Fellowship of the Ring/Summary

Summary

Book 1

Chapter 1: A Long-Expected Party

• Shire
• Bilbo's 111th birthday party
• Gandalf arrives
• Party preparations
• Bilbo says farewell
• Gandalf meets Bilbo back at Bag End
• Discussion about Bilbo's plans
• Bilbo tries to leave with the ring
• Bilbo departs
• Frodo arrives
• Gandalf doesn't say much about the ring
• People coming to get things from Bag End
• Gandalf and Frodo have a discussion in the evening
• True story of how Bilbo obtained the ring
• Gandalf begins to wonder about the ring
• Tells Frodo not to use it
• Gandalf departs, Frodo does not see him again for a long time

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 1

Chapter 2: The Shadow of the Past

• Shire
• This chapter covers a lot of time between the birthday party and the beginning of Frodo's quest
• Rumors of strange things, strangers passing through the Shire, elves going west
• Gandalf does not appear for several years
• Sam introduced as Frodo's gardner
• Gandalf first appears 3 years after the birthday party
• Shows up frequently for 1-2 years
• Disappears for nine years
• Gandalf appears one day
• Gandalf tells Frodo about the rings of power
• Mortals do not die/do not grow/merely continues
• The ring will change shape/size
• Gandalf recounts the White Council discussing how to drive Sauron from Mirkwood (just before the Battle of Five Armies)
• Bilbo lying about the ring to claim it (parallels Smeagol behavior)
• Gandalf raises prospect of Sauron invading the Shire
• Ring is thrown into the fire, ancient Elvish characters but language of Mordor
• Gandalf reveals that it is the One Ring
• Sauron discovered the ring was not lost, gathering strength in Mordor, looking for the ring
• Some history on the ring
• Isildur (Elendil's son) cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand
• Sauron retreated, eventually fled to Mirkwood
• Isildur attacked by Orcs, ring fell into the Great River
• Deagol/Smeagol story
• Smeagol wanders, begins obsessing, stealing, takes name Gollum
• Retreated into the Misty Mountains, Sauron knew nothing of the ring
• Similarities between river folk (Smeagol) and hobbits (love of riddles)
• Gollumn growing to hate the dark, hate the light, hate the ring
• Ring of power looks after itself
• Gandalf reveals he has talked with Gollum, found him, interrogated him
• Precious (peculiar way of talking)
• Gollum had discovered where Bilbo came from (Shire)
• Gollum did not go to the Shire, but tried to
• Mirkwood Wood-elves helped track Gollum
• Gollum's trail went cold, Gandalf let him go and let him be
• Trail was cold after he took it up again on Bilbo's 111th birthday
• Gandalf got help from Aragorn
• Tracked Gollum down entire length of Wilderland
• Gandalf discovers Gollum went to Mordor
• Gollum lurked around Morodr, was finally caught and interrogated
• Sauron learned that the One Ring was found again
• He heard "hobbits" and "Shire"
• Pity and mercy, deserving death/life
• Frodo asks why the Ring hasn't been destroyed
• Gandalf instructs him to throw it in the fire, Frodo is reluctant
• Must be destroyed in the Cracks of Doom in the depths of Orodruin, the Fire-mountain
• Frodo offers the ring to Gandalf
• Realizes he must leave the Shire
• Frodo torn between the call to adventure and the desire to stay in the Shire
• Mr. Underhill
• Sam eavesdropping
• Gandalf orders Sam to go with Frodo

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 2

Chapter 3: Three is Company

• Gandalf encourages Frodo to leave Bag End and leave the Shire
• Frodo reluctant to leave, but makes his mind up to leave on his 50th birthday (17 years after Bilbo's 111th birthday)
• Gandalf recommends Frodo go to Rivendell
• Frodo sells Bag End to the Sackville-Bagginses
• Gandalf stays in the Shire for two months (May and June)
• Gandalf then leaves to get news
• He promises to come back for the farewell birthday party
• Frodo does not hear from Gandalf
• Merry and Fatty go to the house in Crickhollow
• Stranger (dark rider) talking to Gaffer (Sam's father)
• Frodo, Pippin, and Sam leave Bag End
• After lunch, a black rider comes along the road
• Sniffs around
• Frodo has desire to use ring
• Black rider leaves
• They continue on
• As they are preparing to sleep for the night, another Black Rider comes along the road
• Gets off horse, begins crawling toward them
• Distracted by Elves (in the Woody End, from beyond the Tower Hills)
• Gildor Inglorion (House of Finrod)
• Hobbits mention black riders, Elves escort them
• March to woods on the hills above Woodhall* Sam sleeps curled up at Frodo's feet
• Frodo and Gildor have one on one time, talking about goings on outside the Shire
• Gildor knows Frodo is leaving the Shire, and is pursued by the Enemy
• Gildor learns that Gandalf has told Frodo nothing about the Black Riders, so he doesn't tell Frodo anything either

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 3

Chapter 4: A Shortcut to Mushrooms

• Sam agrees to go with Frodo, leave the Shire
• They agree to head for Bucklebury Ferry
• The group sets off through a shortcut through the forest
• They spot a black rider across a bank
• Continue on for several hours
• Hear screeching of black riders
• Farmer Maggot's farm
• Pippin good friends with Maggot, Frodo scared of his dogs
• Attacked by his dogs
• He invites them in
• Tells them about dark rider asking about Baggins
• He agrees to help them get to Bucklebury Ferry
• They leave after supper
• Carriage gets stopped, it's Merry
• Maggot drops them off at the Ferry

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 4

Chapter 5: A Conspiracy Unmasked

• The four hobbits reach the other side of the river
• They look back and see someone that looks like a dark bundle crawling or searching on the ground
• Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin stop in to see Fatty at Crickhollow before departing
• They have a bath and dinner
• Frodo tells them he has to leave the Shire
• Merry and Pippin agree to join
• Merry reveals he knew about the ring
• Frodo makes plans to stay the night and leave the next day
• Going through the Old Forest

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 5

Chapter 6: The Old Forest

• Four hobbits set out with five ponies
• Merry leads the way through the forest
• Bonfire Glade
• They reach a hill and can see East Road and the Barrow-downs
• River Withywindle
• Merry explores
• Everyone feels sleepy
• Merry and Pippin caught inside a tree
• They start a fire, put it out
• Tom Bombadil
• They follow him to his house

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 6

Chapter 7: In the House of Tom Bombadil

• Goldberry, Tom's daughter
• Hobbits wash and refresh
• They go to sleep
• Each dreams of a bad situation, wakes up, feels relaxed, goes back to sleep
• The next morning Tom tells them about the lore of the Old Forest
• He tells them about the Barrow-downs
• Goldberry's washing day - she comes in later and says "the rain has ended"
• They stay for supper
• Goldberry sings them songs
• Tom asks to see the ring
• He puts it on, and is immune to its power
• During the ensuing conversation, Frodo slips on the ring
• Tom can still see him
• He advises them on which direction to go
• They go to bead

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 7

Chapter 8: Fog on the Barrow-Downs

• Breakfast and farewell to Tom
• Farewell to Goldberry
• Heading for the Barrow-Downs
• Stop for lunch
• Frodo gets lost
• Gets caught in a barrow
• They call on Tom to save them
• He leaves them without clothes
• Tom comes back with their ponies
• Everyone has spare change of clothes
• He escorts them to the edge of his land
• Tom tells them to go to The Prancing Pony
• Tells them about Barliman Butterbur
• The hobbits set out for the Prancing Pony

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 8

Chapter 9: At the Sign of the Prancing Pony

• Background of Bree
• They enter through the city gate
• Strange folk about
• Go to the Pony, ask Butterbur for a room and a place to store their ponies
• Served dinner, asked if they will join the company after dinner
• Everyone but Pippin goes to the bar after
• They spot Strider, ask Butterbur about him
• Strider introduces himself to Frodo, says his friends should not talk so much
• Pippin telling a story of Bilbo's farewell party
• Frodo jumps on the table and sings
• Frodo drinks, sings another verse, leaps in the air, falls, ring falls on his finger
• Confronted by Strider after
• He says he will mee Frodo in his room
• Frodo plays it off, but several people take note
• Butterbur says he has something to tell Frdo

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 9

Chapter 10: Strider

• Hobbits head back to the room
• Strider is waiting there for them
• Makes a deal to give Frodo information in return for letting him go with
• He reveals that he is a friend of Gandalf, that he is looking for Frodo, and that he knows about the black riders
• Butterbur comes in and gives Frodo a letter from Gandalf
• Letter is three months old
• Butterbur warns them of the black riders
• The letter warns Frodo to leave right away, and to look for Strider
• Strider proposes they head for Weathertop
• All worried that Gandalf has not turned up
• Merry sees black riders
• Passes out asleep, found by Nob
• Strider tells them not to go back to their room
• Hobbits drop off to sleep

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 10

Chapter 11: A Knife in the Dark

• Black riders come to house in Crickhollow
• Fatty flees, warns others
• Brandybucks blow the horn-call of Buckland
• Black riders ride off
• They see the room torn to shreds the next morning
• They find their ponies have been let loose
• Butterbur sends someone out to find a pony (Bill)
• Three days, leave Bree and come to Chetwood
• Leave the road, travel across flat country
• Crossing a bog filled with midges
• Two more days of travel
• A light in the eastern sky that flashes and fades many times (like lightning leaping up from the hilltops)
• Fifth day, they leave the marshes and reach Weathertop
• Head toward the Old Road
• Strider suggests avoiding direct route to Weathertop, going around, seeing what they can see
• Foreshadowing: Frodo says he is getting so thin he might become a wraith, Strider chastises him
• Ranger waystation with firewood, boot tracks
• Sheletered hollow where Sam and Pippin wait, the others go up to the crown of the hill
• Scratches on a rock - a stroke, a dot, and three more strokes
• Maybe a sign left by galndalf (three days ago)
• A fortnight's journey to Rivendell
• Frodo looks back on the road, sees two black specks, then sees three more
• They return to Sam and Pippin
• They light a fire and prepare a light meal
• Aragorn tells them the tale of Tinúviel
• Moon begins to rise
• They all see something, a large stone or jutting rock, moving in the moonlight
• Two or three moving shapes beyond the hilltops
• Four tall figures appear standing on the slope
• Hissing, venemous breath
• Frodo feels desire to put the ring on his finger
• He puts on the ring
• The black riders become terribly clear, five tall figures, robes and silver crowns and swords
• The largest (the Witch King) springs forward, stabs Frodo

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 11

Chapter 12: Flight to the Ford

• Frodo comes to, they explain what happened
• Frodo growing cold
• Aragorn carries some Athelas, crushed leaves of a healing plant
• They can hear the black riders calling to one another
• Four days pass
• After five days, they have to go back to the road
• Follows the Loudwater, the Bruinen of Rivendell
• They head for the Last Bridge
• Aragorn checks the bridge, finds a pale green beryl elf-stone
• They cross the bridge and leave the road
• After two days it becomes wet
• Frodo riding the pony, others walking
• They come upon three trolls turned to stone (callback to Bilbo's adventures)
• (Movies: Bilbo's birthday party, telling the hobbit children the story of the stone trolls)
• They meet up with Glorfindel
• They reach the Ford of Rivendell
• Black riders come upon them just as they reach the Ford
• Glorfindel takes Frodo, speaks to the horse in elf-tongue to outrun the black riders
• Confrontation at the river crossing
• Roaring and rushing, white fingers of the river, angry foam
• Frodo passes out

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 12

Book 2

Chapter 1: Many Meetings

• Frodo wakes up in Rivendell in the House of Elrond
• Gandalf greets him
• Gandalf explains that he was delayed
• Frodo tells Gandalf about the black riders pursuing them
• Gandalf tells Frodo about Aragorn's heritage ("Rangers are the last remnant of the great people)
• Frodo missing three days
• Morgul knife, healed by Elrond
• Gandalf explains the black riders' horses, bred in Mordor
• Orcs, trolls, wargs, warewolves
• Glorfindel appeared as a white figure while Frodo was wearing the ring
• One of the mighty of the Firstborn
• Gandalf explains that the river was under command of Elrond, with touches from him
• Sam comes in, then Pippin
• Everyone summoned to the hall for a meal before the meeting
• Elrond at head of table, with Gandalf and Glorfindel on either side of him
• Arwen in middle of table
• Three hobbits at a side table
• Gloin the dwarf sitting next to Frodo, they bond over Frodo's adventures, one of the companions of Thorin Oakenshield
• Gloin fills Frodo in on the doings of the dwarf kingdon, of the battle of the five armies, the disappearance of Balin and Ori and Oin
• The meal ends
• They all go to the Hall of Fire
• Frodo and Bilbo reunion
• Fills in Frodo, Gandalf has been visiting him in Rivendell
• Stayed in Rivendell, Gandalf told him not to meddle
• Bilbo asks about the ring, Frodo pulls it out
• A shadow falls between them, he sees Bilbo as a wrinkled creature with a hungry face and bony groping hands
• The music stops, a silence falls, Bilbo apologizes
• Strider shows up, Bilbo calls him Dúnadan
• He and Bilbo go off to finish a song
• Long interlude with the song, Bilbo talking about the song
• Bedtime, council in the morning

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 1 2

Chapter 2

The Council of Elrond

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 2 2

Chapter 3

The Ring Goes South

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 3 2

Chapter 4

A Journey in the Dark

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 4 2

Chapter 5

The Bridge of Khazad-Dum

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 5 2

Chapter 6

Lothlorien

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 6 2

Chapter 7

The Mirror of Galadriel

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 7 2

Chapter 8

Farewell to Lorien

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 8 2

Chapter 9

The Great River

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 9 2

Chapter 10

The Breaking of the Fellowship

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 10 2