Two Towers May Muddle Your Mind a Bit, But It's Worth It

If you loved The Hobbit, then Fellowship of the Ring is a natural progression, lengthier, more difficult, more complex than the former, but not entirely foreign. The Two Towers brings readers into new territory. I sometimes think of it as the muddle in the middle, though any muddling has only to do with my limited capacity for readerly multi-tasking. Tolkien toiled for years on this portion of his book, and it is only fitting that it is the most difficult volume for his audience to digest.

Two Towers begins shortly after the breaking of the Fellowship. Frodo and Sam have set out on their own, though Tolkien tries his readers’ wills by abandoning the Ringbearer and his faithful servant until the second part of the book. His first focus is on the small party of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. After a wrenching scene in the opening pages in which Boromir succumbs to the fatal wounds incurred during his efforts to save Merry and Pippin, the man, the elf and the dwarf set off in hot pursuit of the hobbits, who have been captured by Orcs. Meanwhile, the hobbits manage a clever escape, only to find themselves in the foreboding Fangorn Forest, where they are soon met by Treebeard the Ent, an enormous tree-like creature whose job is to act as shepherd for the trees. It takes quite some time before these two separated parties reconvene, and when they do it is with a powerful new ally: Gandalf, returned from the abyss and given the title Gandalf the White.

In addition to the Ents, this volume introduces Theoden, the king of Rohan who has sunken so deeply into despair that he is no longer capable of ruling his country. Instead, he relies upon Wormtongue, his corrupt advisor, who is himself answerable to the wizard Saruman. We also meet Theoden’s nephew Eomer and, more importantly, his niece Eowyn, a valiant woman who quickly develops a crush on Aragorn. Tolkien also introduces us to Faramir, brother of the fallen Boromir, while bringing the character of Gollum, lurking in the background throughout Fellowship, into the forefront.

There’s an awful lot going on in this book, and the events are grander than those in Fellowship. Merry and Pippin play a part in a major battle at Isengard, Saruman’s stronghold, while the others muster their strength to battle the Orcs that have laid siege to the fortress of Helm’s Deep. When we finally get back to them, Frodo and Sam have a quieter journey to make, but no less treacherous. They reluctantly find themselves in the company of Gollum, with the untrustworthy creature acting as their guide. As Sam’s mistrust and jealousy increases, Frodo’s self-control begins to slip, and the success of the mission grows more unlikely with each passing day.

Two Towers is grim, with few reprieves in the darkness that begins to encompass the remaining members of the Fellowship. There are moments, though. I loved Merry and Pippin’s stay in Fangorn when Dad read it to me, complete with Treebeard’s deep, rumbling voice, a tribute to Tolkien’s close friend and fellow fantasy writer C. S. Lewis. He is one of Tolkien’s most unique and enjoyable characters, with his long, rambling speech and his mixture of grandfatherly charm and ageless tragedy. His agonizingly unhasty manner of speaking is as entertaining as his account of the lost Entwives is heartbreaking. There is also Gandalf’s glorious reappearance, as awe-inspiring as his apparent death was devastating.

Merry and Pippin’s characteristic levity elicits smiles throughout the first part of the book. Their ability to adapt cheerfully to dire situations – particularly when they have one another for support – is especially evident after they escape the Orcs, but perhaps their most unabashedly gleeful scenes occur upon their long-awaited reunion with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. In the second part of the book, Gollum, the agonized creature who is perhaps the most morally ambiguous of Tolkien’s characters, provides a few laughs. But while amusement at Merry and Pippin’s antics stems from their carefree camaraderie, Gollum’s utter desolation and degradation almost requires that any laughs he garners be tinged with pity. It’s difficult to determine how to react to this throwback to The Hobbit. Although he was depicted as sinister and an obstacle to Bilbo, Gollum always struck me as more pitiable than threatening. Here, he alternates between submissive and menacing – “Slinker” and “Stinker,” as Sam puts it. While he plots to reclaim the Ring, he develops some degree of devotion to the hobbit who continues to offer him mercy and understanding.

Gollum’s dynamic struggles are my favorite part of this installment. Unfortunately, his presence brings out the worst in Sam. Their food-related quarrel in Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit is amusing, but it underscores their mutual animosity. Although Sam is looking out for Frodo and much of his disdain stems from a warranted distrust of Gollum, his barely submerged envy is a large contributor to his behavior. Sam’s best moments here occur when he is separated from Gollum, particularly in the presence of the noble but initially intimidating Faramir and, at the end of the book, when he is left alone. His worst may have proven the ultimate stumbling block to Gollum’s redemption.

Two Towers is the bridge between Fellowship and Return of the King, and within its pages lie brilliant new characters and cataclysmic events. Although I would probably have to say that this second installment is my least favorite of the three, I still love it. You may struggle with it a bit more than Fellowship, but stick with it. You’ll be glad you did.