The doom of the Ring

[Mithadan]

It is clear that Frodo did not have the will to destroy the Ring himself, particularly after the grueling journey to and into Mordor. By the time he stood at Sammath Naur, he had possessed the Ring for 17 years. Isildur, who possessed it for perhaps a matter of hours, could not be convinced to destroy it. What is remarkable is that Frodo had the will to even travel to Mount Doom with the intent to do away with the Ring. I have often wondered what Gandalf, who feared contact with the Ring himself, intended to do if he came to Mount Doom with Frodo. Surely he at least suspected that Frodo would have to be coerced or "assisted" to destroy the Ring.

Gollum's intervention, under the circumstances, was an ideal solution.

Then suddenly, as before under the eaves of the Emyn Muil, Sam saw these two rivals with other vision. A crouching shape, scarcely more than the shadow of a living thing, a creature now wholly ruined and defeated, yet filled with a hideous lust and rage; and before it stood stern, untouchable now by pity, a figure robed in white, but at its breast it held a wheel of fire. Out of the fire there spoke a commanding voice. 'Begone, and trouble me no more! If you touch me ever again, you shall be cast yourself into the Fire of Doom. The crouching shape backed away, terror in it's blinking eyes, and yet at the same time insatiable desire. Then the vision passed and Sam saw Frodo standing, hand on his breast, his breaths coming in great gasps , and Gollum at his feet, resting on his knees with his wide-splayed hands upon the ground.[...]

There is a substantial thread from about 5 (or more) years ago discussing this issue. (Found it. Here is the link http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthr...ght=frodo+ring )In my view, Sam's "vision" was a manifestation of the Ring's power similar to what the Orcs saw when Sam was climbing the steps in the guard tower with the Ring. I have always believed the voice Sam heard was Frodo's amplified by the power of the Ring.

There is a viable argument that Gollum's death after his attack on Frodo was brought about by the Ring's power. Consider, Gollum swore to serve the master of the Ring. Frodo, knowing the potency and treacherous nature of the Ring warns Gollum that the Ring will hold him to his oath. Gollum violates the oath first by bringing Frodo to Shelob and again by attacking Frodo on Orodruin. Frodo's words are, in effect, a curse supported by the power of the Ring. When Gollum attacks Frodo again, the curse takes effect, perhaps amplified by Gollum's ultimate violation of his oath, the taking of the Ring, and is "cast" into the fire.

Or the event could be some manifestation of "Fate." Perhaps Tolkien was intentionally leaving this to interpretation.

Tolkien does repeatedly imply throughout LoTR (and in The Quest for Erebor) that the Ring has some degree of consciousness, sentience or self-will. The argument could also be made that Tolkien was being literal and that the Ring actually spoke (if so, wouldn't Tolkien have capitalized the word "me"?). I personally do not like that interpretation.