Is Frodo the 'King ' who returns? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Child of the 7th Age · 01-05-2003, 03:22 AM

Never, never, never would Tolkien use irony to describe Frodo's plight after the Ring quest. And that is what the title would be if Tolkien had used it to refer to Frodo rather than Aragorn. It is just not JRRT's way to use irony when describing the central figure of the Ring quest who had sacrificed all, including his very ability to live as a hobbit.

If you read the author's letters, you will see how sympatheitcally Tolkien felt about Frodo and his "failure" at Mount Doom. He assures one correspondent that Frodo had an impossible task, and that there was not a single person in Middle-earth--whether human or hobbit or Elven or Maia--who could have accomplished the goal of actually tossing the Ring into Mount Doom. Only a perfect being could have accomplished this, and none of us in Middle-earth, or real earth for that matter, is perfect. (For those who have asked the question whether Sam could have done it, JRRT would have said no according to this letter.)

So the "King" must be seen at face value as Aragorn rather than Frodo.

sharon

[ January 05, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

01-05-2003, 03:22 AM	#10
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Never, never, never would Tolkien use irony to describe Frodo's plight after the Ring quest. And that is what the title would be if Tolkien had used it to refer to Frodo rather than Aragorn. It is just not JRRT's way to use irony when describing the central figure of the Ring quest who had sacrificed all, including his very ability to live as a hobbit. If you read the author's letters, you will see how sympatheitcally Tolkien felt about Frodo and his "failure" at Mount Doom. He assures one correspondent that Frodo had an impossible task, and that there was not a single person in Middle-earth--whether human or hobbit or Elven or Maia--who could have accomplished the goal of actually tossing the Ring into Mount Doom. Only a perfect being could have accomplished this, and none of us in Middle-earth, or real earth for that matter, is perfect. (For those who have asked the question whether Sam could have done it, JRRT would have said no according to this letter.) So the "King" must be seen at face value as Aragorn rather than Frodo. sharon [ January 05, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ] __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.