' (2001).

Aragorn and Boromir have had a rough relationship from the start, with the tension between the two being obvious during their first meeting. Later on in their journey, when Aragorn doesn’t even consider Boromir’s suggestion to pass through Minas Tirith, the warrior from Gondor is enraged and confused by the “so little faith” Aragorn has in his “own people.” He goes on to admit that “there is frailty” and “weakness,” but sternly tells Aragorn not to discount the “courage” and “honor to be found in Men.”

The heated moment highlights the stark contrast between Gondor’s belief in the strength of Men and Aragorn’s certainty in their failure. It’s an important difference that shows how disillusioned Aragorn is, as the LotR character has a tragic backstory that led to his knowing how easily Men succumb to darkness, just as Isildur did.

11 "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

Galadriel, 'the fellowship of the ring' (2001).

When Frodo confesses to Galadriel how terrified he is of being the Ring-bearer, she reminds him that "to bear a Ring of Power" is a big responsibility that usually means being alone. This helps Frodo realize what he must do, but he admits that he's "afraid to do it." This is when Galadriel says an inspirational LotR line about how "even the smallest" people can change the future.

Frodo may be a Hobbit, an individual not exactly known for his bravery or adventurous spirit, but his interaction with Galadriel reminds him that he can play an important part in the way things turn out for him , his friends, and Middle-earth. Any moment with Galadriel is a particularly magical one, and that short exchange she has with Frodo has gone on to become a fan-favorite scene in the franchise, especially as her backstory is further explored in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power .

10 "One ring to rule them all. One ring to find them. One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them."

A harrowing moment of realization for Gandalf that illustrates exactly how dire and significant the one ring of power is , Gandalf’s memorably dreaded recitation of the text engraved upon the ring is a striking moment early in the trilogy. Having trekked to Gondor to research the ring, Gandalf meets Frodo in his home in the shire and asks to see the ring, hoping to ease his troubled mind.

While Frodo, much to Gandalf’s momentary relief, doesn’t initially see anything on the ring, he soon corrects himself as the text of Mordor magically begins to appear on the ring, having been cast into the fireplace. With McKellen’s flawless delivery imbuing the line with a sense of dread, urgency, and grandeur , the ominous quote has come to be one of the most famous from the film trilogy.

9 "I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king."

Boromir has one of the most astounding and transformative arcs in the trilogy, which is especially impressive considering he mostly appears in just one movie. He may have started out as an arrogant, manipulative, and annoying character, but that all changed towards the tragic and dramatic end of his life. After regretting trying to take the Ring from Frodo, Boromir showed his bravery by defending Merry and Pippin from a horde of Orcs who eventually killed him.

Boromir's death completely changed fans' perspectives, not to mention Aragorn's, who stayed with his dying friend as he said his last words. Aragorn also promised to protect their people as Boromir, with his last-minute change of heart, declared how he "would have followed" his "king" to the very end. It's a tear-jerking moment that redeems Boromir and cements his place as a beloved member of the Fellowship.

8 "One does not simply walk into Mordor."

When Boromir learns the group’s plan to bring the One Ring to Mordor in order to be “cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came,” he’s quick to voice his disapproval. He describes the harsh conditions in the “barren wasteland” and reminds everyone of the legions of Orcs, the unbreathable air, and, of course, the watchful Great Eye.

The quote is instantly recognizable even for those who have never seen the Lord of the Rings movies , as it’s a meme-worthy moment that has become an immovable part of pop culture. It also happens to highlight Boromir’s doubts about the plan, which influence his actions later on. It's possible that at the point of this legendary quote being said, Boromir already had plans of taking the Ring for himself, knowing how useful it could be for his fight back at home.

7 "Death is just another path, one that we all must take."

Gandalf the white, 'return of the king' (2003).

When the enemies are closing in on Gondor’s inadequate forces and Pippin is terrified, he tells Gandalf he “didn’t think it would end this way.” The Wizard wisely says that “the journey doesn’t end here” despite the number of enemies pouring through soon because “death is just another path.” He describes how when “the grey rain curtain of this world rolls back” there will be “white shores” and “a far green country under a swift sunrise.”

It’s a somber and philosophical exchange that once again highlights Gandalf’s intelligence in LotR . His words are unsurprisingly more than enough to comfort the Hobbit, who has made some truly questionable decisions up to this point. While Gandalf is likely describing Valinor, the home of the immortal Valar, his advice about death is open to interpretation and useful in real life.

6 "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you."

Samwise gamgee, 'return of the king' (2003).

It all ends in Mount Doom, the final destination of Frodo and Sam's grueling quest. It's here that in an awe-inspiring scene so close to the fires of Mount Doom, the iconic movie duo Sam and Frodo almost give up when the Ring becomes too much to bear for the protagonist. Sam is clearly distressed and concerned for Frodo, but instead of stopping, he declares that he “can carry” his best friend and help him finish his quest.

It’s a spine-chilling quote and moment that show how invaluable Sam’s part is in the mission to save Middle-earth. Frodo almost certainly would have never made it without the lovable Hobbit, who repeatedly refused to abandon him despite being pushed away, doubted, and hurt. It’s through lines and scenes like these that it becomes apparent why Sam is such a fan favorite.

5 "I am no man."

éowyn, 'return of the king' (2003).

A badass moment from the shieldmaiden of Rohan, Éowyn, is rightly accompanied by an epic line. She sneaks her way to the frontlines during the climactic battle of Pelennor Fields, cloaking her true identity. Éowyn eventually comes face to face with Sauron's second-in-command, the terrifying Witch-king of Angmar, who calls her a fool and boldly declares that "no man can kill" him.

Éowyn seizes the moment and declares she is "no man" before killing the villain with her sword. It's an incredible scene that highlights Éowyn's courage and skill , which help end the terror of the Witch-king on the battlefield. Like many other quotes from the LotR movies, this has been endlessly referenced in memes and pop culture, underscoring its impact on fans.

4 "What about second breakfast?"

Pippin, 'the fellowship of the ring' (2001).

Hobbits are creatures of comfort, enjoying the same delicious food, music, and hobbies that everyone loves in the Shire. Unsurprisingly, most Hobbits are hesitant to involve themselves or even learn about anything that goes on outside the Shire. Merry and Pippin are no different, so they’re shocked by how hard their journey is when they ask Aragorn about “second breakfast” and receive a disappointing response.

The hilarious meme-worthy line is iconic and is even followed up by complaints from the Hobbits about “elevenses,” “luncheon,” “afternoon tea,” “dinner,” and “supper” – all normal eating periods back at home, but not out in the real world. Pippin will soon learn that this isn’t even the most difficult part of their mission, as the outside world doesn’t enjoy food and warmth as Hobbits do.

3 "My precious."

Gollum, 'the fellowship of the ring' (2001).

Just two words are all it takes to become legendary, at least in the case of Gollum, the complex antagonist and unforgettable character from the trilogy. The corrupted Hobbit once known as Sméagol became obsessed with the One Ring and dedicated his life to obtaining it, since it's his "precious." Gollum's particular way of talking and addiction to the power of the Ring are perfectly captured with that phrase, which is repeated throughout the trilogy.

Of course, "my precious" is endlessly quoted by fans and is likely familiar to those who have never even seen the Lord of the Rings movies . The phrase is mentioned for the first time after the Ring "ensnared a new bearer" in the 2001 movie, and "precious" is heard as Gollum's final word as he falls to his death in The Return of the King , a tragic yet apt death for the tortured LotR villain .

2 "You shall not pass!"

Among the most (if not the most) famous and best Lord of the Rings quotes is said when Gandalf seemingly gives up his life so that the rest of the Fellowship can escape from Moria. In the dark, scary mines, it seems like they might have gone through the worst parts after facing hundreds of goblins, but a bigger enemy was waiting. When the terrifying Balrog, Durin's Bane, rises from the flames and chases the group towards the bridge near the exit, Gandalf boldly declares: "You shall not pass!" – while this stops the creature, it drags Gandalf down the chasm with it.

Fans likely know this memorable scene for one other iconic LotR quote that Gandalf says during the emotional moment – "Fly, you fools!" – as he implores Frodo and the rest of the group to leave. Both lines are a testament to Gandalf's strength, courage, and dedication to the Fellowship, with his quotes now endlessly referenced and continue to be subjects of memes and discussions today.

1 "There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."

Samwise gamgee, 'the two towers' (2002).

Sam is responsible for some of the most epic scenes in LotR thanks to his well-written monologues. In his best one, Sam reminds a tired and drained Frodo that those people in “great stories” always go through impossible situations. With no more spark in Frodo's eyes, Sam keeps going as he explains that “this shadow” is “only a passing thing,” and they should carry on because the “good in this world” is “worth fighting for.”

The hair-raising speech features some of the best LotR quotes and is unbelievably well-written and inspiring. It also captures Sam’s enduring optimism and immense strength, both of which were necessary for them to complete their seemingly impossible task together. No matter what evil they face, Sam always manages to find “some good” that helps him and Frodo push forward.

NEXT: Here’s How to Watch 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of The Rings' Movies in Order

Aragorn’s Speech at the Black Gate

Aragorn’s speech at the black gate lyrics.

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Sam's Speech

Movie version of the speech.

FRODO : I can’t do this, Sam. SAM : I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened. But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something. FRODO : What are we holding on to, Sam? SAM : That there’s some good in this world , Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for . Click to expand...

Book version of the speech

Yes, that’s so,’ said Sam. ‘And we shouldn’t be here at all, if we’d known more about it before we started. But I suppose it’s often that way. The brave things in the old tales and songs, Mr. Frodo: adventures, as I used to call them. I used to think that they were things the wonderful folk of the stories went out and looked for, because they wanted them, because they were exciting and life was a bit dull, a kind of a sport, as you might say. But that’s not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just landed in them, usually – their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn’t. And if they had, we shouldn’t know, because they’d have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on – and not all to a good end, mind you; at least not to what folk inside a story and not outside it call a good end. You know, coming home, and finding things all right, though not quite the same – like old Mr Bilbo . But those aren’t always the best tales to hear, though they may be the best tales to get landed in! I wonder what sort of a tale we’ve fallen into?’ ‘I wonder,’ said Frodo. ‘But I don’t know. And that’s the way of a real tale. Take any one that you’re fond of. You may know, or guess, what kind of a tale it is, happy-ending or sad-ending, but the people in it don’t know. And you don’t want them to.’ Click to expand...

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Sam's Speech

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The 23 Best Lines from The Lord of the Rings

Kate Scott is a bookstagrammer and strategic web designer serving women business owners and creative entrepreneurs. Follow her on Instagram @ parchmentgirl and visit her website at katescott.co/books .

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Choosing the best quotes from The Lord of the Rings is difficult, because there are so many amazing lines in this fantasy epic. Nevertheless, here are 23 of my favorite The Lord of the Rings  quotes.

“‘Why was I chosen?’ ‘Such questions cannot be answered,’ said Gandalf. ‘You may be sure that it was not for any merit that others do not possess: not for power or wisdom, at any rate. But you have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.’”

“He loved mountains, or he had loved the thought of them marching on the edge of stories brought from far away; but now he was borne down by the insupportable weight of Middle-earth. He longed to shut out the immensity in a quiet room by a fire.”

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door…You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him.”

“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.”

“Where there’s life there’s hope…and need of vittles.”

“Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart.”

“You and I, Sam, are still stuck in the worst places of the story, and it is all too likely that some will say at this point: ‘Shut the book now, Dad; we don’t want to read any more.’”

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

“Don’t adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story.”

“Over the field rang his clear voice calling: ‘Death! Ride, ride to ruin and the world’s ending!’”

“Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.”

“Real names tell you the story of the things they belong to…”

“One who cannot cast away a treasure at need is in fetters.”

“Songs like trees bear fruit only in their own time and their own way: and sometimes they are withered untimely.”

“You have shown your usual cunning in getting up just in time for a meal.”

“Memory is not what the heart desires. That is only a mirror.”

“This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great.”

“Deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.”

“May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years!”

“Be Bold, but Wary! Keep up your merry hears, and ride to meet your fortune!”

“The counsel of Gandalf was not founded on foreknowledge of safety, for himself or for others,’ said Aragorn. ‘There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark.”

“’What do you fear, lady?’ he asked. ‘A cage,’ she said, ‘To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”

What are your favorite  The Lord of the Rings  quotes? Want even more LOTR quotes and love? Check our all of our posts on  J.R.R. Tolkien  and his books. 

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A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry

A look at history and popular culture

Collections: The Battle of Helm’s Deep, Part VII: Hanging by a Thread

This is the seventh part of a series taking a historian’s look at the Battle of Helm’s Deep ( I , II , III , IV , V , VI , VII . VIII ) from both J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Two Towers (1954) and Peter Jackson’s 2002 film of the same name. Last time , we looked at the weapons and armor of the film sequence (and to a lesser extent, the books). But as you all remember from our Siege of Gondor series weapons are often not the determinant element in our battles and they never are in the battles of Middle Earth; battles turn on morale.

Now, we have already discussed many of the factors that go into morale and cohesion, in this series and the previous one. So this week, what we’re going to take a look at a perennial trope of war literature and the most obvious way that commanders are shown to intervene in their troop’s morale: the battle speech. Where do these speeches come from? Do they have historical precedents? What was the normal structure of such a speech? Do they work ? And how does morale play into the conclusion of this battle?

As always, if you like what you are reading here, please share it; if you really like it, you can support me on Patreon . And if you want updates whenever a new post appears, you can click below for email updates or follow me on twitter (@BretDevereaux) for updates as to new posts as well as my occasional ancient history, foreign policy or military history musings.

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The Battle Speech

Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is studded with a set of notable pre-battle speeches, or spots where the dialogue fills in for one . The most notable is the “Men of the West” speech given by Aragorn towards the end of Return of the King , but there’s also Théoden’s “Arise, Riders of Théoden” speech (book version discussed below) before his cavalry charge, and of course Saruman’s “To War” speech in The Two Towers . We also have a couple of cases where dialogue fills the same purpose , like Faramir’s “Where Does My Allegiance Lie” line to Gandalf in RotK and (as we’ll discuss in a moment) the interplay between Théoden, Gimli and Aragorn prior to the Battle of Helm’s Deep in TT .

Which is remarkable because there are no traditional battle speeches in The Lord of the Rings (by which I mean the books). If that statement strikes you as strange, don’t worry – we’ll look at what takes the place of battle speeches and why Tolkien doesn’t seem to have any after we’ve discussed the speeches in the film. But for now, we have to ask if these speeches are not coming from the books (although some of them are adapted from the books), where are they coming from ?

The modern pre-battle general’s speech is quite old. We can actually be very specific: it originates in a specific work: Thucydides’ Histories [of the Peloponnese War] (written c. 400 B.C.). Prior to this, looking at Homer or Herodotus, commanders give very brief remarks to their troops before a fight, but the fully developed form of the speech, often presented in pairs (one for each army) contrasting the two sides, is all Thucydides. It’s fairly clear that a few of Thucydides’ speeches seem to have gone on to define the standard form and ancient authors after Thucydides functionally mix and match their components (we’ll talk about them in a moment). This is not a particularly creative genre.

Now, there is tremendous debate as to if these speeches were ever delivered and if so, how they were delivered (see the bibliography note below; none of this is really original to me). For my part, while I think we need to be alive to the fact that what we see in our textual sources are dressed up literary compressions of the tradition of the pre-battle speech, I suspect that, particularly by the Roman period, yes , such speeches were a part of the standard practice of generalship. Onasander, writing about the duties of a general in the first century CE, tells us as much , writing , “For if a general is drawing up his men before battle, the encouragement of his words makes them despise the danger and covet the honour; and a trumpet-call resounding in the ears does not so effectively awaken the soul to the conflict of battle as a speech that urges to strenuous valour rouses the martial spirit to confront danger.” Onasander is a philosopher, not a military man, but his work became a standard handbook for military leaders in Antiquity; one assumes he is not entirely baseless.

And of course, we have the body of literature that records these speeches. They must be, in many cases, invented or polished versions ; in many cases the author would have no way of knowing the real words actually said. And many of them are quite obviously too long and complex for the situations into which they are placed. And yet I think they probably do represent some of what was often said; in many cases there are good indications that they may reflect the general sentiments expressed at a given point. Crucially, pre-battle speeches, alone among the standard kinds of rhetoric, refuse to follow the standard formulas of Greek and Roman rhetoric . There is generally no exordium (meaning introduction; except if there is an apology for the lack of one, in the form of, “I have no need to tell you…”) or narratio (the narrated account), no clear divisio (the division of the argument, an outline in speech form) and so on. Greek and Roman oratory was, by the first century or so, quite well developed and relatively formulaic, even rigid, in structure. The temptation to adapt these speeches, when committing them to a written history, to the forms of every other kind of oratory must have been intense, and yet they remain clearly distinct. It is certainly not because the genre of the battle speech was more interesting in a literary sense than other forms of rhetoric, because oh my it wasn’t . The most logical explanation to me has always been that they continue to remain distinct because however artificial the versions of battle speeches we get in literature are, they are tethered to the ‘real thing’ in fundamental ways .

Finally, the mere existence of the genre. As I’ve noted elsewhere, we want to keep in mind that Greek and Roman literature were produced in extremely militarized societies , especially during the Roman Republic. And unlike many modern societies, where military service is more common among poorer citizens, in these societies military service was the pride of the elite, meaning that the literate were more likely both to know what a battle actually looked like and to have their expectations shaped by war literature than the commons. And that second point is forceful; even if battle speeches were not standard before Thucydides, it is hard to see how generals in the centuries after him could resist giving them once they became a standard trope of ‘what good generals do.’

So did generals give speeches? Yes, probably. Among other reasons we can be sure is that our sources criticize generals who fail to give speeches. Did they give these speeches? No, probably not ; Plutarch says as much (Mor. 803b) though I will caution that Plutarch is not always the best when it comes to the reality of the battlefield (unlike many other ancient authors, Plutarch was a life-long civilian in a decidedly demilitarized province – Achaea – who also often wrote at great chronological distance from his subjects; his sense of military matters is generally weak compared to Thucydides, Polybius or Caesar, for instance). Probably the actual speeches were a bit more roughly cut and more compartmentalized; a set of quick remarks that might be delivered to one unit after another as the general rode along the line before a battle (e.g. Thuc. 4.96.1). There are also all sorts of technical considerations: how do you give a speech to so many people, and so on (and before you all rush to the comments to give me an explanation of how you think it was done, please read the works cited below, I promise you someone has thought of it, noted every time it is mentioned or implied in the sources and tested its feasibility already; exhaustive does not begin to describe the scholarship on oratory and crowd size), which we’ll never have perfect answers for. But they did give them and they did seem to think they were important .

Why does that matter for us? Because those very same classical texts formed the foundation for officer training and culture in much of Europe until relatively recently. Learning to read Greek and Latin by marinating in these specific texts was a standard part of schooling and intellectual development for elite men in early modern and modern Europe (and the United States) through the Second World War. Napoleon famously advised his officers to study Caesar, Hannibal and Alexander the Great (along with Frederick II and the best general you’ve never heard of, Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden). Reading the classical accounts of these battles (or, in some cases, modern adaptations of them) was a standard part of elite schooling as well as officer training. Any student that did so was bound to run into these speeches, their formulas quite different from other forms of rhetoric but no less rigid (borrowing from a handful of exemplars in Thucydides) and imbibe the view of generalship they contained. Consequently, later European commanders tended for quite some time to replicate these tropes (examples to follow).

(Bibliography notes: There is a ton written on ancient battle speeches, nearly all of it in journal articles that are difficult to acquire for the general public, and much of it not in English. I think the best possible place to begin (in English) is J.E. Lendon, “Battle Description in the Ancient Historians Part II: Speeches, Results and Sea Battles” Greece & Rome 64.1 (2017). The other standard article on the topic is E. Anson “The General’s Pre-Battle Exohortation in Graeco-Roman Warfare” Greece & Rome 57.2 (2010). In terms of structure, note J.C. Iglesias Zoida, “The Battle Exhortation in Ancient Rhetoric” Rhetorica 25 (2007). For those with wider language skills, those articles can point you to the non-English scholarship. They can also serve as compendia of nearly all of the ancient battle speeches; there is little substitute for simply reading a bunch of them on your own.)

So how does that formula work?

A Battle Speech By the Numbers

If we wanted to investigate this formula, ideally we’d look to some battle speech so typical , so absolutely normal that it could serve as our model. Normally, when we try to use such models, we have to create them (you can see this method with VDH’s ‘ideal hoplite battle’ in The Western Way of War ; obligatory notes on the author ), because there is no typical this-that-or-the-other-thing. Fortunately for us, we do not have to do that with battle speeches, because Sallust already did. Leaning into the black satire of having his arch-villain deliver a textbook general’s speech and generally performing Roman generalship flawlessly (even going down in a blaze of glory at the end) while still being a practically mustache twirling villain, Sallust has his Catiline deliver the near-perfect formulaic general’s speech . It is remarkably by just how blandly typical it is and that was clearly Sallust’s intent.

It has a few basic parts: I) an opening that focuses on the valor of the men rather than the impact of the speech (the common trope here is to note how “brave men require few words”) II) a description of the dangers arrayed against them, III) the profits to be gained by victory and the dire consequences of defeat IV) the basis on which the general pins his hope of success and finally V) a moving peroration; the big emotional conclusion of the speech. You can read through Catiline’s speech it yourself at the link above; it’s not long and it follows the formula precisely. That order of elements is not rigid; they can be moved around and emphasis shifted . But I don’t just want to show that this trope existed in the ancient past, I want to show that it is projected through military tradition to the present. So let’s look at another very standard and somewhat more recent example, appropriate for June:

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-1. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory! I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking. Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 6th, 1944

I’ve highlighted an image of the signed document itself to show the various components of the ancient battle speech (following my numbering above):

Apart from a slight alteration of the order, it is not hard to assign this speech to the same genre as Sallust’s Catiline speech or even Thucydides’ speeches at Delium (Thuc. 4.92-95). As we’ll see, it is certainly not the case that there is no other way to structure a pre-battle exhortation (although, I should note that the standard text of the other famous pre-D-Day General’s speech, Patton’s speech to the Third Army , hits the same notes, but with more words – mostly profanity). But this is the standard structure of a battle speech in the Western literary canon, and speeches with this standard structure, or variations of it, appear frequently.

I think a reader might particularly be caught by the emphasis on a section stressing how formidable the enemy is and how great the danger is (‘He will fight savagely’). That seems an odd thing to stress! But it is an important part of the structure of these speeches ; it is almost never left out. When paired with the general’s own cause for hope, acknowledging the fearsome nature of the enemy and the general terror of battle is a way to inoculate the soldiers against the seizing fear of battle. The Greeks saw the fear of battle as two distinct elements, deimos (δεῖμος) – the creeping dread before a battle, and phobos (φόβος) – the sudden paralyzing panic in combat, the sharp fear that causes men to flee. If the encouragement of the speech (and the general’s presence) is meant to defuse deimos , openly discussing the fearfulness of the enemy (but couching it in terms of how it may be overcome) is meant to rob phobos of his sting. You do your soldiers no favors by concealing from them the terror they will experience regardless .

Now the bulk of Eisenhower’s D-Day order is dedicated to the fourth part, stating the ground for encouragement, generally framed by the reasons the general is confident despite how fearsome the enemy is. One form of encouragement is a recounting of the noble deeds of the soldiers themselves. One of the marks of good generalship for the Romans was if a general could go up and down the line, calling out individual soldiers and reminding them of great deeds they had performed (Caesar does this, for instance; note Catiline’s opponent, Marcus Petreius encourages his soldiers this way, calling out each one – his is an army of veterans – by name, 59.4). Alternately – especially for a fairly green army where no one has done any great deeds yet – the general might stress the great valor of their forefathers, or the honor of their city or state. The emotion being touched here is pretty clearly pride , tapping into a desire not to let one’s self, one’s community or one’s comrades down. That’s an effective rhetorical tactic; as we’ve discussed, the fear of shame is an effective combat motivator (where so many other motivations fail). Appealing to pride is a good way to arouse that fear of shame, as the two emotions are deeply connected. Alternately, a general may note a superiority in numbers, materiel, tactical position; he may discuss his battle-plan and how it is likely to bring victory. For forces defending on their own ground, the home-field advantage may be stressed.

You want to understand the ‘fearsome enemy’ motif and the ‘grounds for encouragement’ motif working best as a pair.

Consider it this way: you are about to take a very important test. If I, having already taken the test, tell you “oh, don’t worry, the test is easy,” that will help dispel your dread ( deimos ) before it, but when you sit down with the test paper and read the (quite difficult) questions, the seizing fear ( phobos ) hits you, and your overall performance is reduced. That seizing panic clouds your thoughts and costs you vital time; in a battle, it might cause you to flee or get you killed. But if I tell you “the test is hard, but (you’ve studied effectively/you can pick up points on XYZ section/etc.)” it not only diminishes the dread before the test, but serves to mentally prepare you for the shock of seeing the real thing. Indeed, I turn your fearful mind into my friend – when the real thing fails to live up to your worst nightmares, you’ll draw confidence from that. When the test turns out to be exactly like I said, the encouragement carries more weight because of the reliability of the warning. I am not dispelling your fear – because this is battle and everyone is afraid and no words can take that away – I am mentally preparing you for your fear. There’s an element of CBT in this: validate the emotion, suggest more helpful ways to think about it, and direct the mind towards behavioral solutions.

Finally, I think it is worth noting what is not generally here. While the speaker is likely to reflect on glorious deeds of the soldiers, or other soldiers like them, or their ancestors, there is generally not a focus on how fearsome or scary or strong they are because no one feels scary or strong when they are terrified . “You’ve done this before” is a good line (so is “our people have always beaten their people”) but “ Remember, we are lions ” is not. No one feels like a lion when they are receiving indirect fire and cannot fire back; no one feels like a lion when their buddy just went down next to them and there’s nothing they can do about it. Remember: the purpose of the speech isn’t to pump someone up before the charge, it is to emotionally prepare them for the moment when the emotional momentum of the charge is spent and the fear of death comes crashing in to replace it .

Likewise, while ‘the cause’ often figures into such speeches, it does so as a subordinate element; some kind of group membership – the nation, the polis , the legion, comrades-in-arms – is often more prominent (note how Eisenhower’s speech crafts concentric circles of groups that the listener belongs to, watching and depending on the listener; ‘liberty-loving people everywhere’ -> ‘the United Nations’ and ‘our Allies’ -> ‘our homefront’ -> finally ‘us’ and ‘we’). While it took until the late 1940s for group-cohesion-theory to really emerge on its own, these sorts of speeches show an awareness of what seems to be a timeless truth: the cause may get you to the battle, but only comrades will hold you in it when the dying starts (on this, note especially J. McPherson, For Cause and Comrades (1997)).

Hollywood Battle Speeches

The Hollywood battle speech derives from this tradition; it sits in the narrative place it does because of the role of battle speeches in Greek and Roman literature and the lasting influence that has. These are supposed to be the same speeches. But, by and large, they do not follow the same patterns in modern movies . Movie-makers are not generally classically trained (unlike many of the officers of the early modern and modern period) and thus aren’t familiar with the originals. They’re not generally military historians, even at an amateur level (unlike many officers now ) and thus not likely familiar with modern versions of this kind of speech.

And so the Hollywood battle speech, despite sitting in the place of the classical battle speech, does not imitate it. It typically features no acknowledgement of the enemy menace and no remembrance of deeds to stir the pride. Not being a modern literature specialist, I don’t know the lineage of these sorts of speeches. I can’t help but suspect that the St. Crispin’s Day Speech of Henry V has a part (written, we must remember, nearly 200 years after the event). But that speech is a thesis-statement for a play that is fundamentally about memory and commemoration (seriously, read the opening chorus), not battle motivation – consider how the speech’s thesis of “when we live through this, it’ll be nice to talk about it” would play to men who do not expect to live through this . Henry V is, in no small part, Shakespeare musing on how important people like Shakespeare are (or aren’t) for writing plays; much like Game of Thrones Season Eight, except good. There’s also quite a bit of influence, it seems, from modern motivational speaking, but the fact is that the purpose of a motivational speech – to pump up the emotions of the recipient – is simply not the purpose of a battle speech (which again, is designed as a salve against terror – if anything, it wants to calm the emotions and replace them with a dose of reason, which it often does through argument, rather than emotional appeal).

(As an aside, I hope that mentioning the St. Crispin’s Day Speech makes clear that a speech in a film can be very effective as a matter of storytelling , even if it is a poor battle-speech; that is, it can be good in the context of the play, without being good in the context of an actual battle . While, to be perfectly honest, the vast majority of beloved film battle speeches seem very weak to me, poor rhetoric carried almost entirely by film score, there are speeches that usefully serve character and emotion, despite being relatively poor ‘real world’ battle speeches. That said, it is possible to deliver an effective, doctrinaire battle speech in a film; Master and Commander: Far Side of the World (2003) – a film that marinates lovingly in the realia of its period – has Captain Aubrey deliver a textbook classical battle speech to his crew before the final, successful battle. The only real deviation is that he ends the speech by cutting the tension with a joke.)

One of the common pitfalls of this sort of speech-making is the speech that focuses entirely on how badass the recipient is. Saruman’s speech to the Uruk-hai in Fellowship of the Ring fits the bill quite clearly (“You do not know pain; you do not know fear; you will taste man-flesh!”). Likewise, Saruman’s big general speech to his host in The Two Towers :

A new power is rising; its victory is at hand! This night, the land will be stained with the blood of Rohan! March to Helm’s Deep! Leave none alive! To War!

It’s hard to see how this sort of brittle courage would be likely to do much to fortify the spirit in the face of the actual terror of battle. How is an Uruk – who you have told does not feel fear (in the previous film) – likely to respond when the terror of battle actually hits him? And to be clear, they do feel fear ; this is not some instance where Saruman has designed a literally fearless creature – not only does the Uruk army run away in the films, but the ‘fighting Uruk-hai’ of their eponymous chapter in the books are also quite clearly capable of fear. You have not prepared them for that emotion by telling them they will not experience it.

As much as I’d love to set this out as another example of Saruman being bad at his job, I don’t think it is intended that way . Speaking , after all, is the one part of Saruman’s job that he is clearly, explicitly the best at . And I think the chapter, “The Voice of Saruman” is actually fantastically well-written to give a sense of how wise and reasonable-sounding Saruman can be, even when he is peddling lies and foolishness. No, I think the reason these speeches fall so flat is because they don’t serve the role of battle speeches really , rather they serve to emphasize the threat of the Uruk-hai to our heroes . Saruman isn’t telling his orcs anything, he is telling us the audience that his orcs are far more dangerous and scary than those Moria-orcs our heroes have been fighting so far, and that we ought thus be very worried for the good guys.

Combined with the soundtrack and the visual callback to Nazi propaganda, it does that job – intimidating the audience – quite well. This speech isn’t really meant to inspire, but to inform the audience of the stakes of the battle we are about to watch. That said, as a marker of Saruman’s overconfident arrogance – a theme we will pick up next week – it also serves to develop his character further. So this is one of those “a good movie speech, but a bad battle speech” instances.

The Unintentional Battle Speech

More interesting, I think, is the point at which Jackson has accidentally replicated the ancient battle-speech, clearly without meaning to or – so far as I can tell – understanding what he has done.

Théoden has been told that a host “ten thousand strong, at least” is coming and he goes to make preparations. He gives some basic orders and then lays out a plan (“we’ll cover the causeway and the gate from above”). Then he gives some ‘grounds for confidence’ which double as ‘past deeds’ (“no army has ever breached the Deeping Wall, or set foot inside the Hornburg”). Then Gimli interrupts, stressing how fearsome the enemy is (“these are Uruk-hai, their armor is thick and their shields broad”). Théoden brushes him off and continues with his plan and his opinions of its success (“they will break upon this fortress like water on rock…within these walls, we will outlast them.”) Aragorn then interrupts and explains the stakes of the battle (“they come to destroy [Rohan’s] people, down to the last child!”).

You can see the basic core building-blocks of the classical battle speech: a description of the fearsome enemy, a set of reasons to expect success anyway, rooted in past deeds, and a laying out of the high stakes (in this case, the dire peril of defeat). It’s a bit dislocated, but all of the elements are there. Except that Théoden immediately jumps down Aragorn’s throat for scaring his men of whom he notes (accurately, I’d guess) “their courage hangs by a thread.” But Aragorn’s comments should be motivating , not scary: fight hard, they’re coming to murder your children . That’s something to steel the courage, not sap it; think of your families who are in this very castle, counting on your bravery . It is small wonder this tiny army will fight with such ferocity, given the stakes.

And it brings us to the Aragorn-Théoden conflict that runs through this battle which I suppose we ought to comment on. Throughout the film, Peter Jackson sets these two characters in opposition , with Théoden, the actual king, being upstaged in kingship by Aragorn, the would-be-king who is better at kingship. Except I don’t buy it. As we discussed in the first post in this series , the initial advice to ride against Saruman was stupid given the very different operational situation in the film (the Westfold already penetrated, no Erkenbrand, no Éomer). Théoden’s decision to use the fortress is pretty obviously vindicated , given that he wins against overwhelming odds in a battle he would certainly lose in the field.

In the context of this argument, Aragorn advises Théoden send out riders to ask for aid, and Théoden points out that this is an obviously stupid idea . Aragorn declares that ‘Gondor will answer’ which, given that Gondor is about to be invaded by the much larger armies of Mordor in about a week, is pretty nearly pure lunacy (not to mention that Helm’s Deep is much too far away for even a Gondorian cavalry force to arrive in time). Théoden is right that Rohan has to win this battle on its own, even if he does (to use the book’s phrasing) have “allies, even if you know them not” (TT, 182) who will aid him after the battle is won. But of course, a whole bunch of Elves materialize out of the thin air to make Aragorn right against all reason as a way of underscoring the intended resolution of this conflict. I dislike this added character tension and quite frankly think that Peter Jackson’s drive to add conflict is one of his weaker storytelling impulses, marring an otherwise incredible adaptation.

Book Note : Just to reiterate, this operational stupidity is simply not an issue in the books, where Gandalf initially advises Théoden to group up with Erkenbrand and hold the Fords, and when it becomes clear that is impossible, tells him to head to Helm’s Deep. At every stage, save for some brief worries at the very lowest part of the siege, Théoden and Gandalf (and Aragorn) are in general agreement and make far wiser decisions.

The thing is, if we move past the odd implementation of his speech, Théoden is right . His men probably are scared and they probably do need encouragement and (in the logic of the film) Aragorn and Gimli sure aren’t helping. At the very least, the fact that Aragorn and Gimli are offering their critiques out in public, in front of the common soldiers is just terrible soldiering. Théoden is right to chew both of them out and unlike either Gimli or Aragorn, he has the good sense to do so quietly , rather than shouting it to the entire garrison. Praise in public, critique in private.

But I think, more broadly, is speaks to the general Hollywood misunderstanding of what these interactions are for that Théoden – and indeed, I think, the audience – is meant to understand Gimli and Aragorn’s comments as potentially dangerous and demoralizing. As we’ve seen above, that basic structure (here is our plan -> here is why the enemy is scary -> here is why we will beat them anyway -> and here are the high stakes of this battle) is exactly what a good general would say to his army. The information Gimli and Aragorn are relaying is necessary , the soldiers should be told it, but in a controlled environment, by their own leader (read: Théoden) and in a context where the steps they need to take to prevent that dire outcome (prepare! stand fast!) are clear.

I’ll come back to this dynamic in our last post, next week, but suffice to say that I think Peter Jackson has done Théoden’s character a pretty grave disservice by painting him as this ineffective of a leader who is continually despairing and making bad decisions.

Speaking from the Page

Book Note : Now, I said above that Tolkien doesn’t use battle speeches. That may have struck you as odd, because some of the most famous film speeches are adapted from Tolkien’s text. Particularly “Arise, Riders of Théoden” from the third film is a nearly direct lift of lines from the book. Except that in the books, these lines aren’t presented as a speech (in prose), but as a poem. They are pulled out, italicized and indented to mark that they are verse, but it would be hard not to notice that they aren’t exactly normal speech anyway (Jackson has, in the event, edited them to remove their meter; by intent or otherwise, I do not know). Why do the Rohirrim sing out poetry instead of give speeches? Well, let’s look at the form. We get a number of these Rohirrim poems, both longer songs (“Where now the horse and the rider?” TT, 132; “We heard of the horns” RotK, 136) delivered out of combat and short 4-5 line poems before military action that fill the space of a battle speech (two versions of “Arise, Riders of Théoden,” TT 144 and RotK 123; and “Out of doubt, out of dark” RotK 122). You may note a tendency in these poems to divide nearly all of the lines (save typically for the last line, last couplet or first line, which are often tricolons) in two. Typically both grammatically (that is, a conjunction or a preposition splits the line into separate phrases), but also often thematically or in general meaning. That halfway line division is characteristic of the Old English scop (pronounced ‘shop’) type of poetry, the most famous example being Beowulf . The lines are divided into half-lines by a caesura (a break mid-line) that is both metrical and meaningful; in the scop, the line is held together by meter but also often by alliteration, with the second half-line often picking up the alliteration of the first in a key word. By way of example (focusing on line-divisions, but I’ve bolded alliterations as I follow them; I do not read Old English, so please bear with any mistakes): Bēowulf maðelode, ⁠bēot ‐wordum spræc (Beowulf spoke made a formal boast) nīehstan sīðe: ⁠”Ic genēðde fela (for the last time: “I risked my life) gūða on geogoðe ;⁠ gȳt ic wylle, (often when I was young. Now I am old) frōd folces weard,⁠ fǣhðe sēcan, (but as the king of the people I shall pursue this fight) mǣrðum fremman, ⁠gif mec se mān ‐sceaða (for the glory of winning, if the evil one will only) of eorð‐sele⁠ ūt gesēceð!” (abandon his earth-fort and face me in the open.) (Beowulf, 2510-2515. Translation Seamus Heaney, available in a number of editions ) Now we can compare some of our Rohirrim poems: Arise, Arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake; fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken , shield be splintered , a s word-day, a r ed day, ere the s un r ises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! (RotK, 123) Out of doubt , out of dark to the day ‘s rising I came singing in the sun , sword un sh eathing. To hope ‘s end I rode and to heart ‘s breaking: Now for wrath , now for ruin and a red nightfall! (RotK, 134) Because while Greeks and Romans deliver prose orations, Anglo-Saxon warriors sing and so do the Rohirrim. They are, I should be quick to add, not the only ones; if these short poems remind you of haiku, they probably should – extemporaneous poetry is prominent in the literature of Japan’s Samurai class, like the Heike Monogatori (the Tale of the Heike). The sharp line divisions and the heavy use of alliteration seem straight out of Beowulf . Note that the line division is not always perfect – but contrast the divisions in the original Old English of Beowulf with Heaney’s translation; modern English just isn’t as well formed for this sort of thing. And Tolkien may want us to imagine that what we are reading is Rohirric (rendered as Old English in The Lord of the Rings ), translated into Westron (which is delivered as regular English in the text). Note that while I say they sing , they may be chanting the lines or what have you; the division between ‘spoken poetry’ and ‘sung songs’ is very modern and most ancient cultures don’t seem to have had it (that the distinction is arbitrary is made clear by the very popular musical-spoken-poetry-genre, which you have heard by its common name, ‘rap.’). What I do not know is where Tolkien’s habit of capping off these short poems with a tricolon (a succession of three balanced phrases; an important variation of this is where the phrases get longer or more complex, called a ‘rising’ tricolon) in the final line comes from; I am not anywhere near widely read enough in Norse or Old English poetry to tell you if this is a feature of it. It does, however, provide a very strong closure to the poems. One thing oddly missing is the kenning, Old English poetry’s habit of evocative two-word metaphors used in place of common nouns; the normal example is “whale-road” (hron-rad) to mean “the sea.” Tolkien generally does not have the Rohirrim use these. I’m not sure why, he was absolutely familiar with them (e.g. J.R.R. Tolkien, “ Beowulf : The Monsters and the Critics” (1936); yes, Tolkien wrote academic lectures on this poem). This sort of poetry is less an exercise in leadership (like the general’s battle-speech) and more one of self-definition and aristocratic display . Poetry was, in many pre-modern cultures, an essential skill for the aristocrat. It was almost always a ‘high’ art-form, suitable for formal and important occasions; prose played second fiddle. Being able to compose such verses as to fit the occasion was a mark of accomplishment and refinement. Thus, poetry was one of the core skills of knighthood (along with the more directly martial skills). This this sort of aristocratic ethos – where showing off to the other aristocrats is more important than carefully rallying the common infantryman – seems in keeping with Rohan’s horse culture, especially if I am right to think that the levy infantry is in the process of atrophying away . At the same time, it’s clear that this kind of poetic composition is part of Rohirrim aristocratic culture; not only Théoden but also Éomer compose such short verses in battle. In that case, seeing the king doing so might well be reassuring in a different way. Soldiers going into battle often look to their leaders to perform leadership. After all, the infantryman on the line has little sense if the battleplan is good or not (this is not a Total War game – he cannot view his line from above and get a true sense of the field; on the ground, what he can see is very limited), but he’s likely to be reassured if his leaders look like how he imagines good leadership to look. Enacting that sort of leadership can be very culturally contingent and seem quite random to us looking from a distance – an American general who slaughtered a goat in front of his army before battle would not reassure his men; a Greek general who failed to do so might well panic them. It’s reasonable to suppose then that composing these short poems ‘on the fly’ (or having them prepared) may well be part of the Rohirrim’s expectations for what good kingship, generalship and general martial excellence look like, in which case, seeing their king performing that role with excellence could be confidence building – “I may not understand the plan, but we have a good general and thus a good plan.” I am honestly a bit flummoxed as to why Jackson removed the poetic nature of these lines in so many cases. He mixes and matches the poems (pairing “Out of doubt’s” final line with “Arise, Arise’s” middle line) but even when “Arise, Arise” gets delivered in Return of the King as a prose speech, rather than as a poem. Perhaps Jackson thought that having characters randomly break out into poetry and song would have been distracting to a modern audience unused to such things, and so chose to go with the much more standard ‘Hollywood Battle Speech’ twisting the lines into that form. It strikes me as an unfortunate loss.

The Breaking of the Host

We’ve spoken already at length about morale and cohesion , discussing why the Rohirrim are likely to hold together to the last and why Saruman’s host is likely to crumble if it faces serious difficulties. I don’t want to belabor that point (overmuch). In the event, the Rohirrim hold together, even as things look increasingly desperate, whereas Saruman’s host falls apart the moment things go even a little bit pear-shaped. But I want to draw out two things here; the cause of the host’s collapse and how that fits into the contrast between how J.R.R. Tolkien imagines a battle and how Peter Jackson does. Let’s look at how that plays out, starting with the film.

After film!Théoden is done breaking character despairing and giving up, he resolves to charge when Aragorn suggests riding out. This is a pretty terrible plan given the terrain in the courtyard and the winding stair between them and the causeway (note below the contrast in topography; by making the situation more desperate, Jackson has made this charge a bit more foolish; he’s also removed the reason it works ). Gimli then blows the horn, which sounds cool, but has no apparent effect on the battle (note the contrast with the book). The Uruk-hai are not stopped or dismayed, but break down the door and charge in.

Théoden then charges and somehow, in tight quarters, against densely massed infantry, begins sweeping all before him. The Uruks do not break or run away, they are just plowed down as Snowmane (Théoden’s horse) just battering-rams through them; this is not, I must stress, how cavalry works . The next we see, they are apparently in the Coomb, at a stop, slashing down from their horses which, I must stress, is the worst possible situation for cavalry – stopped and completely enveloped by heavy infantry. I think the frequency with which we see cavalry in film doing this has something to do with stunt safety (especially since these scenes are often shot such that I’m fairly sure the actor can be on a prop-horse), but also something to do with the video-game distortion, since this is how cavalry works in many (but not all) Total War games.

Éomer then arrives with a body of cavalry at the top of a steep hill of loose gravel with Gandalf and he charges down it. This charge is, to be brief, absurd. For reasons I’ve discussed elsewhere, one stumbling horse – easy in the loose gravel and dirt on a steep slope – is going to cause a chain reaction through the cavalry body and get dozens of horses killed or lamed, along with their riders.

Moreover, the Uruks get into a dense formation, with their pikes down. Éomer should be pretty roundly crushed at this point; he can’t stop because of the slope and his momentum and he’s facing a solid wall of Uruks in good order with pikes down. Nevertheless, Gandalf has apparently timed this charge to blind the Uruks with the rising sun. We see them slightly lift their pikes (but not break or retreat) and then they are instantly swept away.

Book Note : In the book, Théoden, not Aragorn suggests riding out (TT, 170). Peter Jackson’s efforts to create conflict in every scene really serve to undermine quite a lot of the supporting cast and Théoden is one of the worst done-by (although I think the worst-treated character is Gimli, by far). In any event, the set of events is more complex: the good guys deliver a rapid series of morale shocks which overwhelms the cohesion of Saruman’s host, causing it to retreat from a fight it could have won . First, Aragorn delivers his parlay, a demoralizing warning about the dawn, enhanced by the almost-supernatural awe of his heritage (TT, 171). This worries the Dunlendings, but not the orcs, who press on, bringing down the gate with another round of blasting fire. Then the orcs become aware of a murmur of dismay behind them (doubtless because they are now able to see, in the growing light, the Huorns behind them in the Coomb). As they waver, before they can recover, the horn of Helm blasts, “many of the Orcs cast themselves on their faces and covered their ears with their claws” (TT, 171). The horn serves two purposes here. First, it momentarily panics the Orcs, providing an opening for Théoden’s charge. Second, it’s a clever bit of signal work. Théoden is not going to cut his way through the entire Orc army; the numerical disparity is too great. But a series of sudden shocks, delivered close together, might rout the army. That means he needs to coordinate his blows so that the shocks come fast enough that the Orcs have no time to regroup and regain composure; the horn provides a way of signalling Éomer – who with Gimli and a good amount of the Rohirrim, is holed up in the caves – to also attack at the same time. That in turn also means that when Théoden reaches the bottom of the causeway, there’s a good chance Éomer’s force will be close behind, making it less likely that the king will be cut off. Unlike the film’s charge, where Théoden just tramples all before him, here we have an explanation for why the Orcs collapse before the charge – they are already worried by word that an enemy has shown up behind them when the horn blast and then the shock of the charge itself sends them to flight. They are, in fact, casting themselves to the ground before Théoden begins his attack. Consequently, Théoden isn’t charging head-on into a solid mass of Orcs, but rather pursuing a retreating body of Orcs down the causeway. It is, I must note, at this point that Saruman’s host collapses into retreat (TT, 172). Even before Erkenbrand arrives, or the Huorns have killed a single Orc, “there cowered the proud hosts of Saruman, in terror of the king and in terror of the trees…vainly they crawled and clambered about the walls of the coomb, seeking to escape” (TT, 172). The army has been done in not by a flanking maneuver, not by the might of the trees, but by the collapse of morale and cohesion , brought on by the appearance of a new force (which has not yet attacked) and the dismay at the horn-sounding and Théoden’s charge. It is only then that Erkenbrand’s force – infantry, not cavalry – arrives and, moving down the slope, ends the battle by shoving the collapsing Orcs into the trees, where they are destroyed.

I wanted to be fairly thorough in these recaps to as to make clear one thing that has been coming up in the comments: the Huorns’ role in actually winning the battle is minimal in both versions (though more substantial in the book than the film). In the film, the Huorns only destroy an army that is already routing , having been defeated in melee with Éomer’s cavalry. Since in this version Éomer has arrived with a large body of horse that could have as easily pursued and destroyed the Uruks themselves, the effect of the Huorns is almost non-existent. Saruman’s host wouldn’t have been able to make it back to the ford, much less Isengard, in any event. Smashed by trees in the coomb or ridden down by horses in the Westfold makes very little difference at the strategic level.

In the book version, the Huorns are more significant, because they serve as the initial concern that starts the Orc morale wavering. Yet even here, their effect should not be overstated . They are quite distant , beyond even Helm’s Dike and at no point do the Orcs turn to engage them (probably fortunate for the Huorns; as strong as they may be, Saruman has had little problem killing and burning them so far – it seems likely, as Treebeard supposes (TT, 106) that had they met an Orc army that turned to fight them, the Huorns would have been defeated. But here, they arrive to mop up Orcs who are not fighting them and who have thrown away their weapons).

It seems to me that the arrival of any force in the rear of Saruman’s host would have been likely to effect the same morale shock. This is a damning comment on the army’s siege preparations . Had this siege been set up properly, there ought to have been units specially tasked to fortify any rear approach (in the books, they’d simply repair and man Helm’s Dike) and watch for enemy relief forces. In both the book and the film, there was plenty of reason for Saruman’s host to worry about such a force, even if they had no inkling of the Huorns’ existence (either Erkenbrand’s scattered army in the books or Éomer’s body of cavalry in the film; both exist and ought to be known to a wizard who can scout with birds ). And we need not speculate on the possibility of such a force, because it comes over the hillside only minutes later . Without the Huorns, it seems to me that the likely result is that Théoden and Éomer’s joint attack (aided by the horn, which still has its effect of stunning the Orcs best positioned to keep Théoden from reaching open ground with his force) would have ‘pinned’ the Orcs from the front and Erkenbrand’s infantry force would then have delivered the fatal attack from the rear, which would have scattered Saruman’s host all the same.

The main difference, which we’ll touch on next week, would be the casualties suffered by both armies. In the books, Théoden is mounted but Éomer is not (and neither, it seems, is much of Théoden’s men streaming from the Hornburg); Erkenbrand has brought entirely infantry and not enough to seal the exit from the Coomb. It seems likely that without the Huorns, the Rohirrim would have still won, but a good portion of Saruman’s host would have escaped , the (significant!) strategic implications of which we’ll consider next week. More to the point, Erkenbrand arrives later (though likely only a short time later), so while I think that Théoden and Éomer’s joint attack probably would have pushed into the coomb all the same, the delay would have meant far more severe casualties among the Rohirrim. This could be absolutely catastrophic, strategically, if those casualties were Théoden or Éomer’s (or Aragorn).

Cohesion and Failure

But zooming back in to look at only this battle, I think it’s not hard to conclude, given the balance of forces (book or film), that Saruman’s host vastly underperformed. Opposed by an army perhaps one-third of their size in a fairly favorable operational environment (they face few problems moving over the terrain, despite several operational mistakes) they not only failed to achieve the operational objectives, but lost the entire army in the process. And that raises a crucial question: why ?

Both of these armies experience serious setbacks that test their cohesion. The Rohirrim begin the battle badly outnumbered (about five-to-one in the books). From there, the fords are breached, Erkenbrand’s army is scattered in the field, the defenses at the Dike are driven in, the Deeping Wall is swarmed, then destroyed, the Deep is lost. Here, the book’s narrative really shows some of its value in that it expresses this as sweeping waves – again and again the Rohirrim are driven back, put on the back foot and again and again they regroup and push back. In each setback, the Rohirrim cohere , they stick tightly together rather than scatter, which is what enables their recovery, time after time. Meanwhile, Saruman’s host, after experiencing one success after another, hits a brief run of bad luck – a situation where they still hold quite substantial numerical superiority against a mostly exhausted foe – and immediately fall apart.

Saruman’s army looks formidable: it is large, the Uruks are well-armed and very confident. The weakness isn’t in their weapons (though the relatively poor operational and tactical art does not help), but in their minds. I don’t mean that they are stupid. Rather, the Uruks aren’t motivated towards strong group loyalty, or much regard for their masters, or even a strong sense of themselves as professionals-who-don’t-run-away (this is perhaps clearest in the chapter “The Uruk-hai”). Each Orc schemes for his own advantage at the expense of all of the others and frequently his master besides. That principle – mutual gain in victory, the promise of loot – can get an army to the battlefield, but it cannot sustain it there when things start to go wrong (and things always go wrong in war). After all, it is in no Uruk’s interest to go down with the ship to save his comrades. And hatred – for men or Rohan – is also a weak motivation; once the prospect for dealing fatal harm to the kingdom of Rohan melts away, so does the motivation. Hatred is a poor salve for fear.

Meanwhile, Saruman’s host has no real leadership to cohere around. Even compared to the Witch King’s army, which even from outside has clearly identifiable leaders in it, broken into small companies which have likely served together for years (e.g. RotK, 104). Not so for Saruman’s host, as we’ve discussed . And given the kind of leadership we see from Uglúk , it is little surprise the all-too-few Uruk officers fail to get control of their army once things start going wrong. Uglúk after all, callously disposes of his men in the face of a threat where he needs every good fighter he can get; he takes credit but freely dodges blame (particularly in the books, where he swiftly dumps his failures on his scouts, Snaga, the Mordor orcs, and so on). With such a lackluster officer class, it’s not hard to see why this army falls apart. No help comes from the top, as Saruman sends his army out to fight and die while he hides in his tower . There are many reasons why a general might need to ‘lead from behind’ (typically coordinating multiple armies), but none of them apply here, and a savvier leader ought to have known that an army this green and this weakly organized would need to have its charismatic leader with it to function effectively. It’s no surprise that Saruman’s army mirrors his own cowardice . Why die for a wizard who won’t take even the slightest risk for you? Even Sauron sallied out of Barad-dur to contest Elendil and Gil-galad in person.

In contrast, disaster after catastrophe, the Rohirrim, bound by strong sets of vertical and horizontal social ties (that is, ties between leaders and followers and ties between equals, be they aristocrat-to-aristocrat or levyman-to-levyman), regroup around their leaders, recover and push back again. Doubtless, some of that cohesion comes from the fact that Saruman in his arrogant overconfidence has left these men no way out, in either the book or the film. There’s no effort by Saruman’s host to get the fortress to surrender under terms and their campaign of devastating seems engineered to harden rather than soften the Rohirrim’s resolve. The Witch King, focused on inflicting supernatural and regular despair on Gondor, was much savvier.

But we can also see the effect of leadership in this system, particularly leaders who are embedded in it, Erkenbrand, Théoden, Éomer and Gamling (and to a lesser extent, Aragorn). Time and again, when everything is confused and no one knows what to do, the Rohirrim respond by bunching up into little shield-walls around these men, because that is what their society has conditioned them to do . They’ll do it again, I might add, on the Pelennor fields (RotK, 134), bunching up around Éomer for one last shield-wall.

While – as we’ll discuss next time – it is the intervention of the Ents and the Huorns that wins the war , it is the cohesion of the Rohirrim that wins the battle .

In the Hand or in the Mind?

And it is here that I think that Tolkien’s vision of war shows some advantages over Jackson’s. As we’ve discussed before , Peter Jackson imagines battles as fundamentally contests between weapon-systems , with each system ‘countering’ others, while Tolkien imagines battles as fundamentally mental and spiritual contests where morale is the decisive factor.

In Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth, Gandalf’s sun-based disruption of the pike line ‘counters’ the Uruk pikes and thus Éomer smashes through them. Except, of course, horses aren’t battering rams , and even without the pikes, the Uruks are still heavy infantry, in good close order. Nevertheless, Éomer’s cavalry charge through and spend some time killing Uruks before we cut away. When we cut back, the Uruks have been put to flight by all of that slaughter, retreating into the trees (Huorns, though that word doesn’t appear in the films, I think) and getting smashed. It really does feel like video-game logic; Gandalf used his magic spell to disable the Uruk formation bonus and without that +200% attack-and-defense vs. cavalry, Éomer’s unit swept in and chewed them up. In an actual battle, had the Uruks stood and fought (as they appear initially to be doing) the Rohorrim cavalry would have been unhorsed and slain very rapidly; the riders may be armored but their horses are not and each rider is enveloped by a half-dozen Uruks. It only takes one to kill the horse.

But in Tolkien’s Middle Earth, it is the will to resist that enables the victory of the Rohirrim, not superiority in arms. That fits into the metaphysics of Tolkien’s broader worldbuilding effort which I think are often badly misunderstood by readers and viewers alike. I have encountered this assumption that Tolkien’s world is one in which the good guys win because that is how the story is structured or because they get ‘lucky,’ but that’s not quite right. Middle Earth is a world animated by spiritual forces that exist beyond the physical world but are no less real than it . If you want a longer discussion of this framing, I suggest M. Dickerson, Following Gandalf (2003), where he assembles the evidence for this. In essence, Tolkien’s world is one where Vergil’s line, possunt, quia posse videntur (“they are able, because they think themselves able”) is an actual physical law; the heroes triumph as a direct, supernatural result of their resolve to resist evil.

We may leave aside the theological question of if our world is animated by spiritual forces, but the battlefield is animated by morale forces and Tolkien’s spiritual world-construction captures something of this rather better than Jackson’s almost purely materialist focus on the interactions of weapons (which alas, he understands somewhat poorly).

Next week, we’ll zoom out again and look at the overall strategic position and try to render a final assessment on Saruman’s leadership. Spoiler alert: he’s a big dummy with a terrible plan. Details to follow.

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192 thoughts on “ Collections: The Battle of Helm’s Deep, Part VII: Hanging by a Thread ”

One thing oddly missing is the kenning, Old English poetry’s habit of evocative two-word metaphors used in place of common nouns; the normal example is “whale-road” (hron-rad) to mean “the sea.”

It’s funny you should use that example, because Tolkien himself was decidedly not in favour of that translation. From Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary (London, 2014, pp. 142 f.):

“ hronrad is evidently related to these expressions. Nonetheless it is quite incorrect to translate it (as it is all too frequently translated) ‘whale road’. It is incorrect stylistically since compounds of this sort sound themselves clumsy or bizarre in modern English, even when their components are correctly selected. In this particular instance the unfortunate sound-association with ‘railroad’ increases the ineptitude.

“It is incorrect in fact. rad is the ancestor of our modern word ‘road’, but it does not mean ‘road’. Etymology is not a safe guide to sense. rad is the noun of action to ridan ‘ride’ and means riding — i.e., ‘riding on horseback; moving as a horse does (or a chariot), or as a ship does at anchor’; and hence ‘a journey on horseback’ (or more seldom by ship), ‘a course (however vagrant)’. It does not mean the actual ‘track’ — still less the hard paved permanent and more or less straight tracks that we associate with the ‘road’.

Also hron ( hran ) is a word peculiar to Old English. It means some kind of ‘whale’, that is of the family of fish-like mammals. What precisely is not known: but it was something of the porpoise or dolphin kind, probably; at any rate less than a real hwael . There is a statement in Old English that a hron was about seven times the size of a seal, and a hwael about seven times the size of a hron .

The word as ‘kenning’ therefore means dolphin’s riding , i.e. in full, the watery fields where you can see dolphins and lesser members of the whale-tribe playing, or seeming to gallop like a line of riders on the plains. That is the picture and comparison the kenning was meant to evoke. It is not evoked by ‘whale road’ — which suggests a sort of semi-submarine steam-engine running along submerged metal rails over the Atlantic.”

(For the record, the translation Tolkien ends up plumping for is “the sea where the whale rides”.)

That’s a fascinating little bit of information and quite an insight into the mind of the venerable professor himself – not to mention the state of etymology! Thanks for sharing it!

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“Tolkien imagines battles as fundamentally mental and spiritual contests where morale is the decisive factor.”

One of my favourite details about the MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online is that player characters don’t have health, they have *morale*. Which is mostly just a cosmetic renaming, sure, but the game plays with it delightfully. Who are the healing classes? Why, the Minstrels, the Captains, and the, er… Rune-keepers Now, the RK animations involve chiseling things into rocks, which looks a little silly and would seem to undermine my point, except that their skills are named things like “Rousing Words”, “Prelude to Hope”, and “Epic for the Ages”, suggesting oratory or story-telling. You know, the kind of stuff you’d expect a battlefield scholar to use to restore morale!

“One thing oddly missing is the kenning”

I don’t think that’s really odd. Tolkien expected his readers to cope with a lot of archaic vocabulary (e.g. ‘brands’ for burning sticks, ‘blown’ in the sense ‘blossomed’, ‘dotard’, ‘gangrel’, ‘glede’, ‘loth’, ‘niggard’), but even he must have realised that subjecting them to ‘ring-giver’, ‘swan’s-road’, ‘war-leek’ et al would be just too baffling.

(As it is, many readers struggle. One of the DVD extras has the head of Weta Workshop talking about how they created the ‘fell beast’ that the Witch-king rides, and from the way he says it it’s clear that he has absolutely no idea that ‘fell’ is an ordinary adjective, not the name of a species.)

Without needing to read old English, and concerning the use of poetry, I strongly recommened Tolkien’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in *alliterative* verse, and it is both readable and enjoyable to a modern audience.

‘That principle – mutual gain in victory, the promise of loot – can get an army to the battlefield, but it cannot sustain it there when things start to go wrong’

This made me think of the Pindari horsemen in the Maratha-British wars in India. The Marathas were often able to mobilise many thousands of these cavalry purely with the promise of loot, but it’s fascinating how *useless* they often were in any situation they might need to risk their necks. At Assaye and elsewhere they seem to have milled around out of range of the enemy, despite grossly outnumbering them, and left as soon as the rest of their side was defeated.

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I don’t know if anyone will see this, because the article is quite old, but I was digging through my copy of The Illearth War looking something else up completely and I stumbled across Hile Troy’s pre-battle speech at Garrotting Deep hits the numbers listed here perfectly. Which is itself odd, because the bulk of the plan that Hile Troy has been executing over the course of the book makes no sense at all and even in character, he’s not the sort of guy (A DoD analyst before getting yanked to another world) who seems like he would be familiar with these sorts of tropes. Even the “Part 4” being the bulk of the speech, similar to the Eisenhower memo is there.

I wonder if it’s some sort of parallel inspiration, because Donaldson as an author clearly does not read a lot of military fiction so probably hadn’t been exposed to that many battle-speeches.

I don’t have the background knowledge to respond to your question, but I hope someone else does, because I’m interested to know more.

Saruman basically contributing to the Rohirrim’s cohesion has an interesting parallel with Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union. Initially, the Red Army suffered massive defeats and the Germans were able to advance quite quickly. Once it became clear what Nazi occupation would mean (enslavement or complete annihilation of everyone), the Soviet cohesion took off quite a bit as everyone was that much more determined to resist, since the only two real options were to win or die.

The awesome power of the Narrative almost got me. Kudos for you for almost making me miss it. And on my own home turf, the LoTR, too! very well done. 1. The Uruk-Hai have much better cohesion the Moria orcs, and probably even better then the Mordor orcs. 2. Ugluk IS a MUCH better commander then you give him credit for.

1. “Most of the raiders that were left alive then broke and fled, this way and that, pursued one by one to the death. But one band, holding together in a black wedge, drove forward resolutely in the direction of the forest.”

I won’t bore you with the full text, but that is the band of the Isengardians. The vaunted inherent cohesion of the Moria orcs was the lowest, even though they were a separate band, probably led by their own commanders. The Mordor orcs were much better, but the Isengardiens were clearly superior to both.

“Uglúk after all, callously disposes of his men in the face of a threat where he needs every good fighter he can get”

That’s the first line of Bret’s accusation. Let’s go to the text!

First, a lovely bit of rabble-rousing by Grishnakh: “Swine, is it? How do you folk like being called swine by the muck-rakers of a dirty little wizard? It’s orc-flesh they eat, I’ll warrant.” Then, the attempted mutiny: “Round them were many smaller goblins. Pippin supposed these were the ones from the North. They had drawn their knives and swords, but hesitated to attack Ugluk.” Then Ugluk’s decisive reaction, nipping the trouble at it’s bud: “Then suddenly, without warning, Ugluk sprang forwards, and with two swift strokes swept the heads of two of his opponents.” To make a long story short, Ugluk dealt with a near mutiny by killing 3 of his opponents, cowing the others and preventing their desertion. Not what I would call “callously disposing” his men.

“he takes credit but freely dodges blame (particularly in the books, where he swiftly dumps his failures on his scouts, Snaga, the Mordor orcs, and so on).”

The second part of Bret’s accusation. Let’s see how Ugluk reacts to his scout’s failure: “Only a single horseman, and he made off westward. All’s clear now.” “Now, I daresay. But for how long? You fools! You should have shot him. He’ll raise the alarm. The cursed horsebreeders will hear of us by morning. Now we’ll have to leg it double quick.” So far, all true. The scout failed, and his officer chastises him for it. Later he says: “I know,” growled Ugluk. “The cursed horse-boys have got wind of us. But that’s all your fault, Snaga. You and the other scouts ought to have your ears cut off. But we are the fighters. We’ll feast on horseflesh yet, or something better.” Acknowledging their predicament, and stating his hopes for victory, with a little barb for his failed scouts. For an orc, that’s practically sweet-talking.

And lastly, what he thinks of other orcs: “No good charging with them. They’d just squeal and bolt, and there are more then enough of these filthy horse-boys to mop up our lot on the flat.”

And you know what? He was right again! The only ones with the cohesion to resist a cavalry charge were the Isengardiens, as we’ve seen before. That’s not shifting blame – That’s understanding the limitations of your allies.

So to sum up:

1. On the one place where “free” raiding orcs (Moria), Mordor’s warrior orcs, and Uruk-Hai shared a battlefield, the Uruk-Hai demonstrate the best cohesion (and leadership) under fire. As an added bonus, they’re apparently much better warriors individually. 2. Ugluk’s leadership, far from being poor, is actually brutally efficient, able to fuse 3 separate and antagonistic bands of orcs together, almost drives them to safety, and keeps a cool and collected head even when faced with adversary.

The theory of the “Green As X Uruk Hai” with poor cohesion and leadership is not supported by the text.

One possibility is that Ugluk is a naturally brilliant commander. It happens; Washington noticed Nathanael Greene as soon as he took command in Boston.

That would explain how he got this task. But Saramun must be judged on his average.

Saruman’s performance isn’t the point here. Our host encourages us to read the text critically, to think like an historian. Well, I don’t think the text supports his theory. We don’t have Sharkey’s org chart. We don’t know how many officers and NCOs the Uruk Hai have. We have two pieces of evidence: the up close and personal view of Merry and Pippin, and the collective performance of Saruman’s army. When discussing leadership and cohesion, the text certainly portraits the Uruk Hai as a professional, cohesive, and well led bunch, especially compared to the ťwo groups that are the natural “control”; The long time professional orcs of Mordor, and the “organically led” orcs of Moria. Sure, you could claim that Ugluk’ Lads are special, elite detail, but that just means you’re making excuses to ignore one of the two sources we do have. The other evidence was have, the “average”, is the battle of Helm’s deep. The Uruk Hai broke and ran there, and lost a battle they could conceivably won. That’s the main evidence for our host’s “Green as X” theory. However, they broke after repeatedly assaulting a very strong point, taking great losses, subjected to an effective “fear attack” (the great horn), and a cavalry charge. Even then, they didn’t completely break until Erkbrand and Gandalf arrived with flanking reinforcements. Was it stellar performance? Of course not. But you have no reason to suspect other ORCS would have fared better. In fact, the only real “control group” we have, the dunlandings, were only better in that they surrendered and not routed. At no point during the siege do we hear of them being better then the Uruk Hai.

So, in conclusion, our host’s theory is logical, compelling, and not supported by the text. By his own standards, we ought to disregard it until better evidence comes along P S I’m not claiming that Saruman was an effective leader, I’m only talking about the theory that the Uruk Hai were poorly led, with poor cohesion, when compared to other ORCS

We have the entire campaign that led to their breaking at that battle. It is supported.

That was a full, informed and gracious answer. What am I supposed to answer? Oh, no it isn’t? If it’s so easy to see, please inform stupid old me where in the text any of the claims are supported. And since we’re at part VII and not part VIII, don’t list high command’s failings here. We’re talking about the Uruk Hai. Their cohesiveness. Did they have enough officers and NCOs on the ground. Do you know what? Show me even just one example of the text supporting the claims.

No, you don’t get to rule out evidence.

Coming to that part soon. don’t worry. The question is here isn’t the strategic part or the operational part, it was the tactical abilities of the “green as green berets” Uruk Hai. Saruman’s leadership abilities aren’t the issue. I’m talking about the theory advanced in part VII – That the Uruk Hai were a poorly cohesive, poorly led (tactically!) troops, with only the external trappings of a professional army. I say again, because apparently saying it three times before wasn’t enough: I’m not talking about Saruman’s abilities. I’ll deal with that in the very near future, in part VIII. I’m talking about the theory presented here: The “Green as X” troops that only look professional, but are actually inferior to the other fighting forces on the field.

I may not get to rule out evidence, but you have yet to bring any. Or to refute any of the evidence I brought.

btw, how come you get to ignore evidence, but I don’t? That seems unfair to me.

“But we can also see the effect of leadership in this system, particularly leaders who are embedded in it, Erkenbrand, Théoden, Éomer and Gamling (and to a lesser extent, Aragorn). Time and again, when everything is confused and no one knows what to do, the Rohirrim respond by bunching up into little shield-walls around these men, because that is what their society has conditioned them to do. They’ll do it again, I might add, on the Pelennor fields (RotK, 134), bunching up around Éomer for one last shield-wall.”

The consistency with which the Rohirrim fall back on forming shield bubbles around the nearest officer tells me that it’s not a matter of leadership. It’s a matter of doctrine. They don’t need to be ordered or led because they’re falling back on their training or, as you put it, conditioning.

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Just came to say that I had heard of Gustavus Adolfus!

Sorry, just wanted to share that lol.

There’s a person on the Something Awful forums doing a PHD about the thirty years war, who outright hates Gustavus as a deeply overrated general favored by protestant’s (i.e, the wrong side) and the 1632 fanfic crowd.

It’s very interesting to read your repeated commentary on morale and unit cohesion in this series in late 2022, where its correctness has been clearly evidenced during the war in Ukraine.

Huh. Master and Commander has a speech almost exactly by the numbers. Interesting. “Right, lads. Now I know there’s not a faint heart among you, and I know you’re as anxious as I am to get into close action. But we must bring him right up beside us before we spring this trap. That will test our nerve. And discipline will count just as much as courage. The Acheron is a tough nut to crack. More than twice our guns, more than twice our numbers. And they will sell their lives dearly. Topmen, your handling the sheets to be lubberly and un-navylike, until the signal calls for you to spill the wind from our sails. This will bring us almost to a complete stop. Gun crews, you must run out and tie down in double-quick time. With the rear wheels removed we’ve gained elevation, but without recoil, there will be no-chance to reload, so, gun captains, that gives you one shot from the larboard battery. One shot only. You’ll fire for her mainmast. Much will depend on your accuracy. However. Even crippled, she will still be dangerous. Like a wounded beast. Captain Howard and the marines will sweep their weather deck with swivel gun and musket fire from the tops. They’ll try to even the odds for us before we board. [nods at Howard, who smiles warmly] … They mean to take us as a prize. [the crew chuckles at this] And we are worth more to them undamaged; their greed… will be their downfall. [pauses] England is under threat of invasion. And though we be on the far side of the world, this ship is our home. This ship, is England. So it’s every hand to his rope or gun. Quick’s the word and sharp’s the action. After all, Surprise is on our side. [crew laughs uproariously and huzzahs]”

I’ve been watching an LP of the first Mass Effect, which just got to Captain Kirrahe’s speech on Virmire (generally regarded as excellent) and it got me thinking about to what extent it fits the established format:

“You all know the mission and what is at stake. I have come to trust each of you with my life, but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns. We are trained for espionage. We would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way.

“Think of our heroes: the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts. These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers.

“Our influence stopped the rachni, but before that, we held the line. Our influence stopped the krogan, but before that, we held the line. Our influence will stop Saren! In the battle today, we will hold the line.”

I doubt that this was intentionally written to match the traditional pre-battle speech format. It’s clearly written first and foremost as a persuasive speech aimed at making a particular point: Kirrahe is trying to convince his troops, who are spies from a culture where espionage is more valued than open warfare, that they can, in fact, do open warfare. But nevertheless, you can still see the numbers. Parts I, IV, and especially V are all quite obvious. Part III is perfunctory, but it’s there (“You all know … what is at stake.”) The really interesting bit is Part II. It’s here, but it’s not focused on the enemy, it’s focused on the fact that the STG isn’t trained for this kind of mission. Maybe that’s just the sort of variance to be expected when dealing with alien psychologies.

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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Monologues

A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.

Boromir Monologues

One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust, the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.

My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing, and our people lose faith. He looks to me to make things right and I would do it. I would see the glory of Gondor restored. Have you ever seen it, Aragorn? The White Tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze. Have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?

One day, our paths will lead us there. And the tower guard shall take up the call: "The Lords of Gondor have returned."

It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing.

So it is true. In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark. But in the West, a pale light lingered. A voice was crying, "The doom is near at hand, Isildur's Bane is found."

is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him.

One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten-thousand men could you do this. It is folly.

Gandalf's death was not in vain. Nor would he have you give up hope. You carry a heavy burden, Frodo. Don't carry the weight of the dead.

None of us should wander alone, you least of all. Frodo? I know you suffer, I see it day by day. Are you sure you do not suffer needlessly? There are other ways, Frodo, other paths we might take.

One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire, ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.

Gandalf Monologues

So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.

You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun! Go back to the shadow. You shall not pass!

Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.

A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

His treachery runs deeper than you know. By foul craft, Saruman has crossed Orcs with goblin men. He's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight and cover great distance at speed. Saruman is coming for the Ring.

My dear Frodo. Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you.

They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes, drums... drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow lurks in the dark. We can not get out... they are coming.

There is one other who knew Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum, but the enemy found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him, but through the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words:

Don't… tempt me Frodo! I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand, Frodo. I would use this ring from a desire to do good… But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine.

For sixty years, the Ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age. But no longer, Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It's heard its Master's call.

No, Frodo. The spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned. His Orcs have multiplied. His fortress of Barad-Dur is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands with a second darkness. He is seeking it, seeking it, all his thought is bent on it. The Ring yearns to go home, to return to the hand of its Master. They are one, the Ring and the Dark Lord. Frodo, he must never find it.

I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye.

Well, what can I tell you? Life in the wide world goes on much as it has these past age, full of its own comings and goings, scarcely aware of the existence of Hobbits… for which I am very thankful.

Always remember, Frodo, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found.

I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves... Men... and Orcs.

Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words.

"The year 3434 of the Second Age. Here follows the account of Isildur, High King of Gondor, and the finding of the ring of power. 'It has come to me. The One Ring. It shall be an heirloom of my kingdom. All those who follow in my bloodline shall be bound to its fate, for I will risk no hurt to the ring. It is precious to me, though I buy it with great pain. The markings upon the band begin to fade. The writing, which at first was as clear as red flame, has all but disappeared. A secret now that only fire can tell.'"

All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.

All your long years, we've been friends. Trust me as you once did. Hmm? Let it go.

He hates and loves The Ring - as he hates and loves himself.

Galadriel Monologues

It all began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves; immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven, to the Dwarf Lords, great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine, nine rings were gifted to the race of Men, who above all else desire power. For within these rings was bound the strength and the will to govern over each race. But they were all of them deceived, for another ring was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret, a master ring, to control all others. And into this ring he poured all his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. One ring to rule them all. One by one, the free peoples of Middle Earth fell to the power of the Ring. But there were some who resisted. A last alliance of men and elves marched against the armies of Mordor, and on the very slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle-Earth. Victory was near, but the power of the ring could not be undone. It was in this moment, when all hope had faded, that Isildur, son of the king, took up his father's sword. And Sauron, enemy of the free peoples of Middle-Earth, was defeated. The Ring passed to Isildur, who had this one chance to destroy evil forever, but the hearts of men are easily corrupted. And the ring of power has a will of its own. It betrayed Isildur, to his death. And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, the ring ensnared a new bearer. The ring came to the creature Gollum, who took it deep into the tunnels under the Misty Mountains, and there it consumed him. The ring gave to Gollum unnatural long life. For five hundred years it poisoned his mind; and in the gloom of Gollum's cave, it waited. Darkness crept back into the forests of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the East, whispers of a nameless fear, and the Ring of Power perceived. Its time had now come. It abandoned Gollum. But then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable. A Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, of the Shire. For the time will soon come when Hobbits will shape the fortunes of all...

The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it. It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves, immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven to the Dwarf lords, great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine, nine rings were gifted to the race of Men, who, above all else, desire power. But they were, all of them, deceived, for another ring was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret a Master Ring, to control all others. And into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. One Ring to rule them all!

I know what it is you saw, for it is also in my mind.

It is what will come to pass, If you should fail. The Fellowship is breaking, it has already begun. He will try to take the Ring, you know of whom I speak. One by one, it will destroy them.

You offer it to me freely? I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired this.

In place of a Dark Lord you would have a Queen! Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the Dawn! Treacherous as the Seas! Stronger than the foundations of the Earth! All shall love me and despair!

I have passed the test. I will diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel.

You are a Ring-bearer, Frodo. To bear a Ring of Power is to be alone.

This is Nenya, the Ring of Adamant. And I am its keeper. This task was appointed to you, and if you do not find a way, no one will.

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

For the time would soon come when Hobbits would shape the fortunes of all.

The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true.

I give you the light of Eärendil, our most beloved star. May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out.

Do not let your hearts be troubled.

One Ring to rule them all.

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Just like Galadriel, the Lord of the Rings knows when to be too much

Yes, Galadriel would make a great drag queen

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by Kyle Turner

The Fellowship of the Ring scene in which Galadriel is tempted by the Ring radiates a transgressive, intoxicating camp aesthetic in an immediate way. Cate Blanchett, whose ethereal beauty transcends mere humans, rises up into the air, her figure transformed by the light bending around her, her cheeks turned sallow and masculine, complicating her gender presentation. Her voice becomes deeper and modulated, roaring, “In place of a Dark Lord, you would have a queen, not dark but beautiful and terrible as the dawn!”

It is terrifying to see this avatar of kindness and power mutate and shriek, “All shall love me and despair!” It is also kind of funny — and very campy.

2021 marks The Lord of the Rings movies' 20th anniversary, and we couldn't imagine exploring the trilogy in just one story. So each Wednesday throughout the year, we'll go there and back again, examining how and why the films have endured as modern classics. This is Polygon's Year of the Ring .

When I watched The Lord of the Rings with my mother growing up, it was a sincere, real transportation into the world of Middle-earth. The ents and oliphants were tactile and fantastical, its elves and hobbits beyond reproach. The universe created by Tolkein and brought to life by Peter Jackson had no stitching that I could see.

Revisiting the trilogy as an out queer adult made the seams more apparent. But rather than detracting from the films, it makes them deeper and more interesting; more complex movies about artifice and openness. The abstract idea of power itself has a visual language to play with, and the stranger and more unusual aesthetic moments of the films makes them better movies. The Lord of the Rings movies are campy, and that makes them great.

There’s not an easy consensus on what is and is not “camp” (it tends to be a “you know it when you see it” kind of deal), but it’s predicated on a subjective engagement with a piece of work and an awareness and love of excess and artifice, which coalesces into a sensibility and aesthetic that is transgressive or outside the realms of conventional taste in some way. It’s not always unintentional or “naive,” as Susan Sontag wrote in the 1964 essay that popularized the term, but can take pleasure in a kind of “too muchness,” an extreme quality in the aesthetic that the work can’t really hold without showing its own lack of realness. Recognizing it and being fluent in its signifiers makes you feel like you’re in a secret club of like-minded Others.

For Galadriel’s moment of temptation, Blanchett (and Jackson and his VFX crew) transform her into a bit of a drag queen, an outsized persona meant to be off-putting straight or general audiences. (And, yes, drag queens can be scary too!) It’s a conscious undermining of the idea of Galadriel we’ve had prior to this moment in the film, a Titania-like beauty who maintains a hyper-awareness of the control she has on herself and holds over others. (Also Cate Blanchett did do ‘drag’ at the Stonewall Inn a few years ago.)

Evil Galadriel is a loss of that control, but also an acknowledgment of the artificiality of the films themselves, a moment of magic that reveals that it’s a magic trick. Galadriel comes back to herself, shaken, but also like she just got off a roller coaster at Disney World. “I have passed the test,” she says, catching her breath. That’s funny.

Of course, camp as an aesthetic is heavily tied to the history of queer art and queer engagement with art, and much has been written, too, on the way the trilogy explores homoerotic desire, particulalry between Sam and Frodo . The Lord of the Rings has never exactly been a stranger to queer readings, with slash fanfic ( Library of Moria has literally thousands of examples) and scholarly analysis having proliferated since the 1970s. But camp is also primarily a subjective understanding and way of relating to a piece of work. It’s not, at least in the case of The Lord of the Rings , an objective fact of the style, compared to something like Pink Flamingos directed by John Waters or But I’m a Cheerleader directed by Jamie Babbit, both of which use camp as a deliberate filmmaking choice — but it does open up the film in an interesting way to different audiences.

The films’ camp sensibility, though it doesn’t cover the entire surface of the cinematic universe of Tolkein’s world, does feature significantly in specific beats of the films. Besides Galadriel’s temptation, scenes of the Ring seducing and taunting Frodo crossover into the same territory. While probably intended to resemble something more akin to a struggle with addiction and relapse, Elijah Wood also looks as if he’s about to orgasm.

Before their journey has even really started in The Fellowship of the Ring , Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry find themselves tracked by a a group of Ringwraiths (whose shriek sounds like the squawking of excited gay men, for the record). They hide within the nook of a tree , and as the Ringwraith bends over, sensing the Ring and ready to capture whomever has it, Frodo begins to feel the Ring taunting him and taking over his sense of desire. Wood’s eyes roll back into his skull and he closes his eyelids, his breathing gets heavier, and his nose quivers. He holds the Ring with its orifice open using his right hand, about to put it on his left pointer finger. The erotic imagery feels a little blatant and self-aware.

It’s a scene of incredible tension, sure, but it also feels like a sly wink on the part of Jackson, an awareness of the multifaceted images and metaphors that can be found in Tolkein’s story, turned up to 11 to shed light on what images of desire and temptation look like, especially when power is the object. Jackson himself is not a stranger to using camp aesthetics, having employed them earlier in his career with the gonzo splatter films Bad Taste and Meet the Feebles as well as the queer inflected fantasy drama Heavenly Creatures , which starred Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey as a pair of young girls with a very complicated friendship. It’s these traces of those artistic experiments found in The Lord of the Rings that makes it so stunning and interesting.

Jackson has a willingness to consider the other genres and styles of storytelling that informed Tolkein’s work and how those styles and genres were shaped by Tolkein. The Lord of the Rings is not just a grand fantasy blockbuster, but an intelligent film invested in the nuances and tropes of action, melodrama, romance, horror, and, yes, even camp. You just have to open up your lidless eye.

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Zach Omer [email protected]

• Nov 28, 2018

A Rhetorical Analysis of Samwise Gamgee's Epic Speech in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The second installment of Peter Jackson’s timeless Lord of the Rings film trilogy, titled The Two Towers , was released on December 18th, 2002. I remember this date vividly because it was my 10th birthday, and I convinced my parents to take me to see the movie in theaters (my first PG-13 cinematic experience!). I was in the 4th grade, and had just finished reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s prequel novel, The Hobbit . I had seen The Fellowship of the Ring earlier that year at a friend’s house and instantly became enamored with the fantastical stories and landscapes of Middle Earth. Yes, I was—and still am—a huge nerd.

If you haven’t seen the movie(s), the basic plot of the trilogy is that a dark lord named Sauron forged a powerful magic ring long ago, and used it in an attempt take over the land of Middle Earth. He was defeated when a man cut the ring from his fingers in battle. Sauron lost all power, and the ring was taken by the man who defeated him. The man was killed shortly after and the ring fell to the bottom of a river. Fast forward several thousand years, and by happenstance, Bilbo Baggins, belonging to the gentle race of hobbits, took the ring from a creature named Gollum in a cave during a daring adventure across Middle Earth, and eventually brought it back to his home in the peaceful land of The Shire. What’s left of Sauron and his dedicated following—bound to the malice of the One Ring—sensed that the ring was on the move, and they began plotting a return of the Dark Lord to reclaim his ring and dominion over Middle Earth.

As the years pass, Bilbo grows old, and passes the ring to his nephew, Frodo, who agrees to take the ring across Middle Earth to destroy it inside the volcano where it was forged. He travels with a fellowship of companions—a wizard, an elf, a dwarf, two men and three hobbits, most notably, Samwise Gamgee, who is Frodo’s gardener and best friend.

In the second movie, the fellowship has been broken up into three groups, and the movie follows the three storylines throughout. The internet blogger Nat Wassell (2018) provides a succinct summary leading up to Sam’s speech:

“The Two Towers has, up until this point, been a story of three parts. There’s Aragorn and his gang, who are happily reunited with Gandalf, save King Theoden from Saruman’s influence, and then end up fighting [the] battle at Helm’s Deep. Then there are Merry and Pippin, who escape from their Urak-Hai captors and meet Treebeard, spending the rest of their time persuading him and his tree friends to attack Saruman’s stronghold at Isengard. And then there’s Frodo and Sam, the most important of the parts, who are captured by Faramir of Gondor and have the bad luck of being in Osgiliath, the ravaged city, when the Black Riders come back for another pop at getting the Ring.”

At the end of The Two Towers, Sam delivers his speech to a broken and demoralized Frodo in the ruins of Osgiliath. I will be conducting a rhetorical analysis of this speech using Kenneth Burke’s dramatistic pentad. The transcript is here:

“ Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam.

Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.”

This speech is delivered by Sam to Frodo in Osgiliath, a ruined city under the attack of Orcs and other minions of Sauron. Frodo and Sam were captured by the men responsible for defending the city earlier in the film, and are now trying to escape without being killed or losing the ring. Frodo just survived an encounter with a Black Rider (shown below), but his resolve to accomplish the mission of destroying the ring has been severely shaken.

Just before delivering the speech, Sam saves Frodo by tackling him off the ledge (shown above) to escape the grasp of the enemy. Frodo is so rattled from the experience that he draws his sword on Sam after they tumble down a flight of stairs and out of harm’s way. After realizing what he’s done to his friend who just saved him, Frodo says, “I can’t do this, Sam,” which sets off the ensuing speech. It is in this moment that Sam establishes himself as the true backbone of this quest, offering encouragement—as well as physical and emotional support— for Frodo even when the latter begins to feel hopeless and defeated.

Frodo drops his sword after they tumble down the stairs and he instinctively threatens Sam, and both hobbits sit on the ground, appearing fatigued, dirty, despondent, and on the verge of tears: a testament to their perilous journey thus far. Frodo claims he “can’t do this,” and Sam struggles to his feet. He walks over to a window and looks out at the dragon they just escaped as it flies off toward the dark, foreboding, volcanic land of Mordor (where the hobbits need to go). Fighting back tears, Sam begins his speech. The brilliant orchestral music of Howard Shore starts playing a somber but hopeful tune that eventually evolves into a triumphant theme. After Sam asks the question, “how could the end be happy?” the screen changes and we are shown clips of the other characters in the story claiming an unexpected victory on the battlefield at Helm’s Deep, elsewhere in Middle Earth. We hear shouts of victory, we see enemies fleeing and being struck down, and we see smiles on the faces of brave warriors. We also see clips from Isengard, the stronghold of an evil wizard, where a race of giant tree-people called Ents (with the help of the other two hobbits in the story) are flooding out his forges of destruction claiming another victory for the good guys.

As Sam delivers the lines, “Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something,” the camera zooms in on his determined face. Frodo asks, “What are we holding on to, Sam?” to which Sam lifts Frodo to his feet, faces him, and says the iconic line: “That there’s some good in the world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fightin’ for.” Frodo appears to be inspired by Sam’s words, and even the creepy, schizophrenic creature Gollum (who is accompanying the two hobbits and listening from a short distance away) seems to be fighting back tears.

Obviously, Samwise Gamgee is the primary actor for this speech, but the cinematography of director Peter Jackson and the musical score by Howard Shore both play equally important roles in the delivery of this moving, emotional scene. Furthermore, according to Yahoo! columnist Ethan Alter (2017), this particular speech was added into the movie at the last minute. In his article, Alter quotes actor Sean Astin—who played Samwise Gamgee in the movies: “’That scene was not written in the original script,’ the actor says, explaining that Jackson decided to insert it into the film as a direct response to the Sept. 11 attacks, which had overshadowed the release of The Fellowship of the Ring the previous year” (Alter, 2017).

By layering Sam’s voice over the hopeful and triumphant music of Howard Shore, director Peter Jackson’s depiction of the forces of good in the film overcoming all odds to vanquish the forces of evil becomes even more powerful. The pace, timing, and coordination of these three actors combine to form a cinematic masterpiece that continues to give me goosebumps and chills every time I watch, even 15 years after its original release.

As mentioned in the previous section, there were audible and visual components that were combined to enhance the delivery of Sam’s speech, along with brilliant script writing that was added after most of the filming had concluded. Specifically, Sam utilizes pace, tone, and inflection to allow his universal message to resonate with audiences on a cinematic and personal level. Throughout the speech, Sam’s voice is fraught with emotion, and we can see the determination on his face. He speaks slowly enough for the audience to digest what he’s saying while also allowing time to show clips of what’s happening elsewhere in the movie and drawing connections between those other events and the hobbits’ current situation.

On the surface, Sam delivered this speech to Frodo to motivate him to continue on and see their journey through. This speech was also meant to serve as a conduit between the three storylines of the movie, connect them together, and set the stage for the third movie in the trilogy. But the real beauty of Sam’s speech is its timeless and universal applicability. It was written into the movie as somewhat of an indirect response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, but J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the books on which the movie trilogy is based, fought in World War I. None of the words used in the speech refer to movie-specific characters or events, but simply themes of good and evil, of hope and persistence. These can be applied to the largest of world conflicts or to the simplest struggles of everyday life.

As Wassell (2018) puts it, “Sam is talking about Middle Earth, but he’s also talking about life in general…Hope is a small and powerful thing, and we can’t help but listen to Sam’s words and apply them to our own lives, to the things we see going on around us. It’s impossible not to.” That is why the speech resonated with me at age 10, and why it continues to resonate with me (albeit in a slightly different way) at age 25.

Within this analysis using Kenneth Burke’s dramatistic pentad, it would appear that Agent was the dominant term for Sam’s speech in The Two Towers . Without Peter Jackson’s cinematography and script-writing, Howard Shore’s musical score, and Sean Astin’s emotional delivery of his lines, the impact of this speech wouldn’t have been nearly as powerful for audiences. However, each aspect of the pentad had a specific role to play in the presentation of this cinematic monologue, and each reveals new insights into the depth and complexity of the clip. Whether it’s the innocent enthusiasm of a 10-year-old at the theater, or the inquisitive and analytical ramblings of a weary graduate student, this speech (and this movie) is capable of providing hope and purpose to any viewer.

Works Cited

Alter, E. (2017, December 18). “The Two Towers” turns 15: Sean Astin reveals the real-world origins of Sma’s big speech. Yahoo! Entertainment . Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/two-towers-turns-15-sean-astin-reveals-real-world-origins-sams-big-speech-204233506.html

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [Quotes]. (n.d.). IMDb . Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167261/quotes

Tracy, S. J. (2013). Qualitative research methods: collecting evidence, crafting analysis, communicating impact . Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Wassell, N. (2018, May 22). Memorable Moments: Sam’s Speech in The Two Towers. Retrieved from https://culturedvultures.com/memorable-moments-the-two-towers/

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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a British 2002 epic fantasy adventure film and the second installment in The Lord of the Rings motion picture trilogy based on the book by J. R. R. Tolkien .

• 1 Galadriel
• 2 Sam Gamgee
• 3 Gandalf the White
• 4 Saruman the White
• 8 About The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
• 10 Taglines
• 11 External links
• The power of the enemy is growing. Sauron will use his puppet Saruman to destroy the people of Rohan. Isengard has been unleashed. The Eye of Sauron now turns to Gondor, the last free kingdom of Men. His war on this country will come swiftly. He senses the Ring is close. The strength of the Ringbearer is failing. In his heart, Frodo begins to understand. The quest will claim his life. You know this. You have foreseen it. It is the risk we all took. In the gathering dark, the will of the Ring grows strong. It works hard now to find its way back into the hands of men. Men, who are so easily seduced by its power. The young captain of Gondor has but to extend his hands, take the Ring for his own and the world will fall. It is close now, so close to achieving its goal. For Sauron will have dominion of all life on this Earth, even unto the ending of the world. The time of the Elves is over. Do we leave Middle-earth to its fate? Do we let them stand alone?
• [to Faramir] Do you want to know what happened to Boromir? You want to know why your brother died? He tried to take the Ring from Frodo! After swearing an oath to protect him, he tried to kill him! The Ring drove your brother mad!
• It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines, it'll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to understand why. But I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going because they were holding on to something...That there's some good in the world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for.

Gandalf the White

• The Grey Pilgrim, that's what they used to call me.
• Three hundred lives of men I've walked this earth and now I have no time. With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East.
• Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift. The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little Hobbits, somewhere in the wilderness.

Saruman the White

• The world is changing. Who now has the strength to stand against the armies of Isengard...and Mordor? To stand against the might of Sauron and Saruman and the union of the two towers? Together, my Lord Sauron, we shall rule this Middle-Earth. The old world will burn in the fires of industry. The forests will fall. A new order will rise. We will drive the machine of war with the sword and the spear and the iron fist of the Orc. We have only to remove those who oppose us.
• It will begin in Rohan. Too long have these peasants stood against you...but no more . Rohan, my lord, is ready to fall.
• [addressing his Uruk-Hai army] A new power is rising! Its victory...is at hand! This night, the land will be stained with the blood of Rohan! March to Helm's Deep! Leave none alive! TO WAR! There will be no dawn...for Men!
• I have not seen my niece smile for a long time. She was a girl when they brought her father back dead, cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief, and she was left alone to tend her king in growing fear, doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved her as a father.
• So it begins.
• Note: The line is ranked #85 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations in American cinema .
• Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins
• Ian McKellen as Gandalf the White
• Liv Tyler as Arwen Undómiel
• Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn
• Sean Astin as Samwise "Sam" Gamgee
• Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
• John Rhys-Davies as Gimli / Treebeard (voice)
• Bernard Hill as King Théoden
• Christopher Lee as Saruman the White
• Dominic Monaghan as Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck
• Orlando Bloom as Legolas Greenleaf
• Miranda Otto as Éowyn
• David Wenham as Faramir
• Andy Serkis as Sméagol / Gollum (voice)
• Sean Bean as Boromir
• Karl Urban as Eomer
• Craig Parker as Haldir
• John Noble as Denethor
• John Bach as Madril

About The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

• MTV Award speech by Andy Serkis and Gollum/Sméagol. (May 2003)
• J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (1978)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
• The Battle for Middle-earth Begins.
• The Journey Continues.
• The Fellowship Is Broken.
• A New Power is Rising.
• Save the Precious.

External links

• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Official Lord of the Rings Site

• Films shot in New Zealand
• Adaptations of works by J. R. R. Tolkien
• Adventure films
• Fantasy films
• Screenplays by Peter Jackson
• Screenplays by Philippa Boyens
• Screenplays by Stephen Sinclair
• Films based on novels
• Dwarf films
• Best Visual Effects Academy Award winners
• Films directed by Peter Jackson
• Siege films
• Films about wizards

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Gandalf's 20 Most Iconic Quotes From The Lord Of The Rings And The Hobbit

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Gandalf is a character synonymous with the movie adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit . The wizard is played by the legendary Sir Ian McKellen, a role for which he received Oscar and BAFTA nominations. As a character who's appeared across all six movies, it is only natural that many of his various teachings, musings, and general pieces of dialogue have resonated and lasted in the memories of fans and audiences over the years.

Gandalf has certainly represented his class of wizards appropriately by passing his wisdom onto his others. At the same time, he has also uttered words of hope and defiance. In each case, his ability to inspire, inform, and advise others remains ever-present. Although he's certainly not the only smart or wise person in Middle-earth, the Grey Wizard has some of the best lines in both the books and the movies.

Updated by Ajay Aravind on June 7, 2024: With The War of the Rohirrim set to release on December 13, 2024, fans couldn't be more excited. Although the original two trilogies were pretty exhaustive, there's always the need for more Middle-earth lore. And given Gandalf's overall role in freeing Middle-earth from Sauron's clutches, we've updated this article with some more relevant information.

20 "One Ring To Rule Them All. One Ring To Find Them."

The fellowship of the ring.

One Ring to rule them all. One Ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

The Lord of the Rings' Children of Húrin, Explained

The Children of Húrin took place thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings, and it told one of the darkest stories in Middle-earth's history.

The fearsome and forbidden Black Speech of Mordor was used to inscribe the One Ring with its infamous quote. This is first seen when the Ring is thrown into Bilbo's fireplace, revealing the ominous lines presumably written by Sauron . Although not technically one of his own thoughts, listening to Gandalf recite the couplet is certainly shocking.

The Grey Wizard only speaks the translation into Westron and avoids using the original language. Interestingly, Gandalf later says the actual words during the Council at Rivendell, scaring Boromir away from the One Ring. This monologue is particularly impressive because it comes with special effects, including darkened skies, the sounds of thunder, and what seems like an earthquake. Elrond is furious, but Gandalf calmly refuses to apologize.

19 "I Did Not Pass Through Fire And Death To Bandy Crooked Words With A Witless Worm."

The two towers.

I did not pass through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm.

Magically triggered by Saruman , the parasitic relationship between King Theoden Grima Wormtongue had been going on for years before Gandalf visited Rohan. In fact, Wormtongue even attempts to badmouth Gandalf to the king, glibly stating that " he's a herald of woe ." As Gandalf gently scolds Theoden for not extending his hospitality, the king demands to know where the wizard had been all this while.

Quickly recognizing Wormtongue's influence, Gandalf orders him to keep his " forked tongue behind [his] teeth ," before mentioning the part about the witless worm. At this point, Wormtongue is essentially helpless because Gandalf not only has his staff but has also evolved even further. The curse on King Theoden is promptly lifted, and the witless worm is exiled forever. Gandalf usually doesn't speak this harshly, so it was quite surprising to hear this quote.

18 "Don't Tempt Me, Frodo."

Don't tempt me, Frodo. I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand Frodo, I would use this Ring from a desire to do good. But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine.

There is only one known individual in Middle-earth capable of resisting the One Ring, and even that in theory. Tom Bombadil doesn't appear in the movies , however, which means that everyone who wears the Ring will inevitably succumb to its evil power. Although, Samwise Gamgee briefly proves immune to the One Ring, Gandalf refuses it because he cannot trust himself enough.

When Frodo offers it to him, the Wizard merely warns the hobbit not to tempt him. Frodo continues to beg, clearly under the impression that Gandalf would be a better caretaker. However, Gandalf states that he " d are not take it, not even to keep it safe ." He explains his decision, arguing that the One Ring " would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine " through him. This quote demonstrates Gandalf's resolve as well as his understanding of his own limits.

17 "Now Come The Days Of The King! May They Be Blessed."

The return of the king.

Now come the days of the King! May they be blessed.

Viggo Mortensen Came Dangerously Close to Turning Down The Lord of the Rings

Lord of the Rings actor Viggo Mortensen was close to turning down the role of Aragorn, but a stroke of luck made him reluctantly accept the project.

Gandalf's centuries of hard work had paid off by the end of the story, with the One Ring dissolved in the pits of Mt. Doom and Sauron's empty spirit left to wander forever. They celebrate their victory with a coronation, fulfilling Aragorn's genetic destiny to sit on the throne of Gondor . The scene itself is wondrous to watch, with the sun glimmering on a rainshower of flower petals and thousands of people watching history being made.

Gandalf lowers the crown onto Aragorn's head and recites this quote — a simple yet profound sentence that encapsulates the hope that Middle-earth feels once again. Only Gandalf is capable of capturing such a complex emotion in a single line. Aragorn's reign did turn out to be blessed, as he ruled rather peacefully for 123 years before shedding his mortal coil.

16 "Three Hundred Lives Of Men I Have Walked This Earth And Now I Have No Time."

Three hundred lives of men I have walked this earth, and now I have no time.

Gandalf doesn't belong to any of the races of Middle-earth or, for that matter, the world of Arda. He is a Maia, one of the angelic beings created long before the universe had even taken form. Despite his actual youthful appearance, Gandalf manifests himself as a wizened old man on Middle-earth, where he would strive for centuries to rid the world of Sauron's malevolence.

He has been working endlessly since the early Third Age, often with other long-lived allies like Galadriel and Elrond. That said, the quote " three hundred lives of men " sounds vastly cooler than just saying he's been around for thousands of years. Assuming that the lifespan of Men ranges between 80 and 100 years, Gandalf has been in Middle-earth for at least two-and-a-half-millennia.

15 "The World Is Not In Your Books And Maps; It's Out There."

The hobbit: an unexpected journey.

The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there.

Gandalf the Grey is the living embodiment of a hero's Call to Adventure , especially when it comes to Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo, a homebody Hobbit holed up in the Shire, has no aspirations for greater glory beyond his homeland. Gandalf, however, convinces him that there is a far greater world out there beyond the books and maps in Bilbo's study.

There is no one in Middle-earth quite so capable of sensing heroism as Gandalf. It is almost as though he can see right to the heart of a person at a single glance. Even a meek little Hobbit can find his sense of adventure with Gandalf's help. Interestingly, this quote serves an ironic meta-purposes as it also pertains to the reader of The Hobbit , since they'd rather experience the adventures vicariously.

14 "Fool Of A Took!"

Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!

10 Most Important Locations in Middle-earth, Ranked

Though Middle-earth is full of beautiful locations, some play a larger role in the events of The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit than others.

Gandalf and Pippin's relationship is one of the most entertaining in The Lord of the Rings . The wizard often finds himself fed up with Peregrin Took's witless shenanigans, although it's quite impressive that a hobbit could cause a Wizard so much concern and worry. On several occasions, Gandalf's anger gets the better of him, causing him to whirl on Pippin and declare him a " fool of a Took! " This in seen when Pippin nearly falls to his death in Moria, infuriating Gandalf for creating a racket.

While Gandalf wasn't exactly wrong in his assertion regarding Pippin's wisdom — or lack thereof — he does come to think better of the young Hobbit as time goes on. As frustrated as he may get with him, Gandalf comes to see the spark of heroism in Pippin, and the two soon become rather good friends. In fact, Gandalf and Pippin working together helps Gondor survive just a little while longer.

13 "...They Can Still Surprise You."

You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you.

There is no question Gandalf has a soft spot for hobbits , halfling creatures mostly found in and around the Shire. The Wizard waxes eloquent about hobbits in The Fellowship of the Ring , commenting that it is remarkably easy to know everything about their culture and yet still be surprised by their heart and heroism. Hobbits are incredibly straightforward creatures who enjoy the simpler things of life, especially food and fellowship.

Gandalf spent many years close to hobbits and knew them rather well. However, he always found himself surprised by the fortitude and bravery shown by some of their numbers. In a time of great kings, warriors, diligent dwarves, and whimsical Elves, it is truly remarkable that the world's greatest heroes so often turn out to be little hobbits.

12 "I Come Back To You Now... At The Turn Of The Tide."

I come back to you now... at the turn of the tide.

Gandalf was believed dead following his battle with the Balrog in the Mines of Moria, but that wasn't the end of the Wizard's story. During the events of The Two Towers , Gandalf reappears to his old allies with a message of hope. The resurrected wizard claimed that his return came at the " turn of the tide ," as things began shifting against the light and in favor of the darkness. In other words, Gandalf would be there to prepare them for what was to come.

Always the motivator, Gandalf knew exactly what his friends needed to hear to keep them in a fighting spirit for the rest of this conflict. The road had not been easy for the likes of Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, and they had braved many dire challenges. Nevertheless, Gandalf's return sparked enough hope within these heroes to keep them strong, truly turning the tide of the war in favor of the salvation of Middle-earth.

11 "I Am Saruman. Or Rather, Saruman As He Should Have Been."

I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been.

Gandalf's battle with Durin's Bane, the Balrog of Moria, ended with both of them dying on a mountaintop. When Gandalf returned after his supposed death, however, he came in a very different form than what his allies were expecting. No longer clad in grey robes and a wizard's hat, Gandalf was now arrayed in full white garb, closely resembling Saruman the White.

Gandalf confirms that this resemblance was purposeful, for he planned to fulfill the responsibilities in which Saruman had failed. Under the influence of Sauron, Saruman the White turned evil , forsaking his duties and wreaking havoc on Middle-earth. In the wake of Saruman's failure, Gandalf was called to a higher responsibility, leading him to become everything that his predecessor was supposed to be. Meanwhile, Saruman attempted a foolish comeback by rebranding himself as Saruman of the Many Colors.

10 "Even The Very Wise Cannot See All Ends."

Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends.

Were The Lord of the Rings' Eagles the Same as Those From The Hobbit?

Great Eagles played key roles across J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth stories, but were the Eagles who helped Bilbo the same birds who helped Frodo?

Gandalf's full conversation with Frodo while in the Mines of Moria, in the Extended Edition Of The Fellowship Of The Ring , involves Gandalf reassuring Frodo. Gandalf also offers the hobbit something of a warning and a life lesson merged into one. Aware that Gollum is spying on them, Gandalf is worried that Frodo is too quick to wish death upon the beast.

His speech suggests that, despite being a wizard, he doesn't know everything. Gandalf knows he may be fighting a losing battle trying to keep Frodo and his impulses in check , but he still hopes that the hobbit will heed this warning and life lesson. This indirectly references the reality of the world they live in, where dead Elves and Dwarves remain in the fixed universe, while Men and hobbits presumably vanish beyond the scope of everyone but Iluvatar.

9 "I Found It Is The Small Everyday Deeds Of Ordinary Folk..."

I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay.

Despite the Hobbit trilogy being prequels to The Lord of the Rings , they arrived almost ten years after the release of The Return Of The King . However, the trilogy still featured some familiar faces returning to reprise their roles. One such character is Galadriel , who has always had a close and trusted relationship with Gandalf.

At one point, Galadriel asks the wizard why he chose to put so much faith in Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit. Gandalf admits his own fear and explains that Bilbo, of all people, gives him hope. This moment does its job of elevating how others seemingly perceive Bilbo, even though he hasn't proven his courage at this point. Gandalf can clearly see the spark of heroism in Bilbo that he himself is unable to perceive, one that's far beyond fighting and battles.

8 "You Shall Not Pass" / "Fly You Fools"

"You shall not pass" / "Fly you fools"

10 Best Changes The Lord of the Rings Movies Made From the Books

Peter Jackson made several changes to J.R.R. Tolkien's novels when adapting them to the silver screen.

In The Fellowship Of The Ring , the titular group originally comprised nine characters who were tasked with taking the One Ring to Mordor to destroy it. Unfortunately, they are met with an arduous journey full of roadblocks and despair. One of the first major disruptions to halt their journey occurs when the group passes through the Mines of Moria, as they are ambushed by orcs and are pursued by the almighty Balrog.

This beast of Morgoth is too much to handle, but Gandalf ultimately sacrifices himself to ensure the safety of his friends. Gandalf unleashes his defiance against the Balrog and urges the others to hurry out of the mines, before falling to his supposed death. The line " You shall not pass" is particularly iconic and has been the subject of countless memes for years.

7 "There Never Was Much Hope. Just A Fool's Hope."

There never was much hope. Just a fool's hope.

In The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King , Pippin asks Gandalf whether there is still any hope for Frodo and Sam. Gandalf's response, despite being as subtle and cryptic as ever, is quietly hopeful that they will be successful. Only a fool would be unable to recognize the apocalyptic threat posed by Sauron and his armies, but it is the same fool's hope that can sometimes make all the difference.

In addition, Gandalf saying " Just a fool's hope " is a tender homage to the pair's interaction from The Fellowship of the Ring , when Gandalf slated Pippin as " a fool of a Took ." Simply in a few words, Gandalf is telling Pippin that despite the odds being stacked against them, it is always okay to be hopeful. More importantly, it is hope that drives ambition and not the other way around.

6 "Look To My Coming, At First Light On The Fifth Day..."

Look to my coming, at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east.

While none of the battles in the realms of The Lord of the Rings were particularly pleasant, the Battle of Helm's Deep from The Two Towers was one of the grittiest. When Aragorn convinces King Theoden that they should ride out despite the hordes of orcs awaiting them, Gandalf's words ring in Aragorn's ears regarding his impending presence at dawn. He remembers that he has always trusted the Wizard and nothing is going to change that.

After a charge into the forces of orcs, Aragorn glances and sees Gandalf, Eomer, and the Rohirrim reinforcements, who instantly change the tide of battle. Gandalf's advanced words of encouragement, despite the mysticism at the time, proved true, furthering Gandalf as a symbol of wisdom and general reassurance. Somehow, he just knows what's going to happen.

5 "True Courage Is About Knowing Not When To Take A Life..."

True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.

Gandalf trying to offer his wisdom regarding when to take a life has featured in both The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, with him talking to Frodo and Bilbo, respectively. When addressing Frodo, Gandalf says " Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment ," as mentioned earlier.

Combined with Gandalf's advice to Bilbo, this philosophical quote is an informative warning to the hobbits regarding how they perceive themselves and others — and how they let that influence their actions. These are two of many Gandalf quotes that live up to his "wise wizard" image, while certainly being notes to heed in the future. Exactly as predicted, the life that neither Bilbo nor Frodo took would end up destroying Sauron and Mordor .

4 "All We Have To Do Is Decide What To Do With The Time That Is Given To Us."

All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us.

When Frodo tells Gandalf that he wishes he could take back everything that had happened and that the powerful One Ring had never come to him, Gandalf tells him that the decision isn't up to him. Gandalf also tells him to focus on the time he's been given in The Fellowship Of The Ring . Gandalf essentially tells Frodo to make the most out of life, which isn't necessarily the best advice given the task ahead.

Regardless, the quote suggests that Frodo should stop wasting time with worry. Rather than thinking about things out of his control, Frodo should rather put effort into what he can influence. And that's probably why Frodo decided to part ways with the Fellowship , knowing that only he had both the duty and the power to take the One Ring back to Mordor.

3 "I Will Not Say: Do Not Weep; For Not All Tears Are An Evil."

I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.

With Gandalf announcing to the hobbits that their Fellowship has officially come to an end, the hobbits begin to tear up. Gandalf tells them to embrace the tears, as it isn't always a bad thing to cry. This is such an important statement to make, since crying is often considered a sign of weakness, especially in men. In reality, showing one's grip and embrace with their feelings should be celebrated as a strength.

Nevertheless, Gandalf saying goodbye to the hobbits is the end of an era in The Return Of The King . He has since returned to Valinor where he had lived for tens of thousands of years, presumably taking up his original form of Olorin once again. This quote about tears is extra interesting, however, because Olorin was once a student of Nienna, the Vala of Grief and Mercy.

2 "Death Is Just Another Path – One That We All Must Take."

Death is just another path – one that we all must take.

10 Lord of the Rings Stories That Haven't Been Adapted to Movies or TV (Yet)

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is only the tip of the iceberg in the wealth of Middle-earth stories to tell. Which will be the next favorites to adapt?

Within a movie franchise so centered on war and conflict, death is a frequent occurrence throughout The Lord of the Rings . However, it doesn't mean the characters ever get used to dealing with it. When faced with the horrors of the Battle of Minas Tirith from Return Of The King , Pippin seeks emotional support from Gandalf's seemingly infinite pool of wisdom.

Gandalf's reassurance still has a terrifying and finite ring to it, but ultimately paints death to be more of a journey to the beyond rather than simply a sudden demise and end to everything. This comes after Gandalf's flirtations with death towards the end of The Fellowship of the Ring , with his experience adding more credibility and trust to his words. Everyone in Middle-earth experiences the journey of death differently, but it simply cannot be avoided.

1 "A Wizard Is Never Late, Frodo Baggins..."

A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

Gandalf's introduction to the franchise is a lovely moment at the start of The Fellowship Of The Ring . The Grey Wizard arrives in the Shire with a wagon full of fireworks to help celebrate Bilbo's 111th birthday . The exchange with Frodo has an awkward pause before the reveal that they are both joking around. Gandalf may be mysterious but he's also there for a fun visit.

It's an iconic introduction to a character who very rarely gets to partake in nice and peaceful moments. Patiently bidding time, the interaction never reveals the sheer magical power that the wizard actually possesses. This quote also cements Gandalf as someone who knows what he wants, where he's going, and what he's expected to do. His influence on Middle-earth will likely be remembered well into the Fourth Age.

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is a series of epic fantasy adventure films and television series based on J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The films follow the adventures of humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits and more in Middle-earth.

The Lord of the Rings is a long-running fantasy franchise created by J.R.R. Tolkien. The core series consists of four primary books: The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers, and The Return of the King, all of which have been adapted into films. The Lord of the Rings core franchise centers around Frodo Baggins, a living being known as a hobbit, and a group of heroes from the various kingdoms such as the kingdom of man, the kingdom of dwarves, and the kingdom of elves. Together with the great wizard Gandalf, the group will embark on a perilous quest across Middle Earth to take The One Ring to Mount Doom to destroy it, before it can corrupt anyone and return to the hands of the evil entity known as Sauron, hellbent on conquering all of Middle Earth. The original novel/prequel films, The Hobbit, stars Frodo's uncle Bilbo Baggins as he embarks on a quest from the comfort of his home and seeks the treasure of a dragon known as Smaug. Bilbo stumbles upon The One Ring on his quest, and finds himself amidst a great war. The most recent media for the franchise is the currently airing The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, airing exclusively on Prime Video.

Lord Of The Rings: Aragorn’s 10 Best Quotes From The Movies

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Amazon Games Boss Comments on Lord of the Rings MMO

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From stoic ranger to noble king, Aragorn’s journey in The Lord of the Rings is extremely moving and compelling. Viggo Mortensen excelled in this role, truly embodying Tolkien’s character and adding so much to the role.

RELATED: Who Is The Ultimate Warrior For Middle Earth?

Full of sword skill, loyalty, and courage, Aragorn has been a fan favorite since the movies first came out . His inspirational speeches are second only to Theoden’s legendary speech at Pelennor fields, and Aragorn's compassion and bravery throughout the trilogy demonstrate why he deserves to be the King of Gondor. Here are ten of the best quotes from the Ranger of the North.

10 "You Will Suffer Me"

Only Aragorn would have the audacity to square off with the King of The Dead. Only Aragorn could come out of the confrontation still breathing. In Return of the King, deep beneath the mountains of Dwimorberg, Aragorn calls the Men of the Mountain to honor their oath to the Kings of Gondor.

Surrounded by an army of the dead, and told that “the dead do not suffer the living to pass,” Aragorn does not blink in the face of impending doom. Instead, he delivers a thunderbolt of a line before clashing swords with the Dead King. The man deserved to be King of Gondor after that.

9 "It’s The Beards"

Aragorn is many things, brave, inspiring, broody, and mysterious. Yet he is not often funny. So in the midst of the flight of Rohan’s people to Helm’s Deep in the face of Saruman’s army, Aragorn provides viewers with some light relief .

RELATED: What Unlikely Creature Was Aragorn Originally Written As?

Gimli explains to Eowyn “Dwarf women are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for Dwarf-men.” Eowyn turns to Aragorn for confirmation, and he replies “it’s the beards”, before miming stroking a beard, just to hammer the point home. That’s just rude Aragorn.

8 "The Beacons Of Minas Tirith! The Beacons Are Lit! Gondor Calls For Aid!"

This scene is one of the most emblematic of the trilogy. Aragorn charges into the hall of Theoden proclaiming that Gondor has asked for support in the final war against Sauron .

The tension that follows this cry is palpable, as Aragorn waits on the words of Theoden. A tension in which the fate of Middle Earth hangs in the balance. Theoden responds with those fateful words which will lead his people to war, which will lead to his own death, and the ultimate defeat of Sauron, “and Rohan will answer.”

7 "Then I Shall Die As One Of Them!"

Aragorn’s strength and commitment truly shine through in this scene. Despite the urgings of Legolas to flee from the battle of Helm’s Deep and the almost certain death that lies at the end of it, Aragorn refuses to run .

Aragorn instead decides to fight to the last alongside the people of Rohan against the legions of Saruman’s orcs. His courage does not fail, he does not forsake his friend nor does he break the bonds of fellowship in order to save his own skin.

6 "If By My Life Or Death, I Can Protect You, I Will. You Have My Sword"

At the Council of Elrond when discussing the fate of the ring, Aragorn is one of the first to offer his aid and his life to Frodo in the pursuit of his perilous quest, demonstrating his commitment to the fight against evil.

Aragorn shows early on his caliber and strength of character and demonstrates his loyalty to Frodo, who he is clearly forming a friendship with after sharing many dangers on the road to Rivendell .

5 "There Is Always Hope"

Just when viewers thought Aragorn couldn’t get any more inspirational, he delivers this line. Just before the battle of Helm’s Deep, when Rohan’s warriors are lining the walls, a young boy confesses his fears to Aragorn, “the men are saying it is hopeless.”

After showing off his fancy sword skills , Aragorn takes the boy by the shoulder and reassures him, inspiring him, and giving him the strength he needs to fight on in the face of impending death

4 "A Day May Come When The Courage Of Men Fails, When We Forsake Our Friends And Break All Bonds Of Fellowship, But It Is Not This Day."

Following Theoden’s Ride of the Rohirrim speech is no easy task, yet Aragorn was up to the challenge. Having led the remains of his army to the very gates of Mordor, after winning a crucial yet costly victory at Minas Tirith, Aragorn needed to deliver something special to fire up his troops.

RELATED: What Did The Battle At The Black Gates Aim To Accomplish?

In the face of overwhelming odds, Aragorn comes out with a speech that makes everyone watching want to pick up a sword and follow him into battle at the Black Gates . It also references the fellowship that was torn apart in The Fellowship of the Ring , suggesting that although they have been separated, they still fight for the same goal. Inspirational.

3 "I Would Have Gone With You To The End, Into The Very Fires Of Mordor"

This is a touching moment of friendship and solidarity between Frodo and Aragorn. The two have faced many trials together, surviving even the relentless ferocity of the Nazgúl .

Yet following the fight with the Uruk Hai at Amon Hen, Frodo decides to take the ring to Mordor on his own after seeing its corrupting effect on Boromir. Aragorn accepts his decision to leave the fellowship but proclaims his loyalty to his friend, and his dedication to seeing their mission through to the end.

2 "For Frodo"

These two little words contain so much emotion. A desperate hope for the fate of all the inhabitants of Middle Earth. Pride in his friend for facing off against seemingly insurmountable odds.

The abject terror of charging his small force into the hordes of Mordor, just to buy enough time for Frodo to save them all. Grim defiance against the darkness that would enslave the world. Viggo Mortensen could do so much with so little.

1 "My Friends, You Bow To No One"

It is an odd thing to see a newly crowned King kneel to others. Yet at Aragorn’s coronation, a whole city kneels to the four young hobbits who helped save the world. Aragorn shows that he is not letting his new crown change him, and that he still cherishes his friends, and admires them for their bravery.

This beautiful moment serves as the final conclusion to the lesson that Galadriel, Gandalf and Tolkien have been trying to convey since the start. It is not great power that holds evil at bay, but the actions of ordinary people, no matter how small.

MORE: Rings of Power: The Best Moments From Season One

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Lord of the Rings: 5 Moments That Prove Samwise Gamgee Was the Real Hero

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War of the Rohirrim Trailer Brings LOTR Back to the Big Screen in Epic Fashion

Every disney animation movie releasing after moana 2, the most annoying characters in otherwise perfect movies.

In every hero's story, there's a sidekick . From Batman and Robin, Shrek and Donkey to Jay and Silent Bob, and Maverick and Goose. All of these beloved movies feature a hero, the one who does the saving and moves the story along, while often the sidekick is the comedic relief, or the aide to the hero in absolutely desperate times. When the fires are put out and the newspaper has its headline, the main character is the one always getting the praise, having fulfilled their hero duty.

What about those “sidekicks” that really do all the saving? Those that put their lives on the line for the hero to succeed, and usually never receive the credit they deserve. Sometimes, the sidekick saves the entire world and just wants a simple garden with a beautiful girl with ribbons in her hair. Sometimes that real hero is Samwise Gamgee of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Played by Sean Astin , the brave Samwise saves Frodo from ultimate demise and from straying from his course, time and time again. There would be no Middle-earth without Samwise Gamgee, really. Here are five moments that prove that he was the true hero of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

5 "You can't swim!" — The Fellowship of the Ring

In this scene from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring , Frodo stands on the shore, wishing the Ring had never come to him, that he never had the burden of carrying it. In a moment of clarity and remembering what Gandalf had previously told him, he decides to continue the journey, alone. Leaving a distraught Samwise Gamgee on the beach, Frodo shouts that he will be going to Mordor on his own. Sam then follows him into the lake, knowing he is unable to swim. Frodo pulls him from the depths and Samwise repeats the promise he made to Gandalf and Frodo. "Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And he doesn't intend to. Now, Frodo does play the hero and pulls Sam out of the water, but Sam is steadfast and strong, showing how he would rather die than be without Frodo.

Related: Lord of the Rings: How Did Peter Jackson Film the Hobbits' Height Difference?

4 "Let him go, you filth!" — The Return of the King

After Frodo is wrapped up in the giant spider monster Shelob's webbing, and is paralyzed and almost killed in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , the one and only Samwise Gamgee saves the day. Delivering his vicious line, "Let him go, you filth," he fights the monster and strikes it despite their sheer size differences, forcing it to retreat back into the shadows. Orcs end up finding them, and Sam is forced to leave what he believes is Frodo's dead body, but after realizing he is still alive and being taken by the Orcs, he follows, even if it means peril.

Related: Lord of the Rings: Where Do Orcs Come From?

3 “That's for Frodo! That's for the Shire!” — The Return of the King

Another moment from The Return of the King : on his way to save Frodo from the Orcs that took his body, Samwise Gamgee sneaks into the Tower armed only with a sword. He takes out four Orcs by himself, killing each for something special to him. He then sneaks up behind an Orc that is about to attack Frodo and sticks him first. Sam then reveals that he had been carrying the Ring all along so that the Orcs wouldn't take it — once again, saving Frodo and Middle-earth.

2 “It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo.” — The Two Towers

Samwise Gamgee delivers one of the best, most inspiring speeches of all time in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , encouraging Frodo to keep going. After a Ringwraith attack, Frodo is on the edge of giving up. Samwise recalls what makes a story really matter, and explains all the events they have gone through. Frodo asks what are they holding onto, why they must keep going. Sam replies that "there is some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And that's worth fighting for." Despite all the hardships and tragedies they've endured until this point, Sam hasn't lost sight of the ultimate goal. If it weren't for his hope, pushing the Fellowship to continue, who know what would have happened to Frodo and the Ring?

1 “I can carry you.” — The Return of the King

One of the most heroic and iconic scenes in the Lord of the Rings franchise, this moment drives home the fact that Samwise Gamgee is truly the hero of these stories. Whether that be his relentless optimism and fearless loyalty to helping Frodo succeed in his mission, or his ability to always know what to say, Sam proves himself to be the savior over and over again. In this scene, he and Frodo have made it to Mordor, but are unable to muster the energy to go on any further. Sam holds Frodo in his arms and looks up to the mountain and how much is left to go. He tells Frodo about the Shire, and how beautiful it looks in the spring. Frodo only can see what the Ring is showing him. Sam then utters the famous line, "I cannot carry it for you, but I can carry you ," and proceeds to carry Frodo and the Ring up to the fires of Mount Doom.

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“A Sword Day”: Battle Speeches from The Lord of the Rings

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Children and adults alike have been reading the fantasy literature of J.R.R. Tolkein (1892-1973) for nearly a century. The Hobbit (1936) and Tolkein’s epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings (1954-55) are regularly voted among the most popular novels in the English language. What many readers don’t realize is that Tolkein’s depictions of evil, the unnatural severing of man from nature, and both the destruction and glory of war, were not only products of his powerful imagination but were, in part, shaped by his own experiences in the deadly trenches of France and Belgium in World War I. In this seminar, we will carefully read (and watch) two of Tolkein’s most stirring battle speeches: Theoden of Rohan’s Battle Cry at the Battle of Pellenor Fields, and (from Peter Jackson’s film adaptation) Aragorn’s War Speech at the Gates of Mordor. Both speeches evoke the power, glory—and tragedy—of noble war, the honor code of the warrior class, and the stakes of battle against the most feared evils civilized man and woman must face in a world on the brink of destruction.

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Star Wars Theory Reveals Palpatine's REAL Phantom Menace Plan (& How It All Went Wrong)

Mark wahlberg to star in remake of 2023 comedy movie, infamous comedy movie with 6% rotten tomatoes score becomes netflix global hit.

Galadriel, an ancient Elven lady first encountered by the Fellowship in Lothlórien, is one of the wisest, most cool-headed characters in the Lord of the Rings mythos (despite the occasional outburst), and she's no doubt responsible for many of the film franchise's more poignant observations.

RELATED: Cate Blanchett's 10 Best Roles, Ranked

Several of her lines have stuck with people, although often for different reasons; here are 10 of the most memorable things she's ever said.

"Do Not Be Afraid, Mithrandir. You Are Not Alone."

Galadriel makes a brief appearance in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , where she's part of a Council (that also includes Saruman and Elrond) assembled to discuss new dangers in Middle-Earth. After their meeting, Galadriel confronts Gandalf regarding the Dwarves and their quest to retake Erebor, as well as the issue of a certain dangerous relic that seems to have been rediscovered.

She tells him to be careful but then offers him a comforting promise that she'll be by his side even if worst comes to worst.

"You Have No Power Here, Servant Of Morgoth! You Are Nameless! Faceless! Formless! Go Back To The Void From Whence You Came!"

In the final installment of the Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies , Gandalf has been imprisoned in Dol Guldur by the Nine Ringwraiths , who are serving an unnamed Necromancer - revealed to be Sauron.

Galadriel, Elrond, and Saruman come to his aid, but they seem almost overtaken by the great power of their foes before Galadriel gets a truly epic moment in which she lashes out full-force at the Necromancer, banishing his spirit to Mordor.

"The World Is Changed."

The first line of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, spoken as part of Galadriel's opening monologue, "The world is changed" acknowledges the strange events that have happened between the First and Third Ages of Middle-Earth.

RELATED: The Lord Of The Rings: 10 Best Quotes From The Fellowship Of The Ring

It's a great opening line to one of the greatest film franchises ever made, and it perfectly sets the scene for an exciting adventure.

"But The Hearts Of Men Are Easily Corrupted."

Galadriel uses this line during her opening monologue in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring to describe why the Ring was never destroyed - even when it fell into the hands of Isildur, who seemed like the perfect person to rid Middle-Earth of its evil influence.

The Ring gives whoever uses it an extremely desirable and completely unique power, and even the most strong-willed can feel burning temptation when they come into contact with it.

"The Quest Stands Upon The Edge Of A Knife."

When the Fellowship arrives in Lothlórien minus one wizard, Galadriel fully realizes the sheer enormity of their predicament, warning them to take utmost care in their decisions as if they "stray but at little ... it will fall, to the ruin of all."

While she's able to give words of encouragement, Galadriel also has a very down-to-earth disposition and will not hesitate to give them the truth if she feels it's what's necessary for their quest to succeed.

"In Place Of A Dark Lord You Would Have A Queen!"

Case in point: even Galadriel was tempted by the Ring's enormous power. When Frodo "offers it to [her] freely", she laughs at the thought of just taking it from him before erupting into a creepy speech about how, with the Ring, she would become a Queen "stronger the foundations of the Earth" whom "all shall love ... and despair."

Seconds later, however, she returns to normal, calmly remarking that she "passed the test."

"Even The Smallest Person Can Change The Course Of The Future."

Galadriel recognizes that it is Frodo's duty to bear the Ring, and thus offers him a word of encouragement when he remarks that he knows "what [he] must do" but he's "afraid to do it."

It's a positive message that anyone can take to heart and a reminder of Frodo's bravery in becoming the Ring-Bearer.

"May It Be A Light For You In Dark Places, When All Other Lights Go Out."

As the Fellowship is departing from Lothlórien, Galadriel offers Frodo a special gift; a crystal vial containing the light of Earendil, which Galadriel describes as "our most beloved star." It's another way of reminding him that he has allies in the fight against Mordor.

As would be expected, the vial becomes quite important later; without it, it's doubtful Frodo would have ever completed his quest.

"Do We Leave Middle-Earth To Its Fate? Do We Let Them Stand Alone?"

In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , the Elves have basically resigned themselves to the inevitable fall of mankind at the hands of Sauron, departing for the Gray Havens to escape the troubles of Middle-Earth. After Galadriel makes a series of depressing remarks to Elrond, even remarking that "the world will fall", she has a sudden change of heart, insisting the Elves must do whatever they can and not just "leave Middle-Earth to its fate."

RELATED: Lord Of The Rings: 10 Best Quotes From The Two Towers

This encourages the Elves of Lothlórien to fight alongside the Rohirrim at the Battle of Helm's Deep.

"The Power Of The Three Rings Has Ended. The Time Has Come ... For The Dominion Of Men."

At the end of The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King , Sauron's hold over Middle-Earth has finally disappeared and many of the key players in ending his reign are sailing away to rest in the Gray Havens.

RELATED: Lord Of The Rings: 10 Best Quotes From The Return Of The King

Galadriel delivers this quote as her final statement to those who remain, essentially telling them to rebuild Middle-Earth, and officially ushering in the end of the Third Age.

NEXT: Lord Of The Rings: 10 Best Quotes From The Women Of Middle-Earth

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What was Aragorn's final LOTR speech in the books?

I just LOVE Aragorn's speech in the movies when they take the battle to the black gates, on "a day may come when the courage of men fails... But it is not THIS day!" But I was wondering how that was written in the books, since I don't have a copy of them anymore, and it's been 10 years since I read them, and I really want to know how Tolkien wrote it :)

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