From charlesreid1

Summary

Book Three

Chapter 1: The Departure of Boromir

  • Short chapter
  • ARagorn on his own, caught between Amon Hen or back
  • Depiction of what Aragorn sees from the summit (nothing), contrasts with what Frodo saw
  • Aragorn hears fighting
  • Boromir's fight offscene
  • Brought low by Orcs but also by behavior toward Frodo
  • Aragorn traces Orcs to Saruman, emergence of conflict with Saruman
  • He keeps Boromir's final confession to himself
  • Makes the decision to follow Merry and Pippin rather than abandon them to help Frodo and Sam
  • Funeral songs for Boromir (Legolas and Gimli)

Chapter 2: Riders of Rohan

  • Three heroes run and run and run
  • Picture of a desolate landscape
  • Flashback narrative, squabbling Orcs
  • Further into Rohan, get glimpse of Gondor
  • Foreshadowing of storyline: need to deal with Sauron, but deal with Saruman first
  • Far off Eagle spotted
  • Finding of Lorien brooch
  • Stop for the night
  • Losing hope
  • 36 hours behind Orcs (thanks Boromir)
  • Background on Rohirrim
  • Trio surprises Rohirrim horsemen, pissing contest
  • Aragorn reveals himself as the Heir of Elendil
  • Eomer trusts Aragorn b/c of Boromir
  • Eomer informs the party that they attacked/burned the Orc party
  • Gives background on Rohan, setting up rest of Book 3 - Rohan weak, Saruman on the prowl
  • Picture of Saruman's war stretegy
  • Why Saruman is dangerous
  • Gandalf unpopular in Rohan - doomsayer (foreshadowing Wormtongue)
  • Edge of Fangorn Forest - remains of Orcs
  • Strange figure (old man) appears, then disappears, does not return for several chapters
  • Chapter begins fresh narrative, creates interesting branch of narrative, stalls Frodo and Sam developments

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