Gandalf's Staff - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

alatar · 02-11-2005, 09:28 AM

Essex, I tend to agree with HerenIstarion.

No small feat did Frodo accomplish, and no one else in ME could have done it, so hats off to him. However, at the end, he did give in to temptation and 'fall.' I think that what you are trying to say is that when Frodo spared/saved Gollum (multiple times), this action bought him a 'pass' on not committing the final act himself (Not sure exactly what you mean by redemption; sorry).

I understand that in some sense; had Frodo not pitied Gollum then the West would have lost. Frodo's acts of 'forgiveness' allow him to be 'forgiven' when he succumbs to temptation, and this might hold with Tolkien's Christianity.

In the same vein, I think that it took an act of God at the end, for even Frodo (as stated) was not perfect and required grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Frodo may have stopped Faramir's arrows, but he did not make the orc arrow shoot wide of the mark, nor did he help Gollum cross the Gorgoroth.

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02-11-2005, 09:28 AM	#37
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	Essex, I tend to agree with HerenIstarion. No small feat did Frodo accomplish, and no one else in ME could have done it, so hats off to him. However, at the end, he did give in to temptation and 'fall.' I think that what you are trying to say is that when Frodo spared/saved Gollum (multiple times), this action bought him a 'pass' on not committing the final act himself (Not sure exactly what you mean by redemption; sorry). I understand that in some sense; had Frodo not pitied Gollum then the West would have lost. Frodo's acts of 'forgiveness' allow him to be 'forgiven' when he succumbs to temptation, and this might hold with Tolkien's Christianity. In the same vein, I think that it took an act of God at the end, for even Frodo (as stated) was not perfect and required grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Frodo may have stopped Faramir's arrows, but he did not make the orc arrow shoot wide of the mark, nor did he help Gollum cross the Gorgoroth.