The Ride of the Rohirrim

Summary

This chapter backtracks and traces the arrival of the riders of Rohan, Merry and the Rohirrim. They meet with the Woses, the Wild Men of the Woods, who have agreed to lead the Rohirrim into Gondor by a back way in order to help stave off the Dark Years of Sauron.

The headman leads the Riders under cover of darkness and forest and leaves them when it is safe. The riders come to the destroyed walls of DenethorÂ’s kingdom and move forward. Theoden blows upon his horn and the Riders of Rohan burst forth into song as they attack the surprised enemy.

Once again Tolkien layers the narrative by backtracking and covering another perspective of the same event. This time Merry grows bored with his non-role in the battle and thus becomes the bearer of important narrative information.

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