038 - Samwise Finds Comfort and Conflict in “Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit”

This week we discuss book 4, chapter 4, "Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit", from The Two Towers. Conversation Topics:The hobbits’ strategic plan for their journey around MordorGollum’s physical and psychological declineThe emotional bond between Frodo and SamThe significance of color symbolism in Tolkien’s description of armiesGollum’s forgotten skills and culinary mishapsThe intense battle scenes and strange sights—Oliphants, Mamuks, and moreThe debate over Sam’s love for Frodo: brotherly or romantic?Tolkien’s nuanced portrayal of good and evil, race, and mercyPersonal reflections on Tolkien’s wartime experience and its influence on his storytellingTimestamps:00:00 – Intro and overview of the chapter01:06 – Black Gate and Gollum’s backdoor plan03:26 – Frodo, Sam, and Gollum’s journey southward04:11 – The approach to Ithilien and the land of gardens07:15 – Conquest, war, and the shadow of Sauron11:05 – Bones, slaughter, and Gollum’s hunger12:35 – Gollum’s forgetfulness and Sam’s cooking plan16:23 – Gollum’s confused morality and scene with rabbits19:22 – The gathering suspicion and the push to escape21:15 – Encounters with Faramir’s men and the surprise of Dunedain26:26 – Racial nuance, Tolkien’s depiction of peoples, and themes of mercy35:54 – The epic appearance of an Oliphant and the end of the chapter37:01 – The rich symbolism of army colors and the landscape’s hidden depths41:11 – Pet peeves: scents that repulse or delight48:09 – Frodo, Sam, and Gollum’s relationship explored55:29 – Love, loyalty, and the complexity of Tolkien’s character dynamics1:00:04 – Reflections on war, morality, and Tolkien’s worldview1:07:06 – Food for Thought: Stew1:12:02 – Teasing the next chapter: “The Window on the West”Todays "Food for Thought": The Stew Sam Really WantedIn this chapter, Sam makes a rather sad coney (rabbit) stew with some water and herbs. I opted to include some root veggies, since Sam wanted those but didn't have any. Rabbit isn't readily available in grocery stores near me, so I used chicken instead in a rather basic stew.Recipe based on https://www.budgetbytes.com/chicken-stew/#wprm-recipe-container-58560-1 onion, diced-4 cloves garlic, minced-3 carrots, sliced-1 lb baby red potatoes, halved/quartered-1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks-4 Tblsp flour-2 Tblsp butter-1 Tblsp olive oil-Fresh herbs (Sam used bay leaves, thyme, and sage)-4 cups chicken brothToss chicken with 2 Tblsp flour.Add butter and olive oil to stockpot. Once heated, add the chicken and brown on all sides. Remove chicken.Add all veggies except potatoes to pot and saute until softened. Add remaining 2 Tblsp flour to coat, and cook 2 min longer.Add broth, potatoes, chicken, and herbs. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Now THAT'S a stew! ----------------------------------------------------Thanks for watching! If you enjoyed todays episode, give us a like and subscribe and share this video with someone who likes The Lord of the Rings. Content Warning: ExplicitSupport the pod on Youtube! @FoolofaTookPodcast Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/foolofatookpodcast/)TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@foolofatookpodcast) Original music for the show composed by Chris NewhardGot a question? Email us [email protected] the fools on IG:Chris (https://www.instagram.com/chrisnewhard)Robbie Jean (https://www.instagram.com/robbiejean815)Pat (https://www.instagram.com/rolling.seas2023)Laura (https://www.instagram.com/kennylaura525)Listen on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fool-of-a-took-podcast/id1770780731)Listen on Spotify Link (https://open.spotify.com/show/0e3myYq2eUbKMMtiV7qAl7)