Glorfindel's Advice to Frodo at the Ford and Frodo's Departure at Parth Galen

[TThurston]

I've been listening to the BBC radio dramatization of the Lord of the Rings. Today it was the flight to the ford, and I particularly noticed Glorfindel's counsel to Frodo,

"I doubt very much, he said, if your friends would be in danger if you were not with them. The pursuit would follow you and leave us in peace, I think. It is you, Frodo, and that which you bear which brings us all in peril."

Not only does this counsel apply regarding the Frodo's flight from the Ford on Glorfindel's horse, but it seems to also apply at Parth Galen, when Frodo could see that his presence in the fellowship imperiled his friends:

"the evil of the Ring is already at work even in the Company, and the Ring must leave them before it does more harm. I will go alone. Some I cannot trust, and those I can trust are too dear to me: poor old Sam, and Merry and Pippin. Strider, too..." It is interesting that he says, "some I cannot trust", rather than "Boromir I cannot trust." I wonder about Gimli and Legolas, who were not named among those he trusted.

Anyway, Frodo could see that his presence with the ring imperiled the Company, and he followed Glorfindel's counsel and left, only to be followed by Sam and Smeagol.

Of course, the Uruk-Hai who captured Merry and Pippin were not as well informed as the Nazgul (or Smeagol) about which hobbit carried the ring, so trouble still followed them in spite of Frodo's departure.

 

[Odola]

Of course, the Uruk-Hai who captured Merry and Pippin were not as well informed as the Nazgul (or Smeagol) about which hobbit carried the ring, so trouble still followed them in spite of Frodo's departure.

Yeah, often those who believe themselves to bring adversity to their suroundings do not really consider if them leaving will actually solve the underlying problem - quite often it does not.

 

[TThurston]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned an interesting question posed above: did Frodo include the Legolas and Gimli with those he could not trust, or those he trusted? He has known Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli about the same amount of time, since he was introduced to them at the council of Elrond. He had no prior experience with Boromir or men in general, but the history of BIlbo with the Arkenstone might lead him to suspect that both Legolas and Gimli might be susceptible to the lure of ring. The narrator relates several earlier occasions that seem to single out Boromir, suggesting that he was already tempted by the lure of the ring. But I do not recall whether the narrator suggests that Frodo particularly noticed Boromir at those times. So Frodo might think to himself, Boromir has fallen; the ring has gotten to him. I wonder if it has already gotten to Legolas or Gimli as well.

 

[Anthony Lawther]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned an interesting question posed above: did Frodo include the Legolas and Gimli with those he could not trust, or those he trusted? He has known Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli about the same amount of time, since he was introduced to them at the council of Elrond. He had no prior experience with Boromir or men in general, but the history of BIlbo with the Arkenstone might lead him to suspect that both Legolas and Gimli might be susceptible to the lure of ring. The narrator relates several earlier occasions that seem to single out Boromir, suggesting that he was already tempted by the lure of the ring. But I do not recall whether the narrator suggests that Frodo particularly noticed Boromir at those times. So Frodo might think to himself, Boromir has fallen; the ring has gotten to him. I wonder if it has already gotten to Legolas or Gimli as well.

I’m inclined to think that the suspicion of Boromir that we see is actually a retrospective application. Much like when a serial killer is arrested after living in a community for some time, some will deny having seen anything that indicated the problem, while others will claim ‘there was always something not right’ about them.
In this light, I don’t think there was any true suspicion of any party member above any others, until Boromir slipped. After that, everything he said or did was re-examined and re-contextualised.