What is the word count of The Council of Elrond chapter in The Lord of the Rings?
The second chapter of Book 2 contains some 15,000 words. It stands as the longest section within that volume.
The second chapter of Book 2 contains some 15,000 words. It stands as the longest section within that volume.
Elrond summons representatives from all Free Peoples including Glóin who arrives with news from King Dáin II Ironfoot. Boromir son of the Steward of Gondor narrates a shared dream and Strider reveals himself as Aragorn heir of Isildur. Thranduil's son Legolas reports that Gollum escaped from Mirkwood while Gandalf explains how the Ring lengthened Gollum's life.
Allen & Unwin published The Lord of the Rings between 1954 and 1955. J.R.R. Tolkien had been developing his legendarium for about twenty years before releasing The Hobbit in 1937.
Tom Shippey calls the work a largely unappreciated tour de force because twelve speakers are present in the meeting itself yet nothing happens except people talking. He argues the account could have disintegrated or become boring but did not succeed because Tolkien held an extremely firm grasp of Middle-earth history.
Peter Jackson chose to transform the structure of Tolkien's chapter for his 2001 film by moving the history of the Ring to a dramatic prologue narrated with voice-over. Daniel Timmons writes that Jackson alters the moment Frodo accepts the quest and favors the frenetic moment over quiet reflection while Judith Kollmann describes the original as a council conducted with dignity and peace.