[Child of the 7th Age]

Naaramara, Akhtene, & Guinevere,

I'm really impressed by your comments. You are relative newcomers to the Downs, yet you all seem to have such interesting ideas.

Let me give you a few of my reactions. I have had a frustrating day dealing with a broken down car, so I hope I can still make sense.

Naaramare -- Your hobbit/elf contrasts are interesting. Here's how I see it.

I believe the basic divide in Frodo's soul as he struggles towards Mordor is that of good versus evil. What's so interesting is that both good and evil are growing within him at the same time. In most stories, the character has growth in one direction or the other, but usually not in both simultaneously. This must have created unbearable tension for Frodo.

Here's a few assorted examples of the "good". He does not desert his companions in the Barrow-downs by slipping on the Ring, but instead uses Sting to fight back for them all. Frodo grows in his ability to show mercy to Gollum. As his spirituality becomes more evident, he begins to experience visions and is able to appreciate the amazing otherwordly qualities of Lorien. His eyes grow with Elven light, and Faramir and Sam comment that he looks Elvish. By the end of the book, he shows increasing reluctance to use violence to resolve problems, i.e. , the Scouring, desire not to put on Sting, etc.

In regard to Frodo, I have come to feel that "Elvish" and "Elf" are almost code words for what we today might call "spirituality"--getting in touch with whatever greater meaning or Being there is beyond our individual selves. (Does anyone else feel that way?) Many of the "good" qualities listed above fall into that category of "spirtuality/Elvish". Others have wider applicability. Standing up for one's companions and showing mercy could apply, I feel, to any being on Middle-earth--hobbit, man, or Elf.

The bad, in contrast, is largely the expanding influence of the Ring: Frodo's growing desire for it, his response to Bilbo and Sam when he feels they threaten his possession of it, and, perhaps most indicative, his increasing despair. That, according to Tolkien, is the worst sin, since it assumes man is on the same level as Eru by implying that he knows the future.

After the critical moment on Mount Doom, Frodo is no longer in control of this terrible battle in his soul, an inevitable consequence for a member of fallen humanity. To me, from this point on, the central question becomes which community, the Shire or Elvenhome, will best enable Frodo to mend the wounds in his soul, which have been occasoned by this unrelenting combat of good and evil.

I agree that Frodo does have two sides to his personality, and that the quest did much to strengthen those qualities we might call "Elvish." This does bear on his final choice. Guinevere commented that, in the Shire, Frodo "wouldn't have been able to develop further". That is also the way I feel. Frodo had grown as far as he could within the Shire. To learn more and to heal, he had to reach beyond it.

Added to this is Akhtene's comment that Frodo was part of the old age, and, as this age passed, his departure was necessary. Frodo simply did not belong in the new world. This is a common theme in ancient legend and medieval literature. I think this is why, from the very beginning of his writing, when Frodo was still Bingo and the extent of his character's injuries had not even been determined, Tolkien was still certain that he would sail West at the end of the book.

I reread that essay again and I still dislike it! Nowhere is there the slightest acknowledgment that psychological factors are one element among many that would need to be addressed to obtain a complete understanding of the character.

These issues are many and varied: the Elvish nature of Frodo's soul; his longing for the Sea and his visions; Tolkien's own comment that the opportunity to sail was given as a "reward"; sailing to the Blessed West as a traditional theme in epic and medieval literature ranging from the Sidhe of Ireland to the Arthurian legends; and, the passing of one age into another and the inevitable change this motif entails. I don't expect this essay to cover all that, but it is wrong for the author to imply that the "total" answer to Frodo's dilemma lies in analyzing his quality of despair.

sharon, the 7th age hobbit

[ June 05, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]