The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - What is your Ring? What quest are you on?

Child of the 7th Age · 08-19-2002, 09:22 AM

In Middle-earth Mayhem there was a question which asked if every character in LotR was an animal, what would he/she be and why?. I had no trouble coming up with an match for many characters, but I was stuck when I got to Frodo. I typed in "sacrificial lamb" because of Frodo's endurance of unmerited suffering, but even this didn't seem right. Then Rimbaud came up with one very perceptive suggestion.....that Frodo was a Confused and Lonely Man, the symbol of Everyman.

Now, I want to take this one step further. Let's assume Rimbaud is right. Everyone of us, confused as we are, is Frodo! That means every one of us has a quest to go out and destroy some piece of evil. Now I don't want to get into intensely personal or partisan things, but, in general, what piece of evil concerns you so much that you'd be willing to lay your life on the line or even your soul, the way Frodo did? What Ring of Evil would you be willing to take on and struggle to get to the very steps of Mount Doom, so that you can toss it into the fire and see it destroyed?

And, yes, I know this is allegory and Tolkien wasn't fond of that. But, what the blazes, it's just a game!!

sharon, the 7th age hobbit

08-19-2002, 09:22 AM	#1
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	What is your Ring? What quest are you on? In Middle-earth Mayhem there was a question which asked if every character in LotR was an animal, what would he/she be and why?. I had no trouble coming up with an match for many characters, but I was stuck when I got to Frodo. I typed in "sacrificial lamb" because of Frodo's endurance of unmerited suffering, but even this didn't seem right. Then Rimbaud came up with one very perceptive suggestion.....that Frodo was a Confused and Lonely Man, the symbol of Everyman. Now, I want to take this one step further. Let's assume Rimbaud is right. Everyone of us, confused as we are, is Frodo! That means every one of us has a quest to go out and destroy some piece of evil. Now I don't want to get into intensely personal or partisan things, but, in general, what piece of evil concerns you so much that you'd be willing to lay your life on the line or even your soul, the way Frodo did? What Ring of Evil would you be willing to take on and struggle to get to the very steps of Mount Doom, so that you can toss it into the fire and see it destroyed? And, yes, I know this is allegory and Tolkien wasn't fond of that. But, what the blazes, it's just a game!! sharon, the 7th age hobbit __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.