The Attack on Weathertop

The Attack on Weathertop is the pivotal ambush in which the Ringwraiths, led by the Witch-king of Angmar, corner Frodo Baggins and his companions on the hill of Weathertop, and the Witch-king stabs Frodo with a Morgul-knife, leaving a poisoned wound that nearly claims his life and sets the course for his entire quest. This event marks the first direct, physical confrontation between the hobbits and the servants of Sauron, transforming the journey from a flight into a desperate struggle for survival. It is the moment when the Ring's pull on Frodo becomes an overwhelming, almost irresistible force, and when the true, terrifying nature of the enemy is revealed in full.

The Setting and the Stakes

The attack takes place on the slopes of Weathertop, a lonely hill in the wilds east of Bree, where the hobbits and their guide Strider have taken shelter for the night in a small dell. The company has been fleeing the Black Riders since leaving the Shire, and the pursuit has been relentless. The scene is set in the darkness, with the travelers sitting with their backs to a wood-fire, each gazing into the encircling shadows. The tension is palpable, and the silence is broken only by the crackling of the fire and the nervous stirring of the hobbits. The stakes are absolute: the Ringwraiths are hunting the One Ring, and the hobbits are carrying it directly into the heart of the enemy's territory.

The Approach of the Shadows

The attack begins not with a sound, but with a feeling. Over the lip of the little dell, on the side away from the hill, the company feels, rather than sees, a shadow rise. The shadows seem to grow, and soon there can be no doubt: three or four tall black figures are standing on the slope, looking down on them. So black are they that they seem like black holes in the deep shade behind them. Frodo thinks he hears a faint hiss as of venomous breath and feels a thin piercing chill. The shapes slowly advance. Terror overcomes Pippin and Merry, who throw themselves flat on the ground, while Sam shrinks to Frodo's side. Frodo is hardly less terrified than his companions, quaking as if he were bitter cold, but his terror is swallowed up in a sudden, overwhelming temptation to put on the Ring. The desire to do this lays hold of him, and he can think of nothing else. He does not forget the Barrow, nor the message of Gandalf, but something seems to be compelling him to disregard all warnings, and he longs to yield. Not with the hope of escape, or of doing anything, either good or bad: he simply feels that he must take the Ring and put it on his finger. He cannot speak. He feels Sam looking at him, as if he knows that his master is in some great trouble, but he cannot turn towards him. He shuts his eyes and struggles for a while; but resistance becomes unbearable, and at last he slowly draws out the chain, and slips the Ring on the forefinger of his left hand.

The Revelation of the Ringwraiths and the Wounding of Frodo

The moment Frodo puts on the Ring, the world shifts. Immediately, though everything else remains as before, dim and dark, the shapes become terribly clear. He is able to see beneath their black wrappings. There are five tall figures: two standing on the lip of the dell, three advancing. In their white faces burn keen and merciless eyes; under their mantles are long grey robes; upon their grey hairs are helms of silver; in their haggard hands are swords of steel. Their eyes fall on him and pierce him, as they rush towards him. Desperate, he draws his own sword, and it seems to him that it flickers red, as if it were a firebrand. Two of the figures halt. The third is taller than the others: his hair is long and gleaming and on his helm is a crown. In one hand he holds a long sword, and in the other a knife; both the knife and the hand that held it glow with a pale light. He springs forward and bears down on Frodo. At that moment Frodo throws himself forward on the ground, and he hears himself crying aloud: "O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!" At the same time he strikes at the feet of his enemy. A shrill cry rings out in the night; and he feels a pain like a dart of poisoned ice pierce his left shoulder. Even as he swoons he catches, as through a swirling mist, a glimpse of Strider leaping out of the darkness with a flaming brand of wood in either hand. With a last effort Frodo, dropping his sword, slips the Ring from his finger and closes his right hand tight upon it.

The Aftermath and the Deeper Shadow

The immediate aftermath of the attack is the flight to the ford, but the wound Frodo receives is far more than a physical injury. The knife that pierces his shoulder is a Morgul-knife, and the shard of it remains in the wound, working its way towards his heart. This wound becomes a defining burden for Frodo, a source of recurring pain and a constant reminder of the encounter. The attack also reveals the true nature of the enemy: the Ringwraiths are not merely dark riders but terrifying, spectral figures with a deadly purpose. The event foreshadows the greater struggle to come, and it is the first time Frodo directly experiences the corrupting power of the Ring, a power that will continue to grow as the quest progresses. The attack on Weathertop is a turning point, marking the moment when the hobbits' journey becomes a matter of life and death, and when Frodo's personal ordeal truly begins.