The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Did Frodo REALLY volunteer to Bear the Ring?

Pervinca Took · 07-08-2015, 02:57 PM

I always felt that Frodo could still have let the Ring go in Rivendell, (although I'm not saying it would have been easy). Remember:

'Then the Ring belongs to you, and not to me at all!'

I know there is that scene with Bilbo ... but he does get as far as showing him the Ring - and he doesn't strike him, even if he does feel a wish to at one point.

I think he'd have been able to do it at that point, with Gandalf's help. Much is said of Bilbo being able to give up the Ring, and how remarkable that was, but he'd never have managed it without all Gandalf's help, as Gandalf himself says.

Also not sure I'd agree that Gandalf and Elrond think it will break Frodo to take the Ring from him. Gandalf said in Bag End that he could not make Frodo *destroy* the Ring, except by force, which would break his mind. I do not believe that it would have been impossible to persuade him to give up the Ring at that point. I think that point comes much later: 'I'm almost in its power now. I couldn't give it up, and if you tried to take it I should go mad.'

07-08-2015, 02:57 PM	#26
Pervinca Took Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Treetops, C/O Great Smials Posts: 5,035	I always felt that Frodo could still have let the Ring go in Rivendell, (although I'm not saying it would have been easy). Remember: 'Then the Ring belongs to you, and not to me at all!' I know there is that scene with Bilbo ... but he does get as far as showing him the Ring - and he doesn't strike him, even if he does feel a wish to at one point. I think he'd have been able to do it at that point, with Gandalf's help. Much is said of Bilbo being able to give up the Ring, and how remarkable that was, but he'd never have managed it without all Gandalf's help, as Gandalf himself says. Also not sure I'd agree that Gandalf and Elrond think it will break Frodo to take the Ring from him. Gandalf said in Bag End that he could not make Frodo destroy the Ring, except by force, which would break his mind. I do not believe that it would have been impossible to persuade him to give up the Ring at that point. I think that point comes much later: 'I'm almost in its power now. I couldn't give it up, and if you tried to take it I should go mad.' __________________ "Sit by the firelight's glow; tell us an old tale we know. Tell of adventures strange and rare; never to change, ever to share! Stories we tell will cast their spell, now and for always." Last edited by Pervinca Took; 07-08-2015 at 03:06 PM.