LotR -- Book 6 - Chapter 8 - The Scouring of the Shire

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

'And be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so, with Pity.'

Gandalf said this to Frodo waaaaay back in "Shadows of the Past" in reference to Bilbo's decision not to kill Gollum, and once again we can see the tremendous art of Tolkien at work insofar as he explains the end of his story at its beginning.

The hobbits have returned to begin their "ownership" of the Shire. It has become possessed by evil, and in the end they and their people "take so little hurt...and escape" because Frodo makes sure that they begin their tenure there with Pity and not vengeance. I know that they are returning home and not claiming the Shire for the first time or for themselves, but they are retaking it to themselves, and these four are the future leaders of the Shire: Mayor, Thain and Took. Had they begun their reigns by murdering Saruman, or killing ruffians unnecessarily, or other hobbits, I doubt very much that the Shire would have prospered so.

It's too easy to see Frodo as some kind of passive guy, worrying and fretting about killing that's necessary -- but he only prevents the killing that's unnecessary, he laments that there will be death, and tries to mitigate that quite heroically. I'm always struck in this chapter by how little Merry and Pippin seem to have learned from their journeys in comparison: you'd think that they'd know how empty bravado is, and yet they undertake a battle with light hearts. You'd think that they would be more wary of those who seek to become leaders, even in the best of causes, but they set about ordering other hobbits around, organising things and generally 'taking charge' of the situation. I'm not saying that they are wrong to do what they do, but they are so unreflective about it -- so unaware of the potential implications and dangers of putting themselves forward as the Warrior Heroes come to save the Shire. They look much more like Boromir in this chapter than like Aragorn.

Frodo saves the Shire in this chapter by making sure that the ideals of pity and mercy are at the forefront of what they do. Had Merry and Pippin been alone and unchecked in this chapter, I would fear very much for the Shire.