Preview of The Two Towers Summary:

One of Tolkien's most common themes goes back to the earliest western literature: the battle of good versus evil. The name of The Two Towers itself derives from the opposition of the "good" tower of Minas Tirith and the "bad" tower of Barad-Dur, the headquarters of Sauron himself. This battle takes place on several fronts, but some of the most important struggles occur through thought (via the crystal ball-like palantir) or words (as in the conflicting rhetoric between Gandalf and Wormtongue in King Theoden's hall). Thus Tolkien portrays this contest not merely as physical, but philosophical as well. But the inverse is true, as well. The motivations behind the two conflicting sides of the war for Middle Earth lie in something real, in good and evil. These concepts exist for Tolkien not only as abstractions, but also as forces to change the world and positions that must be...