Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Mister Underhill
Very interesting thread, doug*p. What strikes me right off is that Frodo might have viewed things not too far differently from Carter's analysis.
|
You made a good point, Mister Underhill. But on second thought however, it might be just the other way around: when I thought about it deeper, it is possible that it was actually Frodo who might have considered himself as if he made a fault (I'm not going for the word "sinner" in this environment, either), although from the "global" point of view he did just his best. In some places in the story, we can see some glimpses of this thinking of Frodo. So actually, it can be also the way that Frodo blamed himself just from the things that Carter names and even might consider his wounds as adequate punishment (which is silly, in my opinion, but never mind that), even though we - as audience - or the world around see that there was nothing better he could do. Or do we? I think there is not much to add to the previous posts, but maybe just one thing: instead throwing in of hundreds of arguments, imagine yourselves arriving at Rivendell. You are a common man or woman, as you are in this world, maybe you are a young elf or even hobbit or a dwarf who has come here because of business. Chances happen that you are invited by your friend to the secret meeting of Elrond's Council. The debate starts, you hear about things you never heard before, just maybe some whispers via rumour about the growing Shadow and terrible things in the lands far from your home. And then, after some time, the question "What shall we do with the Ring now" comes up. A tall man, who seems strong not even physically but also in mind, perhaps a renowned warrior who does not flee from lost battle, coming from the most civilized area of the world, and speaking well and logical, promotes an idea of bringing the Ring to Minas Tirith and using it as weapon along with all the force of its brave soldiers against the Enemy. On the other hand, a weak, weary little hobbit, supported by weary old man speak about going only with a few others, and not even the most powerful of all the elf lords around here, right into the land of the enemy between thousands of Orcs and into the heart of the dark land to destroy the Ring. Who would you believe?
What I wanted to illustrate is that we probably are not even fit to judge Frodo, because most of us wouldn't even know he might have saved us if we lived in Middle-Earth. Most of us wouldn't believe in him - but as we all know as readers, he made it. So I don't care where he failed, but do imagine where he succeeded: what all things he had to do (at first - to choose to go down that path although he had the most luxury house, money and a ring that might have made him invisible, for a start - and to point out that he didn't use this ring almost never!) to come to Weathertop, to Cirith Ungol, to Mount Doom. There can't be any punishment for what he showed here. And if it were, then - what about the rewards for everything else?