Drownded

[Samwise]

But the shiriffs could be in on the plot, usign the feathers in their hats to tickle people and make them laugh so hard they capsize their boats!

*shivers* Ticklin'? Oooh--remind me not to get to near one of them shirriffs...

[alatar]

Why were Frodo's parents removed? Was this essential to getting him to be Bilbo's heir, and subsequently to be the Ringbearer? Didn't Gandalf say something about Frodo was "meant" to bear the Ring, and that some other power was behind it? Would this same power be then responsible for killing Frodo's parents?

When Gollum tips over the edge, some see Eru's hand. Would not we also see Eru's hand when Drogo and Primula are tipped as well?

Note that the post-holiday/pre-holiday season has me in a less-than-charitable mood.

[davem]

Originally Posted by alatar

When Gollum tips over the edge, some see Eru's hand. Would not we also see Eru's hand when Drogo and Primula are tipped as well?

He does seem to have a penchant for drowning people.....

[Mithalwen]

Yes and even elves aren't "waterproof" - they may be able to walk on snow but he draws the line at water

[alatar]

Originally Posted by davem

He does seem to have a penchant for drowning people.....

Gandalf is placed in the right place at the right time so that he might meet Thorin, who then gets Bilbo out of his hole and into contact with Gollum, who loses the Ring to Bilbo. Bilbo returns and adopts Frodo, which he could not of had Frodo's parents lived.

Could this 'anti-Ring' force have used another hobbit, or was there something special about Frodo? The text seems to indicate that Frodo is special - more elvish - and so was it necessary that his parents die to make Frodo a better RingBearer?

[Sir Kohran]

Whilst we're on the matter, do you think Tolkien intended some sort of parallel between Smeagol and Deagol finding the Ring whilst out in a boat, and Frodo's parents drowning in a boat accident?

[The Might]

Well there is some truth in that theory alatar, as if I remember correctly Gandalf does say something like: not many except you would have made it so far. Not sure where, not going to look for it.
But I doubt that Eru would go so far so as to do any other changes other then pushing Gollum in.
Indeed I have already had many discussions about luck, fate and providence in M-e and I although it seems to be more then just a coincidence I personally can't believe that Eru would "play" in such a way with the inhabitants of Arda.
What god of love would kill two innocent hobbits, no matter for what purpose. And would Tolkien as a believing Catholic write such a thing? I doubt he ever intended such a thing, however it could be seen as just a chance event as all others. But then again we can go further back in past and maybe speculate that the sparing of Elros and Elrond was also planned by Eru, as no Elros and Elrond meant no Aragorn and Arwen and Fellowship and succesful Quest.
This problem is unfortunately not easy to solve...

[Farael]

Ah, but are we not looking at it from the wrong angle?

Wouldn't losing his parents at such an early age make Frodo different from other hobbits, and perhaps more suitable for the bearing of the Ring?

Being orphaned at a young age would make him feel less "attached" to The Shire, being adopted by Bilbo even more so. Being orphaned would probably make him more resilient as well, less prone to asking others to solve his problems and more likely to take matters in his own hands.

Therefore, I'd say that it's not that Frodo was special and so Eru drowned his parents as part of a divine (if convoluted) plan, but rather that this accident, which is nothing more than that, an accident, ultimately made him uniquely able to bear the ring.