What was Frodo's temptation - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Fordim Hedgethistle · 08-11-2009, 12:55 PM

That's always been my instinctive thought but it doesn't really resolve the problem of why we are forced to assume that in the first place. Wouldn't it make a heck of a lot more sense if the author were to come out and tell us something along those lines? Or even for Frodo to announce that as his desire in some way? But instead we have his assertion that he can no longer remember the Shire...if the Ring were whispering away to him about saving the place, wouldn't it be presenting him with visions of the Shire just as it presented visions of a flowering Mordor to Sam, fishes to Gollum and of victory to Boromir?

And those quotes you give lead to another interesting point: given that Frodo's desire is to save the Shire and that he knows the only way to do it is to throw the Ring away, would that even be the tactic 'chosen' by the Ring? The Ring works by promising what its power can give (satisfaction of selfish desire; providing something that the bearer wants for him or herself) but since Frodo's motivation is selfless perhaps the Ring had nothing to 'work' on. In which case, how was it able to triumph over Frodo in the end? Was Frodo coerced or forced by the Ring in a way qualitatively different than what happened to others, who were perhaps more seduced rather than 'forced'? (If Frodo was indeed forced at all...it's just a thought.)

08-11-2009, 12:55 PM	#3
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	That's always been my instinctive thought but it doesn't really resolve the problem of why we are forced to assume that in the first place. Wouldn't it make a heck of a lot more sense if the author were to come out and tell us something along those lines? Or even for Frodo to announce that as his desire in some way? But instead we have his assertion that he can no longer remember the Shire...if the Ring were whispering away to him about saving the place, wouldn't it be presenting him with visions of the Shire just as it presented visions of a flowering Mordor to Sam, fishes to Gollum and of victory to Boromir? And those quotes you give lead to another interesting point: given that Frodo's desire is to save the Shire and that he knows the only way to do it is to throw the Ring away, would that even be the tactic 'chosen' by the Ring? The Ring works by promising what its power can give (satisfaction of selfish desire; providing something that the bearer wants for him or herself) but since Frodo's motivation is selfless perhaps the Ring had nothing to 'work' on. In which case, how was it able to triumph over Frodo in the end? Was Frodo coerced or forced by the Ring in a way qualitatively different than what happened to others, who were perhaps more seduced rather than 'forced'? (If Frodo was indeed forced at all...it's just a thought.) __________________ Scribbling scrabbling.