Happy Tolkien Day! (belated)

[periantari]

But also happy Froday so we will have my fave letter 246 featuring our fave hobbit. :)

"Frodo had done what he could and spent himself completely (as an instrument of Providence) and had produced a situation in which the object of his quest could be achieved. HIs humility (with which he began) and his sufferings were justly rewarded by the highest

Comments

[elwenlj]

Frodo was the perfect combination of sacrifice, humility, honour and strength. I think Sam's stubbornness would have been his downfall if he had taken the task. Stubbornness comes with a certain amount of pride.

[periantari]

That is an interesting perspective about Sam and the Ring- i wonder how things have changed if he were the RINg-bearer. We do get a slice of what he was thinking in Mordor already about how the Ring tempted him. We never knew how the Ring tempted Frodo.

He was more stubborn but does that make him also prideful?

[lindelea1]

That's an interesting question. It does seem reasonable, in thinking about various people I know personally or know something of, that pride and stubbornness are connected. As for Sam... Hobbits, as JRRT described them in general, and the insular nature of the Shire, seem to fit that combination of words somehow.

[periantari]

I don't think Sam woudl fall to the Ring because of his stubborness but what would it do to his innocent spirit? He's always the hero to come back to normal and live a normal life - how would the Ring affect him to continue life in the Shire? I think Tolkien intended his Ring-bearers to not be attached.

WHen i think pride, i think Boromir and Turin but not Sam. The most prideful hobbit would be Sandyman, no?

[shirebound]

and had produced a situation in which the object of his quest could be achieved.

YES INDEED.

[periantari]

i think a lot of people lose sight about "Frodo's failure" and don't see that it's the most impossible task and according ot Tolkien- Mercy helped Frodo with achieving his ends.

[lindelea1]

That's such a heartening thought.

Grace. Maybe that'll be my word for 2024. While I have long thought that having a "word for the year" was a cool idea, I gave up on trying to choose just one. But "grace" certainly seems to fit at the moment.

[periantari]

Yes, it is interesting how Tolkien puts it and we do not think of grace enough in our daily world. I really love letter 246 and find nuggets of info all the time there. :)