The Breaking of the Fellowship was the event during the first book which the Fellowship of the Ring splits up and all go their separate ways. Frodo and Sam go to Mordor, Boromir is killed, Merry and Pippin are kidnapped by the Uruk-hai and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli pursue them into Rohan. Dated at February 26, 3019, it occurred at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring and at the very beginning of The Two Towers.
History[]
Ten days after leaving Lothlórien, the Fellowship are rowing down the Anduin in the boats given to them by Galadriel. They stop at Amon Hen where they have to decide which way to go next (straight towards Mordor on the eastern side of the river, or to Minas Tirith on the western side to gain Gondor's aid). Opinion is divided on this as Boromir wants to pass through Gondor, the land of his people, which he thinks will be the safer option. Also, not understanding the power of the Ring, he thinks that Gondor would be able to use it and so have the power to overthrow Sauron. However, Aragorn is reluctant to lead the ring anywhere near Minas Tirith, as he does not trust Denethor and his men. While they are resting, Frodo walks off alone to sit beside the river and the Falls of Rauros. He is soon joined by Boromir, who talks to him, giving him advice, although Frodo has already been warned by Galadriel that his friends will turn against him. Boromir's words become more and more aggressive, saying that the Ring should not be destroyed, but used against Sauron, and he asks Frodo to lend him the Ring. When Frodo refuses, he becomes angry and tries to take it by force, causing Frodo to put on the Ring, disappear and run away. After a minute he realizes what he has done and weeps, begging Frodo to come back, but Frodo is already far away.
Frodo then realizes the effect that the Ring is having on his companions, and that slowly it will destroy them all. He decides to continue the Quest on his own and from there journey to Mordor alone, so that his friends will not have to suffer on his behalf. As he is about to leave in the boat, Sam comes running out and insists on going with Frodo. When Frodo tells him to go back, Sam wades out into the water towards the boat even though he cannot swim, and begins to drown, prompting Frodo to rescue him. Although originally annoyed, Frodo realizes that Sam will be useful for the journey ahead, and that he needs a good friend to help him along. The Fellowship of the Ring ends with Frodo and Sam beginning their journey together towards Mordor.
The Two Towers opens with the rest of the Fellowship searching for Frodo, until they hear Boromir's horn, signaling that he was in need, along with Orc voices. Aragorn arrives to find Boromir lying by a tree surrounded by dead Orcs, and pierced with many arrows. With Boromir's last words he tells Aragorn not to let Minas Tirith fall. He also tells him that the Orcs (later known to be Uruk-hai) have taken the Hobbits. Returning to the boats and finding one gone, along with Frodo and Sam's packs, Aragorn concludes that Frodo and Sam have gone on alone to Mordor. The Three Hunters (Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli) then have to decide whether to follow Frodo and Sam or to go after the Uruk-hai to rescue Merry and Pippin. After sending Boromir in a funeral boat over the Falls of Rauros, Aragorn eventually decides that the fate of the Ring-bearer is no longer in his hands, and refusing to abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death, decides to go after them.[1]
In adaptations[]
Films[]
In Ralph Bakshi's version, Boromir confronts Frodo in his thinking place and Frodo talks of his fears. Boromir offers his advice to Frodo and Frodo already knows of what he wants him to do and that was to take the Ring to Gondor to defend Minas Tirith. Boromir becomes irritated with the decision to destroy the Ring and Frodo tries to tell him that all that touches the Ring turns to evil, but Boromir doesn't listen and asks Frodo to lend him the Ring. Frodo refuses and Boromir tries to seize him and take the Ring by force. He jumps forward but Frodo gets away. Boromir curses him and accuses him of being a traitor. He then comes to his senses and begs Frodo to come back but to no avail as Frodo has already gone. Boromir returns to Aragorn and the others and is asked where he has been he confesses what he had done to Frodo. Sam becomes concerned and runs away to search for Frodo. Aragorn tries to maintain control and asks Legolas and Gimli to stop them. He grabs Boromir and orders him to protect Merry and Pippin.
The Orcs band appears and try to seize the Halflings. Boromir reappears and fights them killing several by to no avail as he was pierced by many arrows, and the hobbits are taken. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli arrive, but they are too late. Boromir tells Aragorn that he tried to take the Ring and begs Aragorn to go to Minas Tirith to save his people. Aragorn agrees and then Boromir dies. They set Boromir in one of their boats with his helmet and weapons and then talk. Aragorn speaks of the breaking of the Fellowship and that the fate of the Ring being out of their hands and makes the decision to follow the Orcs that took Merry and Pippin.
In the Peter Jackson's film version, The Fellowship is ambushed by a group of Saruman's scouts lead by Lurtz. The Fellowship then do battle with the scouts around different points, Frodo escaping, Boromir, Merry, and Pippin fighting their way downwards and Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn defending themselves. Boromir, starting to be overwhelmed, begins to call for help by sounding his horn, to which, Aragorn hears and begins to run to him. Before Aragorn can get there however, Lurtz appears and manages to shoot Boromir three times with a bow. Aragorn arrives just as Lurtz is going to shoot Boromir for the fourth time. Stopping him, the two duel; Aragorn eventually manages to behead him.
Translation[]
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
|---|---|
| Czech | Rozbití Společenstva |
| Danish | Broderskabet opløses |
| Dutch | Het Reisgenootschap valt uiteen |
| French | La Compagnia si scioglie |
| German | Zerfall der Gemeinschaft |
| Italian | La compagnia si Scioglie |
| Persian | یاران حلقه |
| Polish | Rozpad Drużyny Pierścienia |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | O Rompimento da Sociedade |
| Spanish | La separación de la Comunidad |
References[]
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter X: "The Breaking of the Fellowship"
| The Fellowship of the Ring | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frodo · Sam · Merry · Pippin · Gandalf · Aragorn · Legolas · Gimli · Boromir | ||||||||
