We find numerous riddles, the re-introduction of the wizard Saruman, and the secrets withheld by Aragorn as developments of the theme of knowledge. The burial motif can be read as an allusion to the old Icelandic sagas and Anglo-Saxon epics (especially Beowulf) where heroes were buried at sea. In terms of characterization, we can find a contrast between the two humans presented here: Aragorn is so noble that he withholds the revelation of Boromir's crime (treachery, attempted theft). Aragorn expresses a desire to 'change the evil fate of this unhappy day' and questions of fate and destiny intertwine and remain one of the central themes of this work, just as we saw in The Fellowship of the Ring.

There is a dry irony in titling this chapter 'The Departure of Boromir,' though it does seem fair that Boromir pays a high price for is incredibly wretched crime. They continue on, not so much because they feel connected to their original quest, but because it may be that some of their fellow adventurers have been bound and kidnapped by the orcs and they feel a genuine moral obligation to come to their colleagues' assistance. Under Aragorn's leadership, the diminished troupe has few options ahead.

It also seems that the dead villains were not in the service of the evil lord, Sauron, but instead they were in the service of Saruman, a wizard gone bad. Investigating the weapons of the dead villains and the numerous tracks in the area, the three warriors conclude that Frodo and Sam have continued on their journey. They make a funeral boat for Boromir and launch the boat on the banks of the nearby River. He was a valiant warrior, nonetheless, and many of his enemies lay slain around him.Īragorn is soon joined by the dwarf, Gimli, and the elf, Legolas. Aragorn hears Boromir's horn, signaling for help but when Aragorn arrives, it is too late to do anything for Boromir, who has been pierced by many arrows. At the end of Book Two, Boromir foolishly attempts to steal the ring from Frodo now, we find Boromir attacked by evil orcs. The chapter begins with the two humans (men) who were included in the company, Aragorn and Boromir. The fellowship of the ring has been broken and The Two Towers recounts the stories of how each of these individual heroes fared after the split. Chapter 1 is the beginning of Book Three. The Two Towers continues where the two books of The Fellowship of the Ring left off.

Lotr two towers narrator