In many ways this is Gandalf's defining moment, almost one might say his graduation day. Until now he has been known as Gandalf the Grey, of lesser power than his fellow Wizard gone amuck, Saruman. Well, today he catches up in the power department. It takes the defeat and casting down of the Balrog...Gandalf's trial by fire...to accomplish this, and Tolkien describes it is his hallmark brilliant fashion.

That he lay naked on the peak has always brought to me a vision of rebirth. This born-again Gandalf would be tested, but ultimately would become the key instrument in the shaping of the future of Middle-earth...with a little help from his friends.

On the last day the Fellowship of the Ring has together before its Breaking, the group sails past the Argonath in their Elven boats. These two immense carved figures, one on each side of the River Anduin, represent Isildur and Anarion, the sons of Elendil. Romendacil II had them built in 1340 of the Third Age--almost 2300 years before the events of our tale. They stand in positions of guard, with one hand outstretched in a posture of warning and the other holding an axe, at the northern boundary of Gondor. They have several other names, most notably The Pillars of the Kings, and it is thus Aragorn addresses them. Their ancient presence causes the Fellowship to quail, but he reassures them.

And so for the first time Aragorn proclaims his lineage and his right as King in his own land; although he will later tell Merry and Pippin that Strider is always a part of him, here the Ranger gives way to the King.

Aragorn leads the Company to the west bank of the Anduin, to the soft, green lawn of Parth Galen, which foots the slopes of Amon Hen. In this beautiful spot, Frodo must decide the final course of the Quest. He walks alone among the ruins, where he has an encounter with Boromir which precipitates his choice.

Even as the Ring is about to begin its journey to Mordor, the traitor Saruman moves against Rohan. His army of orcs and Dunlendings battle the Rohirrim under Theoden's heir Theodred at the Isen River; they defeat the Riders, but are not able to cross the Isen.

The price for holding it is high, though, for Theodred is slain in the battle. His death leaves the Rohirrim wholly in the hands of his bewitched father, who is under the sway of Saruman's servant Wormtongue.

Rohan seems ready to fall.

But on with our story. This day is overshadowed with sadness
and a sense of gloom. After escaping the attack of the Orcs
and Boromir's treachery at Parth Galen, Frodo and Sam separate
from the rest of the Fellowship and set out across the Emyn Muil
towards Mordor. Indeed the first book of Tolkien's Trilogy ends
with a very somber passage... "Then shouldering their burdens,
they set off, seeking a path that would bring them over the grey
hills of the Emyn Muil and down into the Land of Shadow."

Forces unknown to the Fellowship are also moving and they will play an important part in the coming days. Here is the first day that Éomer appears and his actions are decisive. In the mythical Tolkien world, Éomer hears the Orc-band's descent of the East Wall of Rohan, some many miles distant and begins his pursuit. Merry and Pippin have only just been captured by Saruman's forces this day, yet the events are now in motion that will allow their escape. Both Éomer and Aragorn are in hot pursuit of Orcs and two Hobbits, bringing about the imminent meeting of the two powerful future Kings.

This is the last day that we see the complete Fellowship (sans Gandalf) together until they have completed their own journeys in the Quest. There is almost a mystical quality to this day. Boromir redeems himself from his treacherous actions with Frodo but it costs him his life. Many who read this part of the story consider his death in protection of Pippin and Merry as the ultimate redemptive act. I am always struck by the biblical passage, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." in this part of Tolkien's text, and I wonder if the Professor, with his strong Catholic faith, was as well.

Many far leagues to the south, Boromir's horn is heard in Minas Tirith, calling for aid. An air of doom now surrounds not only the Fellowship, but the whole of the world of Men.

"From the Gate of Kings the North Wind rides, and past the roaring falls;
And clear and cold about the tower its loud horn calls.
'What news from the North, O mighty wind, do you bring to me today?
What news of Boromir the Bold? For he is long away.'
'Beneath Amon Hen I heard his cry. There many foes he fought.
His cloven shield, his broken sword, they to the water brought.
His head so proud, his face so fair, his limbs they laid to rest;
And Rauros, golden Rauros-falls, bore him upon its breast.'
'O Boromir! The Tower of Guard shall ever northward gaze
To Rauros, golden Rauros-falls, until the end of days."

Separation and resolve and foreboding and determination seem to mark this dark hour of the Fellowship's now far flung quests. Adventure has given way to heavy hearts and urgent journeys.

Perhaps this appears to be a day of little significance in the grand scheme of things in the War of the Ring, but Tolkien seems to attach great significance to even the smallest details. Théodred, son of the King of Rohan, has just been slain. Saruman discounts the loyalty and the effectiveness of his younger cousin. Remember, Éomer was only 28 at the time.

Today, Éomer defeats the Orcs on the edge of Fangorn. Yet another blunder of Saruman's is that he forgets about the Ents and the powerful force that they can be when awakened. Tolkien begins to pull together all of his resources for Saruman's defeat in Rohan, and it begins today with a small and rather insignificant skirmish just outside Fangorn.

Shippey says that, in The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien used an old literary technique called 'interlacing', that is, the weaving together of plot elements. Today we see this technique used most effectively. We learn of these several events by reading five different chapters in LOTR, spaced through the two books of The Two Towers: 'The Riders of Rohan', 'The Uruk-hai', and 'Treebeard' in the third book, and 'The Taming of Smeagol' and 'The Window on the West' in Book Four. That's a span of fifteen chapters. Why is this so effective? Because we readers experience these events somewhat as the Fellowship were likely to have experienced them, disjointed, not knowing the big picture, feeling the same anxiety for the other characters. Frodo didn't know that Merry and Pippin were the prisoners of the Orcs. No one could have predicted the meeting with Treebeard or that Gollum would turn into a companion and guide. Eomer shows up out of nowhere. (And we won't even mention the possibility of Boromir's funeral boat arriving intact at Osgiliath, born by the mighty Anduin!)

Yet the interlacing of these events creates the story. Tolkien's ability to devise these timelines, tell us most of what we need to know, reveal the story in layers, and have his reader experience the story in time, rather than in a linear fashion--well, shall we call it masterful?