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The phial that Galadriel gave Frodo symbolizes hope, clarity, and strength. The phial is filled with the water of Galadriel’s fountain and contains the light of the star of Eärndil, treasured by the elves. On the journey into Mordor, Frodo often forgets that he carries the phial with him, instead sinking into depression and despair. Twice, after Frodo remembers the phial, it gives him hope and comfort, aiding him through a dangerous situation. When tempted to put on the Ring as the Wraith-king looks for him at Minas Morgul, the touch of the phial allows Frodo to briefly forget the Ring’s compulsion and escape undetected. In this way, the phial acts as something to hold onto in times of emotional and mental struggle. Similarly, Sam reminds Frodo of the phial when the hobbits are cornered in Shelob’s lair. Darkness recedes from the phial, frightening Shelob back and allowing the hobbits to clearly see their surroundings. As the phial’s light brightens, hope overcomes Frodo, clearing his mind of dark thoughts and fear. It is noteworthy that it is Sam, who is optimistic than Frodo to as they near Mordor, who remembers the power of the phial when they’re trapped in darkness.
Shelob returns almost immediately to attack the hobbits after Sam hides the light of the phial away. When Sam faces Shelob to protect Frodo, he is reminded again of the phial, “as if some remote voice had spoken,” and brings it back out. The phial is a guiding light, wishing to be remembered and calming its wielders’ minds. It seems to give its wielder not only hope and clarity, but also the ability to access a collective power beyond what they would ordinarily be capable of. Sam, though he speaks no elvish, shouts out an unfamiliar incantation and hears the voices of elves. The phial shines even brighter for Sam than it did when carried by Frodo, fed by Sam’s “indomitable spirit,” his dedication to Frodo, and his capacity for hope and optimism. With the help of the phial, Sam sends Shelob fleeing injured into her lair. When Sam, believing Frodo to be dead, agonizes over what to do next, the phial’s light shines over Frodo as though trying to guide Sam’s choice. But eventually, Sam hides the phial away, rejecting both its clarity of sight and the hope that he might be able to stay with Frodo. With the light extinguished, and weighed down by the despair of the Ring, Sam makes the wrong choice and leaves Frodo behind.
The Phial Quotes in The Two Towers
The The Two Towers quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Phial. 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:
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Book 4, Chapter 10
Quotes
Even as Sam himself crouched, looking at her, seeing his death in her eyes, a thought came to him, as if some remote voice had spoken, and he fumbled in his breast with his left hand, and found what he sought: cold and hard and solid it seemed to his touch in a phantom world of horror, the Phial of Galadriel.
[…]
As if his indomitable spirit had set its potency in motion, the glass blazed suddenly like a white torch in his hand.
Related Characters:
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The Phial Symbol Timeline in The Two Towers
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Phial appears in The Two Towers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 3, Chapter 2
Gimli wishes for a phial of light like the one Galadriel gave Frodo, but Aragorn argues that Frodo needs it...
(full context)
Book 4, Chapter 8
...towards the Ring around his neck, but he forces it down and instead holds the phial of Galadriel, which he’d almost forgotten about. The Wraith-king rides away, followed by his army,...
(full context)
...the Silmarils, noting that Frodo has the light of one of the Silmarils in the phial Galadriel gave him. He wonders if they’re in the same story. Frodo tells him that...
(full context)
Book 4, Chapter 9
...standing in Lothlórien with a gift for Frodo. Suddenly animated, Sam reminds Frodo of the phial, which Galadriel gave him to be a light in dark places, “when all other lights...
(full context)
Frodo takes out the phial, which struggles for a moment in the dark, then brightens to a dazzling light. Frodo...
(full context)
As Frodo advances, drawing Sting and holding the phial up, the eyes waver and then disappear. Sam, close by with his sword drawn, marvels...
(full context)
Frodo raises the phial and realizes the surface is a densely-woven web, like it was made by a giant...
(full context)
...that orcs are near, and the tower in Mordor is glowing red. He hides Galadriel’s phial in his pocket and pulls his cloak closer around him. As soon as Sam hides...
(full context)
Book 4, Chapter 10
...her, a thought comes to him like a spoken reminder, and he pulls out the phial, shouting Galadriel’s name. Far off, he hears the voices of the elves, and his own...
(full context)
Sam shouts at Shelob that she’s hurt his master and she’ll pay for it. The phial of Galadriel blazes with starlight, scorching Shelob’s face. She falls back, blinded, then begins to...
(full context)
...Frodo’s body in his cloak with his own sword beside him. Taking Sting and the phial of Galadriel—though he feels he doesn’t deserve it—for himself, he tries to explain to Frodo...
(full context)
...grows in him, however, he discovers that he can bear the burden. He uses the phial to take a last look at Frodo, who has an elvish beauty in his pale...
(full context)
