What is the second volume of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings called?

The Two Towers is the second volume of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. It was published in 1954, after The Fellowship of the Ring and before The Return of the King.

The volume follows several storylines after the Fellowship breaks apart. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the Orcs who have captured Merry and Pippin, while Frodo and Sam continue toward Mordor with Gollum. The narrative also includes the defense of Helm’s Deep and the encounter with Saruman.

Tolkien’s title created some uncertainty about which two towers it referred to. The book’s opening note links the title with Orthanc and the Tower of Cirith Ungol, but Tolkien’s papers also show that the title developed through changing plans for the structure of the work.

The title is therefore not simply a reference to two buildings in one scene. It reflects the book’s broader division of characters, locations, and conflicts.