Thread: Life or Honor?
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Old 07-06-2006, 06:55 PM   #15
littlemanpoet
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littlemanpoet is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.littlemanpoet is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Thanks for a most excellent post, Child. I think that the sub-text under point #1 is also part of our discussion here.

Do we not find that the specificities of points a. & b. under #7 are removed from LotR, whereas the generality (or dare I say unity?) of #7 is evoked? What I'm suggesting is that Tolkien avoids getting bogged down in a. & b. while holding fast to #7 main point.

As for Frodo, my sense is that he neither wanted nor needed honor of any kind, and was happy (if we may call it that) to stay at Bag End in peace and quiet, and would have done so if not for his grievous wounds. Sam may have been pained by the lack of honor, but we can't really infer that Frodo was pained (by that).
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