Something that has always bugged me (book spoilers)

[gilthoniel]

From Return of the King (I did put spoilers in the thread title):

"What shall we wear?" said Sam; for all he could see was the old & tattered clothes that they had journeyed in, lying folded on the ground beside their beds.
"The clothes that you wore on your way to Morder," said Gandalf. "Even the orc-rags that you bore in the black land, Frodo, shall be preserved. No silks and linens, nor any armour or heraldry could be more honourable. But later I will find some other clothes, perhaps."

Well, really Gandalf! Didn't they discard the orc-rags? All Frodo had on was the elf-cloak with a piece of rope tied around it! Is he really going to wear that to a big celebration with everyone looking at him? This has bothered me for the last 30 years.

Lest you feel this weighty matter is more suited to the Inklings forum, my real question is how PJ will handle it. I just can't see him making the heros put on their dirty old rags for everyone. Can you?

[GamgeeFest]

lol Gilly. Now I'm going to have that image stuck in my head all day. :ohno:

I don't know, maybe Gandalf went searching through Mordor till he found their discarded rags or something.

PJ - well, why wouldn't he? Hopefully he'll get them more suitable clothes, but where would they have come from? Maybe he could have Merry bring them up.

[gilthoniel]

Well, Merry & Pippin will need new clothes too, so Sam & Frodo can borrow their old ones. They won't fit anymore.:bg:

[Lady Eowyn]

I guess this image isn't practical to our standards... but maybe Gandalf wanted to show everyone what Frodo and Sam went through to save Middle Earth with their honorable clothes...

I guess it doesn't really make sence... but no one is perfect! Maybe there was another part in the book that we missed out on that explains this flaw. I'm not saying that Tolkein didn't mess up or anything- cause he could have... but maybe there is more to this par tof the story that we missed.

[Doncoriel]

Hmm...I can see them showing up in the movie scene clothed in their old rags. The visual of Sam and Frodo in this way would be a reminder of the suffering and sacrifices made in the struggle for ME.
However, if they chose to adorn them more appropriately for the occasion they could just as easily use the newness and untattered outer to contrast with the signs of pain and weariness lingering within for the same goal of symbolizing the struggle that gave this new day its chance.
It's an interesting question...