InThe Lord of the Rings, when Gandalf discovers the true identity of the One Ring he immediately realizes that there are a variety of reasons why he himself cannot even attempt to touch it. Others have issues as well. However, Frodo seems to be a very competent ring bearer. The question is, why? What makes him so different? The fact is that hobbits are different. But even within the framework of their society, Frodo stands out. There are many reasons for this but his backstory and even other characters speak to the level at which Frodo can be better than nearly everyone else around him.
You Can Rely On Hobbits
One of the individuals that speaks most highly of hobbits is Gandalf. The wizard is enamored with them, their culture, and them as a people. He speaks it rather plainly:
‘Hobbits really are amazing creatures, as I have said before. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you at a pinch.”
It is a statement that echoes through every adaptation of the books. This is especially true in the Peter Jackson films. But Hobbits themselves are a tough race. Small but swift, with a love of food that trounces nearly every other race on Middle-Earth. They are known for their large, hairy feet and extremely short stature. Hobbits fall into three tribes: Stoors, Harfoots, and Fallohides. Each of these groups can be described in depth by their varying temperaments and physical characteristics. However, they seem to get along relatively well amongst themselves.
The Hobbits also live in the Shire. This area of Middle-Earth seems the most untouched and unknown to the other races that occupy the varying lands. Gandalf seems to think this is a good thing, as the Hobbits are so peaceful and small that they may not survive being overrun. In fact,throughoutThe Lord of the Rings, people are stunned to learn that the Hobbits are not actually children but full-grown adults.
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Although Hobbits are stalwart creatures, Frodo is still an exception. We take the journey with him and watch as the One Ring attempts to corrupt him at every turn. However, Frodo persists. He fights. He uses the strength he has in both his body and his soul to complete a task that weighed on him for six grueling months as he trekked with Sam from the Shire to Mordor. It is a journey only a Hobbit could accomplish and one that calls out for Frodo.
Frodo’s Family and Upbringing Prepared Him
Let’s face it, Frodo is a bit different from other Hobbits. Even though he and others did not know it, Frodo was essentially groomed from a young age to be the one to carry the ring. Consider that his parents died when he was very young, allowing him to feel true loss at an early age. He was then raised by the Brandybucks, which gave him a sense of what it was like to be part of a larger group. Following that, he entered his iconic time living with Bilbo.
Thistime with Bilboalso taught him something about not only the glory of an unexplored world but also filled his head with many rumors about his family lineage. One such rumor was that one of Bilbo’s ancestors had a “fairy wife”, which could mean that there was something of a glimmer of the Elvish within the family line. That being said, Bilbo also taught Frodoquite a bit about Elvesand their language. It was a lesson to which no other Hobbit was privy. It told Frodo that there were other creatures in the world and that they were not to be feared. In fact, they had been companions to his uncle Bilbo and were trustworthy.
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Frodo Is a Hobbit with Heart and Drive
The fact is that Frodo not only starts the journey to bring the ring to Rivendell, but when others fight over who should take the ring to Mordor, he cuts through their arguing to place himself as the ring-bearer. It is something that the others first see as laughable but realize the strength of heart it would take to step up to one of the greatest challenges of their age. It is also why the others, Elves, Men, and Dwarves all agree to send emissaries with him to make his journey easier.
But Frodo spends the majority of his time accompanied by Sam and Gollum. These two act as the angel and devil on either shoulder even as he sinks deeper into the despair of the ring. He moves closer to Mordor and his heart yearns for any journey but the one he is on. However, when he wavers, he is helped by those who see the purity of his heart and actions. He laments to Gandalf:
I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Butthe wise Gandalfdoes not reassure him. He simply tells him the truth. In life, there are times when people need to step up simply because it is their burden. The ring is Frodo’s burden and he accepts it not as a challenge, but as a mission. He does not take the journey for the glory. He does not do it in an effort to face off against some great foe. He does it because when it comes down to it, Frodo is the only one with the inner strength to take the ring, filled with its evil and temptations, and cast it away into Mount Doom.
