Editing Nazgûl (section)

=== Literary modes ===

Shippey writes that the Nazgûl function at different [[Anatomy of Criticism#Literary modes|stylistic levels or modes]] (as categorised by [[Northrop Frye]] in his ''[[Anatomy of Criticism]]'') in the story. At one level, they serve simply as story elements, dangerous opponents. But, Shippey notes, the level rises from the romantic, with heroes taking on the Black Riders, to the mythic, giving as example the assault of Minas Tirith. The leader of the Nazgûl directs the attack on the Great Gate; he bursts the gate using both the battering-ram Grond, written with "[[Magic of Middle-earth|spells of ruin]]", and with "words of power and terror to rend both heart and stone".<ref name="Siege of Gondor" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1955}}, book 5, ch. 4, "The Siege of Gondor"</ref><ref name="Shippey 2005 Siege">{{harvnb|Shippey|2005|pages=242–243}}</ref>