LoTR Discussion project; Book II Chapters 7 and 8

[Artanis]

The Mirror of Galadriel

This chapter begins with the arrival of the Company in Caras Galadhon, the great Elven city in Lórien, where the inhabitants dwell up in the trees. It is a city full of light, even at night, and there is song. There is a feeling of 'magic' about the land.
Lórien and Rivendell are both Elvish dwellings, and they are both influenced by Noldorin culture. How would you describe Lórien compared to Rivendell?

Here we are introduced to the Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel. When Aragorn tells the full tale of Moria, Celeborn loses his head and attacks Gimli, holding the Dwarves responsible for waking up the Balrog from sleep. What to me is more interesting is that he also picks on Gandalf, for being so foolish as to enter Moria, but this he does with care, maybe because he knows who Gandalf really are:

And if it were possible, one would say that at the last Gandalf fell from wisdom into folly, going needlessly into the net of Moria.

And Galadriel is not less careful in her answer:

'He would be rash indeed that said that thing,' said Galadriel gravely.

I think Galadriel shines in this scene. With her wise and understanding words and her knowledge of the Dwarven-tongue she wins the corteous love of Gimli the Dwarf, and with a few well-formulated sentences she makes Celeborn repent of his rash words:

Do not repent of your welcome to the Dwarf. If our folk had been exiled long and far from Lothlórien, who of the Galadhrim, even Celeborn the Wise, would pass nigh and would not wish to look upon their ancient home, though it had become an abode of dragons?

So speaks an Elf that has once lived in Valinor, but are now in exile in Middle-Earth. But to Celeborn it was probably a reminder that he in short time may find himself in a situation where even Lórien is invaded by the enemy.

We have then the scene where Galadriel is testing each of the members of the Fellowship. This part has been discussed in length in this thread.
Do you think Frodo sensed her lust for the Ring already at this point? Is that why he thought her to be perilous? And, I wonder if Boromir had sensed it too, and that that was part of why he mistrusted her so much?

I also think Aragorn was wrong when he says this about Galadriel:

There is in her and in this land no evil ...

No place in Middle-Earth is completely without an evil ingredient. Galadriel and Lórien are no exceptions. As Galadriel says:

The evil that was devised long ago works on in many ways, whether Sauron himself stands or falls.

There is a markantly change in the relationship between Gimli and Legolas. Legolas is among his own here, many of the Elves living in Lórien were Silvan Elves. But he chooses Gimli the Dwarf as his companion on his walks around the land and among his kin, building a strong friendship between them.
This change in the relationship between Gimli and Legolas took me by surprise the first time I read the book. Why this change, what has led up to it?

Again Frodo reveals another side of himself, when he recites his own-made poem in memory of Gandalf. But then, he is after all closely related to Bilbo.
The interesting thing is that the verses seem to take shape in his head, springing out from his sorrow, almost outside his will, but when he tries to put them into words he more or less fails. What are your thoughts on this?

Sam and Frodo have their little convo about the Elves, and the land. Sam is really hitting the nail on the head here:

Now these folk aren't wanderers or homeless, and seem a bit nearer to the likes of us: they seem to belong here, more even than Hobbits do in the Shire. Whether they've made the land, or the land's made them, it's hard to say, if you take my meaning.

He's got a good point, Lórien is to the Elves much as the Shire is to the Hobbits, they love their dwelling place, and they do not leave the land unless they have to.

Then Galadriel takes Frodo and Sam to look in her mirror. It is Sam who takes the first look, letting his curiosity speak louder than his fear. His visions is about what his heart is full of: Frodo, and the Shire. Frodo on the other hand gets visions about Gandalf and Bilbo, and then Gondor, and then a hint about the Grey Havens. And finally, the Eye of the Enemy appears.
Why did Galadriel take Frodo and Sam to look in her mirror? It was dangerous for them, she herself has to save them from the peril of their visions. Was this yet another test, similar to the one at the welcome? Or was it her way of educating them?

But there is a backlash for her, she is herself being put to a test. To take the Ring offered to her or not. She passed the test. But imo the main question here is: Why did Frodo offer her the Ring? And would he really have been able to give it away?