J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is commonly considered a trilogy based on the manner in which it was published, but in reality it is comprised of six books that were presented in three volumes with two books each.
I gave some consideration to my favorite chapter from each book and landed with these:
Book 1, Chapter V: A Conspiracy Unmasked
The hobbits cross the Brandywine and go to Frodo’s “new” home in Buckland. Upon arrival Merry and Fatty finish preparing the meal, while Pippin, Sam and Frodo take hot baths ending with the singing of Bilbo’s favorite bath-song.
The camaraderie is genuine and the hobbits are returned to an innocent and safe time despite their recent escape from the dark riders.
After a filling meal including all you can eat mushrooms they sat around the fire to talk. Frodo is reluctant so Merry begins by telling him what they have pieced together. Frodo is beyond surprised thinking he had been careful, but the help of his friends is the bigger surprise. They outline their plan and he agrees to it.
Book 2, Chapter II: The Council of Elrond
This would likely make most readers’ list. The hobbits, Merry, Pippin, Sam and Frodo have arrived in Rivendell with the help of Strider, or Aragorn, who has befriended them in Bree, and they meet up with Gandalf and Bilbo.
At the Council the reader is introduced to characters from different races who themselves are sharing information related to the Enemy with the goal of creating a plan to conquer him.
It is a condensed version of the history of Tolkien’s Legendarioum told by the eventual Fellowship members, Elrond, and Bilbo.
Book 3, Chapter VIII, The Road to Isengard
The Battle of Helm’s Deep has ended and those remaining are gathering to one another. With little recovery they set out for Isengard to confront Saruman.
The arrival at Isengard is why I love this chapter.
“There were bottles and bowls and platters laid beside them, as if they had just eaten well, and now rested from their labour. One seemed asleep; the other, with crossed legs and arms behind his head, leaned back against a broken rock and sent from his mouth long wisps and little rings of thin blue smoke.”
“Amid all the wreck of Isengard this seemed to them the strangest sight.”
Merry’s welcome of King Theoden and Eomer is priceless.
And then Merry begins speaking of Pipeweed and Gandalf cuts in, “You do not know your danger, Theoden.” Gandalf begins and goes on to say how hobbits will sit on the edge of disaster and discuss pleasures of the table and small doings.
In a later, and another favorite chapter, Theoden’s final words are to Merry, “Live now in blessedness; and when you sit in peace with your pipe, think of me! For never now shall I sit with you in Meduseld, as I promised, or listen to your herb-lore.”
These words are all the more poignant in the context of their first meeting taking place in this chapter.
Book 4, Chapter X, The Choices of Master Samwise
Shelob has bound Frodo after her attack on him and Samwise comes to his rescue. Sam stands under her as she thrusts her entire weight upon him and he holds Sting up above and spears the spider. She leaps back and is about to spring upon him again when Sam holds the Phial of Galadriel toward her and spoke the words of Elbereth. The Phial blazed and the light burned Shelob. She fled into her caverns.
Sam then cut Frodo loose, but he appeared dead. Sam had to decide what to do. A group of Orcs came upon him and took Frodo’s body, but not before Sam had taken the Ring for safekeeping. He puts it on and finds his hearing is heightened and the Orcs make it clear that Frodo is alive.
He follows them as best he can but is separated from Frodo when the Orcs close and lock the gate behind them and in front of Sam. So ends book four.
Book 5, Chapter VI, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields
King Theoden calls the men to them as a shadow falls over the field. His horse Snowmane rears up in fear and is shot by a black arrow. As the horse falls, Theoden is under him, trapped and pained, but not yet dead.
The Lord of the Nazgul had flown in on an ancient dark steed and landed. Dernhelm was the only survivor of the King’s Guard. Merry had ridden with Dernhelm, but both had been thrown by his horse Windfola. Merry was crawling on the ground dazed, thinking of Theoden.
Dernhelm confronts the Lord of the Nazgul near Merry and he is revealed to be Eowyn. When he sees her about to be killed, Merry stabs the Lord of the Nazgul and Eowyn, or Dernhelm, provides the death-blow.
Merry sees Theoden on the ground, his horse no longer on top of him, and goes to him, taking his hand when Theoden opens his eyes and says his last words to the Hobbit (cited above).
Eomer arrives at the King and has him and Eowyn taken into the city. Merry follows the men who bear them, but he is all but forgotten as the battle continues on. Pippin finds Merry wandering the streets, lost, with a darkness all about him, and Pippin saves him.
Book 6, Chapter VIII, The Scouring of the Shire
This, as it should be, is the penultimate chapter of Book 6 and as such the entire work.
Following the victory over Sauron, the crowning of Aragorn as King, and having been celebrated as heroes by the peoples of Middle-earth, the hobbits return to the Shire.
The Shire is different, and so too are the hobbits.
The Shire has been over-run and in the eyes of the hobbits ruined and much like Mordor.
In the end it is the work of Saruman, who has come and taken over. The hobbits fight his men and find Saruman at Bag End. There they confront Saruman and when he flees Wormtongue attacks and kills him, and is then shot by the hobbits.
The shire is saved and then remade under the guidance of Sam.
The return of the hobbits to their home and thinking all is going to be good is shattered in this chapter. They are disheartened, maybe more than anything that happened in their adventure. Now they are different hobbits than when they left. They plan, rally, organize, and fight for what they believe in and come out victorious.
The task of rebuilding the Shire largely is taken up by Sam. Sam is best suited for this role for many reasons, mostly his absolute love of the Shire.
The book could have ended with Aragorn being crowned King, but having the hobbits recover their own land without help and remaking it to be even more beautiful than it had been, is a much more satisfying ending.
Resilient Seeker Coaching | Ross Raymond Nunamaker 