Frodo can be called the anti-hero (unlikely hero), and it is evident in his characteristics that destiny (or some other supernatural force) is the motivating factor in all his journey's; and ultimately completes the task of destroying the Ring. In what ways is a non-human force the hero in Tolkien's work, and is it possible that Frodo is simply the primary instrument in allowing Destiny to overcome evil? I am doing an essay and have chosen to explore this as my topic; any ideas on how to pursue? thanks :)
-- Edited by Ophelia Hobbitmaiden on Tuesday 5th of January 2016 09:10:48 PM
Hi Ophelia, since this is for a class assignment, you really should come up with this yourself. Go and look in the Library for the HoME books and explore those, Especially Morgoth's Ring would be a good source. Good luck with yor paper.
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Hey :), and you're right I should; but actually I already wrote the paper and have focused mainly on Frodo's unexpected heroism. I was just wondering about how other people would pursue the topic to see if I missed anything important :) but it would be more unique if all the ideas were my own :) thanks for the reference though will definitely check it out :D also am excited to be part of this forum! reading some of the discussions made me want to join! :D
-- Edited by Ophelia Hobbitmaiden on Sunday 10th of January 2016 09:09:03 PM
1. Free Will is key to Men (and, by extension, Hobbits) in Middle-earth. They have the ability to 'shape their own fortune' outside of the Music of the Ainur and, thus, I don't think we can simply attribute Frodo's efforts to 'fate' per se.
2. The one key moment fate does intervene is in Mt Doom when Frodo and Gollum are struggling for the Ring. It says that Iluvatar took over and gave things a nudge in the right direct, so to speak.
3. It's always difficult to try and balance free will and predestination. I guess its a complex relationship with each reacting to the other. So, for example, 'fate' can ordain a certain event to occur but how the man or hobbit reacts to it is up to them. Fate sort of shapes the framework and structure but doesn't govern specific actions.
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okay, so since Eru destroyed the Ring, its more like poetic justice; that way the invisible power of goodness could overcome the evil materialistic power of Sauron... cool thanks :)
Well, Eru gave it the final 'nudge', so to speak. But the way Tolkien's world seems to work it's difficult to see how fate did not play a pivotal role in things.
