Chapter VIII and IX: The Scouring of the Shire and The Grey Havens

[Nurvingiel]

Part I - Overview and Summary of The Scouring of the Shire

Overview

In the last two chapters of The Lord of the Rings, we are treated to a surprise. The two chapters are a nearly a stand-alone story in themselves, with the action building to a climatic finish “The Scouring of the Shire”, and being resolved in “The Grey Havens”.

The final two chapters of The Lord of the Rings chronicle events that take place in the Shire, and are entirely resolved by Hobbits. These chapters allow us to truly appreciate the consequences and changes wrought by the Hobbits’ adventures, and brings the focus of the books back to their original subject: the adventures of Hobbits of the Shire overcoming the One Ring of Sauron.


The Scouring of the Shire

The Scouring returns us to the adventures of the four Hobbits, the original members of the Fellowship, who come to be known throughout the Shire as the Travelers.

They arrive at the Shire to find that no one is allowed in after dark. While they have no trouble getting inside anyway, they are concerned to find a great deal of rules have been made by a mysterious Chief, about food, beer, smoking, campfires, lodging, and many other things Hobbits regularly enjoy.

The Travelers proceed to break a number of these rules by making a nice fire, sharing their rations with the guards, and spending the night in the gatehouse.

Bill Ferny is among the gatekeepers. Merry tells him to give him the gate key, which he throws at Merry’s head as he runs off. But Bill (the pony) has the last word, letting fly a hoof that sends Bill (the ruffian) into the ditch.

The next day, they head straight for Hobbiton, but are waylaid by Shirrifs at Frogmorton. They are “arrested” for their bout of rule-breaking the previous night. Sam helpfully expands the chief Shirrif’s list of charges:

“I can add some more if you’d like it,” said Sam. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to punch his Pimply face, and Thinking you Shirrifs look a lot of Tom-fools.” (p. 247)

Sam questions Robin Smallburrow, one of the Shirrifs and an acquaintance of Sam’s, about the closure of the inn the Floating Log. Robin tells him that all the Shire’s inns are closed, as the Chief’s ruffians keep all the beer for themselves. Robin, the first to do so to the Travelers, suggests that there could be an uprising against the ruffians.

“If I hear not allowed much oftener,” said Sam, “I am going to get angry.”
“Can’t say as I’d be sorry to see it,” said Robin, lowering his voice. “If we all got angry together, something might be done.” (p. 248)

The footsore Shirrifs are eventually forced to allow the mounted Travelers to ride on.

At Bywater, Frodo and Sam are deeply shocked and saddened to find their own country so changed. Many houses they knew are gone, ugly houses replace trees, and a polluting smokestack rises in the distance.

The Green Dragon is closed, and surrounded by ruffians who, as Merry observes, have the look of the men of Isengard. From the ruffians, they learn that it is not Lotto but “Sharkey” who is the real Chief at Bag End.

Pippin, backed up by Merry and Sam, scares the ruffians away, who retreat blowing horns of warning. The Travelers raise Bywater, gathering stout lads from the area, armed with various farm implements, and they go to Farmer Cotton’s to make plans.

Pippin leaves to gather an army of Tooks, and those who remain prepare to meet any retaliatory bands of ruffians. They lay an ambush on the road, and soon a band of thugs is marching towards them. Due to their arrogance, the ruffian’s leader is slain and only a few escape imprisonment.

Merry realises the escaped ruffians will warn their fellows, who will surely bring a proper army. The Hobbits set watches around the village and prepare for battle.

Sam leaves to bring his Gaffer to the Cottons, and Farmer Cotton updates the Travelers on what has been happening in the Shire. He also knows the positioning of the ruffians well, and estimates that their reinforcements would have to come from Waymeet, fifteen miles each direction.

Pippin returns with the Tooks, and Merry sets another trap for the ruffians who are burning the countryside as they march toward Bywater. This group is larger, and serious about crushing the rebellion, but they nevertheless do not fail to walk straight in to Merry’s trap.

Some thugs try to escape the barriers, and the Battle of Bywater begins. The ruffians are soundly defeated but nineteen hobbits are slain. Frodo’s chief part in the battle was to prevent hobbits from killing opponents who have surrendered. After resting, the Travelers with their army go to Bag End to deal with the Chief.

Bag End is in complete disrepair, and a very sad sight to Frodo and Sam. They search for Lotho, only to be greeted by Saruman, who they realise is Sharkey.

Saruman is quite bitter about the loss of Isengard, and has obviously forgotten about his own part in his home’s destruction. He came to the Shire to repay the Hobbits for his loss.

Realising he is the mysterious Chief, the Hobbit army wants to kill Saruman on the spot. Saruman cows them with his Voice, and the Hobbits recoil, but Frodo is undaunted. Still, he does not want Saruman slain, and tells him instead to leave the Shire immediately.

He calls Wormtongue and turns to leave, but as he passes Frodo, he tries to stab him! Frodo’s mithril coat turns Saruman’s dagger, and Sam and a dozen hobbits throw him to the ground. Frodo will still not let the angry hobbits kill their former oppressor.

“No Sam!” said Frodo. “Do not kill him even now. For he has not hurt me. And in any case I do not wish him to be slain in this evil mood. He was great once, of a noble kind that we should not dare to raise our hands against. He is fallen, and his cure is beyond us; but I would still spare him in the hope that he might find it.” (p.263-4)

Saruman is bitter at Frodo’s mercy, and prepares to leave with Wormtongue. Frodo offers Wormtongue the chance to say, and Saruman laughs. Wormtongue, he says, has murdered Lotho. He kicks Wormtongue and tells him to follow, but Wormtongue leaps on him and cuts Saruman’s throat before anyone can stop him. He is shot by the Hobbits as he tries to escape.

Saruman’s body ages rapidly and disintegrates into smoke.

Frodo is never thought the final battle would be on his own doorstep.

[Nurvingiel]

Part II: Summary of The Grey Havens, Questions, and Discussion Points

The Grey Havens

The Hobbits return the Shire to rights, freeing those imprisoned in the Lockholes (including Fredegar Bolger and Lobelia Sackville-Baggins), and reinstating Will Whitfoot as Mayor. They tear down the new, ugly buildings and use the bricks to repair damaged Hobbit holes. They restore the old mill and anything else ruined or damaged during Saruman’s occupation.

The year 1420 is incredibly bountiful in crops, weather, weddings, and Hobbit-children, as well as high-quality batches of ale.

The many trees hewn by Saruman’s thugs are the hardest feature of the Shire to restore. Sam takes charge of the necessary forestry work, planting trees all across the Shire. He places one grain of the fine, grey, soil from Lady Galadriel’s gift at the base of each seedling, causing them to grow twenty times the normal rate!

Sam plants the strange seed where the Party Tree once stood; the following spring in germinates into a beautiful mallorn tree, the only one West of the Misty Mountains. This marks the completion of the restoration efforts in the Shire, only a few years after Saruman’s occupation.

Frodo’s injuries, of knife, sting, and tooth, are taking their toll on his health. He never complains, but over the years, Sam notices Frodo is very ill certain times of the year, and he often fingers (if you’ll excuse Professor Tolkien’s pun) the white jewel that Arwen gave him.

Sam marries Rose Cotton, and Frodo invites them to move into Bag End with him.
Frodo Finishes the Red Book, leaving the last few pages for Sam. On September 21st, Sam and Frodo set out for a journey together. They are met on the way by Gildor, Elrond, Galadriel, Bilbo, and many Elves.

They ride toward the Grey Havens, and Sam is saddened the Frodo will not be able to enjoy the Shire himself.

He comforts Sam, saying, “You will be Mayor, of course, as long as you want to be, and the most famous gardener in history; and you will read things out of the Red Book, and keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger and so love their beloved land all the more.” (p. 273)

Círdan leads them to the Havens, where they meet Gandalf, with Merry and Pippin.

At their parting, Gandalf says, “Go in Peace! I will not say: do not weep, for not all tears are an evil.” (p.274)

The departure of the Ringbearers and many Elves from Middle-earth marks the end of the Third Age.

Sam, Merry, and Pippin return to the Shire. Sam returns home to Bag End, and Rose greets him and puts his daughter Elanor in his lap. Sam says famously to Rose, “Well, I’m back.”


Questions:

1. Why are the Hobbits taking orders from the Chief when they don’t even know who that person is?

2. Which scene is your favourite in these chapters, and why? Which is the most poignant? The funniest?

3. If another chapter followed The Grey Havens, what would you like it to be about?

4. Why is it Merry, and not Frodo, Sam, or Pippin, who takes charge of military affairs?

5. What do you think Rosie Cotton is like? What do you think the relationship between her and Sam is like?


Discussion Points:

1. Pippin says to Fatty Bolger, after he is released from the Lockholes, that he “would have done better to come with us after all, poor old Fredegar!” Would he have? And how would this have affected the Fellowship?

2. There are hints at the Hobbit class system in these chapters. (eg. Rise of fame and fortune of the Cottons after the Battle of Bywater.) Did this make them more susceptible to Saruman’s occupation?

3. Could any other hobbit or hobbits have raised the Shire against Saruman?

4. Frodo and Saruman have much in common, and yet are completely opposite. Discuss this character foil.

5. What would have happened had Gandalf stayed with the hobbits? What would have been the consequences?

6. “Well, I’m back.” Discuss the awesomeness that is this ending.

Feel free, of course, to discuss any aspect of these two chapters that comes to mind.

Have a seat by the fire with a mug of proper 1420 ale, and discuss the final chapters of the Red Book!

EDIT:

Extra discussion points:

7. What message, if any, was Tolkien trying to send with the imagery of Saruman's occupation? A new, larger mill replaced the old mill, and fouled the water of the pool below. The old mill was rebuilt in the restoration. Saruman's thugs cut trees down and let them lie. They build ugly houses and sheds of brick.

8. Discuss the technology used in Galadriel's gift - the soil that allowed one grain to increase the trees' growth rate to twenty times the natural rate. This seems to be one of the few technologies Tolkien approves of.

9. "The fruit was so plentiful that young hobbits very nearly bathed in strawberries and cream; and later they sat on the lawns under the plum trees and ate, until they had made piles of stones like small pyramids or the heaped skulls of a conqueror, and then they moved on." (p. 268)

Plum pits described as pyramids or heaped skulls seems very out of place from the rest of the chapter. Discuss.

EDIT 2

Special thanks to Jammi567, who would have done this chapter (brilliantly, I'm sure), had I not finally finished it. Thanks for letting me keep it Jammi!

EDIT 3

Eärniel pointed out that Lady Galadriel did not give Frodo the white jewel, Arwen did at Minis Tirith.

[mithrand1r]

I think you did well in your summary of these chapters. I enjoyed it much.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Part II: Summary of The Grey Havens, Questions, and Discussion Points
. . .

Questions:

1. Why are the Hobbits taking orders from the Chief when they don’t even know who that person is?

Who knows exactly why. How many people today do things when they do not even know the exact reason why?

A factory worker may be ask to connect to wires on a board and not know why. If they are getting paid they may not care why.

How many times have people done nothing but accept a situation? They could have stopped it if they stood up and said/did something about the situation.

How many people know who actually "runs" their town. As long as their live is not affected too much, most people do not care. In the Shire, I think, most of the inhabitants did not do much at first, since it did not affect their lives too much. By the time their lives were affected much, it became more difficult to stop the tide of changes.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

2. Which scene is your favourite in these chapters, and why? Which is the most poignant? The funniest?

The most poignant (that I remember) is the mercy of Frodo to Saruman and the change of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins (LSB).

Frodo really appears to have grown in stature and wisdom. Saruman even recognizes it, yet Saruman chooses to remain bitter and not change. (Although perhaps with time, he may have realized his folly and changed.)

LSB becomes more humane and less pitty after her ordeal and the loss that she has suffered. (Too bad that some people need to go through an ordeal before they realize the need to change.)

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

3. If another chapter followed The Grey Havens, what would you like it to be about?

Some information about life in the Shire and the World around ME.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

4. Why is it Merry, and not Frodo, Sam, or Pippin, who takes charge of military affairs?

Merry drew the short straw.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

5. What do you think Rosie Cotton is like? What do you think the relationship between her and Sam is like?

About 5' 10", emerald eyes, bond hair, . . .

I think that Rosie is similar to Sam in personality, but in some ways she is more practical. She undertands that there are some things that Sam needs to do, but he would not do them without her support. Sam would not have left Rosie (temporarily), unless he knew that she wanted him to go do what had to be done.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

3. Could any other hobbit or hobbits have raised the Shire against Saruman?

Apparently not. It seems that the hobbits needed a leader to motivate them for a common cause. There seemed to be many hobbits that did not like what was happening to them, yet they did not organize to put a stop to Sharkey&Company.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

5. What would have happened had Gandalf stayed with the hobbits? What would have been the consequences?

The Hobbits would have turned to Gandalf to save their bacon. They would not have realized the inner strength that they possess to deal with problems on their own.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

6. “Well, I’m back.” Discuss the awesomeness that is this ending.

It is a simple yet elegent ending. It leaves me wanting the story to continue, yet I know that the story has come to an end.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Feel free, of course, to discuss any aspect of these two chapters that comes to mind.

Have a seat by the fire with a mug of proper 1420 ale, and discuss the final chapters of the Red Book!

A great reccommendation. 1420 ale was a great year for ale.

[Nurvingiel]

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

I think you did well in your summary of these chapters. I enjoyed it much.

Thank you so much Mithrand1r!

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

How many times have people done nothing but accept a situation? They could have stopped it if they stood up and said/did something about the situation.

How many people know who actually "runs" their town. As long as their live is not affected too much, most people do not care. In the Shire, I think, most of the inhabitants did not do much at first, since it did not affect their lives too much. By the time their lives were affected much, it became more difficult to stop the tide of changes.

I think your assessment here is right on.

We know who run our towns now, (Sam Sullivan = Vancouver, Terry Lake = Kamloops), but that's because we voted for them (or their opponents). Even people who don't vote will see the newspaper headline.

The problem for the hobbits is even though they elect their mayors, most hobbits aren't as well-informed as Farmer Cotton. Even Cotton knows absolutely nothing about what goes on outside the Shire. Indeed, after the battle the four Travelers are relaxing in the Cottons' kitchen, and they ask a few polite questions about their adventures, but don't really listen to the answers as they are much more concerned with affairs in the Shire. However, Sharkey and his thugs came from outside the Shire.

I think the hobbits are very complacent, and like you said, once the situation got bad enough for folks like Robin Smallburrow and Farmer Cotton, the ruffians were in complete control of the Shire.

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

The most poignant (that I remember) is the mercy of Frodo to Saruman and the change of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins (LSB).

Frodo really appears to have grown in stature and wisdom. Saruman even recognizes it, yet Saruman chooses to remain bitter and not change. (Although perhaps with time, he may have realized his folly and changed.)

I agree, the exchange between Frodo and Saruman is very moving. I wonder why Saruman called him cruel though. Frodo is the least cruel being in all of Arda!

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

LSB becomes more humane and less pitty after her ordeal and the loss that she has suffered. (Too bad that some people need to go through an ordeal before they realize the need to change.)

I forgot to put that part in the summary. When Lobelia passes away, Frodo discovers she left all of her and Lotho's money to help hobbits left homeless by the occupation. This ends the feud between the Bagginses and the Sackville-Baginses, that began at the end of The Hobbit.

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

Some information about life in the Shire and the World around ME.

I thought you meant "... and the World around ME," as in you, Mithrandir. Hee.

I would like to read about Merry and Pippin's journeys to Rohan and Gondor. (IIRC they went for a visit.)

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

Merry drew the short straw.

Haha! I actually think Merry was a brilliant general. I think he assumed the leadership naturally and no one thought otherwise.

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

Apparently not. It seems that the hobbits needed a leader to motivate them for a common cause. There seemed to be many hobbits that did not like what was happening to them, yet they did not organize to put a stop to Sharkey&Company.

Yeah, I think this relates to the other hobbits' inaction about Sharkey's occupation.

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

The Hobbits would have turned to Gandalf to save their bacon. They would not have realized the inner strength that they possess to deal with problems on their own.

I agree! I think Gandalf knew this too and that's why he bid them goodbye. Not "dropped his tools" as Saruman would have you believe.

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

It is a simple yet elegent ending. It leaves me wanting the story to continue, yet I know that the story has come to an end.

Yes, the end, while final, still makes you feel that the story is ongoing.

Originally Posted by mithrand1r

A great reccommendation. 1420 ale was a great year for ale.

Hehe. I left some things out of my original posts, so look for an edit.

[jammi567]

Nice chapter summery to lead us out into the world of the......... Appendices!

Anyways, here's my responses:

1) I agree. If it wasn't affecting your life when it starts, then why the hell would you want to complain.

2) I think the most poiniant(sp) scenes is the bits where the hobbits kill Wormtail, because he really was just an innocent life gone wrong, and the re-organising of the Shire, because it shows and reenforces teamwork, and the rewards that can benifit from that. What i don't get is: why did the hobbits kill Wormtail in the first place, when he's just killed the one person who got them into that situation in the first place?

3) I wouldn't mind it being what happened to the other characters after the story finished. Like the 'Eplague' that was written, but cut out.

4) Because i guess he had the most battle experiance of all four of them.

5) I think she's kind, but firm. She has determination and paitence. Her relationship with Sam, i can't really say, because we never really see them in a normal situation to be able to say what it's like.


1) I think he would've got to Rivendale, and be made to either say there to keep bilbo company, or be sent back to the shire, where he could remain 'safe'.

2) I don't think so. To me, it seems as if everyone there is equal with each other. But the example you give sounds like the Baggin's: They became famous and well known throught the shire, instead of hobbition, or the farthing they're in.

3) I don't think any other hobbit would want to, because they seemed to think "ohhh, well, we've got ourselves too deep into this mess, nothing we can do now."

4) Can't think of anything at this moment. Maybe i'll post on this later.

5) With Gandalf there, the hobbits, in general, wouldn't have realized that sometimes, they need to sort their own business out, and thus, realize that they can do more then have six meals a day.

6) Ummmmmm, it represents that Sam and Frodo's jouney is finally over, and that Sam can now truely settle down and get his life back to normal as he possibly can.

7) That the urbanisation of the countryside is bad, because it distroys that beautiness, and the feeling of beaing at peace within yourself.

8) Of course it is, because it's helping to repair the damage of urbanisation, and restore the beauty of the shire, that Tolkien would've assossiated with the engaland of his youth, which was, and still is, going the same way.

9) I'll post on this later. Sorry.

[Nurvingiel]

Originally Posted by jammi567

Nice chapter summery to lead us out into the world of the......... Appendices!

Hee.

Originally Posted by jammi567

2) I think the most poiniant(sp) scenes is the bits where the hobbits kill Wormtail, because he really was just an innocent life gone wrong, and the re-organising of the Shire, because it shows and reenforces teamwork, and the rewards that can benifit from that. What i don't get is: why did the hobbits kill Wormtail in the first place, when he's just killed the one person who got them into that situation in the first place?

You bring up a very good point which has never occured to me in all my previous readings ; why in Middle-earth did the hobbits shoot Wormtongue? He did murder Lotho, but the situation plays out as if they aren't really getting revenge for Lotho by shooting Wormtongue.

Wormtongue, just like Lotho, was duped by Saruman. He wasn't quite a stupid as Lotho, but Saruman slowly made Grima dependent on him until he became so loathesome he became known as Wormtongue. At this point, I think he felt his only choice was to serve Saruman, though I feel this was not the case at all. Saruman effectively trapped Wormtongue's mind.

Anyway, why did the hobbits kill him? My theory is that they were so angry about the occupation, and keyed up after the battle, that they wanted to kill someone. Wormtongue did kill Saruman for them, but I think the four hobbits who shot him probably did so out of instinct since Wormtongue was trying to escape.

I'm sure there were more bowmen (bowhobbits?) in the army, but only those four had the reaction to shoot wormtongue.

Frodo especially, and most of the hobbits there, kept a much cooler and would not have killed them.

Oddly, after Saruman tried to stab Frodo he was thrown down, but after Wormtongue killed Saruman, he was shot. Maybe it's because Sam was the first to go after Saruman, and the other hobbits were following his lead? This would not have been the case for the shooting of Wormtongue.

Another possibility is that the four hobbits were so shocked by seeing Saruman murdered like that, that this led to their reaction of shooting Wormtongue. Saruman never directly murder anyone (though through his occupation, he was arguably responsible for every death in the occupation), but Wormtongue had murdered Lotho and Saruman. In some ways, he was more dangerous than Saruman, who never really had the guts to do his own murdering.

Originally Posted by jammi567

3) I wouldn't mind it being what happened to the other characters after the story finished. Like the 'Eplague' that was written, but cut out.

There was an epilogue? What epilogue? And why isn't it in the Appendicies?

Originally Posted by jammi567

4) Because i guess he had the most battle experiance of all four of them.

Oh yeah! I forgot he killed a Nazgul and stuff. Heh. (Not that Pippin was slacking off, killing that mountain troll and all, but I think Merry was also more confident because of this.)

Originally Posted by jammi567

1) I think he would've got to Rivendale, and be made to either say there to keep bilbo company, or be sent back to the shire, where he could remain 'safe'.

That makes the most sense. I think he would have been much better off in this scenario! That's way better than languishing in the Lockholes.

I like Fredegar, I wish we had gotten to see more of him.

Originally Posted by jammi567

2) I don't think so. To me, it seems as if everyone there is equal with each other. But the example you give sounds like the Baggin's: They became famous and well known throught the shire, instead of hobbition, or the farthing they're in.

Every hobbit is equal, but some are more equal than others. The Bagginses are referred to as gentlehobbits, and Sam is always Frodo's servant, even after their adventures. (Though he is equal to Frodo in my mind, but then again, I think about all of them that way.)

A class system and servants, etc. is something I probably will never comprehend.

Originally Posted by jammi567

5) With Gandalf there, the hobbits, in general, wouldn't have realized that sometimes, they need to sort their own business out, and thus, realize that they can do more then have six meals a day.

Ahaha, absolutely! I think the three of us are in agreement on this point.

I do wonder how a final showdown between Gandalf and Saruman would have gone, though. I think that neither Saruman nor Wormtongue would have died.

Originally Posted by jammi567

9) I'll post on this later. Sorry.

Don't apologise! You don't have to answer all the questions, just the ones you want to. And feel free to pose your own discussion points too.