There is also the simple matter of practicallity. Rember, the odds on the quest suceeding were pretty slim. the odds of all of the Fellowship (or indeed ANY of the Fellowship) making it back alive slimmer still. Gandalf/Elrond needed obligation free individuals, since in all probability, they all WOULD perish on the journey (except maybe Gandalf) I'd say the strongest example of this would probably be Samwise, who after all, is the only one who is sort of engaged(to Rosie) at the time he goes away (okay tecnically Aragorn is engaged too, but the nature of his engagement means he sort of HAS to choose the quest (if the ring is not destroyed, he can't really become king (okay, technically he could, but I doubt Elrond would accept being king of Gondor/Arnor in a world where Sauron technically ruled both of them, (along with everything else) as really living up to the specifications he laid down) and if he can't become king, he can't wed Arwen). He is really the only one who sort of has to make the choice. He COULD have married Rosie before he left (maybe, I'm not sure if pre-jouney Sam had enough social status to be considered an acceptable beau) But then a lot of akward things come up later. Think about when Sam decides to keep going with Frodo to Mordor, knowing that, even if her suceed he will presumably die. It's hard enough for him the way it stands. Can you imagine how the scene would have gone if Sam was having to do that knowing he was dooming his newly blushing bride to early widowhood (or, god help me, a newly pregnant rose to widowhood and raising thier son alone.) That might have been enough to make him turn back.
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Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc
Besides, I am sure if he had been married, then Faramir would have been sent instead of him for sure.
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Funny you should mention that. I have a nagging feeling that had circumstances been a little different. That could have happened. Say, if the preparations in Rinvendell for the Journey were guranteed to take so long as to allow Boromir to travel BACK to Minas Tirith report to Denethor, get his orders and still be sure of making it back to Rivendell before the Fellowship left (he took a long time findig it the first time, but presumably he would know the way this time, thereby cutting. down the journey). Under those circumstances, Denethor might have decided that, as the Steward-Heir Boromir was simply too valuable to risk on such a fool's errand. He migh very well have decided this was best left to "expendable" Faramir (Faramir doesn't know the way, but Boromir could draw him a map now, or even accompany him back to Rivendell as a guide then return to Minas Tirith himself) or al least demand Boromir forget this stupid "party of nine" plan and Demand the Fellowship take a few companies of Gondorian soldiers with them for protection (If indeed he didn't go for the obvios path and simply order Boromir to take most of the Gondorian Army back with him to Rivendell and take the ring by force, "For the good of the West".