The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - frodo was both the weakest and strongest person in the Trilogy?

mark12_30 · 02-22-2002, 08:32 AM

Luthien, that wasn't rambling, that was golden. Thanks for pointing out the (easily forgotten) guilt about destroying the elves' staying power if he destroys the ring. It's mentioned often in Lorien and Rivendell, but I forget all about it by Ithilien and Mordor! As an elf-friend, that guilty knowledge must have been a nasty, nasty thing to carry all the way to Mordor all by itself.

No, Frodo had all he could do to stumble forward one foot in front of the other. Sam was his Rock, and Frodo couldn't have made it without him certainly; but Frodo was neither selfish, self-centered, weak, wympy, or wishy-washy.

I reread Shadows of the Past last night, and the section where Gandalf tests Frodo by challenging him to toss the ring into the fire-- and Frodo can't do it even then-- amazed me deeply. Gandalf even said that same day that nobody could take the ring from Frodo or make him destroy it because it would shatter him. And yet Gandalf trusts him to take it to Mordor. The only way I can reconcile that is that Gandalf trusted ILUVATAR to get the ring to Mordor and destroy it there. And Frodo was the one to do it; in despair and without hope (how often did he say "The whole thing is quite hopeless, Sam"?) he set his face (like flint) toward the darkness and marched.

I wish I was one-tenth the man that Frodo was.

--mark12_30

02-22-2002, 08:32 AM	#26
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Luthien, that wasn't rambling, that was golden. Thanks for pointing out the (easily forgotten) guilt about destroying the elves' staying power if he destroys the ring. It's mentioned often in Lorien and Rivendell, but I forget all about it by Ithilien and Mordor! As an elf-friend, that guilty knowledge must have been a nasty, nasty thing to carry all the way to Mordor all by itself. No, Frodo had all he could do to stumble forward one foot in front of the other. Sam was his Rock, and Frodo couldn't have made it without him certainly; but Frodo was neither selfish, self-centered, weak, wympy, or wishy-washy. I reread Shadows of the Past last night, and the section where Gandalf tests Frodo by challenging him to toss the ring into the fire-- and Frodo can't do it even then-- amazed me deeply. Gandalf even said that same day that nobody could take the ring from Frodo or make him destroy it because it would shatter him. And yet Gandalf trusts him to take it to Mordor. The only way I can reconcile that is that Gandalf trusted ILUVATAR to get the ring to Mordor and destroy it there. And Frodo was the one to do it; in despair and without hope (how often did he say "The whole thing is quite hopeless, Sam"?) he set his face (like flint) toward the darkness and marched. I wish I was one-tenth the man that Frodo was. --mark12_30 __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.