Did Frodo REALLY volunteer to Bear the Ring?

[Leaf]

While I don't believe that Frodo had any bad intentions when he committed himself to be the ring-bearer, I find the circumstances of his decision rather interesting. We do get a hint that his choice wasn't a rational decision based on a conscious mental process in which he came to the conclusion that (e.g.) it was his duty to take the ring, or something alike.

'At last with an effort he spoke, and wondered to hear his own words, as if some other will was using his small voice.'


It is entirely reasonable to associate this will to the influence of the Ring. At least we should recognize that refusing the task (or not volunteering to take part in it) would mean that Frodo had to part with the Ring. It is debatable how strongly the ring hold Frodo in his grip at this point, but the passage in Rivendell in which he shows the Ring to Bilbo indicates that it did already influence him a great deal. The influence of the Ring is already able to change Frodos (visual) perception of other people. In this case Bilbo turns into a spiteful little creature in Frodos mind (on the contrary to the Movies in which Bilbo really shows his inner Gollum, so to speak ) because Bilbo tried to take the Ring away from him.