Farewell to Lorien

Summary

Galadriel gives the group boats so that they may float down the Anduin. She gives each of them a gift, in order to help them on their way. She gives Aragorn a sheath made to fit his sword and a silver broach that holds a clear green stone, the Elfstone of the house of Elendil. To Boromir, she gives a belt of gold. To Legolas she gives a bow strung with elf-hair and a quiver of arrows. To Merry and Pippin, she gives silver belts with golden clasps. To Sam she gives neither something to keep him on the road nor to defend himself; instead she gives him a box of earth from her gardens, so that when he returns to his barren and desolate home, his garden will bloom like none other. When she asks Gimli what he wants, he asks for a strand of her hair. She gives him three as well as a blessing that his hands will flow with gold, though it will have no dominion over him. To Frodo she bequeaths a small crystal vial in which is caught the light of EarendilÂ’s star, amid the waters of a fountain. It will be a light for him in dark places and make the night brighter.

The company then leaves and goes on their way. They have chosen a difficult, but a valiant path.

The path the men have chosen is clearly the path of good, as opposed to evil, which is the essential conflict in the novel. Lady GaladrielÂ’s psychic powers and SamÂ’s vision of the Shire being laid waste by some kind of industry are perhaps social comments pointing towards the change that was taking place during World War I (in which Tolkien served), or during World War II (during which The Lord of the Rings was written).

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