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Glad I'm With You
I love the first fade-to-black at the end. Or rather, I love it and the entire scene. Frodo's relief and grief at the Ring being gone. And then he can see the Shire again. That part always hits me so hard - he can finally see all the joy and beauty that the Ring had blinded him to.
Sam... now that they're both about to die and he doesn't have to worry about Frodo being further lost to the Ring, Sam letting himself grieve for what he's lost. Frodo's grief as he realizes what following him has cost Sam. And he reaches out to comfort Sam, places himself at Sam's side, instead of Sam at his side. And he reaches out to touch Sam, a tear slipping from his eye, then a moment passes and Sam returns the clasp. Their hands tighten on each other... and we fade to black.
And miraculously enough, they are saved. But Frodo already gave up on life - gave himself up to the blackness. And he can't quite find a way to return to the world of the Shire.
Twice Frodo cries in Return of the King (and he's close to tears in Shelob's cave, afraid and alone), and both times, it's because he's letting go - giving up. The first time is when he finally and truly knows that he can't destroy the Ring - that he can't finish what he swore to do. He runs into Mount Doom, part of him, I think, desperately hoping that he can get there and drop it in before he loses the ability to.
But he never had that ability. None do. He's fighting himself so hard - without food, without water, without rest - always fighting the darkness and the fire. And in the end, he stands before the very fires and he can't let it go. He can't take that last step. He's failed and he knows it and the Ring takes him with a whisper and a tear.
And then he's saved - by Gollum and by Sam. By mercy and by love. There's that moment, when we can see in his eyes that he would rather fall, would rather burn - but because of Sam, he doesn't. And it's significant that this happens before the Ring is finally consumed by the fires.
And Sam saves him. And Frodo can close his eyes and see the Shire. He can see green meadows and fireworks instead of black rock and flaming pain.
The Shire was saved - but in Frodo's mind, it was not saved by him and not saved for him. He lost himself to the Ring - nevermind that he did what no other could in getting the Ring to Mount Doom in the first place - he did lose himself to the Ring. He's been naked in the dark and his wounds won't heal.
He couldn't return to the Shire because he wasn't of the Shire anymore. He gave up that part of himself to the quest. The Shire couldn't be home again because the Shire wasn't his anymore - he'd given that up and didn't know how to get it back.
Elijah Wood's a smart guy - he said the reason that Sam could go back and Frodo couldn't was because Sam never gave up what made him Sam, whereas Frodo did give up what made him Frodo.
There's a reason that I think of Frodo as a martyr instead a hero.
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Partly, it's an old theme, of course-- the impossibility of reversing the journey from innocence to experience. Which doesn't have to be destructive; more often than not, it's constructive: LotR is a splendid example of how characters adapt and mature. You can integrate even the darkest horrors into a new perception of the world and cherish, love, protect the innocence of others-- children, spouses, maybe everyone you're connected to. You'll be scarred, but the wounds are healed.
However, this process of integration is bound to fail if there is no foundation left. "I am naked in the dark" has always been such a powerfully evocative image to me-- Frodo's experience has stripped him of everything on the outside; and in addition to that, he has been rendered blind: in the interior of his own soul, he can't see light and beauty anymore. No wonder his wounds can't heal.
To me, this is all about the final scenes above the fiery pits of Mount Doom: Frodo might have returned-- and recovered his clothes and regained his vision (not to 20/20 but close enough for government work)-- had he actually thrown the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom and been victorious. But he failed, in the end, and he failed spectacularly. The Ringbearer gave in to the Ring, and he would have doomed them all had it not been for a wretched creature he'd shown mercy to.
And Frodo knows all of this...which is what makes all the difference.
During the celebration in Minas Tirith, Frodo's smile is broken: he may have been naked in the dark before he entered Mount Doom, but it's only at the edge of the pit, when he puts on the Ring, where he loses himself and is thus lost-- irretrievably so.
In other words: I totally agree and just re-phrase your analysis. *g*
Even made an icon of this. Ah, this fannish obsession...
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Just did my post about my definition - having realized that knowing what I mean might actually be helpful.
However, this process of integration is bound to fail if there is no foundation left. "
That's it, exactly. If the journey cracks the foundation, then you can't just rebuild. And Frodo couldn't see a way to make a new foundation - the hurts went too deep for him to begin to scour away the blackness. Buffy (and I will always bring her into it) was lucky because she had a physical connection - Dawn. She had something of her blood and breath that she could build a new foundation on.
But he failed, in the end, and he failed spectacularly. The Ringbearer gave in to the Ring, and he would have doomed them all had it not been for a wretched creature he'd shown mercy to...
During the celebration in Minas Tirith, Frodo's smile is broken: he may have been naked in the dark before he entered Mount Doom, but it's only at the edge of the pit, when he puts on the Ring, where he loses himself and is thus lost-- irretrievably so.
Exactly. I think of that look and my heart aches. Because he looks on them and knows himself to be unworthy. That kind of bone-deep knowing that no amount of love or argument can erase.
no subject
Elijah Wood's a smart guy - he said the reason that Sam could go back and Frodo couldn't was because Sam never gave up what made him Sam, whereas Frodo did give up what made him Frodo.
I totally agree. Elijah's smart (which is what attracted me to him in the first place). Have you read his personal take on the cracks of doom scene?
How'd he get so wise - and him so young?
no subject
Oh, definitely, he starts out as a hero. And I just did an lj post about this, as I've been far too vague - but in my mind, being a martyr includes being a hero in a way and thus supercedes it.
I'm an odd duck, really.
Have you read his personal take on the cracks of doom scene?
I have not and I would love to.
How'd he get so wise - and him so young?
I'd love to know his secret.
no subject
You can find the interview here (http://www.chud.com/news/dec03/dec11junket.php3). Swipe your cursor on the blank spots to bring up interesting bits. Be warned, it's a bit shocking - but that's why I love the guy; I admire anyone who's not afraid to say what he thinks, and who doesn't speak in sound-bytes.
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Oh, I could speak for hours on Buffy (and, believe me, I have). She got me through one of the darkest times in my life.
I admire anyone who's not afraid to say what he thinks, and who doesn't speak in sound-bytes.
Oh, yes. And I agree with him so much. Frodo was so going after the Ring. I love that moment - it's so tragic and epic and yet so incredibly small. The music and the fire and the blood and his hair. Just the anger and need and then that loss. And he takes Sam's hand before the Ring melts, which, to me, is a moment of triumph - that he's able to pull himself away from the Ring when it's being destroyed.