The Ents may be Tolkien’s most original creation. A common story tells that the young Tolkien was horribly disappointed when Birnham Wood in Macbeth moved only metaphorically, and the striding, powerful trees of Fangorn Forest were his correction. Treebeard adds both a touch of humor to a largely dark book and a powerful embodiment of Tolkien’s environmental vision. His slow and deliberate speech, much like a pedantic professor, contrasts sharply with the urgency of the battle preparations outside the forest, but this slowness comes from careful deliberation, not unwillingness to act. When the Ents attack Isengard, they are nature itself aroused to fight back against the industrial ravages of Saruman, and their vengeance proves both swift and decisive—although we must wait several chapters to see its results.
Although the Council of Elrond considered political concerns, Rohan and its capital Edoras provide the first demonstration of the complex political situation in Middle-earth. Reference to the maps can be helpful here, because they show that Rohan is located between Saruman’s fortress at Isengard and Sauron’s Mordor, on the north border of Gondor. Théoden’s weakness, which manifests as a refusal to mobilize his armies to either defend against or attack the forces of the Enemy, is a tactical disaster for the forces of the West. Gandalf has to bring the king to act, so that Gondor will not be attacked from two directions. While there is some talk of evil spells, Gandalf rouses Théoden with words rather than magic. In Middle-earth, words have immense power: Remember the effect of the Black Speech on the elves in Rivendell. It is the call to arms and glory, not a pass of a magic wand, that restores Théoden’s strength.
This section also gives the first glimpse of Éowyn, the shieldmaiden of Rohan, in the halls of Edoras. She chafes against the restrictions of her sex, which demand that she remain at home tending her uncle rather than fight to defend her homeland. Critics are divided as to whether Tolkien portrays Éowyn too simplistically, as a woman who wants to be a man, or if he captures the frustration of femininity in a warrior culture, where brave deeds and a death in battle are valued far more than tending the home.
