The Two Towers

by

J.R.R. Tolkien

Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck Character Analysis

Merry joined the Fellowship to accompany Frodo, his friend and fellow hobbit, to destroy the Ring. Merry remains bold and sarcastic in the face of danger, both when he and Pippin are captured by orcs and later when Pippin is frightened by the palantír. Merry and Pippin are eager to do their part to protect Middle-earth, joining the ents as they march on Isengard, but still enjoy the comforts of a good meal when they’re able.

Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck Quotes in The Two Towers

The The Two Towers quotes below are all either spoken by Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck or refer to Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
).
Book 3, Chapter 1 Quotes

Boromir opened his eyes and strove to speak. At last slow words came. ‘I tried to take the Ring from Frodo,’ he said. ‘I am sorry. I have paid.’ His glance strayed to his fallen enemies; twenty at least lay there. ‘They have gone: the Halflings: the Orcs have taken them. I think they are not dead. Orcs bound them.’ He paused and his eyes closed wearily. After a moment he spoke again.

‘Farewell, Aragorn! Go to Minas Tirith and save my people! I have failed.’

Related Characters: Boromir (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Aragorn, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:

‘Let me think!’ said Aragorn. ‘And now may I make a right choice, and change the evil fate of this unhappy day!’ He stood silent for a moment. ‘I will follow the Orcs,’ he said at last. ‘I would have guided Frodo into Mordor and gone with him to the end; but if I seek him now in the wilderness, I must abandon the captives to torment and death. My heart speaks clearly at last: the fate of the Bearer is in my hands no longer. The Company has played its part. Yet we that remain cannot forsake our companions while we have strength left. Come! We will go now. Leave all that can be spared behind! We will press on by day and dark!’

Related Characters: Aragorn (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took , Gimli, Legolas
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 11
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 3 Quotes

The cakes were broken, but good, still in their leaf-wrappings. The hobbits each ate two or three pieces. The taste brought back to them the memory of fair faces, and laughter, and wholesome food in quiet days now far away. For a while they ate thoughtfully, sitting in the dark, heedless of the cries and sounds of the battle nearby.

Related Characters: Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took
Related Symbols: Lembas
Page Number: 57
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 4 Quotes

‘He was polite in those days, always asking my leave (at least when he met me); and always eager to listen. I told him many things that he would never have found out by himself; but he never repaid me in like kind. I cannot remember that he ever told me anything. And he got more and more like that; his face, as I remember it—I have not seen it for many a day—became like windows in a stone wall: windows with shutters inside.

‘I think that I now understand what he is up to. He is plotting to become a Power. He has a mind of metal and wheels; and he does not care for growing things, except as far as they serve him for the moment.’

Related Characters: Treebeard (speaker), Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took , Saruman
Page Number: 75-76
Explanation and Analysis:

‘Of course, it is likely enough, my friends,’ he said slowly, ‘likely enough that we are going to our doom: the last march of the Ents. But if we stayed at home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway, sooner or later. […] Now at least the last march of the Ents may be worth a song. Aye,’ he sighed, ‘we may help the other peoples before we pass away.’

Related Characters: Treebeard (speaker), Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took
Page Number: 92
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 5 Quotes

‘You have not said what you know or guess, Aragorn, my friend,’ he said quietly. ‘Poor Boromir! I could not see what happened to him. It was a sore trial for such a man: a warrior, and a lord of men. Galadriel told me that he was in peril. But he escaped in the end. I am glad. It was not in vain that the young hobbits came with us, if only for Boromir’s sake.’

Related Characters: Gandalf (speaker), Aragorn, Boromir, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took , Gimli, Legolas
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 104
Explanation and Analysis:
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Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck Quotes in The Two Towers

The The Two Towers quotes below are all either spoken by Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck or refer to Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
).
Book 3, Chapter 1 Quotes

Boromir opened his eyes and strove to speak. At last slow words came. ‘I tried to take the Ring from Frodo,’ he said. ‘I am sorry. I have paid.’ His glance strayed to his fallen enemies; twenty at least lay there. ‘They have gone: the Halflings: the Orcs have taken them. I think they are not dead. Orcs bound them.’ He paused and his eyes closed wearily. After a moment he spoke again.

‘Farewell, Aragorn! Go to Minas Tirith and save my people! I have failed.’

Related Characters: Boromir (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Aragorn, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:

‘Let me think!’ said Aragorn. ‘And now may I make a right choice, and change the evil fate of this unhappy day!’ He stood silent for a moment. ‘I will follow the Orcs,’ he said at last. ‘I would have guided Frodo into Mordor and gone with him to the end; but if I seek him now in the wilderness, I must abandon the captives to torment and death. My heart speaks clearly at last: the fate of the Bearer is in my hands no longer. The Company has played its part. Yet we that remain cannot forsake our companions while we have strength left. Come! We will go now. Leave all that can be spared behind! We will press on by day and dark!’

Related Characters: Aragorn (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took , Gimli, Legolas
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 11
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 3 Quotes

The cakes were broken, but good, still in their leaf-wrappings. The hobbits each ate two or three pieces. The taste brought back to them the memory of fair faces, and laughter, and wholesome food in quiet days now far away. For a while they ate thoughtfully, sitting in the dark, heedless of the cries and sounds of the battle nearby.

Related Characters: Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took
Related Symbols: Lembas
Page Number: 57
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 4 Quotes

‘He was polite in those days, always asking my leave (at least when he met me); and always eager to listen. I told him many things that he would never have found out by himself; but he never repaid me in like kind. I cannot remember that he ever told me anything. And he got more and more like that; his face, as I remember it—I have not seen it for many a day—became like windows in a stone wall: windows with shutters inside.

‘I think that I now understand what he is up to. He is plotting to become a Power. He has a mind of metal and wheels; and he does not care for growing things, except as far as they serve him for the moment.’

Related Characters: Treebeard (speaker), Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took , Saruman
Page Number: 75-76
Explanation and Analysis:

‘Of course, it is likely enough, my friends,’ he said slowly, ‘likely enough that we are going to our doom: the last march of the Ents. But if we stayed at home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway, sooner or later. […] Now at least the last march of the Ents may be worth a song. Aye,’ he sighed, ‘we may help the other peoples before we pass away.’

Related Characters: Treebeard (speaker), Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took
Page Number: 92
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 5 Quotes

‘You have not said what you know or guess, Aragorn, my friend,’ he said quietly. ‘Poor Boromir! I could not see what happened to him. It was a sore trial for such a man: a warrior, and a lord of men. Galadriel told me that he was in peril. But he escaped in the end. I am glad. It was not in vain that the young hobbits came with us, if only for Boromir’s sake.’

Related Characters: Gandalf (speaker), Aragorn, Boromir, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took , Gimli, Legolas
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 104
Explanation and Analysis: