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Celeborn Unplugged - Page 5

© Michael Martinez

Let's suppose that the Fellowship were to leave Lothlorien on foot. Where would they go? Celeborn warns them to avoid Fangorn forest. So they would either have to return to the mountains and try to slip past Isengard, or they would have to follow the river -- perhaps even try to cross the river at the Undeeps. The gift of the boats steers the Fellowship away from the mountains and from crossing the river too soon. The vital crossing will be made in the south as a consequence of Celeborn's decision. Of course, given how things turn out with Fangorn Forest, it is natural to ask why Celeborn should warn the Fellowship to stay away from the woodlands. In fact, when Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are reunited with Gandalf, it is under the eaves of Fangorn Forest. Merry and Pippin, after meeting old Treebeard himself, ask him why Celeborn warned them not to enter the forest. For his part, Treebeard replies, "And I might have said much the same, if you had been going the other way." He acknowledges that both his land and Celeborn's are very dangerous for outsiders. Gandalf hints at something similar, too, when he tells Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli that each of them is dangerous in his own way, just as Treebeard and the Ents are dangerous. Celeborn's warning is sufficient to instill caution in the travelers. He cannot prevent them from entering Fangorn Forest, nor compel them to do so. But in the face of Boromir's doubts concerning the old wives' tales, Celeborn reminds the travelers that "oft it may chance that old wives keep in memory word of things that once were needful for the wise to know." His remark is curiously reflected in Tolkien's own epitaph to the legacy of Celeborn, given in the Prologue: "but there is no record of the day when at last [Celeborn] sought the Grey Havens, and with him went the last living memory of the Elder Days in Middle-earth." When Celeborn the Wise left Middle-earth, much that was once needful for the wise to know went with him. In a way, Tolkien was admonishing the reader not to take Celeborn for granted. He was a gold mine of experience and knowledge, and therefore wisdom. He was very shrewd and could read the current of the river as well as anyone. Hence, when saying "Farewell" to Aragorn, Celeborn conceded that he would soon be parted from Galadriel. He was willing to accept the separation, knowing that in time he would follow her over Sea. People often ask why Celeborn should have allowed Galadriel to leave him like that. But I think Tolkien explained Celeborn's reasons well enough in various places.

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