The Road to Isengard

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The name Isengard refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Isengard (disambiguation).
The Road to Isengard
Chapter of The Two Towers
Number8
Synopsis
EventKing Théoden and Gandalf ride to Isengard and meet Merry and Peregrin.
Date4-5 March 3019
LocationIsengard
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The Road to Isengard is the eighth chapter of the first book in The Two Towers.

Summary

King Théoden, Gandalf the white rider, Aragorn, Legolas, Erkenbrand, Éomer, Gimli and the men of Rohan all gathered beside a stream. When Théoden asked Gandalf about his wizardry over the trees, Gandalf laughed and told them that it had not been his doing. He asked them to come with him to Isengard if they wished to know more about the trees.

After resting, the men set forth again. They came to Orthanc, the citadel of Saruman at Isengard. They were surprised to find that Treebeard and his Ents had destroyed the citadel, and that Saruman and Wormtongue had hidden themselves away in Orthanc, guarded by none other than Merry and Pippin. Théoden, who was anxious to see Treebeard, said good-bye to the Hobbits and accompanied Gandalf to the Northern wall.

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 seven different versions of the dialogue between Gandalf and Théoden, and 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". A lot of that version, its chronoloy and route to Orthanc, was rejected and rewritten.[1]

References