Angela’s Presentation for May: Water

 

 

Southfarthing ZOOM meeting 15/05/2021

River Crossings (with emphasis on “scary”)

The Hobbit

Chapter 7: Ford-crossing on the way to Beorn’s residence. Bilbo had to be carried, though it’s not clear whether this was by Gandalf or one of the Dwarves. The water – even on a ford – was no doubt too deep for someone the size of a Hobbit. (A bit scary for Bilbo).

Chapter 8: Bilbo and the Dwarves came to the river of Mirkwood Forest which blocked their path. Beorn had warned them  not to drink, or bathe in, its water and unfortunately the bridge was broken. Eventually they were able to use a rope to pull across a boat from the far side of the river and cross in that. However this did not prevent Bombur from falling in after they were startled by a fleeing deer, thereby causing a lot of extra trouble and fear!

The Lord of the Rings

Chapter 1.5: Ferry boat crossing over the Brandywine following visit to Maggot. With Nazgûl on their heels this would certainly have been scary.

Chapter 1.12: Bruinen Ford crossing. This was obviously frightening for Frodo and his companions, but they did actually cross OK. It must have been truly scary for the Nazgûl, courtesy of Elrond and Vilya!

The Fellowship have two river-crossings in Lothlórien (Chapter 2.6), firstly the Nimrodel which was not actually scary, and secondly the Silverlode which had to be crossed via 3 ropes at different heights tied to trees on either side of the river! Sam in particular found tightrope-walking scary.

Then we have two examples of Boromir reporting on recent river crossings he’d experienced which were clearly dangerous and were probably scary, even for him.

Chapter 2.2: At the Council of Elrond he described his role during a recent attack on Osgiliath by an army from Mordor which destroyed the bridge over the Anduin. The only way of escape was to swim across, which was only achieved by Boromir, Faramir and two others. So I think we can say this was a scary crossing.

Chapter 2.8: As the Fellowship prepared to leave Lothlórien, he told Celeborn how, on his long journey north to Rivendell, he lost his horse while fording the River Greyflood. This must certainly have been frightening for the horse and probably for Boromir too.

The Silmarillion

Chapter 21: Describes Túrin’s dangerous night-time crossing of the River Teiglin in order to get at the dragon Glaurung who was draped along the edge of the opposite bank. The river was in a deep ravine so it was necessary to climb down inside that, cross the water (which was pretty wild), then climb up the other side. One of Túrin’s two companions chickened out and hid, while the second was killed by a rock which was disturbed by the dragon. Whole thing incredibly scary.

Unfinished Tales

The Disaster of the Gladden Fields: Isildur had taken the One Ring after the defeat of Sauron and was heading North with his army. They were attacked by Orcs and most of his men were killed. He put on the Ring and attempted to escape by swimming across the Anduin. However it was swollen by days of  recent rain and, strong though Isildur was, he ended up being pulled into the tangled rushes of the Gladden Fields. At some point the Ring came off and, being now visible, he was killed by Orcs. So the crossing was lethal as well as scary.

The Hunt for the Ring: Aragorn caught Gollum in the Dead Marshes in 3017, shortly before the events in LotR. He took him to Thranduil in Mirkwood Forest, a journey of nearly 900 miles which involved crossing the Anduin twice. The first time (E to W) he tied Gollum to a piece of driftwood and swam across with him. The second time (W to E) he crossed by the Carrock to enter Mirkwood, presumably via the same ford mentioned in The Hobbit. He was helped by the Beornings, though it doesn’t say how they helped! Perhaps Gollum was doing a lot of wriggling and they carried him across (as with Bilbo). A stressful crossing for both parties I think – without mentioning the 900-mile journey!

Interestingly, Gollum would later follow the Fellowship down the Anduin by lying on top of a log and paddling with his hands and feet.

Eileen’s presentation for May: Water

The Passage of the Marshes

In this chapter, Tolkien describes the contrasting aspects of water; clear running water falling from the hills, with the stagnant water and rotting vegetation that the hobbits encounter as they follow Gollum through the gully. Of the marshes beyond the entrance to the gully, Tolkien writes, ’the reek of them came to their nostrils, heavy and foul’. The running water will eventually mingle with the stagnant water, and gradually become corrupted so the stagnation seems to thrive and spread, feeding the already rotting and evil-smelling vegetation.

Frodo and Sam, (with Gollum as their guide), followed him down into the gully; there was running water at the bottom, Tolkien writes ‘it was, in fact, the bed of one of the many small rivers that trickled down from the hills’. The hobbits continued through the ‘dark, winding gully’ for a long time; the gully turned eastward, and gradually became broader and shallower; they rested at the foot of a rocky wall and ate a little of the lembas wafer; eventually they fell asleep. In the next stage of the journey, the gully became even more earthy at the bottom. Soon they found themselves ‘lost in a shadowy silent world’. The hobbits soon realised that what had earlier seemed like fens, was an endless network of pools and soft mires, and winding half-strangled water-courses. the way forward proved ‘dreary and wearisome; Tolkien writes, ’the only green was the scum of livid weed on the dark greasy surfaces of the dark sullen waters’.

Tolkien is referring to the process of stagnation, with ‘greasy surfaces’ and ‘sullen waters’. As it grew later, the light increased, and the mists lifted; Tolkien writes, ’far above the rot and vapours of the world, the sun was riding high and golden, now in a serene country, with floors of dazzling foam, but he adds, the hobbits could see only her passing ghost, giving out no warmth’. They continued to follow Gollum, and eventually came to the mists of the dead marshes. They walked slowly on; in line; the fens grew more wet, opening into wide stagnant meres, where they could hear gurgling mud; When it became very dark, the air grew heavy, and they had difficulty breathing; as it grew lighter, Sam saw ‘a wisp of pale sheen out of the corner of his eye; it faded away, but other phenomena appeared soon after, like ‘Misty flames’. We can imagine their horror, when Gollum informed them that these were ‘candles of corpses’.

Here Tolkien is describing hell-like scenes, an unnatural nightmarish world made all the more evil by the toxic smelling vegetation, and stagnant water. The horror, like the stagnation seemed to be spreading, for as Sam turned, he fell on to sticky, smelly ooze; he heard a faint hiss, the lights flickered, and ‘danced and swirled’, and Sam, peering through the glassy water cried out’there are dead things, dead faces, in the water. Gollum told the hobbits that these were the ‘dead marshes’; Frodo said ‘many faces, proud and fair, with weeds in their silver hair but all foul all rotting, all dead’.

At last they managed to come to the end of the black mere; crossing it, they floundered. Tolkien writes, ’the waters were as noisome as a cesspool, till they were slimed and fouled almost up to their necks, and stank in one another’s nostrils’; It seems that all this stagnation of water, and vegetation has paradoxically, a life of its own! There is a sense that continues to thrive!

There is also an emotional scene in this chapter, where Sam, at times fearful for his master, comforts him, and waits for him, for he’s aware of the burden Frodo is carrying-on one occasion Frodo thanked Sam and held out his hand to him-Sam kissed it,** and as he did so, his tears began to flow-this is another example of water, and a memorable and precious one.

**

On rereading some of ‘the passage of the Marshes, I came across an error;regarding the care that Sam took with Frodo,I wrote that he kissed his hand and tears fell;however,Tolkien stresses that he took his hand,he bent over it;he did.he did not kiss it,though his tears fell over it.To me,Tolkien seemed to stress the’kissing’ by writing ‘not kiss’, suggesting that Tolkien expected us to expect Sam to kiss Frodo ,given their mutual love and respect.

Lynn’s presentation for May: Water

May Zoom: Water other than the Sea

Streams and Little rivers of the Shire: geographical and philological notes

As Bilbo prepares to leave Bag End after the birthday party he tells Gandalf that Frodo would go with him ‘but he is still in love with the Shire, with woods and fields and little rivers’, and I wondered what was so special about those rivers. Of course Bilbo is saying that Frodo has a delightfully modest perspective on the world, and this is in fact a very important moment of characterisation.

But the ‘little rivers’ do have less, or different, metaphysical contexts. Their names uphold the notion that the small and modest has its own significance. The main river north of the Great Road, passing close to Hobbiton, is just called ‘The Water’. The definite article declares it to be the most important example of its kind, and it needs no other designation other than ‘water’ to signal its identity. No additional name is needed to describe it.

If the name seems unimaginative, or uncomplicated, this reflects perhaps the pragmatic nature of hobbits but The Water nevertheless has economic relevance to the environment through which it flows because it powers the Mill. It may be modest in size compared to the Brandywine, but it also has aesthetic value – it is bordered by leaning alders, and the traditional hobbit holes bordering the pool at Bywater, through which it flows, had gardens running down to the water’s edge. Since hobbits don’t like boats, the gardens must be presumed to indicate the value of the pool, whether it is used for watering them, fishing, or a pleasant variation in views.

The later contamination of The Water by Sharkey and his deliberately ruinous industrialisation is specifically mentioned in ‘The Scouring of the Shire’, emphasising the hobbits’ previous acceptance of the pristine river as part of the traditional aesthetics of the landscape.

Of the smaller rivers and stream, the Stock Brook has a similarly uncomplicated name derived apparently from the place where it flows into the Brandywine. But, like The Water, it too contributes an economic benefit. Pippin looks forward to visiting the Golden Perch at Stock and the ‘best beer in the Southfarthing’. It seems likely that the river provided the water for brewing the beer, as well as delivering fresh perch for eating.

However, the main river in the Southfarthing is the Shirebourne, a another beautifully simple name: it is the ‘bourne’ in the Shire, and as such is distinguished from The Water by being only and intermittent stream rising from a spring in chalk downs – this is the specific meaning of a ‘bourne’. This tells us that the hills where it rises must be chalk, thus the water will be very clear, and probably rich in trout and other fish of chalk streams.

Into the Shirebourne flows the little Thistle Brook, suggesting perhaps that it owes its name to the characteristic flora of rough grassland through which it flows before it joins the Shirebourne at Willow Bottom. This is a confluence in a low-lying dip in the landscape – the traditional ‘bottom’ – and not just a river valley. Its characteristic flora here are willow trees, as the rough grassland has given way to damper soils. A trade in willow baskets might be sustained from here, but probably not a trade in cricket bats!

The last little reference is again given in ‘The Scouring of the Shire’ and probably relates to The Water. When the hobbits return from their quests they intend to spend a night at an inn called The Floating Log in Frogmorton. It seems reasonable to assume that the area is generally damp, thus tending to be popular with frogs. A version of the name occurs in records of medieval Southampton in the form of Padwell Farm: ‘pad’ or ‘paddock’ was the Middle English word for a frog or toad, so a well or spring noted for its frogs is suggested. The farm has long since disappeared but Padwell Road still exists. Other place names beginning with ‘pad’ may indicate similar amphibious allusions. Frogmorton’s other elements suggest it was a settlement in a damp moor.

The name of the inn additionally suggests that The Water at this point at least is wide enough and strong enough to have accommodated a floating log. It seems likely that this was a unique event commemorated by the inn name, but it could be understood as a common occurrence in these parts, making The Water close to its confluence with the Brandywine a more substantial river.

Pleasant as such speculation is, another thought is generated by the conjunction of Frogmorton and the Floating Log for which I cannot find an explanation. Both names recall events that concerned Gollum during the story. As the Company float down the Anduin in the Elven boats, Sam looks behind him and then tells Frodo that he has seen something that looked like a floating log, but it had paddle feet. He and Frodo know it is Gollum tracking them. Later, after they have captured Gollum, Frodo tells him to sit still, but suddenly he leaps into the air ‘straight off the ground like a frog’.

Whether there is any significance between these two clusters of references, whether Tolkien intended the Shire references as anything more that signs of being back in familiar territory is hard to say, but the vocabulary used in relation to Gollum and to the Shire may imply a relevance based around idea of natural the cultural simplicity.

One further observation occurs as land-drainage by natural waterways of the eastern Shire are extended by hobbit-made dykes which drain the fields between Farmer Maggot’s fields and the Brandywine. Apart from the naming of much of the surrounding land as the Marish, the dampness of the land is suggested by the fact that a causeway is needed for traffic from the Bridge and to access the ferry crossing.

Reading the names and courses of the little rivers of the Shire has little to do with Frodo’s clearly emotional attachment to them, but it can shed some light onto other aspects of the landscape and the lives of hobbits in it.

Comments:
Laura remarked that the Shire is always set up as a kind of Paradise, later ruined. I had forgotten that there are rivers associated with Paradise, so thanks to Laura for jogging my memeory.

Ian commented that little clear chalk streams are renowned, at least here, for their use by the watercress industry. This adds the delightful possibility that hobbits ate watercress sandwiches for tea.

Ian also commented that of all the names for watercourses in the Shire, Tolkien never uses the word ‘beck’ for any of them, nor does this occur anywhere in his legendarium as far as we know, and yet is it a very familiar term for streams and brooks in the north of England and he would have known it from his years at Leeds. Yet he picks up the word ‘wetwang’ for marshy lands. This may be a philological/etymological topic worthy of further investigation.

Chris’s Zoom presentation for May: Water

WATER – THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE MIRACULOUS

 

In Middle-earth many things are not always as they seem and this is certainly true of water. Throughout the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings water seems to have a power ranging from the nasty to the beneficial imbued with what one might call supernatural or miraculous properties.

 

            It is not surprising that anything associated with Sauron and his followers tends to give water unsavoury and even dangerous characteristics. Beorn, for instance, warns Bilbo and the Dwarves not to step into a river which crosses the path in Mirkwood as “it carries enchantment and a great drowsiness and forgetfulness”. The water is also described as black – a colour commonly associated with corruption. Similarly Faramir warns Frodo and Sam not to drink from any stream that flows from Imlad Morgul, the Valley of Living Death. When Frodo hears the sound of this stream it is as though it is speaking directly to him in a cold and cruel way. For Frodo the stream takes on a persona and acts as the voice of the Morgulduin, the name of that polluted stream. The same is true  when the Withywindle, described as dark brown, appears to speak to the Hobbits “and  it seemed that they could almost hear words, cool words, saying something about water and sleep.”  As soon as Frodo puts his feet in the water he suddenly falls asleep and has to be rescued by Sam. Clearly these corrupted streams have powers beyond those normally associated with ordinary water.

 

            At other times water arouses fear as happens to Merry when he dreams of water surrounding Tom Bombadil’s house in dark shapeless pools. This is repeated when Nob rescues Merry in Bree and hears Merry say he has fallen into deep water. In the same way the men of Laketown will not dare to enter the water where the remains of Smaug lie, even though it is surrounded by precious stones, as they fear they may be tainted.

 

            On the beneficial side water can assist in improving health and relaxation. The bath scene in Crickhollow certainly fulfils the role water plays in relaxation.

 

            “O! Water is fair that leaps on high

            in a fountain white beneath the sky;

            but never did fountain sound so sweet

            as splashing Hot Water with my feet!”

 

            Similarly after leaving Moria the Fellowship reach the river Nimrodel where it is said the water is healing to the weary. This is certainly the case for Frodo as when he puts his feet in the river “he felt that the stain of travel and all weariness was washed from his limbs.” and just as corrupted streams appear to speak to Frodo so do the good ones this time in music. “It seemed to him that he would never hear again a running water so beautiful, for ever blending its innumerable notes in an endless changeful music.”

 

            The refreshing effect of water can also be witnessed when, following the example of Treebeard, Merry and Pippin drink the the water from a stream, “The water refreshed them and seemed to cheer their hearts.” It is not a surprise that this stream is described as clear thus marking a marked difference to the brown, muddied, cruel and black water of the “bad” streams.

 

            Water is also used for healing by Aragorn and, although he does this by using the properties of athelas leaves soaked in this heated water, the concept of water plus a special ingredient to heal or be used for special purposes occurs elsewhere but in a less understandable or, what one call, a more magical way. It is when Merry and Pippin are with Treebeard that we witness an unknown ingredient being added to the water. “Treebeard lifted two great vessels and stood them on the table. They seemed to be filled with water; but he held his hands over them, and immediately they began to glow, one with a golden and the other with a rich green light.” This ingredient gave off a scent which reminded them “of the smell of a distant wood borne from afar by a cool breeze at night.” and, as we discover later, made the Hobbits grow in height.

 

            Perhaps the most magical use of water is witnessed when Galadriel uses water from a special stream and breathes on it in order to create the Mirror of Galadriel. This allows the users to see things which may or may not come to pass.

 

            Water, therefore, can be and is used by forces both good and bad. The fact that a number of  characters appear to hear messages coming from streams and rivers suggests that water can be both manipulated and endowed with part of the living being that did such work. No wonder water plays such an important role in Middle-earth.