The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - What's the Worst Thing Characters had to Face in Middle Earth?

Farael · 11-27-2005, 01:46 AM

Well Boromir, you have some valid points in there, but I have to say I disagree. I can't get you the exact quote because my LOTR books are in Spanish, but in more than one instance Frodo says that the ring was given to him and therefore it is his obligation to bear with it. So in a way, I think that Frodo believes that someone (or something) larger than himself chose his destiny and that it included carrying the ring on the journey. Even if it was a hopeless journey. But as I said before, I believe (and it might just be me) that his greatest difficulty was knowing that even if he succeeded he would probably never come back to see the results of his effort.

Luthien makes a very valid point when she says that the most difficult thing for all the characters was to overcome the "love of self". That's in a way, what I mean. Frodo is making the ultimate sacrifice a living creature can make, namely his or her own life. Yet instead of falling in a battle which takes a comparatively short time (after all, a single battle cannot take longer than a whole day, specially when you are fighting with swords and arrows) Frodo faces a long agony which lasts for months, since he leaves The Shire up until he destroys the ring. As I said, he is saved in the end, but Frodo did not know that would happen and to know that he would die if he failed and die if he succeeded must have been the kind of mental anguish that would drive a man crazy.

Also, I think Boromir said that Frodo could have let the "greater" men (or elves) take care of this whole mess, yet by being able to overcome this anguish Frodo shows that he is as great or even greater than all of the other characters.

I guess this topic is fairly personal, as a good story lends itself ot many interpretations and there's no "right" way to interpret a story, yet that's what I think regarding Frodo and The Ring.

11-27-2005, 01:46 AM	#7
Farael Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In hospitals, call rooms and (rarely) my apartment. Posts: 1,538	Well Boromir, you have some valid points in there, but I have to say I disagree. I can't get you the exact quote because my LOTR books are in Spanish, but in more than one instance Frodo says that the ring was given to him and therefore it is his obligation to bear with it. So in a way, I think that Frodo believes that someone (or something) larger than himself chose his destiny and that it included carrying the ring on the journey. Even if it was a hopeless journey. But as I said before, I believe (and it might just be me) that his greatest difficulty was knowing that even if he succeeded he would probably never come back to see the results of his effort. Luthien makes a very valid point when she says that the most difficult thing for all the characters was to overcome the "love of self". That's in a way, what I mean. Frodo is making the ultimate sacrifice a living creature can make, namely his or her own life. Yet instead of falling in a battle which takes a comparatively short time (after all, a single battle cannot take longer than a whole day, specially when you are fighting with swords and arrows) Frodo faces a long agony which lasts for months, since he leaves The Shire up until he destroys the ring. As I said, he is saved in the end, but Frodo did not know that would happen and to know that he would die if he failed and die if he succeeded must have been the kind of mental anguish that would drive a man crazy. Also, I think Boromir said that Frodo could have let the "greater" men (or elves) take care of this whole mess, yet by being able to overcome this anguish Frodo shows that he is as great or even greater than all of the other characters. I guess this topic is fairly personal, as a good story lends itself ot many interpretations and there's no "right" way to interpret a story, yet that's what I think regarding Frodo and The Ring.