Frodo, Sam, Pippin & Merry

Gandalf

Elrond - Lord of Rivendell

Glorfindel - an Elf-lord from the house of Elrond

Arwen - daughter of Elrond

Gloin - a dwarf, one of the 12 companions of the great Thorin Oakenshield

Bilbo Baggins

Strider

Frodo wakes to find himself with Gandalf in the house of Elrond. Gandalf explains that Frodo was beginning to "fade" as a result of the wound in his shoulder. Elrond was able to remove the tip of the blade that was in Frodo's shoulder and have it melted.

The descriptions of the magic of the Morgul-knife and the Ringwraiths adds a deeper sense of horror to the nature of the Dark Lord.

This is an important chapter. Two of the major characters of the tale are introduced here (Glorfindel, Gloin).

" 'I was delayed,' said Gandalf, 'and that nearly proved our ruin. And yet I am not so sure: it may have been better so.' " [p. 214]

"They [the Ring-waiths] tried to pierce your heart with a Morgul-knife which remains in the wound. If they had succeeded, you would have become like they are, only weaker and under their command. You would have become a wraith under the dominion of the Dark Lord; and he would have tormented you for trying to keep his Ring." [Gandalf] [p. 216]

"You were in gravest peril while you wore the Ring, for then you were half in the wraith-world yourself, and they might have seized you. You could see them, and they could see you." [Gandalf] [p. 216]

"And here in Rivendell there live some of his [the Dark Lord] chief foes: the Elven-wise, lords of the Eldar from beyond the furthest seas. They do not fear the Ringwraiths, for those who have dwelt in the Blessed Realm live at once in both worlds, and against both the Seen and the Unseen they have great power." [Gandalf] [p. 216]

"He [Frodo] is not half through yet, and to what he come in the end not even Elrond can foretell. Not to evil, I think. He may become like a glass filled with a clear light for eyes to see that can." [Gandalf] [p. 216]

"The Lord of the Ring is not Frodo, but the master of the Dark Tower of Mordor, whose power is again stretching out over the world." [Gandalf] [p. 220]