Did Frodo REALLY volunteer to Bear the Ring?

[Inziladun]

Sorry if someone already brought this up, but I had a thought: if Frodo had known the exact nature of the sacrifices being a Ring-bearer would entail, would he still have willingly taken on the burden?
Frodo is singular, in that he was the only one to take on the responsibility of bearing the One Ring with at least a partial understanding of its dangers. He took the Ring, as he told Sam, to "save the Shire". He probably thought at that time though that his physical death would be the worst the Ring would bring him. Had he been aware of what it would do to him on the inside, had he, for instance, seen Gollum before setting out on the Quest, would he still have accepted his task?

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Sorry if someone already brought this up, but I had a thought: if Frodo had known the exact nature of the sacrifices being a Ring-bearer would entail, would he still have willingly taken on the burden?
Frodo is singular, in that he was the only one to take on the responsibility of bearing the One Ring with at least a partial understanding of its dangers. He took the Ring, as he told Sam, to "save the Shire". He probably thought at that time though that his physical death would be the worst the Ring would bring him. Had he been aware of what it would do to him on the inside, had he, for instance, seen Gollum before setting out on the Quest, would he still have accepted his task?

Good question. You know, to open it up further, let's look at why *no one else* volunteers (except for Bilbo, whose motives seem clear). Those with little knowledge of ringlore, or at least more knowledge of battle, are probably more concerned with the physical dangers such as death or capture. The wiser ones (Gandalf and Elrond specifically) fear the Ring for its power to twist people to evil. Yet neither one is the worst consequence for Frodo.

But Gandalf has seen Gollum, and so has Aragorn. But I think that Aragorn was too repulsed with him to even consider a comparison, and Gandalf was counting on the sturdiness of hobbit character. And Gandalf has a point - the quest wouldn't last nearly as long as Gollum had the Ring. Or maybe he foresaw Frodo's unhealing, but with the chance of success so small and its manner so flexible, Frodo's future might have been a future river to cross, or a not even guaranteed price to pay for what must be done.

PS: not to open a huge can of worms here, but just a tiny tangent - why is it that people seemed to have volunteered readily for the quest, just not as Ringbearer? The thing that seemed to bother mpst of the Council was the impossibility of the quest, not the Ring's power. So why go at all? Peer pressure?

[Mithalwen]

But most were just fellow travellers in the outset. Boromir was going home and Aragorn was going with him. Gimli and Legolas were also on an indirect route home though there must have been a greater purpose since Gimli presumably let Gloin go home the more direct route via the high pass.. and while Legolas is alone it is possible that he hadn't journeyed alone. Gandalf is already a ringbearer which leave the younger Hobbits who go out of love and loyalty to Frodo.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

But most were just fellow travellers in the outset. Boromir was going home and Aragorn was going with him. Gimli and Legolas were also on an indirect route home though there must have been a greater purpose since Gimli presumably let Gloin go home the more direct route via the high pass.. and while Legolas is alone it is possible that he hadn't journeyed alone. Gandalf is already a ringbearer which leave the younger Hobbits who go out of love and loyalty to Frodo.

But fellow travelers do not attempt to give formal vows, pledging themselves to the journey. It was made clear at the very start that this is not going to be a pleasant stroll - so there must have been some sense of duty that prompted the Fellowship to, well, become the Fellowship. It's true that Gimli, Legolas, and Boromir were all bachelors with enough strength and few enough other commitments, and they probably thought of it as a "there and back again" trip (or just back again for Boromir). Maybe they felt like they just didn't have excuses not to participate. Still, though, the start of the quest felt more than that; it didn't have the air of "Well, Frodo, we'll just see you off to Mordor and go back home".

[Mithalwen]

But they don't give formal vows that I recall. Didn't Elrond discourage it? Gimli specifically, a warning the dwarf only understands as he leaves Lothlorien in part of one of my favourite passages in all Tolkien "“Torment in the dark was the danger that I feared, and it did not hold me back. But I would not have come, had I known the danger of light and joy. Now I have taken my worst wound in this parting, even if I were to go this night straight to the Dark Lord. Alas for Gimli son of Glóin!” They agreed to go to the passes of the mountains ans maybe beyond. Even Aragorn did not know Gandalf's plan beyond Lorien because it didn't involve him.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

But they don't give formal vows that I recall. Didn't Elrond discourage it?

Exactly, but Gimli wanted to, and was going to, if Elrond did not stop him.

Anyways, thanks for your input - I think it's a curious little tangent, but I don't want to hijack the thread completely.

[Belegorn]

I don't know. Maybe the Ring is aware of its surroundings and was like "this is my chance" and prompted Frodo to accept the mission.