Previous
Théoden
Treebeard is a 14-foot-tall treelike ent and one of the oldest creatures in Middle-earth. Wise and thoughtful, Treebeard assists Merry and Pippin when they flee into Fangorn forest, allowing them to stay in his house and bringing them to a great gathering where the ents decide to march to war against Saruman. Treebeard has a great concern for the environment and, though the ents are dying out, recognizes their potential power as he leads them to seize Isengard.
Treebeard Quotes in The Two Towers
The The Two Towers quotes below are all either spoken by Treebeard or refer to Treebeard. 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:
).
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:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
In this passage, Treebeard describes Saruman’s corruption to Merry and Pippin. Saruman’s decline into evil and discourtesy parallels the decline of the world of Middle-earth from its former beauty and righteousness to its current state of environmental and moral decay. Saruman’s behavior towards Treebeard and his treatment of the land around Isengard are indicators of his morality—as he is corrupted “more and more” by evil, he in turn corrupts the natural world, abusing and exploiting the land under his care. Treebeard understands Saruman’s corruption in terms of his relationship with and likeness to nature. Saruman’s desire for absolute power—and to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa.
‘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:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
This quote, which Treebeard says to Merry and Pippin as the ents march to attack Isengard, exemplifies the sense of loss and decay that pervades The Two Towers. There is an end approaching the people of Middle-earth, and many of them recognize it. Treebeard knows that the decline of the world’s natural beauty and goodness is leading towards something that will find the ents “sooner or later.” Rather than prolong their lives and simply wait for that day to arrive, the ents decide to risk everything to fight against the world’s slow decay. The ents explain multiple times that they Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta
Get the entire The Two Towers LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Treebeard Character Timeline in The Two Towers
The timeline below shows where the character Treebeard appears in The Two Towers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 3, Chapter 4
...asks who this being is. The figure introduces himself as an ent, named Fangorn or Treebeard, and wonders what sort of people the hobbits are. Treebeard recites a list of living...
(full context)
Treebeard warns them not to tell everyone they meet the name that they call themselves (hobbits)...
(full context)
Treebeard asks about Gandalf, and Pippin tells him that Gandalf’s story is over. Treebeard carries the...
(full context)
In his home, Treebeard offers the hobbits a drink that smells faintly like the forest and invigorates them. As...
(full context)
...are only two other ents in Fangorn forest because there have been no ent children. Treebeard interrupts the hobbits’ story to ask if they’ve seen any entwives during their travels. Long...
(full context)
Merry and Pippin sleep as Treebeard goes to stand in the rain. In the morning, Treebeard takes them to a gathering...
(full context)
Treebeard explains to the hobbits that they still have to contact the ents who live far...
(full context)
As Treebeard picks up the hobbits again, they ask if the ents will really break down the...
(full context)
Book 3, Chapter 5
...and Pippin drank from the stream and climb the same hill where the hobbits met Treebeard.
(full context)
...the Ring and the danger of Théoden taking it, forgot about the closer threat of Treebeard.
(full context)
...to the amazement of Aragorn and Legolas, who know the ents as an ancient legend. Treebeard is the oldest ent and the oldest living thing walking on Middle-earth. Gimli protests that...
(full context)
Aragorn asks if they should follow the hobbits and meet Treebeard, but Gandalf says that he will take him to speak to Théoden instead. They must...
(full context)
Book 3, Chapter 8
...his people have stories that they exist, though they don’t know anything specific about them. Treebeard has left a message for Théoden and Gandalf to meet him at the northern wall....
(full context)
Book 3, Chapter 9
...than greeting Pippin, Gandalf called him a “tom-fool of a Took” and demanded to see Treebeard to ask for help with the ten thousand orcs attacking Helm’s Deep. When Pippin asked...
(full context)
...the return of the huorns and tried to flee once he saw the wreckage, but Treebeard picked him up and trapped him in the tower until Gandalf could arrive. After that...
(full context)
Book 3, Chapter 10
...ways and join them since he would have been a powerful ally. Gandalf meets with Treebeard one more time and introduces him to the Three Hunters. Legolas praises Fangorn forest and...
(full context)
