O capítulo "As Casas da Cura" é um alívio cômico?

As Casas da Cura parece ser um intencionalmente colocado capítulo de transição, conforme sugerido por este escritor de blog em particular.

This chapter is a cooldown from the previous one, designed to act as the first part of a transition to the final climactic moment of Book Five. Three key characters have been left terribly wounded by their efforts to save Gondor from destruction, and they must be saved before the narrative can move forward. This drama allows for a reintroduction to Aragorn, last encountered properly in “The Passing Of The Grey Company”, and for him to take on even more of the mantle that he has already begun to claim with his actions in the last chapter. His is a solemn responsibility, that allows for closing of his relationship with Eomer and the restoration of Merry. Where “The Houses Of Healing” falls down is in its strange moments of comedy, that simply do not fit in, tonally, with everything else that is going on.

_{Wordpress: The Lord Of The Rings, Chapter By Chapter: The Houses Of Healing}

Vemos Merry e Pippin sendo reunidos depois de separados durante a maior parte do Livro V. E também vendo Aragorn novamente, que não é visto desde o Capítulo II, Livro V. Como a citação sugere, era necessário que a história tivesse um tom mais claro. capítulo após a batalha climática dos campos de Pelennor. Afinal, as reuniões da Irmandade devem ser uma coisa de "sentir-se bem".

Em última análise, porém, não acho que Tolkien tenha mencionado isso explicitamente em seus trabalhos. Pareceu-lhe razoável colocar este capítulo no meio de duas situações intensas. Toda a Batalha dos Campos de Pelennor foi excelentemente construída ao longo de todo o Livro V. Após essa batalha, seria estressante para o leitor continuar lendo sobre mais mortes e destruições ocorridas a seguir. Batalha dos Morannon.

• Pensar Muitas Reuniões como outro exemplo (A sociedade do Anel, Capítulo I, Livro II), que foi definido entre os capítulos em que Frodo quase foi morto pelo Nazgûl e pelo Conselho de Elrond.

Concluir; (a citação é do blog acima mencionado):

Overall, it’s an effective enough slow-down of the narrative after the action-orientated series of chapters that have come before, but is also simply something to get out of the way before the far more plot relevant and interesting happenings that will take place in the next chapter.

É um padrão recorrente nos trabalhos de Tolkien que os capítulos em ritmo acelerado e cheios de ação são seguidos pelos mais calmos em segurança, como se fosse para dar espaço ao leitor (e talvez também ao autor?). É simplesmente o estilo de escrita dele. Alguns outros exemplos:

• O Hobbit - depois de ser perseguido por orcs e resgatado pelas águias, a festa recebe um descanso quando visita Beorn.
• LotR - depois que os Hobbits são perseguidos pelos Nazgul desde Weathertop até o Ford de Bruinen, alguns capítulos mais calmos seguem com o Conselho de Elrond etc.
• LotR - depois de serem perseguidos por orcs em Moria, que termina com o encontro épico entre Gandalf e o Balrog, a Irmandade recebe um refúgio em Lorien.

E assim por diante.

As Mat Cauthon's a resposta aponta, As Casas da Cura é um capítulo menos intenso que vem depois de uma grande batalha e não muito antes de outra batalha. Os escritores geralmente tentam não desgastar seus leitores com ação e tensão constantes.

Acho que podemos chamá-lo de "alívio cômico" no sentido tradicional (como nas comédias de Shakespeare), mas hoje em dia provavelmente diríamos que é "alívio leve".

Há alguns momentos cômicos

Aragorn colocando o mestre de ervas em seu lugar

Thereupon the herb-master entered. ‘Your lordship asked for kingsfoil, as the rustics name it,’ he said; ‘or athelas in the noble tongue, or to those who know somewhat of the Valinorean...’

Thereupon the herb-master entered. ‘Your lordship asked for kingsfoil, as the rustics name it,’ he said; ‘or athelas in the noble tongue, or to those who know somewhat of the Valinorean...’

‘I do so,’ said Aragorn, ‘and I care not whether you say now asëa aranion or kingsfoil, so long as you have some.’

_{The Lord of the Rings Book Five, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
Pages 864-5 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Single Volume 50th Anniversary Edition)}

Aragorn provocando Merry

‘Master Meriadoc,’ said Aragorn, ‘if you think that I have passed through the mountains and the realm of Gondor with fire and sword to bring herbs to a careless soldier who throws away his gear, you are mistaken. If your pack has not been found, then you must send for the herb-master of this House. And he will tell you that he did not know that the herb you desire had any virtues, but that it is called westmansweed by the vulgar, and galenas by the noble, and other names in other tongues more learned, and after adding a few half-forgotten rhymes that he does not understand, he will regretfully inform you that there is none in the House, and he will leave you to reflect on the history of tongues.

_{The Lord of the Rings Book Five, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
Pages 869-70 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Single Volume 50th Anniversary Edition)}

A maior parte do capítulo avança na trama.

Embora o capítulo proporcione algum alívio à intensidade da batalha, ele também tem um propósito sério

Estabelecendo o direito de Aragorn ao trono de Gondor

Ioreth (um dos personagens "cômicos") é quem diz

Would that there were kings in Gondor, as there were once upon a time, they say! For it is said in old lore: The hands of the king are the hands of a healer. And so the rightful king could ever be known.’

_{The Lord of the Rings Book Five, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
Page 860 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Single Volume 50th Anniversary Edition)}

Isso leva Gandalf a chamar Aragorn, que passa a curar Faramir, Éowyn e Merry.

Quando Faramir acorda, ele reconhece Aragorn como o rei

Suddenly Faramir stirred, and he opened his eyes, and he looked on Aragorn who bent over him; and a light of knowledge and love was kindled in his eyes, and he spoke softly. ‘My lord, you called me. I come. What does the king command?’

_{The Lord of the Rings Book Five, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
Page 866 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Single Volume 50th Anniversary Edition)}

Ioreth não vai guardar isso para si mesma

As he followed Gandalf and shut the door Pippin heard Ioreth exclaim:

‘King! Did you hear that? What did I say? The hands of a healer, I said.’ And soon the word had gone out from the House that the king was indeed come among them, and after war he brought healing; and the news ran through the City.

_{The Lord of the Rings Book Five, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
Page 866 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Single Volume 50th Anniversary Edition)}

Aragorn e Éowyn

Gandalf explica a Éomer como Éowyn se desesperou.

‘Think you that Wormtongue had poison only for Théoden’s ears? Dotard! What is the house of Eorl but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek, and their brats roll on the floor among their dogs? Have you not heard those words before? Saruman spoke them, the teacher of Wormtongue. Though I do not doubt that Wormtongue at home wrapped their meaning in terms more cunning. My lord, if your sister’s love for you, and her will still bent to her duty, had not restrained her lips, you might have heard even such things as these escape them. But who knows what she spoke to the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night, when all her life seemed shrinking, and the walls of her bower closing in about her, a hutch to trammel some wild thing in?’

_{The Lord of the Rings Book Five, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
Page 867 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Single Volume 50th Anniversary Edition)}

Tolkien não nos diz muito sobre a vida amorosa de Aragorn (fora da o conto de Aragorn e Arwen no Apêndice A), e neste ponto o leitor pode não entender por que Aragorn não respondeu aos avanços de Éowyn. Neste capítulo, Tolkien pelo menos nos dá uma pista.

But Aragorn said: ‘I saw also what you saw, Éomer. Few other griefs amid the ill chances of this world have more bitterness and shame for a man’s heart than to behold the love of a lady so fair and brave that cannot be returned.

_{The Lord of the Rings Book Five, Chapter 8: The Houses of Healing
Page 867 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Single Volume 50th Anniversary Edition)}