Lord of the Rings Fan Club discussion
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Frodo's 'weakness'
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Of course he would be weak and broken down a little more in courage than the others.
Evil is hard to bear, especially the kind of evil Frodo was bearing. If Sam, Gandalf, Legolas, or Gimli, was carrying the ring, they'd be in the same shape as Frodo.
I think Frodo was as strong as he could be considering the evil he had against him, and around him, if you will.
Go Frodo! :)
Lótë (Iris) wrote: "I agree. Frodo had a major burden on his shoulders.Of course he would be weak and broken down a little more in courage than the others.
Evil is hard to bear, especially the kind of evil Frodo was ..."
Personally I don't think either Sam, Gandalf, Legolas or Gimli would have made it. (Not even Aragorn)
Sam was a simple (you know what I mean ...) gardener: there's a distinct chance that he would be drawn into the Ring's power more easily than Frodo. He began to be even in the short time he bore it.
For Gandalf, as he said, the temptation would be too strong - he could be all-powerful with the Ring. He'd be tempted like Galadriel.
Legolas probably the same, although I don't think he would ever show any interest in taking the Ring.
Gimli I don't think was stout-hearted enough - with friends, perhaps, and Frodo wouldn't have made it without his friends either, but I don't think Gimli had the sort of determination Frodo had - in The Hobbit it said that dwarves were good folk, as long as you didn't expect much of them.
Merry or Pippin perhaps could have made it. But I don't know if they'd take the responsibility seriously.
What do you think?
Oh - and Aragorn did refuse the Ring ... but maybe he would have been tempted like Boromir if he had taken it. Not sure about that one. Maybe he had the best chance. Except that he had another duty, and that was to Gondor.
Mod
Of course he would be weak and broken down a little more in courage than the others.
Evil is hard to bear, especially the kin..."
Hmmm... I don't know really. Sometimes the silly ones are the most underestimated. So perhaps Merry or Pippin could have done it and surprised everybody.
I'm not really sure though.
I know, it's hard! It's an interesting discussion, though :D
Mod
Good idea on starting it.
I'm curious to see what other members think.
Me, too :) (Hurry up, other members >_< That was your cue :D)
Mod
We're waiting.
Lol. I think that Sam would have had the best chance to make it. I had a similar discussion with my mom once, and based on Pippin's character in the movies, she said that he couldn't have done it if Gandalf carried him all the way to Mordor. xD But maybe he could have. Being a ring-bearer obviously changes a person. I don't think Gimli could have done it; being a dwarf, could he really have dropped gold into Mount Doom? Aragorn might have been able to, if he hadn't already had a huge responsibility on his shoulders. But he was a man, and they were more susceptible to the rings of power, so I don't think he would have gotten all the way. Legolas...I can't imagine him ever having it to begin with. Which is weird, because I can imagine all the others. In the books he was more distant. But in the movies, I would never have given the Ring to him, lol. He was too hotheaded and impulsive.
In the movies, Frodo spends half his time on the ground or yelling for help. -_- He was much better in the books, and had a lot more courage. He had strength of a different sort.
It's hard, though, to imagine what exactly it must have been like for him, because you don't really see into his head that much. What was he thinking? How did he feel? There wasn't as much of that as there would be in most books, and I think that made it hard to express in the movies. It must have eaten away at him constantly, and he had to resist it all the time, so he must have had to build up barriers in his mind.
There! I said something. :)
L.Y. wrote: "Lol. I think that Sam would have had the best chance to make it. I had a similar discussion with my mom once, and based on Pippin's character in the movies, she said that he couldn't have done it i..."Yes! :D You did say something, lol :)
Hmm ... all of those points are really interesting. It is weird, isn't it ... I think it must be because Legolas is an elf. Maybe elves just weren't made to take Rings :P Whenever I try to picture him with the Ring my brain gives me a fuzzy blank ^^
As for Aragorn ... he was a man, but he had actually refused the Ring. Okay, so he wasn't offered it, but he knew how easy it would be to take it from this lone hobbit. Boromir had just proved it, no? And he had proved himself stronger than both Boromir and Faramir, who both, after seeing the Ring for the first time, lusted after it ... but when he saw it, he instead swore to protect it.
Or something along those lines. I think Aragorn was a strong character ... I think maybe he would have had the biggest chance. If, as you say, he didn't have that responsibility on his shoulders.
This discussion is really interesting, lol! I'm glad I started it :)
But then, I guess only Tolkien knew his characters well enough to be able to discuss this accurately ^^ I mean, if we were to discuss Frodo's being able to take the Ring ... maybe he wouldn't have got a very high score on our lists either xD. Just proves how unexpected they can be, these hobbits :)
Mod
I agree. I think Aragorn could have done it out of all the members of the Fellowship.
He seemed the most strong willed and determined, I think, and he had a very strong spirit as well.
Lótë (Iris) wrote: "ღ♣✽ᕼᗝᕊᕊᓰT ᗩﬡD ᖘᖇᗝᘮD✽♣ღ (a.k.a. Johanna) wrote: "L.Y. wrote: "Lol. I think that Sam would have had the best chance to make it. I had a similar discussion with my mom once, and based on Pippin's char..."Mmh. Agreed ;)
ღ♣✽ᕼᗝᕊᕊᓰT ᗩﬡD ᖘᖇᗝᘮD✽♣ღ (a.k.a. Johanna) wrote: "But then, I guess only Tolkien knew his characters well enough to be able to discuss this accurately ^^ I mean, if we were to discuss Frodo's being able to take the Ring ... maybe he wouldn't have got a very high score on our lists either xD. Just proves how unexpected they can be, these hobbits :)"Lol. Exactly. But because he made them so clear to us, we can debate it for years. xD Which just makes it more fun. My brain does the same thing when I ask about Legolas. I just can't...picture it. Maybe that just means he would have failed spectacularly, lol. The wood elves aren't as wise as the high elves, like Galadriel and Elrond, so maybe they would fail. But then, maybe that would make them more like the Hobbits, and less likely to covet power. *shrugs* I'm pretty sure Thranduil would have kept the Ring, though. He liked treasure.
Aragorn and Sam have my vote, lol.
Mod
L.Y. wrote: "ღ♣✽ᕼᗝᕊᕊᓰT ᗩﬡD ᖘᖇᗝᘮD✽♣ღ (a.k.a. Johanna) wrote: "But then, I guess only Tolkien knew his characters well enough to be able to discuss this accurately ^^ I mean, if we were to discuss Frodo's being a..."But then again, I can't easily picture Pippin with a burden like that, either. Or Merry. I can only think that the massive weight would either break their spirits or turn them crooked ... neither of which are nice thoughts to dwell on :'(
I think that Frodo was really the strongest of the all ... just inside, where he was battling with the Ring and Sauron ... only we didn't get to witness that side of the battle.
Not sure.
My choice would be Aragorn. I don't know about Sam P:
My choice would be Sam or Merry.
technically, Frodo didn't really make it. If Gollum hadn't bitten his finger off, things could have turned out terribly for everyone in Middle Earth.... I can't very well imagine anyone else from the fellowship as ring-bearer, though.
My vote is for Sam, he proves during the book his tenacity and kindness.
I personally think that Merry and Pippin could have done it. People always underestimate both of them and that is probably why I so strongly believe this. The only thing is I really could not bear seeing them go through such a struggle because of their youth compared to the other members of the fellowship. Here ends my rant :D
In the books Gandalf says a lot of things along the line of Hobbits are more reluctant to turn evil. But Frodo wouldn't have given up the ring by the end of the book, if Gullum hadn't had been there to get it. I vote for Pipin (An actual King in history!) and Sam because he cares so much that it could counter-balance the effects of the ring.
Sam would've done the best job, besides the whole Fellowship of course. Aragorn could've been awesome too. Gandalf can't get tempted by it, or he will be way too powerful! And I HATE it when people say Frodo whines so much! I had a LOTR picture in my folder at school and this girl said, "Oh you like Lord of the Rings?" I say "YES!!!! DO YOU?!?!?!" She says, "I've seen the movies. Any scene without Frodo is a good scene. He is so annoying." Then class started so I only had time to shoot her a dirty look, but on the inside I was like "YOU KNOW NOTHING!!!!!!!!" Hmph. >:( Ishkh khakfe andu null. YOU AND ALL YOUR KIN!!!!
My votes are Sam, Aragorn, or Merry. Merry is really smart in the books, and in the movies I guess. He would know that this is serious and he would've done about the same as Frodo, but I don't think Pippin would've done as great a job as Sam in protecting him from the temptation. And we all know that Frodo and Sam failed their mission, and that Gollum was arguably the true hero of Middle Earth. I mean, Smeagol led them through Cirith Ungol, but I guess since Sam stopped Frodo from temptations, he is the true hero. Tolkien said it himself, and let's face it-without Sam, could Frodo have done it? All the times with the Wraiths when Frodo was about to put the Ring on and Sam stopped him...but Gollum destroyed the Ring.
I must say I am surprised reading all the comments to find that no one thinks Legolas could have done it. He's lived for thousands of years, has enhanced senses and so wouldn't need to keep putting on the Ring to escape situations like Frodo had to, and, funnily enough, I think this last evidence speaks the most in his favor, after Gimli and Legolas had been drinking a ton of alcohol (judging by all the empty cups around) Gimli was stone drunk and Legolas was just barely starting to feel a tingling in his fingers. So I don't think he is easily corrupted by things that others are corrupted by. If Elrond had had the Ring that day instead of Isildor then Elrond could have destroyed the Ring, so why not Legolas? My votes go to Legolas and Merry.
Yes, very good point, Rachael.
As far as Aragorn being able to do destroy the ring - I say both yes and no. I believe that he could succeed where Isildor failed- he is that good. However, we see that Aragorn was wise enough to avoid the temptation and as such, would not believe that he could do it.I have two answers for Sam as well... if the burden fell to Sam to take the ring from the start - from the Shire, or from Rivendell he might not have made it (I like to think that he could, but I just don't know). If Frodo had been killed by Shelob and Sam had to go on without him, I think that he would have destroyed the ring.
Rachel you make a good point with the Elrond comparison for Legolas, but while both are very good characters (as most elves are) I don't see Legolas doing this. I see Legolas being more like Boromir in using the ring against the evil, until he is ultimately corrupted.
Frodo was not weak. His weakness sprouted from the effect that the ring was having on his spirit and mind, and he had the strength to carry this very ring thousands of miles all the way to Mt. Doom. Sure some people may argue that him letting Suruman go in the Battle of Baywater was weak but it really was his way of coping with the war; keeping peace. He may not be one of the strongest characters but hes not weak!
In my humble opinion Frodo is very strong indeed. He willingly handed the ring to multiple people. Most powerful people in Middle Earth would not be able to do that. Also the weakness towards the ring is the ring at work. It is trying to get back to it's master.
I found this today - my thoughts written down by somebody else. What do you guys think?
Frodo's character is always criticized for being "weak". Think about what he has to do. It's tragic. The ring slowly corrupts a carefree, gentle hobbit. I agree that Frodo is slightly less courageous in the movies than he is in the books, but he's carrying one of the solely most powerful evils in middle earth, of course it's going to do something to him. It would to any of the characters. You saw what it did to Boromir. It is incredible that Frodo made it. -Lilly B.