[Guinevere]

Mae govannen !
This thread seems never-ending and always brings forth new ideas which make me think deep thoughts and struggle to express them!
Birdland, your idea of Frodo being sent by the Valar is interesting and certainly worth pondering over. It is true that from the beginning of the tale, Frodo is not quite an "ordinary" hobbit, he has ulterior interests and dreams beyond a selfcomplacent hobbit-life. (By the way, I agree with Sharon that "elvish" in this case means "spiritual".) But then, Frodo was partly brought up and much influenced by Bilbo, who was by no means "ordinary" either. About Frodos parents we know nothing, apart from their tragic accident. But, looking on history, isn`t it so, that once in a while an extraordinary personality springs from apparently quite ordinary parents? Not every genius`s parents are genial. It is rather that the combined hereditary factors in an individual will only under certain outer circumstances bring forth the special characteristics of this personality. In Frodo`s case, the quest of the ring with its perils and struggles developed the elvish (ie spiritual) part of him (exactly like Naaramare wrote) where as the Hobbit part diminished (or faded as Belin described).
But I also feel strongly that the Hobbit-nature of Frodo was just as important for his ability to resist the power of the ring (and also is the reason why Sam didn`t succumb to it)To wit, modesty and the lack of ambition, the lack of greed for power or renown, the ability to be content with what one has and is. And just because this part of Frodo was nearly distroyed, he couldn`t enjoy life in the shire anymore, in addition to his grief and hurts.
So, in my opinion, Frodo couldn`t be a "child of the Valar", he was a hobbit alright, but with a specially strong "elvish" (or spiritual) side in him. Otherwise Tolkien, in one of his letters someone (I think Sharon) quoted, wouldn`t have written about him as he did. But nevertheless, the influence of otherworldly powers is there, already in Bilbo`s finding of the ring.
By the way, I also agree with Sharon that the psychological essay by Karyn Milos is cleverly written, but leaves out everything else what we have been discussing here. To me, it`s effect is somehow depressing and it makes Frodos departure from Middle-earth sound almost like suicide.

Suilad. Guinevere

PS. Only after I had written down all these thoughts (on paper, because I need much time and several attempts to express what I mean), I turned on the computer, and lo and behold, there were again seneral new and interesting contributions!The last one by Sharon impressed me most and leaves me quite speechless. There really isn`t anything more I could add, you have said everything. Thank you for sharing your thoughts !