Who attacks the Hobbit rooms?

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by squinteyedsoutherner
“When they saw them they were glad they had taken his advice: the windows had been forced open and were swinging, and the curtains were flapping: the beds were tossed about, and the bolsters slashed and flung on the floor: the brown mat was torn to pieces.”

I have always taken this to mean that the intruders entered from outsied the Inn via the ground floor window.

Okay - I had forgotten that line. I'll go with that they came in through the window.

[ethuiliel]

I think I remember PJ or someone else involved in the movie saying that they did not think that the ringwraiths attacked the room, and that they only put it in because it would be more dramatic in a movie. If the people who put the ringwraiths attacking the inn into the movie say that it wasn't them, I'd say that that was proof enough that it wasn't the ringwraiths who attacked the room.
However, after reading this thread I think its possible that they were there, even if they didn't do the actual attack.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by ethuiliel
I think I remember PJ or someone else involved in the movie saying that they did not think that the ringwraiths attacked the room, and that they only put it in because it would be more dramatic in a movie. If the people who put the ringwraiths attacking the inn into the movie say that it wasn't them, I'd say that that was proof enough that it wasn't the ringwraiths who attacked the room.

Why would you assume they were experts on Lord of the Rings? Because they said they were fans of the books and that they were doing the movies? They are the ones who gave us Flight to the Ford.

However, after reading this thread I think its possible that they were there, even if they didn't do the actual attack.

Why do you not believe they were NOT there?

[ethuiliel]

Why would you assume they were experts on Lord of the Rings?

I mean that they were, though I may have sounded like it. I meant that I don't think they would have admitted that they changed the books when they were attacked for other changes, unless they felt that it was really true, and they had a good reason to think it.

Why do you not believe they were NOT there?

Partly Aragorn's quote, and partly because I don't think that the Ringwraiths would like attacking the hobbits in a populated, comfortable place, when their major weapons were fear and helplessness.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by ethuiliel
I mean that they were, though I may have sounded like it. I meant that I don't think they would have admitted that they changed the books when they were attacked for other changes, unless they felt that it was really true, and they had a good reason to think it.

Just because they were familiar with the books - doesn't mean they really KNEW the books or are experts on them.

Partly Aragorn's quote, and partly because I don't think that the Ringwraiths would like attacking the hobbits in a populated, comfortable place, when their major weapons were fear and helplessness.

The hobbits were in their room - by themselves in the middle of the night. It's not like there were a ton of people around and in broad daylight. There was no difference in them attacking the room at the Prancing Pony than in them attacking Crickhollow - which obviously they did.

[Lótiel]

Originally posted by Dúnedain

I followed with "Funny, they attacked Frodo pretty well on Weathertop "off their mounts", not to mention climbing up a hill...
Don't forget the hobbits room was on the ground level..."

I don't see why that's hard to understand. I mean you said they are helpless off their mounts, but yet they could climb up weathertop, sneak past everyone and stab Frodo...

Doesn't seem helpless to me...

I´m quite sure the Nazgûls didn´t have to climb up Weathertop. Frodo and the others camped in a hollow close by the foot of weathertop, it´s not like in the film. It´s been a while since I read this part, but I don´t think they camped on Weathertop.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Lótiel
I´m quite sure the Nazgûls didn´t have to climb up Weathertop. Frodo and the others camped in a hollow close by the foot of weathertop, it´s not like in the film. It´s been a while since I read this part, but I don´t think they camped on Weathertop.

You are right they only look on very top of Weathertop....

..After half an hour's plodding climb Strider reached the crown of the hill; Frodo and Merry followed, tired and breathless. The last slope had been steep and rocky.

On the top they foudn as Strider had said, a wide ring of ancient stonework, now crumbling or covered with age-long grass...

But then camp here...

Down in the lowest and most sheltered corner of the dell they lit a fire and prepared a meal...

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by Lótiel
I´m quite sure the Nazgûls didn´t have to climb up Weathertop. Frodo and the others camped in a hollow close by the foot of weathertop, it´s not like in the film. It´s been a while since I read this part, but I don´t think they camped on Weathertop.

Actually the hollow wasn't at the bottom it was halfway up...At least that is how I read it, though it doesn't specifically say other than that it says they made their way for the top and then after that the hollow is mentioned...

FotR; A Knife in the Dark:

It was already mid-day when they drew near the southern end of the path, and saw before them, in the pale clear light of the October sun, a grey-green bank, leading up like a bridge on to the northward slope of the hill. They decided to make for the top at once, while the daylight was broad. Concealment was no longer possible, and they could only hope that no enemy or spy was observing them. Nothing was to be seen moving on the hill. If Gandalf was anywhere about, there was no sign of him.

On the western flank of Weathertop they found a sheltered hollow, at the bottom of which there was a bowl-shaped dell with grassy sides. There they left Same and Pippin with the pony and their packs and luggage. The other three went on. After half an hour's plodding clim Strider reached the crown of the hill; Frodo and Merry followed, tired and breathless. The last clope had been steep and rocky.

I guess it could go either way, as it doesn't specifically state where the hollow was, but I always read it as it was on the way up on the path of Weathertop. I say that because they started to go up on the path on the southern side of Weathertop and the hollow was on the western side of it...

P.S. I never said they were on the top of Weathertop either...Climbing a hill doesn't mean it is the whole hill

[LutraMage]

And this is why I love The Lord of the Rings so much! Having read the books so many times I had never noticed this discrepancy until now. All the points made in this thread are really interesting. And yet again I find something new in a book I thought I knew so well. Thanks guys and gals.

[Thorin II]

I don't mean to confuse the books with the movies, but wasn't there something about the Nazgul being stronger when closer to Mordor? I can't remember if/when it was mentioned in the books.