The Two Towers Loyalty Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph).

Quote #7

The hobbits were now wholly in the hands of Gollum. They did not know, and could not guess in that misty light, that they were in fact only just within the northern borders of the marshes, the main expanse of which lay south of them. They could, if they had known the lands, with some delay have retraced their steps a little, and then turning east have come round over hard roads to the bare plain of Dagorlad: the field of the ancient battle before the gates of Mordor. Not that there was great hope in such a course. (4.2.43)

There are two different kinds of loyalty at work as Frodo and Sam try to cross into Mordor. There is Sam's devoted loyalty to Frodo, whom he willingly follows into almost certain death. And there is the bizarre, compelled loyalty of Gollum, which is aimed at Frodo, but is really all about the Ring. But that's the thing about loyalty in The Two Towers—it's a guessing game. Frodo and Sam have to take a leap of faith.

Quote #8

"I am commanded to go to the land of Mordor, and therefore I shall go," said Frodo. "If there is only one way, then I must take it. What comes after must come."

Sam said nothing. The look on Frodo's face was enough for him; he knew that words of his were useless. And after all he never had any real hope in the affair from the beginning; but being a cheerful hobbit he had not needed hope, as long as despair could be postponed. Now they were come to the bitter end. But he had stuck to his master all the way; that was what he had chiefly come for, and he would still stick to him. His master would not go to Mordor alone. Sam would go with him—and at any rate they would get rid of Gollum. (4.3.13-4)

When Sam and Frodo face the Black Gate, all Frodo thinks about are his orders to go to the land of Mordor. The Ring is his duty and burden, and as his Quest goes on, it becomes more and more the only thing in his mind. By contrast, Sam's entire purpose in this Quest has been to follow Frodo. His pride is that he has "stuck to his master all the way; that was what he had chiefly come for, and he would still stick to him." So in a sense, Frodo is Sam's Ring: the main object of his loyalty.

Quote #9

"Patience!" said Faramir, but without anger. "Do not speak before your master, whose wit is greater than yours. And I do not need any to teach me of our peril. Even so, I spare a brief time, in order to judge justly in a hard matter. Were I as hasty as you, I might have slain you long ago. For I am commanded to slay all whom I find in this land without the leave of the Lord of Gondor. But I do not slay man or beast needlessly, and not gladly even when it is needed. Neither do I talk in vain. So be comforted. Sit by your master, and be silent!" (4.5.26)

Faramir may not be angry, but we kind of are. Just before this, Sam stands up to a man twice his size and armed to the teeth and demands that he stop harassing Sam's beloved master, who is obviously working against Sauron. And Faramir basically tells him, sit down, shut up, and listen to your betters. Sam's loyalty may be blind and at times unwise, but we don't think it deserves quite so stern a response from someone who, after all, has no idea what they have been through together. But, to be fair, Faramir has a loyalty to his duty to "slay all whom I find in this land."