Lord of the Rings Literary Analysis: Part Three

 Merry

    Meriadoc Brandybuck was a hobbit who lived in the Shire during the Third Age. He was the best of friends with his cousin, Pippin. When they found out that two of their other friends, Sam and Frodo, had the One Ring, they both volunteered to help take it to Rivendell. After they passed through the Old Forest at the Shire's east, the four of them met Tom Bombadil. Tom had no trouble figuring out that they had the Ring, but its power seemed to have no effect on him After a few days, the party set out once more, but they were ambushed by a Wight. Luckily, Tom Bombadil rescued them, and Merry, Pippin, and Sam each took swords from the Wight's lair. They were meant to meet with Gandalf the Grey at Bree, but had no such luck. However, Barliman Butterbur, who owned the inn called The Prancing Pony, had a message from the Wizard. It told the hobbits to seek help from Aragorn, son of Arathorn, who was known in the wild as Strider. When they met him, he began to go with them on their journey. But they were being followed by the Nazgul, who ambushed the adventurers at Wheathertop. Aragorn was able to fight them off with a flaming torch, but one was still able to stab Frodo with a knife. The knife was poisoned, so they rushed east to find healing in Rivendell. While on the road, Glorfindel found them, and lent them his horse, Asfaloth, so that Frodo may reach safety in time. With Frodo gone, the rest of the group, that being Glorfindel, Aragorn, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, stayed behind to delay their pursuers. But the Ringwraiths broke through and took off after Frodo. But they never made it past the Fords of Bruinen, as they were swept away by a flood there. In Rivendell, they met Gandalf, and at the Council of Elrond he explained that he was betrayed by another Wizard, Saruman the White, who had allied with Sauron and was building an army from his tower at Isengard. By the end of the meeting, it was decided to take the Ring into Mordor to be destroyed. Merry and Pippin again volunteered to help Frodo, and in doing so became part of the Fellowship of the Ring. The Fellowship went south, intending to pass through the Gap of Rohan. But as they approached this pass between the Misty Mountains and the White Mountains, they found that it was under careful watch by Saruman. Because of this, the Fellowship passed through the Mines of Moria instead. Near the end of their journey in the dark, they were attacked by goblins, and their chieftain stabbed Frodo. But Frodo was wearing chain-mail under his clothing, and walked away with minor bruising. But they encountered a Balrog as well, and Gandalf sacrificed himself to save the rest of the Fellowship. Then the Fellowship passed through Lorien and took boats down the river Anduin. At Amon Hen, they were ambushed by Orcs. These weren't normal Orcs that could be found in Mordor or in caves, but Uruk-Hai, special Orcs bred in Isengard. The Uruk-Hai were stronger and faster than most Orcs, and are unaffected by sunlight. The Uruk-Hai killed Boromir and captured Merry and Pippin, taking them west to Isengard. But at the Fangorn Forest, the Uruk-Hai were attacked by the Rohirrim, Rohan's calvary. Merry and Pippin fled into the forest during the attack, and met an Ent named Treebeard. He and the other Ents originally wanted no part in the war, but became angry when they discovered that Saruman had trees cut down to create his army. In a rage, the Ents destroyed Isengard, freeing the river Isen(which was dammed) and killing everything in their path, stopping short of the central tower called Orthanc. A few days later, Isengard was visited by Gandalf the White, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Theoden, king of Rohan, after defeating Saruman's army at the Battle of the Hornburg(Helm's Deep). Gandalf and Theoden offered Saruman and his servant, Wormtongue, forgiveness, but both were unrepentant. Gandalf and Pippin left to go to Minas Tirith, Gondor's capital, Aragorn, Legolas, Gilmli, and an army from the north called the Dúnedain traversed the haunted Paths of the Dead, and Theoden and the Rohirrim were to depart shortly afterward. Merry wanted to go with them, but Theoden thought that he was to weak for the coming battle. But a soldier named Dernhelm, offered to help Merry sneak along anyway. When they reached Minas Tirith, they found it ruthlessly besieged by Orcs, trolls, Haradrim(men from the south who rode giant creatures called mûmakil, which they built fortresses upon) and Easterlings(men from the east). Also on their way were the Corsairs, raiders from Umbar. Nonetheless the Rohirrim charged, but their formation broke when Theoden's horse was struck by an arrow. Theoden was then attacked by the leader of the assault: the powerful Witch-King of Angmar and Lord of the Nazgul, and he was riding a hideous Fellbeast. But before the Witch-King could kill Theoden, Dernhelm rushed to his aid, killing the Fellbeast. But before he confronted the Witch-King, he took off his helmet and revealed himself to be Éowyn, Theoden's niece, whom Theoden had also forbidden from riding to war. She fought valiantly, but the Witch-King overpowered her. Before he could finish her off, Merry stabbed the Witch-King in the back. Though Merry didn't know it, his sword, which he had taken from the Wight's lair, was forged in Arnor, with sole purpose of killing the Witch-King. He was weakened, and Èowyn finished him off for good. Despite this, the Rohirrim was still in disarray and in serious danger. But Aragorn and the Dúnedain came to their aid riding ships taken from the Corsairs, whom they defeated at Pelargir. The Rohirrim rallied behind Aragorn and won the day. Theoden, Éowyn, and Merry were grievously injured from the battle, but while Merry and Éowyn were healed in Minas Tirith, Theoden died from his wounds. Merry remained in Minas Tirith for the rest of the war.

    Though Merry's role was not as big as that of the other three hobbits, he was still crucial to the fall of Sauron. Had the Witch-king not been killed, his leadership would've led the Orcs to victory at the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Minas Tirith would have fallen, and the rest of Middle Earth would have been defenseless to the Dark Lord's might.