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So, what do you think the towers are? It was never specified... in the books, the movies, or by Tolkien himself. I think that they are Isengard and Mordor... Your thoughts?

Tolkien does say that they are Baradur and Minas Tirith.

Tolkien also says that the title could refer to other things. That's why Tolkien didn't like the title. Here's some things Tolkien wrote about the title.


"The Two Towers gets as near as possible to finding a title to cover the widely divergent Books 3 and 4; and can be left ambiguous - it might refer to Isengard and Barad-dur, or to Minas Tirith and B; or Isengard and Cirith Ungol."
---JRR Tolkien, Letter 140

"I am not at all happy about the title 'the Two Towers.' It must if there is any real reference in it to Vol II refer to Orthanc and the Tower of Cirith Ungol. But since there is so much made of the basic opposition of the Dark Tower and Minas Tirith, that seems very misleading."
---JRR Tolkien, Letter 143

"1. In a subsequent letter to Rayner Unwin (no. 143), Tolkien is more definite that the Two Towers are 'Orthanc and the Tower of Cirith Ungol.' On the other hand, in his original design for the jacket of The Two Towers (see no. 151) the Towers are certainly Orthanc and Minas Morgul. Orthanc is shown as a black tower, three-horned (as seen in Pictures no.27), and with the sign of the White Hand beside it; Minas Morgul is a white tower, with a thin waning moon above it, in reference to its original name, Minas Ithil, the Tower of the Rising Moon (The Fellowship of the Ring p.257) Between the two towers a Nazgul flies."
---note from Letter 140

Yeah Tolkien didn't specify which Two Towers the title was appointed to, but viewers who haven't read the books would assume that the Two Towers would be Barad-dur and Orthanc.

i assumed that the two towers were actually isengard and mordor... but that's just me...

Yeah....Orthanc = Isengard and Barad-dur = Mordor

I say its Orthanc and Barad-Dur, as that book shows the union Sauron and Saurumon, and there great combined power!!!

I was under the impression it was that too, I have only read Return of the king, but in the actual movie of The Two Towers, when sauroman is talking into the "eye" he says something about no one can match the armies of Orthanc & Barad-dur

Infact didn't Sauroman mention "the two towers"

Yeah, he talked about the union of the Two Towers, which also makes viewers believe that the two towers would be orthanc and barad-dur

In the movie they couldn't make it Orthanc and Minas Morgul (aren't those the ones Tolkien was leaning towards?) because they didn't have Shelob in TT, but that makes more sence to me than any of the others.

Yes I know that... it's not in the books though.

It really doesnt have much to do with the story...if you think about it Fellowship of the Ring and Return of the King have alot more to do with the story than Two Towers...its kinda like wtf?

Indeed, the films had to specify for the beneift of the audience- but they just made it up, usoing the most convenient reference.

As has already been explained at length, Tolkien himself was never wholly sure what was meant.

Yeah, but I was just wondering what you think of it...

ok glad that is cleared up, anyhoo on the TT dvd box it shows orthanc & baradur.

You people are way too confusing. The two towers are Orthanc and Barad-dur, leave it at that! You don't have to argue about it for this long! Dang.

well, its a duscusion forum, this is whatwe do - not to be cheeky btw!

yup, exactly

Tolkien never liked the title "the Return of the King" - it tells you the very ending which is perhaps not ideal. he prefered "the war of the ring"

Do remember that this forum is for the books as well as the films.

Ok, this is getting really confuzaboobling.
I was under the impression that the Two Towers were Orthanic and Barad-dur. There was no argument in my mind. Now you people have made me become even more insane than I was naturally!

Well it is confusing
In the film, it is clearly stated : Orthanc and Barad-dur (everybody agrees on that, right?)
In the book, it is not specified, not clearly in the book, not by the publishers and not clearly by JRR Tolkien himself
The title was chosen by the publishers, not by JRR Tolkien. And the screenwriters of the film gave a meaning to it (otherwise it would be confusing for the public.

That contradicts, so no wonder it is confusing you.

For what I've read, Tolkien leaned more to Orthanc (book 3, Merry-Pippin-etc against Saruman) and Minas Morgul (book 4, Frodo-Sam against Shelob) (see covers) ... (book 3)