Wk10 Bk6 Ch3: Sammath Naur--Cracks of Doom

[Stormrider]

From: Stormridr (Original Message) Sent: 5/27/2003 10:01 PM

Mount Doom by B. Ellis Dejong

Frodo's final goal is in reach. He must destroy The Ring so that Sauron can be defeated, but The Ring has taken a strong hold on him. Sam is there to help Frodo. Gollum is there to get his "precioussss" back.

Try to put yourself in Frodo's place as he tells Sam Farewell: "This is the end at last. On Mount Doom doom shall fall. Farewell!" He turned and went on, walking slowly but erect, up the climbing path.

What is Frodo thinking and feeling here?
What conflicts are preying on his mind?
Did he doubt himself?

There on the brink of the chasm, at the very Crack of Doom, stood Frodo, black against the glare, tense, erect, but still as if he had been turned to stone.

This is the moment we have waited for! But Frodo spoke in a clear powerful voice:
"I have come, but I do not choose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The Ring is mine!" Then he set the Ring on his finger and vanished!

Did you expect this? Was this the only choice Frodo could have made at this fatal moment? What is Frodo's purpose in claiming the Ring?

But good old Gollum came to the rescue! With his lust for the Ring and sight fixed only on getting it back, Gollum did not see the edge of the brink and delivered the Ring to the firey pit it was forged in! Was this accidental or did Frodo's curse ("If you touch me ever again, you shall be cast yourself into the Fire of Doom.") affect Gollum's fate?

What would have happened if Sam had not let Gollum go outside the Cracks and had killed him instead? Would either Frodo or Sam have been able to destroy the Ring? Would they have fought over it?

[Stormrider]

From: Desi-Baggins Sent: 5/29/2003 9:13 AM
I think as Frodo bids Sam farewell he is battling his thoughts. Frodo is a good person and is probably debating with himself that he could take the Ring and do good with it, but then on the other hand he knows the Ring turns everything evil. I wasn't too surprised that Frodo takes the Ring as his own, I knew he couldn't just walk up to the crack and throw it and and that's that! I never thoguht of Frodo actually putting a curse on Gollum but just a threat. I just thought the threat was Tolkien's way of hinting at what was to happen. But after thinking about it maybe Frodo was already getting powers from the Ring even though he hadn't claimed it yet he did put a curse on Gollum........

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From: Ruscosenda Sent: 5/29/2003 9:30 AM
I didn't expect Frodo to claim the ring. I knew it would be difficult, but I thought he would have the strength to destroy it after coming so far.

I believe Frodo did curse Gollum, but did not mean to do so. He was angry with Gollum and spoke rashly not thinking about the consequences of his actions. He had already told Gollum that he could command him to kill himself, but I don't think he realized that his "curse" on Gollum would result in his death.

Without Sam's mercy, the quest would have failed. I don't believe Frodo would have ever destroyed the ring intentionally once claiming it and I don't think Sam had the ability or strength of will to take the ring by force from Frodo.

-- Rusco

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From: Alaere_Dûnhilien Sent: 6/2/2003 3:19 AM
Me too had never expected he would take the ring for himself, after all this time struggling against its power; to give up just when they are there. Knowing that, you could interpret his words at the entrance as some kind of prediction: "On Mount Doom doom shall fall." These words actually have a rather ambiguous meaning: on the one hand you could think he's going to accomplish his task (doom will fall, and that will be the end of it), but it could also be a hint at not accomplishing his mission (doom will fall upon this world). So, I suppose that Frodo at that time was indeed doubting himself already, though he 'knew' that, whatever he would do eventually, he would never see Sam again.
I agree with Rusco: if Sam hadn't shown mercy for Gollum, the quest would most likely have failed. Obviously Frodo wouldn't have thrown it into the fire by himself, and Sam loved his master too much to do him any harm, even if his master was blinded by evil. Surprising actually, that of all people, Gollum, the one who desired the Ring so much for himself, is the one who destroys it. The irony of life?

Alaere