• Did Frodo Repeat Himself?

    From Louis Epstein@le@lekno.ws to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Wed Jan 8 02:02:02 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    TLotR 50th Anniversary page 947,end of "Mount Doom" chapter:

    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    On page 950,third page of "Field of Cormallen" chapter:

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"

    Is this a recapitulation of the same statement,
    as the narrative returns to the perspective of
    Frodo and Sam?...or is it (as the interpolated
    "that" might argue,has it been stable in all
    editions?) an instance in which he repeated himself
    to Sam for whatever reason having previously said
    the same words without the "that"?

    -=-=-
    The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
    at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Feanor@houseof.usher715@silomails.com to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Thu Oct 9 19:49:09 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    Louis Epstein wrote:
    TLotR 50th Anniversary page 947,end of "Mount Doom" chapter:

    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    On page 950,third page of "Field of Cormallen" chapter:

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"

    Is this a recapitulation of the same statement,
    as the narrative returns to the perspective of
    Frodo and Sam?...or is it (as the interpolated
    "that" might argue,has it been stable in all
    editions?) an instance in which he repeated himself
    to Sam for whatever reason having previously said
    the same words without the "that"?

    -=-=-
    The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
    at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.


    I am going to say that it is 'recapitulation' indeed, to tie the
    diverging narratives back together. Good catch, though! Would be
    interesting to see the comparison... there ought to be multi-edition
    eBook versions of all the books, where one may easily switch between them.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Louis Epstein@le@lekno.ws to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Sat Jan 3 19:32:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Feanor <houseof.usher715@silomails.com> wrote:
    Louis Epstein wrote:
    TLotR 50th Anniversary page 947,end of "Mount Doom" chapter:

    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    On page 950,third page of "Field of Cormallen" chapter:

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"

    Is this a recapitulation of the same statement,
    as the narrative returns to the perspective of
    Frodo and Sam?...or is it (as the interpolated
    "that" might argue,has it been stable in all
    editions?) an instance in which he repeated himself
    to Sam for whatever reason having previously said
    the same words without the "that"?


    I am going to say that it is 'recapitulation' indeed, to tie the
    diverging narratives back together. Good catch, though! Would be
    interesting to see the comparison... there ought to be multi-edition
    eBook versions of all the books, where one may easily switch between them.

    I do not have any pre-1966 "First Edition" copies,but my oldest
    Ballantine and HMCo Second Editions both have the discrepancy.

    Did Hammond & Scull flag this in their work?

    -=-=-
    The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
    at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From O. Sharp@ohh@panix.com to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Sun Jan 4 21:40:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"
    [...]

    I do not have any pre-1966 "First Edition" copies,but my oldest
    Ballantine and HMCo Second Editions both have the discrepancy.

    Did Hammond & Scull flag this in their work?

    The First Edition has the same discrepancy for "that", and Hammond and
    Scull's _Reader's Companion_ makes no note of it. In fact that line of
    Frodo's (or those lines, if you prefer) doesn't even rate a mention in
    _HoME IX_, even though it includes a reference to a plot outline where
    Frodo was still named "Bingo". I guess _nobody_ wanted to point it out
    before now. :)

    ------------------------------------------------------------------- ohh@panix.com "The first rule about Fight Club is that _nobody_
    talks about Fight Club! Or Frodo's incorrectly quoting
    previous dialogue."
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul S Person@psperson@old.netcom.invalid to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Mon Jan 5 08:11:57 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    On Sun, 4 Jan 2026 21:40:16 -0000 (UTC), "O. Sharp" <ohh@panix.com>
    wrote:
    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"
    [...]

    I do not have any pre-1966 "First Edition" copies,but my oldest
    Ballantine and HMCo Second Editions both have the discrepancy.

    Did Hammond & Scull flag this in their work?

    The First Edition has the same discrepancy for "that", and Hammond and >Scull's _Reader's Companion_ makes no note of it. In fact that line of >Frodo's (or those lines, if you prefer) doesn't even rate a mention in
    _HoME IX_, even though it includes a reference to a plot outline where
    Frodo was still named "Bingo". I guess _nobody_ wanted to point it out >before now. :)
    Or perhaps everybody else was sane enough to recognize that the two
    situations produced similar thoughts.
    --
    "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
    Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
    Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Louis Epstein@le@lekno.ws to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Tue Jan 6 05:07:18 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
    On Sun, 4 Jan 2026 21:40:16 -0000 (UTC), "O. Sharp" <ohh@panix.com>
    wrote:

    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"
    [...]

    I do not have any pre-1966 "First Edition" copies,but my oldest
    Ballantine and HMCo Second Editions both have the discrepancy.

    Did Hammond & Scull flag this in their work?

    The First Edition has the same discrepancy for "that", and Hammond and >>Scull's _Reader's Companion_ makes no note of it. In fact that line of >>Frodo's (or those lines, if you prefer) doesn't even rate a mention in >>_HoME IX_, even though it includes a reference to a plot outline where >>Frodo was still named "Bingo". I guess _nobody_ wanted to point it out >>before now. :)

    Or perhaps everybody else was sane enough to recognize that the two situations produced similar thoughts.

    So you believe it was two different situations and lines
    rather than the same line chronicled differently?

    -=-=-
    The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
    at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul S Person@psperson@old.netcom.invalid to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Tue Jan 6 08:34:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    On Tue, 6 Jan 2026 05:07:18 -0000 (UTC), Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws>
    wrote:
    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote: >> On Sun, 4 Jan 2026 21:40:16 -0000 (UTC), "O. Sharp" <ohh@panix.com>
    wrote:

    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"
    [...]

    I do not have any pre-1966 "First Edition" copies,but my oldest
    Ballantine and HMCo Second Editions both have the discrepancy.

    Did Hammond & Scull flag this in their work?

    The First Edition has the same discrepancy for "that", and Hammond and >>>Scull's _Reader's Companion_ makes no note of it. In fact that line of >>>Frodo's (or those lines, if you prefer) doesn't even rate a mention in >>>_HoME IX_, even though it includes a reference to a plot outline where >>>Frodo was still named "Bingo". I guess _nobody_ wanted to point it out >>>before now. :)

    Or perhaps everybody else was sane enough to recognize that the two
    situations produced similar thoughts.

    So you believe it was two different situations and lines
    rather than the same line chronicled differently?
    It's been too long since I read the book to be clear.
    But my memory does suggest that they occur in very different contexts.
    With the same Hobbit reacting to similar psychological states the same
    way.
    But, if you prefer the path of the Higher Criticism, feel free. It can
    do no harm, for it is ultimately pointless.
    --
    "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
    Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
    Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Louis Epstein@le@lekno.ws to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Wed Jan 7 01:30:27 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
    On Tue, 6 Jan 2026 05:07:18 -0000 (UTC), Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws>
    wrote:

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote: >>> On Sun, 4 Jan 2026 21:40:16 -0000 (UTC), "O. Sharp" <ohh@panix.com>
    wrote:

    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"
    [...]

    I do not have any pre-1966 "First Edition" copies,but my oldest
    Ballantine and HMCo Second Editions both have the discrepancy.

    Did Hammond & Scull flag this in their work?

    The First Edition has the same discrepancy for "that", and Hammond and >>>>Scull's _Reader's Companion_ makes no note of it. In fact that line of >>>>Frodo's (or those lines, if you prefer) doesn't even rate a mention in >>>>_HoME IX_, even though it includes a reference to a plot outline where >>>>Frodo was still named "Bingo". I guess _nobody_ wanted to point it out >>>>before now. :)

    Or perhaps everybody else was sane enough to recognize that the two
    situations produced similar thoughts.

    So you believe it was two different situations and lines
    rather than the same line chronicled differently?

    It's been too long since I read the book to be clear.

    But my memory does suggest that they occur in very different contexts.
    With the same Hobbit reacting to similar psychological states the same
    way.

    But, if you prefer the path of the Higher Criticism, feel free. It can
    do no harm, for it is ultimately pointless.

    Both of them refer to Frodo speaking to Sam on the slopes of Orodruin
    after the collapse of Barad-dur...there would not be confusion over whether this is a repetition of the exact same speech if there were any clear distinction.

    -=-=-
    The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
    at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul S Person@psperson@old.netcom.invalid to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Wed Jan 7 08:49:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    On Wed, 7 Jan 2026 01:30:27 -0000 (UTC), Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws>
    wrote:
    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote: >> On Tue, 6 Jan 2026 05:07:18 -0000 (UTC), Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws>
    wrote:

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote: >>>> On Sun, 4 Jan 2026 21:40:16 -0000 (UTC), "O. Sharp" <ohh@panix.com>
    wrote:

    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    "'Yes,'said Frodo.'...now all is over.
    I am glad you are here with me.Here at
    the end of all things,Sam.'"

    "'I am glad that you are here with me,'
    said Frodo.'Here at the end of all things,
    Sam.'"
    [...]

    I do not have any pre-1966 "First Edition" copies,but my oldest
    Ballantine and HMCo Second Editions both have the discrepancy.

    Did Hammond & Scull flag this in their work?

    The First Edition has the same discrepancy for "that", and Hammond and >>>>>Scull's _Reader's Companion_ makes no note of it. In fact that line of >>>>>Frodo's (or those lines, if you prefer) doesn't even rate a mention in >>>>>_HoME IX_, even though it includes a reference to a plot outline where >>>>>Frodo was still named "Bingo". I guess _nobody_ wanted to point it out >>>>>before now. :)

    Or perhaps everybody else was sane enough to recognize that the two
    situations produced similar thoughts.

    So you believe it was two different situations and lines
    rather than the same line chronicled differently?

    It's been too long since I read the book to be clear.

    But my memory does suggest that they occur in very different contexts.
    With the same Hobbit reacting to similar psychological states the same
    way.

    But, if you prefer the path of the Higher Criticism, feel free. It can
    do no harm, for it is ultimately pointless.

    Both of them refer to Frodo speaking to Sam on the slopes of Orodruin
    after the collapse of Barad-dur...there would not be confusion over whether >this is a repetition of the exact same speech if there were any clear >distinction.
    Well, have you considered the possibility that Frodo, having lost a
    finger, is in shock and not thinking clearly? And reacting to Sam the
    same way twice as a result?
    As I said, the Higher Criticism is find, but ultimately pointless.
    I mean, what does this mean in terms of the Red Book? That there were
    two sources for this episode that a later redactor later merged? Are
    we to start dividing the texts up into different original sources and
    editorial notes?
    --
    "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
    Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
    Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Stephan Seitz@stse+usenet@rootsland.net to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Wed Jan 7 18:01:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
    Well, have you considered the possibility that Frodo, having lost a
    finger, is in shock and not thinking clearly? And reacting to Sam the

    I doubt it. Frodo was awake hours before Sam woke up, but slept again.
    Nothing indicates that he was in anyway bewildered. Sam showed more
    signs than Frodo.

    Stephan
    --
    | Stephan Seitz E-Mail: stse+usenet@rootsland.net |
    | If your life was a horse, you'd have to shoot it. |
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul S Person@psperson@old.netcom.invalid to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Thu Jan 8 08:31:09 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    On 7 Jan 2026 18:01:15 GMT, Stephan Seitz <stse+usenet@rootsland.net>
    wrote:
    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote: >> Well, have you considered the possibility that Frodo, having lost a
    finger, is in shock and not thinking clearly? And reacting to Sam the

    I doubt it. Frodo was awake hours before Sam woke up, but slept again. >Nothing indicates that he was in anyway bewildered. Sam showed more
    signs than Frodo.
    You snipped this:
    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    Both of them refer to Frodo speaking to Sam on the slopes of Orodruin
    after the collapse of Barad-dur...there would not be confusion over whether >>this is a repetition of the exact same speech if there were any clear >>distinction.
    It has been a long time since I read the book, but am I really to
    understand that Frodo and Sam took hours-long naps after the Ring went
    into the Cracks of Doom while waiting for the Eagles?
    And I didn't say "bewildered". I said "in shock". Losing a finger by
    having it bitten off by Gollum tends to do that to people.
    Very strange. Perhaps, the next time I have a pause in my eBook
    reading, it would be time to reread (some of) JRRT.
    --
    "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
    Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
    Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Louis Epstein@le@lekno.ws to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Mon Jan 12 02:43:00 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
    On 7 Jan 2026 18:01:15 GMT, Stephan Seitz <stse+usenet@rootsland.net>
    wrote:

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote: >>> Well, have you considered the possibility that Frodo, having lost a
    finger, is in shock and not thinking clearly? And reacting to Sam the

    I doubt it. Frodo was awake hours before Sam woke up, but slept again. >>Nothing indicates that he was in anyway bewildered. Sam showed more
    signs than Frodo.

    You snipped this:

    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    Both of them refer to Frodo speaking to Sam on the slopes of Orodruin >>>after the collapse of Barad-dur...there would not be confusion over whether >>>this is a repetition of the exact same speech if there were any clear >>>distinction.

    It has been a long time since I read the book, but am I really to
    understand that Frodo and Sam took hours-long naps after the Ring went
    into the Cracks of Doom while waiting for the Eagles?

    And I didn't say "bewildered". I said "in shock". Losing a finger by
    having it bitten off by Gollum tends to do that to people.

    How large a sample size of similarly affected individuals are you
    relying on to posit this conclusion?

    Very strange. Perhaps, the next time I have a pause in my eBook
    reading, it would be time to reread (some of) JRRT.

    -=-=-
    The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
    at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul S Person@psperson@old.netcom.invalid to alt.fan.tolkien,rec.arts.books.tolkien on Mon Jan 12 08:19:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books.tolkien

    On Mon, 12 Jan 2026 02:43:00 -0000 (UTC), Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws>
    wrote:
    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote: >> On 7 Jan 2026 18:01:15 GMT, Stephan Seitz <stse+usenet@rootsland.net>
    wrote:

    In rec.arts.books.tolkien Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote: >>>> Well, have you considered the possibility that Frodo, having lost a
    finger, is in shock and not thinking clearly? And reacting to Sam the

    I doubt it. Frodo was awake hours before Sam woke up, but slept again. >>>Nothing indicates that he was in anyway bewildered. Sam showed more
    signs than Frodo.

    You snipped this:

    Louis Epstein <le@lekno.ws> quotes and asks:
    Both of them refer to Frodo speaking to Sam on the slopes of Orodruin >>>>after the collapse of Barad-dur...there would not be confusion over whether >>>>this is a repetition of the exact same speech if there were any clear >>>>distinction.

    It has been a long time since I read the book, but am I really to
    understand that Frodo and Sam took hours-long naps after the Ring went
    into the Cracks of Doom while waiting for the Eagles?

    And I didn't say "bewildered". I said "in shock". Losing a finger by
    having it bitten off by Gollum tends to do that to people.

    How large a sample size of similarly affected individuals are you
    relying on to posit this conclusion?
    It's called PTSD, once the actual shock disappears.
    JRRT was an officer in the trenches in WWI. He would have been
    well-aware of this phenomenon.
    I take it you have no actual arguments left.
    I'm almost ready to explore the book and see if this really is
    before/after Frodo took a nap at Mt Doom after the Ring went in and
    the Tower fell. Or if one is at Mt Doom, and the other at the Field of Cormallon. I just have to be willing to take the time.

    Very strange. Perhaps, the next time I have a pause in my eBook
    reading, it would be time to reread (some of) JRRT.
    --
    "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
    Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
    Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2