Original artwork, not a still
The Fellowship of the Ring · 1954
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Gandalf replies to Frodo’s wish that the danger had not arrived during his lifetime. He cannot promise a better age, but he points to a choice that is still available: how to act now. The line offers responsibility without demanding control over everything. This entry follows the book’s wording, which leaves out the extra to heard in the film version.
Sources (2)
- The Tolkien EstateHomepage closing quotation, The Fellowship of the RingReference checked
- Bethel University: Andy Bramsen presentationPDF page 5, The Fellowship of the Ring, chapter 2Reference checked
Context reviewed
