[Aratlithiel]

I have pondered this question for years - literally!

I think I've finally come to believe that Frodo volunteered to take the Ring because no one else would and he's just a good and noble Hobbit. After hearing everything that is said at the Council and realizing what's at stake, he sees what must be done. He also sees that no one else is willing to do it which I think is an important point. He is surrounded by all of these great Men, and Elf-lords, yet he is the only one who has the deep, personal understanding of what the Ring is capable of and he therefore means to see it destroyed. Everyone else has an academic understanding of its power, but no one else has ever worn it. Yes, Bilbo did wear it and he too was willing to make the trip, but he gave it up just as it was awakening and had not had the same experiences with it that Frodo did. Frodo is the only one who truly understands and is therefore the only one who knows without doubt that it has to be done.

I'm not sure how much his desire to keep the Ring has to do with this decision. It seems that he still has the ability at this point to relinquish it - although it would probably be with great difficulty and he would require Gandalf's help as did Bilbo. But I think if his desire played that large a part in his decision that Tolkien would have made that a more present aspect in the narration. As it is, the desire is not even mentioned at this point - only Frodo's fear and the sense that everyone else is expecting him to volunteer.

In the end, I think that Frodo's decision was based upon his inner sense of right and wrong and good and evil and his desire to do right and good. I don't think he would have gotten past the borders of Rivendell if he hadn't had these purposes in his heart.

Of course, he could have just been a control freak and figured, "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."
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