Morgul Pass

From Tolkien Gateway

The Morgul Pass was a pass in a great ravine at the head of the Morgul Vale that led over the Ephel Dúath.[1][2]

The Morgul Pass was also referred to as the "main pass".[2][3]

The Nameless Pass was probably another name for the Morgul Pass, because the wraith-road ran from the dead city in a great ravine at the head of the Morgul Valley to the Nameless Pass, which Frodo could see from above on the winding stairs that led to the tunnel and the pass of Cirith Ungol that was guarded by the Tower of Cirith Ungol[2][4] and because a broad road ran from the Tower of Cirith Ungol down to join the road that came over the Morgul Pass[5]. As a consequence, the Nameless Pass was probably not another name for the pass of Cirith Ungol.[6] The pass of Cirith Ungol was located in a cleft on the slope of the mountain on the north side of the Morgul pass and could be reached by taking a narrow path that began at a gap in the stone-wall on the left side of the Morgul-road near the bridge over the river Morgulduin, which wound up the mountain on the northern side near the entrance of the Morgul Vale, climbing the Stairs of Cirith Ungol,[7] passing through a tunnel,[8] and taking a long flight of broad shallow steps to the cleft[9] and the crown of the pass, after which the road turned left and plunged steeply down to the Tower of Cirith Ungol[10]. From a gate in the south-eastern side of the wall that enclosed the courtyard of the tower a broad road ran on the edge of a precipice and then turned southward and wound down to join the Morgul-road.[5]

The Morgul-road ran from Osgiliath[11] to the Morgul Vale. It then crossed a bridge over the river Morgulduin, wound up to the gate of the city of Minas Morgul[12] and then went on through the great ravine at the head of the Morgul Vale over the Morgul Pass.[13] It then descended to the valley between the Ephel Dúath and the Morgai, passed over a bridge of stone,[14] and through a jagged rift in the Morgai out into Gorgoroth and on to Barad-dûr.[15]

History[edit | edit source]

During the War of the Ring, Frodo, Sam and Gollum took the stairs of Cirith Ungol that led to the pass of Cirith Ungol, because they wanted to avoid passing by close to Minas Morgul and as a consequence did not use the Morgul Pass.[7] After the Battle of the Pelennor Fields the army of the West left a strong guard at the Cross-roads to defend it in case enemies came over the Morgul Pass from Mordor or came up from the South.[16]

Drawing[edit | edit source]

J.R.R. Tolkien made a drawing that shows the top of the stairs of Cirith Ungol, the entrance to the tunnel with the pass of Cirith Ungol after the exit from the tunnel and the topmost turret of the Tower of Cirith Ungol behind a mountain peak with another broader pass on the right side of the pass of Cirith Ungol and a mountain ridge between the pass of Cirith Ungol and the other broader pass.[17]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

An earlier version of what would later become the chapter The Stairs of Cirith Ungol mentions that Frodo saw the glimmer of the wraith-road that led over the Morghul Pass from the city when he looked down from the stairs into the Morgul Vale.[4]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Map of Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol", p. 710
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Black Gate is Closed", p. 642
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part Two: The Ring Goes East", "VIII. Kirith Ungol", an earlier version uses Morghul Pass instead of Nameless Pass when Frodo looks down from the stairs into the Morgul Vale, p. 195
  5. 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", p. 899
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Index", contrary to the entries "Cirith Ungol [Pass of the Spider] (High Pass, Nameless Pass)" and "Nameless Pass see Cirith Ungol"
  7. 7.0 7.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol", p. 704 and pp. 708-16
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Shelob's Lair", pp. 717-27
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Choices of Master Samwise", p. 733
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", p. 898
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Journey to the Cross-Roads", pp. 701-2
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol", p. 704
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol", p. 710
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Land of Shadow", pp. 916, 920
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", p. 900
  16. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Black Gate Opens", p. 885
  17. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien, picture 28. Shelob's Lair