Frodo at Sammath Naur

[davem]

So when did he surrender to the Ring, if not at the Sammath Naur? Was it when he used it to threaten Gollum with death? Was it when he claimed it from Sam at the Tower of Cirith Ungol? Was it way back - had he unconsciously claimed it when he struggled to throw it into his own fire? When did he commit the 'sin' of putting his own desire first? The further back you place that transgression, the less excuse Frodo has for it.

As for 'fate' what do you mean by the word? What is 'fate' - destiny? weird? miracle? intervention by The Authority - which Tolkien states in The Athrabeth will be the only way the world can be saved from the power of evil? Tolkien seems to say that Frodo was rewarded by The Authority for the mercy he had shown to Gollum by being 'saved' from his ultimate failure in claiming the Ring, but of course, this does bring Illuvatar close to being a murderer, in causing the death of Gollum in order to bring about the destruction of the Ring. So, from that point of view, its easier to put it down to 'accidental death'.