"You carry the fate of us all, little one." - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Boromir88 · 10-04-2004, 01:20 PM

Tar-ancalime, I like this theory you have come up with, and here's my two cents.

As brought up in the "Chapter-by-Chapter" threads, Frodo is a person that not only blames himself for HIS OWN mistakes, but he blames himself for the MISTAKES of OTHERS. It's like some sense of "perverted control," he puts all this blame on himself, and basically "accepts" the sins of others. This sort of goes on with your point about the Elvish cloak and sword, and the Mithril. I do think that it is to symbolize eventhough the Fellowship has broken physically, the fellowship still remains in Frodo, or as Frodo. I'll have to do some more thinking on your other point however, about Frodo was bearing these Dwarvish and Elvish items with him, because they are the races that are falling, slipping into decline. I'm not sure about that yet, I'll have to do more thinking, but I like the connection you made about Frodo symbolizing "The Fellowship." Or I wonder, if you think, that the bearing of these "foreign items" is more of a way to stress Frodo putting everyone's mistakes on his shoulders. Literally, that's how it is, the fate of Middle-Earth rests on Frodo's shoulders, he's bearing this with everyone's life at risk, he fails Middle-Earth is doomed, he suceeds all is happy. So, I wonder if it's more symbolism by Tolkien, on Frodo "carrying" the weight of the World on his shoulders.

10-04-2004, 01:20 PM	#2
Boromir88 Laconic Loreman Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: USA Posts: 7,521	Good Theory. Tar-ancalime, I like this theory you have come up with, and here's my two cents. As brought up in the "Chapter-by-Chapter" threads, Frodo is a person that not only blames himself for HIS OWN mistakes, but he blames himself for the MISTAKES of OTHERS. It's like some sense of "perverted control," he puts all this blame on himself, and basically "accepts" the sins of others. This sort of goes on with your point about the Elvish cloak and sword, and the Mithril. I do think that it is to symbolize eventhough the Fellowship has broken physically, the fellowship still remains in Frodo, or as Frodo. I'll have to do some more thinking on your other point however, about Frodo was bearing these Dwarvish and Elvish items with him, because they are the races that are falling, slipping into decline. I'm not sure about that yet, I'll have to do more thinking, but I like the connection you made about Frodo symbolizing "The Fellowship." Or I wonder, if you think, that the bearing of these "foreign items" is more of a way to stress Frodo putting everyone's mistakes on his shoulders. Literally, that's how it is, the fate of Middle-Earth rests on Frodo's shoulders, he's bearing this with everyone's life at risk, he fails Middle-Earth is doomed, he suceeds all is happy. So, I wonder if it's more symbolism by Tolkien, on Frodo "carrying" the weight of the World on his shoulders.