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GreenhillFox
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Post "Meant" to find the ring
on: August 01, 2016 07:48
‘Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by its maker. In which case you also were meant to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought.’

This is what Gandalf said to Frodo (first book of LoTR, Chapter 2 “The shadow of the past”). The allusion to some higher power remains very vague (at least to me).

Has someone an idea to who/what Gandalf was referring here?
'There’s something mighty queer behind this.'
Gandolorin
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on: August 02, 2016 04:16
For an answer you can find on your own, you would need to read the Silmarillion, sort of the "Old Testament" to LoTR, where Gandalf's superiors (and peers) back in "The (Old) West" are introduced. Though even with this knowledge, who was doing the meaning would still remain unclear; the majority vote would probably go to the Supreme Being of Middle-earth and its universe, which shows a clear Judeo-Christian influence, unsurprising in the light of JRRT's Roman-Catholic beliefs.
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LadyBeruthiel
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on: September 09, 2016 12:18
IMO, Tolkien here is implying a spiritual theme, but subtly, without hammering on obviously religious language--a technique I find more effective than say, his friend C. S. Lewis's heavily Christian allegory. Tolkien's Catholic beliefs would suggest that a Higher Power acts in and through the material world, often anonymously.
GreenhillFox
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on: December 14, 2016 12:48
I came across a similar hint of a “higher will” in LoTR.

In Book 2 chapter 10 “The Breaking of the Fellowship”, the fellowship is discussing its options (of going to Minas Tirith or into the East). When Sam says that he is sure Frodo will opt for going East, Pippin suggests that they should stop him, to which Aragorn replies:

‘I wonder?’ said Aragorn. ‘He is the Bearer, and the fate of the Burden is on him. I do not think that it is our part to drive him one way or the other. Nor do I think that we should succeed, if we tried. There are other powers at work far stronger.’

So I just add this instance of a direct reference to higher forces. If anyone notices other such instances, then thanks for adding these.
'There’s something mighty queer behind this.'
Lord_Sauron
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on: December 14, 2016 02:15
Here's a thought. The only reason why Frodo inherited the Ring from Bilbo was because Bilbo adopted him as his heir after Frodo's parents died. Now we can all speculate that if Frodo's parents had not have died would Frodo still have inherited the Ring. (I doubt it). This opens the door to suggest that Drogo and Primula were meant to drown making way for Bilbo to adopt Frodo.
Gandolorin
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on: December 15, 2016 04:21
Lord_Sauron said:Here's a thought. The only reason why Frodo inherited the Ring from Bilbo was because Bilbo adopted him as his heir after Frodo's parents died. Now we can all speculate that if Frodo's parents had not have died would Frodo still have inherited the Ring. (I doubt it). This opens the door to suggest that Drogo and Primula were meant to drown making way for Bilbo to adopt Frodo.

Welllll ... you could take that (a lot) further:

Bilbo's father Bungo was meant to marry Belladonna Took, to give Bilbo a dash of disreputable Took adventurousness to compensate for the respectable but dull and stodgy Baggins temperament, and Bilbo was also meant not to get married, to leave him free and somewhat willing for his adventure to Erebor, and without a direct heir.

Frodo's father Drogo was meant to marry Primula Brandybuck for reasons analogous to those above, and to get him to move to Brandy Hall to get him near to the Brandywine and boats, and Frodo was also meant not to get married.

But my guess is that we read too much predestination into the story in this way, as JRRT was also very adamant in his views on free will, with both Bilbo and Frodo making several choices that could have gone the other way. In retrospect, the most decisive ones were the choices to spare Gollum's life once by Bilbo and twice by Frodo. Gollum is the Hobbit that actually causes the One Ring's destruction.
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