Flotsam and Jetsam

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Flotsam and Jetsam
Chapter of The Two Towers
Number9
Synopsis
EventMerry and Peregrin relay their tale.
Date5 March 3019
LocationIsengard
Navigation
<  The Road to Isengard
The Voice of Saruman  >

Flotsam and Jetsam is the ninth chapter of the first book in The Two Towers.

Summary

Merry and Pippin told Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli how they had come to be at Isengard after escaping the Orcs and being helped by Ents. Merry told them how the whole forest had marched to Isengard and torn up the gates. Pippin then told them how Saruman had almost managed to escape but had been spotted in time and taken refuge in the stronghold of Orthanc that even the iron-tearing ents could not destroy. He also told them how Gandalf had come by and asked for Treebeard's help, which he had given. Pippin told them how Gríma Wormtongue had come to give Saruman a message, but seeing the destruction he had wanted to leave. At that point Treebeard had captured him and that was how he had come to be cloistered with Saruman.

Composition

Tolkien wrote this chapter, along with the five final chapter of Book III were writen as a whole (not in consequence) during his spare time in summer and autumn 1942. He wrote three versions of Merry's monologue on pipe-weed. Eventually, while making a fair copy, much of Merry's speech was removed to form a separate text, "Concerning Pipe-weed".[1]

References