Welcome Guest 

Register

Forum Home » Books Discussion » Discuss the Books » Frodos dream
Author Topic:
Wandering Noldo
Council Member
Posts: 69
Send Message
Post Frodos dream
on: April 17, 2017 01:57
Hi,

At the last night in the house in Crickollow, Frodo has this dream:
"Eventually he fell into a vague dream, in which he seemed to be looking out of a high window over a dark sea of tangled trees. Down below among the roots there was the sound of creatures crawling and snuffling. He felt sure they would smell him out sooner or later. Then he heard a noise in the distance. At first he thought it was a great wind coming over the leaves of the forest. Then he knew that it was not leaves, but the sound of the Sea far-off; a sound he had never heard in waking life, though it had often troubled his dreams. Suddenly he found he was out in the open. There were no trees after all. He was on a dark heath, and there was a strange salt smell in the air. Looking up he saw before him a tall white tower, standing alone on a high ridge. A great desire came over him to climb the tower and see the Sea. He started to struggle up the ridge towards the tower: but suddenly a light came in the sky, and there was a noise of thunder."

This - or at least the part with the sound of the sea - is widely interpreted as a premonition of Frodo leaving for the undying lands. However, I am not sure how the initial part with "a dark sea of tangled trees" fits that interpretation. And accordidng to "Return of the Shadow" that was the first part Tolkien wrote, later to add also the part about the sea.

What do you think?
He felt a delight in wood and the touch of it, neither as forester nor as carpenter; it was the delight of the living tree itself.
GreenhillFox
Council Member
Posts: 66
Send Message
Post
on: April 26, 2017 06:18
Seeing how this remains without reaction, I'll try and give it a go.

I take it that the "dark sea of tangled trees" refers to the Old Forest of which the reputation and size are ill-reputed. The “creatures crawling and snuffling” of which he “felt sure they would smell him out sooner or later” metaphorically confirms thread felt for those entering the forest and its assumed hidden dangers. The desire to climb the tower and see the sea might stand for his desire to be finally done and relieved from his heavy task.

Let’s just call this 1 interpretation. I would not be surprised if there are others. More generally, the frequent use of dreams in the narrative is noteworthy, perhaps as a way to better convey or to strengthen the mood of the one who dreams (often Frodo), such as expectation and desire, anxiety for dangers ahead, fear of failure, …
'There’s something mighty queer behind this.'
Members Online
Print Friendly, PDF & Email