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What if Frodo had actually turned into a wraith? Unlike the other wraiths, he had not given in to the lure of the Ring. He had not been 'spiritually defeated' if you want to use such words, but had merely been unfortunate enought to suffer a physical injury. How would Frodo have deserved the horrible fate of turning into a wraith? This seems like supreme injustice!
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An interesting turn of thought,
Child, which points up my interpretation of Frodo's position at the Ford, when he was at his weakest and beset by the Ringwraiths, who sang to him, "To Mordor we will take you..." I always understood them to be impotent to actually carry out this "wraithification" of Frodo if Frodo did not, in the end, agree to it. As long as Frodo fought against it, he would not become a wraith. He might die, but he would not become enslaved to Sauron as the Nazgul are. In my view, this evil fate would have to be given's Frodo's stamp of approval, albeit under pressing circumstances, in order to claim him.
As for the possibility of death or a damaged spirit, I think as long as the purpose is pure and all actions directed by a good impulse, rather than an evil one, such as revenge or bloodthirstyness, pride, etc. , then the life was worth living. After all, Frodo must eventually die anyway, whether he did anything of note in his life or not. I cannot speak to the specifics of the corruption of Man by Morgoth in the Athrabeth, having my thoughts muddied with respect to that work in recent times (although I have
H-I to thank for my even having read it at all!)
Suffice it to say that it sounds like a note of bitterness seeped slowly into the soul of Men and thus Morgoth's poison enters in by the back door...it does seem that Tolkien externalized some aspects of Men that were not so in earlier times. Not clear on this yet, though.
Writing this rather on the run, so hopefully the thoughts above are coherent. If not, feel free to make fun of them, or better, correct them!
Cheers!
Lyta