The Return of the King by J.R.R Tolkien (Harper Collins 1991) pp. 796-797
As Gandalf and Pippin take a few moments for reflection after their meeting with Denethor and Faramir Gandalf ponders what he has learnt from what Faramir had brought from his mission in Ithilien and most especially what he has learnt of Frodo and Sam.
“Cirith Ungol!” he muttered. “Why that way, I wonder?” He turned. “Just now, Pippin, my heart almost failed me, hearing that name.”
Faramir too felt nothing but horror when he first learnt that this was the way that Gollum was going to lead Frodo and Sam into Mordor and even now Pippin can see that Faramir “did not like the place [Gollum] was taking them any more than [Gandalf]” did. Gandalf knows far more than Faramir knows of Cirith Ungol, the pass of the spider, but we must ask the question, if Gandalf’s heart failed him on hearing that name did he have an alternative in mind that would have been better for Frodo and Sam to follow? Did he have a plan for entering Mordor that he had not had the chance to speak of to Frodo before his fall in Moria?
Of course, the answer to this question is that we do not know. Gandalf did not speak of plans to the members of the Fellowship. His initial plan to cross the Misty Mountains by the Redhorn Gate below Caradhras was no more than one step on the journey towards Mordor, a way that he hoped would be passable because the journey that Boromir had taken north through the Gap of Rohan was not available to them because of Saruman’s treachery. Gandalf did not even speak of his intention to go by way of Lothlórien let alone the way the Fellowship should go after staying there.
So we can say with certainty that if Gandalf did have a plan to enter Mordor by a particular way then he never spoke of it, not even to Frodo. This leaves us only with speculation and this we will attempt to do here.
We know that Frodo first tried to enter Mordor by way of the Morannon, the Black Gate, and we know that this was clearly impassable. It was the way that Sauron expected an invasion from his foes and so it was more fortified than any other way into his land. And so if it was not to be that way or by way of the Morgul Vale and Cirith Ungol what other way could Frodo take?
The northern and western and southern marches of Mordor were impassable mountain ranges apart from the two passes of which we have spoken so this leaves us with the east of his land. The way into Mordor from that direction was more open than any other although all the lands east of that border were Sauron’s allies, but it might have been possible to go that way. Why then did Frodo not consider it? The reason is simple. It was because of time. Frodo knew that he did not have the luxury of time to complete his mission, that if he took too long, even if he were to succeed, all would be too late. The forces of evil would have destroyed much that was good, true and beautiful in the world, perhaps even rendering the world unhabitable except for that which was nasty and vicious.
Even at the beginning of the journey that Frodo made with Sam after the breaking of the Fellowship and his journey through the Emyn Muil, Frodo resented any delay.
“What hope we had was in speed,” he said to Sam. “Delay plays into the Enemy’s hands- and here I am: delayed.”
So we are left with the strongest sense that Gandalf had no better alternative than the one that caused his heart to fail, unless we go back to that ridiculous meme that is popular with some fans of the story that Gandalf meant Frodo to be flown to the Cracks of Doom by the Eagles of Manwë and if that was the case we might just expect him to mention this just once in the story or that he would have taken the route west to the eyries of the Eagles out of Rivendell, the way that Thorin’s party took in The Hobbit, instead of going south to the Redhorn Gate.
No, I think we must at last come to the conclusion that Gandalf had no plan, even that whatever news he received of any way into Mordor would have caused his heart to fail. Of course, he is right to fear that Gollum’s intentions are treacherous, “But so it must be. Let us remember that a traitor may betray himself and do good that he does not intend. It can be so, sometimes.”
i have generally been of the opinion that the mountains around Mordor were not as impassable as generally thought, and that gandalf and perhaps the rangers of Gondor were aware of other paths through them that were less watched than the winding stairs and caves at Cirith Ungol. Which afterall originated as part of the Gondorian defenses of Minas Ithil, and thus one of the most easily traversed sections.
But Gandalf never speaks of specific plans for Frodo right from the first conversation in Bag End where all he does is to ask Frodo what he has decided to do.
we see in both LotR and The Hobbit that Gandalf usually keeps his plans to himself beyond what is needed for the immediate situation, providing only what additional knowledge is needed for others to make decisions at that time.
the fact that Gandalf never talked about such routes doesn’t mean he didn’t know of any. If anything the fact he questioned why frodo went to cirith ungol suggests he did know of other safer routes. Him not mentioning them makes sense given that they still faced months of travel before they reached the region around mordor, and there were far more pressing navigation issues at hand. In the Shire gandalf didn’t even know for sure what would be done with the ring, just that it couldn’t stay in the shire. He suggests going to rivendell mainly because its a protected place, and that trip alone would be dangerous enough even without nazgul hunting. After rivendel their first focus would have been crossing the misty mountains without being noticed. A stop in lothlorien seems likely given the route they picked (the pass of caradhrass leads to the Dimrill stair, and that to the dimrill dale and right onto lothlorien.) which would make for a pretty good rest and resupply point in general if you can get in. And its likely that if he’d still been with them he’d have outlined any plans for the next leg while there. Sadly that didn’t happen. (Though if the fellowship had waited one more day.. )
Perhaps that’s true, although it may have been better that Gandalf was in Rohan rousing the Rohirrim, taking the fight to Saruman first then calling them to go to the battle before Minas Tirith.
Dear Stephen,
In this week’s and last week’s (“Is there any hope for Frodo”) posts, it
seems that everyone is struggling with impossible choices and even the
wisest are finally at wit’s end. All their experience, knowledge (and
intuition) of their own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of
other members of the Fellowship and even the Enemy have culminated in
how they decide to deal with inevitability (no better way).
Circumstances left them no other course of action than the ones they
took, led them on paths where they could not see hope perhaps, but
ultimately they all took their next respective step (none of them let
the “what ifs” of doubt stop them), each one harder than the last, with
the small comfort that they knew they were doing their part to the best
of their ability and with some small faith in that Divine — if unnamed
That was beautifully written, Kate, and absolutely right. In the times in my own life when everything has been reduced to just one choice, one action, I have been grateful for the simplicity, even when the action has been hard. In the piece I write this week I write about fate. The characters in The Lord of the Rings know about fate. I am glad that I have known a Person whose love for me goes so much deeper than fate. But I never lose any reverence for these characters and the actions that they take, the choices they make.
I love loved loved this part from Siege of Gondor. Gandalf hearing from Faramir about the fates of Frodo and Sam through Faramir meeting the hobbits was just such a great chance meeting that was such a turning point in the story. Tolkien never wrote just to write and I loved how Gandalf was on the edge of his seat listening to Faramir recount what had happened.
I do wonder which way Gandalf would have tried if he had the chance to lead Frodo and Sam. What if Gandalf did go down the Great River with them? What choice would he have made if he were in aragorn’s shoes? It is very interesting. I do think he would go with Frodo and Sam into Emyn Muil but then what of the others? Would Gollum have joined if he had seen Gandalf by Frodo? It would def change the whole story. If Gandalf had stayed with teh Fellowship, he would not have raised the alarm for Rohan to go against Saruman either. Perhaps the ROhirrim would be too embattled to fight with Gondor at the end.
Such interesting what ifs.
Also going back to Cirith Ungol- i believe Gandalf knew what was there but then where would he have led Frodo and Sam had he had the chance? THrough the Black Gate when Frodo and Sam went to it through the Marshes?
“No, I think we must at last come to the conclusion that Gandalf had no plan, even that whatever news he received of any way into Mordor would have caused his heart to fail. “
For Gandalf not to know is very interesting because currently i’m rereading Fellowship and see that Aragorn and Gandalf didn’t even agree on how to pass the Misty Mountains. THey were defeated by Caradhras and the Mines of Moria was last resort. They didn’t want to pass through Gap of Rohan which would take double the time. Going through the Mines should’ve been pre discussed wasn;t it in Rivendell? But seems like the heroes really played it by ear.
I think that is exactly right. The story had to work out as it did and yet no-one chose for it to work out that way. But it is so striking that every time the way becomes clear for any of the characters they seize it with tremendous energy.