The Corruption of Frodo

[obloquy]

This is a terrifying trend. Disturbing numbers of these have arisen in recent years and apart from the educational benefits I really see no reason to keep the project in operation. Propaganda abounds and is difficult to weed out of the didactic -- although usually quite preachy -- whole. Where it will lead ultimately, if allowed to persist, is anyone's guess: mine is that we will see much more serious examples of destructive spirit engendered in the disciples of this movement. On the flip side, who can live without tacos and nachos? This is the difficulty.

A sidethought: did Gandalph blackmail Frodo into taking the ring, in a way? All his dire warnings and a very one-sided view of the ring's powers, even though he knew otherwise...

Indeed, but wherefore?

[ohtatyaro]

You are taking it so far I can't follow. Gandalf knew too much? Did he? he thought it was one of the lesser rings until he tested it. and even after that he says something like 'noone but its master knows all about it' . I can not find the quote, but I do remember he says something very much like this.

[Azaelia of Willowbottom]

Frodo strong in some aspects, of course, but in others, it weakens him: if one of his friend's lives was directly threatened, Sam's for example, and the ring was the price to pay, I believe Frodo would give the ring.

Would he, though? I want to think he would, but I have to be a little more realistic. He certainly loves his friends enough to do that, and at the beginning of the journey, he certainly would... but remember, by the beginning of ROTK, he was so affected by the Ring, he nearly attacked Sam. He snapped out of it, but the Ring has got such a hold on him. It's not something that can just be given away or taken away. He couldn't even destroy it by the end, and that was not only the fate of his friends, but of all of middle-earth. Frodo is a very strong character who holds out against the corruption for a very long time, but no one can outlast it forever, even the strongest and purest of people.

[Boromir88]

Azaelia of Willowbottom
He certainly loves his friends enough to do that, and at the beginning of the journey, he certainly would

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Even at the beginning of the journey. Frodo has had the ring for 17 years now. Frodo wanted to throw it into his fire to destroy it, now of course that small fire wouldn't do anything against the ring. Point is when Gandalf asked him to do it, Frodo couldn't and he just stuck it back in his pocket. So you already have Frodo being "corrupted" by the ring, here before he even left Bag End. Now to say at this point in the stage would he give it up? I think he would but it would take some prodding and some help from Gandalf, in my opinion.

[Azaelia of Willowbottom]

Good point. I hadn't thought of that...