Very Difficult Literature Trivia: The Two Towers | 10 Questions

Answer: Uglúk

Uglúk is an Uruk-hai under orders from Saruman to return with the hobbits alive, causing division with the Mordor and Moria orcs, who have contrary aims. Grishnákh is an orc from Mordor who is mistrustful of the Uruk-hai. Gorbag is an orc captain from Minas Morgul who appears later in the book. Lurtz is the name given to an original Uruk leader in Peter Jackson's film adaptions.

Answer: silver-birches

The Entmoot takes place in a 'great dingle', where 'there were no trees except three very tall and beautiful silver-birches'. Here Merry and Pippin hope the gathering Ents will be spurred into action by the treachery of Isengard, but the two hobbits may be thinking a little too 'hasty'.

Answer: they are blue-eyed

Though many men of Rohan were blue-eyed, these guards are not described as such, though it can be assumed. They were very imposing, but their resolve was put to the test by four undaunted and determined visitors. Their leader-apparent was Háma, Doorward of Théoden.

Answer: return to the Hornburg for sleep

Théoden is exhausted from battle and feeling his age; he retires to the Hornburg and sleeps 'a sleep of quiet as he had not known for many years'. The dead are buried while he sleeps, after which he will leave for Isengard with the men of his household. 'On the second day after the full moon' he intends to hold an assembly in Edoras.

Answer: Gimli

Gimli seems to be least affected by Saruman's 'low, melodious' speech; while the others struggle with the spell, Gimli is more concerned with Saruman's likeness to Gandalf and openly ridicules Saruman's attempts to reason and cast doubt. This perhaps speaks more to the stubbornness of dwarves than the fallibility of others.

Answer: a great fissure

The passage of the Emyn Muil tormented the two hobbits for days; the brutal terrain provided one peril after another, and all the time the hobbits were aware of a sneaking stalker in the shadows. Having retreated to cliff face in search of another path, the 'pale moonlight' finally revealed Gollum in all his menace to Frodo and Sam.

Answer: Gollum's encounter with Aragorn.

The hobbits are eager to discover the nature of this 'other way', and especially whether it is guarded, but after Frodo mentions Aragorn's name, 'an evil light came into (Gollum's) eyes' and he turns to 'a sullen mood'. Needless to say, the hobbits do not get much more out of Gollum for a time.

Answer: look to the west.

A custom of the men of Gondor it seems, they 'look towards Númenor that was, and beyond to Elvenhome that is, and to that which is beyond Elvenhome and will ever be'. Frodo reveals that a custom in the Shire is to bow to your hosts, a tradition shared with Gondor. When Sam is offered a basin to wash his hands, he instead dunks his head to cure his sleepiness.

Answer: he felt cold and clammy.

Despite both he and Sam feeling 'dizzy and very tired', Frodo now shivered in a chill wind 'blowing down from the invisible heights above' and was eager to move on. The hobbits were closer than ever to their goal; after a 'deep dark passage', they faced the Winding Stair and finally, a tunnel that took them into Mordor.

Answer: clashing of swords

In the tunnels of Cirith Ungol, Sam overhears from the orcs that Shelob's sting has not killed Frodo. Knowing the truth, 'a wild fury' comes over Sam; he scrambles over a large stone door and flies after the orcs in a desperate pursuit. Seeing the door to the tower closing, Sam gives out a yell but is drowned out by the tumult inside; the way is shut and Sam's master is trapped inside.