Frodo's Feast... Shrewd Maneuvering?

[Doc Singles]

Is it possible that Gandalf and Elrond are using the Feast in Frodo's honor as a means to bolster Frodo's confidence and increase his sense of worth, or perhaps show him that he is held in high esteem because they've been planning all along to coax Frodo into carrying the Ring to Mordor?

 

[amysrevenge]

Hmm. It's an interesting, if cynical, proposal. I'm inclined to dismiss it out of hand just because of the cynicism, but I'll take a deeper look at the actual issue.

The two related questions are: (a) would it work, and (b) do they think it would work, to act as the premise suggests?

For (a), I don't think it would work given what we know of Frodo's character, the character of hobbits in general, and the insight into Frodo's frame of mind we are given in the book. Frodo is too far inside his own head to even notice that he is being elevated. He knows he's out of his league, and is made so uncomfortable by it that he isn't encouraged to do anything except hide behind his cushions and listen to a Dwarf talk about local politics.

For (b), I think that if Elrond didn't know Bilbo so well he might think it would work (I think if Frodo were a Man rather than a Hobbit it would likely work very well), but he does know Bilbo and at least thinks he knows something of hobbit culture. I think that Gandalf knows hobbits in general and Frodo in specific well enough to know that this wouldn't work.

It is an interesting proposal though.

 

[Anthony Lawther]

Hmm. It's an interesting, if cynical, proposal. I'm inclined to dismiss it out of hand just because of the cynicism, but I'll take a deeper look at the actual issue.

The two related questions are: (a) would it work, and (b) do they think it would work, to act as the premise suggests?

For (a), I don't think it would work given what we know of Frodo's character, the character of hobbits in general, and the insight into Frodo's frame of mind we are given in the book. Frodo is too far inside his own head to even notice that he is being elevated. He knows he's out of his league, and is made so uncomfortable by it that he isn't encouraged to do anything except hide behind his cushions and listen to a Dwarf talk about local politics.

For (b), I think that if Elrond didn't know Bilbo so well he might think it would work (I think if Frodo were a Man rather than a Hobbit it would likely work very well), but he does know Bilbo and at least thinks he knows something of hobbit culture. I think that Gandalf knows hobbits in general and Frodo in specific well enough to know that this wouldn't work.

It is an interesting proposal though.

Additionally, boosting Frodo's self esteem may be counter-productive given the way the One seems to work. Humility seems to be the most effective weapon in the arsenal arrayed against it, meaning nine fellows relying on each other is more effective than one or two self-important heroes.
This is the very reason that the Fellowship is assembled rather than handing the responsibility over to a Great Hero. Gandalf and Elrond seem to be aware of this before the feast.

Perhaps a better reason for the feast is to elevate Frodo in the eyes of others to provide some explanation to all the great folks in attendance why this seemingly nobody hobbit from the Shire is being entrusted with the fate of the world.

 

[Stori3D Past]

To play a bit of Devil's Advocate ... do the rest of the attendees actually *know* that this feast is in Frodo's honor? Frodo plays no role at the feast. He is not introduced to anybody except the dwarf who happens to be sitting next to him. There are no speeches at the feast that we hear of. It's literally a bunch of people eating food at long tables in perhaps some hierarchy. Yes he's at the head table, but so is Gloin.

Then later at the Hall of Fire the only hobbit on show is Bilbo. Frodo is such a non-entity that he can pop the Ring out of his tunic to show Bilbo and literally *nobody* else notices.

That said, I do think that Gandalf and Elrond already 99% know that the only answer is to destroy the Ring, and that the only one who should have that task is the one who has had the burden so far and proved his mettle. Like, what other answer would there be?

 

[Matt DeForrest]

To play a bit of Devil's Advocate ... do the rest of the attendees actually *know* that this feast is in Frodo's honor? Frodo plays no role at the feast. He is not introduced to anybody except the dwarf who happens to be sitting next to him. There are no speeches at the feast that we hear of. It's literally a bunch of people eating food at long tables in perhaps some hierarchy. Yes he's at the head table, but so is Gloin.

Then later at the Hall of Fire the only hobbit on show is Bilbo. Frodo is such a non-entity that he can pop the Ring out of his tunic to show Bilbo and literally *nobody* else notices.

That said, I do think that Gandalf and Elrond already 99% know that the only answer is to destroy the Ring, and that the only one who should have that task is the one who has had the burden so far and proved his mettle. Like, what other answer would there be?

I think you raise a very interesting point here. The feast being held in Frodo’s honor does not procede in the manner we expect. If we were to hold a feast in someone's honor, it would be much closer to what we see at Bilbo's birthday party — with speeched and toasts and the like. For the elves, it appears that the feasting does not invovle such things. Perhaps they kept things lower key, out of concern for his health, but I suspect the polite words are not part of elven ritual.

The opening of the Hall of Fire to the event is a sign they are taking it very seriously, of course, but it is an alien celebration.