Fellowship of the Ring

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The name Fellowship of the Ring refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see The Fellowship of the Ring (disambiguation).
Fellowship of the Ring
Organisation
Peter Xavier Price - The Fellowship of the Ring.jpg
"The Fellowship of the Ring" by Peter Xavier Price
Other namesCompany of the Ring
Date founded18 December T.A. 3018
Council of Elrond
PurposeEscort the One Ring to Mount Doom
Disbanded22 August T.A. 3019
Breaking of the Fellowship
GalleryImages of the Fellowship of the Ring
"The Company of the Ring shall be Nine; and the Nine Walkers shall be set against the Nine Riders that are evil..."
Elrond in The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Council of Elrond"

The Fellowship of the Ring, also known as the Company of the Ring, was formed from nine members of the Free peoples during the War of the Ring. Its purpose was to take the One Ring to Mordor, the only place where it could be destroyed.

Members

The Fellowship by Pauline Baynes

History

The Anger of the Mountain by Ted Nasmith

The Fellowship of the Ring was formed in Rivendell with the purpose to destroy the One Ring, and the only way to do so was to throw it into the Cracks of Doom.[1] It was decided that nine walkers should contrast the Nazgûl of Sauron with Frodo as the Ring-bearer and Gandalf as the leader.

Although the purpose was fixed by the Council of Elrond, it was not decreed how, in what manner and through which route this could be done; such details were left to the Fellowship's discretion. As a consequence, the Fellowship started with no detailed plan. One option was to go directly to Mount Doom, the other was to ask help from Boromir's father, Denethor II. The way of how to reach the East was a problem. After moving south from Rivendell, they encountered crebain on their arrival in Hollin. Fearing that they were used as spies by Saruman, the Fellowship spent the entire day in hiding, without a campfire.

When they had to pass the Misty Mountains, Boromir proposed the Gap of Rohan (the way through which he journeyed to Rivendell); Gandalf insisted on passing through Moria but Aragorn thought the Redhorn Pass would be safer. However after attempting in vain to pass the blizzard, they followed Gandalf's option.[2]

After fighting with wolves and the Watcher in the Water, they managed to open the Doors of Durin and enter Moria.

There they found the Orcs who overran Balin's Colony years ago. They also saw Durin's Bane, one of the Balrogsof Morgoth, who devastated Moria in the beginning of the Third Age. To buy them time, Gandalf destroyed the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and both Maiar fell together into the abyss, while the Company escaped back to the light.[3] Aragorn was appointed the head of the Company, and their next stop was to meet with Galadriel and Celeborn, the elf-lords of Lothlórien.[4] They stayed there for four weeks, resting and counseling for their plan and route. On their leave, the elves gave them several useful gifts, which included Lembas bread and gave them boats to sail the Anduin.[5]

Meanwhile, Saruman, who served Sauron, sent a band of Uruk-hai to capture the halfling who bore the Ring and bring him to Isengard.[6] Frodo began to realize not only that someone was following them, but also that the Ring was having a malevolent effect on some members of the party, especially Boromir.[7] It was he who tried to take the ring from him, after the passage through the Argonath. In the process, Frodo put on the ring to escape him, but he was followed by Sam. The rest of the Company was attacked by orcs while trying to find the Ring-bearer. Seeing no other halfling, the Orcs succeeded in capturing Merry and Pippin, killing Boromir, who tried to protect them.[8] And so, the Fellowship was broken, but not yet disbanded. Frodo decided to go to Mordor himself, but Sam followed him down the Emyn Muil.[9] Aragorn, with Gimli and Legolas, (the "Three Hunters") decided to follow the Orcs into Rohan and rescue Pippin and Merry.[10] Unknown to them all, Gandalf had been resurrected and visited Lothlórien after them.[11]

After many adventures the eight remaining members of the Fellowship reunited after the downfall of Sauron.[12] When King Théoden's funeral escort set out from Minas Tirith, all eight journeyed together until they met Treebeard at Orthanc. There Gimli and Legolas departed to visit the deep places of Fangorn Forest on their way to their own homes, and Aragorn declared that the Fellowship of the Ring was at last ended.[13]

Timeline

The route of the Fellowship

December 3018

  • 18 - The Company of the Ring is formed
  • 25 - The Company of the Ring leaves Rivendell at dusk[14]

January 3019

Moria by Angus McBride

February

  • 14 - Frodo and Sam look into the Mirror of Galadriel. Frodo offers the Ring to her, and she passes the test.
  • 16 - The Elves give the cloaks, and the gifts of Galadriel. Farewell to Lórien. Gollum in hiding on the west bank observes the departure by boat.
  • 22 - Sam sees Gollum and talks about him to Frodo.
  • 23 - The boats are attacked at night near Sarn Gebir and retreat. A flying shadow approaches but leaves.
  • 24 - They carry the boats through a passage above Sarn Gebir and continue sailing after. The shadow is seen again.
The Argonath by Ted Nasmith
The Horn of Boromir by Matt Stewart

April

  • 8 April - Frodo awakens in Ithilien and the surviving members of the Fellowship are fully reunited.[15]

July

August

  • 22 August - The Fellowship disbands as its members head in various directions to go home.[15]

Inspiration

The notion of the number nine balancing nine evils (here, the Ringwraiths), is a motif seen in literature, as in the famous Old English Nine Herbs Charm, where nine herbs are used to remedy nine contagions or venoms that go through the land.[16]

Terminology

Though usually called Fellowship of the Ring in adaptations and by fans, the actual term is not used in full until the chapter "Many Partings", when Aragorn disbanded it.[13] In the story itself, they are usually referred to as the Fellowship, the Company of the Ring (more so than Fellowship), and the Nine Walkers (in opposition of the Nine Riders who pursued them).

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Council of Elrond"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Ring Goes South"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Journey in the Dark"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Lothlórien"
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Farewell to Lórien"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Uruk-hai"
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Great River"
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Breaking of the Fellowship"
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Taming of Sméagol"
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir"
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The White Rider"
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Field of Cormallen"
  13. 13.0 13.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Many Partings"
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Chief Days from the Fall of Barad-dûr to the End of the Third Age"
  16. "Tolkien Society Anglo-Saxon Study Pack 2" dated 19 March 2006, The Tolkien Society (accessed 19 March 2024)
Members of the Fellowship of the Ring
Frodo · Sam · Merry · Pippin · Gandalf · Aragorn · Legolas · Gimli · Boromir
Route of the Fellowship of the Ring
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Rohan · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Dunharrow · Paths of the Dead · Gondor · Hill of Erech · Lamedon · Linhir · Lebennin · Pelargir · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Boromir
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen
Frodo and Sam
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Dead Marshes · Black Gate · Ithilien · Henneth Annûn · Cross-roads · Morgul Vale · Stairs of Cirith Ungol · Cirith Ungol · Shelob's Lair · Tower of Cirith Ungol · Mordor · Morgai · Plateau of Gorgoroth · Mount Doom · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Gandalf
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Celebdil† · Lothlórien · Fangorn Forest · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Merry
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Hornburg · Dunharrow · Drúadan Forest · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Pippin
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Amon Hen · Parth Galen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Gondor · Cair Andros · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard