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12-23-2009, 08:11 PM | #1 | |
Salt Miner
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Posts: 987
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Possible minor plot error in “Uruk-hai” chapter in TT
This has probably been pointed out before, but…
I think I found a minor plot error in Two Towers at the end of the chapter “Uruk-hai”. Just prior to this, Grishnákh has attempted to take Pippin and Merry, but caught by a sentry of the Éomer’s éored, he’s been skewered instead. A contingent of orcs from Isengard attacks, and the Rohirrim tighten their ring-siege of the orcs commanded by Uglúk, leaving Merry and Pippin free to escape, except that they are still bound, although Pippin can get his hands free. My impression is that Merry’s hands (and Pippin’s too, before he freed them and then pulled the loops over them as a subterfuge) were tied quite securely. I believe the following quotation from “Uruk-hai” contains a minor plot error. Quote:
Now maybe I’m just being overly-picky, but nowhere does the text indicate that Merry’s hands were loose until after Pippin crawled over to Grishnákh’s knife. But in order for Merry to eat before he’s cut loose, either Pippin has to untie his hands - is that implied rather than stated? - or else Pippin has to feed Merry while the latter is still bound, which while possible seems impractical: the obvious thing to do is cut Merry loose and both hobbits use their hands. Then there is the simple issue of safety: neither Pippin nor Merry had any reason to believe that they were safe, and running could become imperative at any moment. Even if they stopped to eat, wouldn’t being able to escape be more important than “a bit of lembas first,” or do I fail to comprehend hobbit logic? My question is: shouldn’t the order of events be:
Last edited by Alcuin : 12-23-2009 at 08:17 PM. |
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12-23-2009, 10:14 PM | #2 |
High King at Annuminas Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Wyoming - USA
Posts: 10,752
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Alcuin - I'd say 'hobbit priorities'. Also, maybe Pippin thought that Merry needed to regain a little strength before taking off - and the lembas would do the trick.
If Merry's hands were tied in front of him, eating a small portion wouldn't be too much trouble. Pippin had to look around a little for a blade to cut with, but the lembas were easy enough to find. They may have simply been doing the easiest thing first, and then the more difficult one. I'm with you though. If I'M in that situation - whether sore, tired, hungry, weak - I am getting out of there RIGHT AWAY, and I'll eat a bite later, thank you. But, as you say, we're not hobbits. Another advantage to doing it their way - by avoiding major movements for another minute or so after the ring tightened around the Orc camp, they may have avoided being spotted by someone (of the Rohirrim) on the lookout over the area they had just advanced over.
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