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Kalimac · 10-04-2002, 11:21 PM

Tinnu, that's a really good point about Frodo being "enhanced" by being with Gandalf etc. - in company like that something inside of him was able to muster up the courage to say the words that would set him on that course of action.

Your comment about Frodo not knowing what he was in for started me thinking, though. Right now I'm leaving aside the question of whether Frodo was ultimately "meant" by the Valar/Eru/whoever to be the Ringbearer - we all seem to pretty much agree that he was; the differences come with the question of whether he spoke up for a reason or whether he did it for some reason unknown even to himself. It seems fairly clear later on, though, that if Frodo HAD known what he was getting into, he would probably have never had the courage to commit himself to it. Same with Sam, Merry & Pippin. They were able to confront what faced them, but the only reason they had the opportunity to do so was because they had no idea what they were really getting into until it was too late to turn back.

So Frodo may well have been meant to bear the Ring because he was pretty much the only one out there who was both innately strong enough in his soul and ignorant enough of what he was facing to be able to pull it off. If an Elf or a Dwarf or even Aragorn had been given the Ring, they all would have known so much about the horrors they were facing on the journey and how tempting the Ring itself could be that they might have succumbed either to the Ring, to despair or to any of the other things they were worrying about before they were halfway to Mordor. But since Frodo and the other hobbits had no idea what was coming next, so to speak, they were able to overcome each obstacle as it arose and not cripple themselves by worrying over what they knew or feared lay ahead (except for that final bit with Frodo claiming the Ring in Mount Doom, but hey, he held out an impressively long time). I think most people have been in bad situations which arose unexpectedly, and only realized after it was over and they were safe how frightening it was, or what kind of danger they were in. The hobbits are like that.

Sorry to be so windy. Hope that made some sense.

- Kalimac

10-04-2002, 11:21 PM	#8
Kalimac Candle of the Marshes Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Flyover Country Posts: 780	Tinnu, that's a really good point about Frodo being "enhanced" by being with Gandalf etc. - in company like that something inside of him was able to muster up the courage to say the words that would set him on that course of action. Your comment about Frodo not knowing what he was in for started me thinking, though. Right now I'm leaving aside the question of whether Frodo was ultimately "meant" by the Valar/Eru/whoever to be the Ringbearer - we all seem to pretty much agree that he was; the differences come with the question of whether he spoke up for a reason or whether he did it for some reason unknown even to himself. It seems fairly clear later on, though, that if Frodo HAD known what he was getting into, he would probably have never had the courage to commit himself to it. Same with Sam, Merry & Pippin. They were able to confront what faced them, but the only reason they had the opportunity to do so was because they had no idea what they were really getting into until it was too late to turn back. So Frodo may well have been meant to bear the Ring because he was pretty much the only one out there who was both innately strong enough in his soul and ignorant enough of what he was facing to be able to pull it off. If an Elf or a Dwarf or even Aragorn had been given the Ring, they all would have known so much about the horrors they were facing on the journey and how tempting the Ring itself could be that they might have succumbed either to the Ring, to despair or to any of the other things they were worrying about before they were halfway to Mordor. But since Frodo and the other hobbits had no idea what was coming next, so to speak, they were able to overcome each obstacle as it arose and not cripple themselves by worrying over what they knew or feared lay ahead (except for that final bit with Frodo claiming the Ring in Mount Doom, but hey, he held out an impressively long time). I think most people have been in bad situations which arose unexpectedly, and only realized after it was over and they were safe how frightening it was, or what kind of danger they were in. The hobbits are like that. Sorry to be so windy. Hope that made some sense. - Kalimac __________________ Father, dear Father, if you see fit, We'll send my love to college for one year yet Tie blue ribbons all about his head, To let the ladies know that he's married.