LOTR Read-Along: The Two Towers: Treebeard

Up to this point we've met some good creatures in Middle-Earth and some rather unsavory ones. Besides the primary races, Men, Elves and Dwarves and Tolkien's own original Hobbits. Yet, beyond all those, the other races have been less than savory. Orcs, goblins, Uruk-Hai, the Nazgul. So, when we finally come across a non-human like race that is actually on the side of good, it's almost a relief.

We now find ourselves back with Merry and Pippin seeking shelter in Fangorn Forest. And this old, gloomy, magic filled forest will became their sanctuary. They cross paths with an Ent named Treebeard. The Ents are a treelike people that are as old as Middle-Earth. Similar (or even the same) to dryads, the Ents spend their lives in the forests caring for the trees and nature. Although rather slow in coming and going as well as speaking, Treebeard and his Entish companions are gifted with great wisdom and insight, and provide much comfort to the Hobbits.

Treebeard give Merry and Pippin a history lesson of the origins of the Ents and their place in Middle-Earth and of the Ent-wives who have all but disappeared. He also speaks of Saruman who once sought council from the Ents and now seeks to destroy them for the will of Sauron. A subject he doesn't take lightly.  Soon Treebeard and the other Ents arrive for some unknowable reason at Isengard, the home of Saruman and possibly the last place the Hobbits want to be.

This chapter was so fun! I loved all the history that Treebeard gave about the Ents and Saruman. And after everything Merry and Pippin have endured, it's relieving to see the Hobbits in safety. Given Tolkien's love of nature, it's understandable that he would create a species made entirely from nature. Treebeard gives such solace and peace to Merry and Pippin, not too different from Tom Bombadil in The Fellowship of the Ring. 

Heidi's Questions:

• I know it happened gradually/unfortunately and all for the purposes of the story, but do you think the different approaches to life of the Ents and Ent-wives are actually in contradiction/had to be mutually exclusive?

- I'm not really sure how to answer that. The different approaches to life that came from the Ents and Ent-wives probably isn't too different from humans themselves. Domestically speaking, Men tend to enjoy tradition and order, however, history has proven that women would rather break from the mold and are often seen as more creative within their respective roles. As I once heard, "A man can build a house (traditional, physical, needed), but a woman creates a home."