I got married this past weekend, so I've missed posting the past two weeks. Totally worth it, but time to play some catch-up!
In this week's chapter, A Conspiracy Unmasked, Frodo is about to reveal his true purpose, to leave the Shire, to his friends (except Sam, who already knows). As he does this, though, his friends reveal they already know, and they will not allow him to leave them. Our text tells us...
"But I must go," said Frodo. It cannot be helped, dear friends.
It is wretched for us all, but it is no use your trying to keep me.
Since you have guessed so much, please help me and do not hinder me!"
"You do not understand! said Pippin. "You must go - and therefore we must, too."
"Why must Frodo go?"
"Because destroying the One Ring is very important. It must be done. Whether Frodo survives is not as important."
"The Ring must be destroyed. But must Frodo go, given the dangers?"
"Who else could do it?"
"If the world is such only Frodo can save it, is Frodo obligated to carry the burden?"
"If Frodo can save it, he must possess the sense of responsibility required, too. If he does not have that sense of responsibility, he could not save the world."
"Why be responsible, then, if your only reward is more work?"
"Joy is fleeting. All delight and pleasure washes away in the night, blown away by the dawn. What remains is what is built, which requires work."
"Are you saying all joy is meaningless?"
"No! But joy is fleeting. If joy so easily escapes we must find a constant source to replenish us. Your responsibilities must bring you joy, or at least the fruits of your work. Tragedy is inevitable. Lives will end, loves will leave, bottles will empty. When that happens, what use is joy? If you aren't building, then when tragedy strikes you will have nothing to lean on."
"What does Frodo build by going?"
"A chance at a better world."
"Why must the others go?"
"Because their friend should not go alone."
"He is not going alone - Sam is already joining him."
"And should Merry and Pippin be denied?"
"Is Frodo not allowed to deny them, in order to protect them from danger?"
"Who compels them to join?"
"No one else - only themselves. They possess the sense of responsibility over their friend."
"But destroying the One Ring is very important. It must be done. Whether Frodo survives is not as important."
"It is to them. If Frodo goes and saves the world but dies their joy will be lessended. Not only will they have not built something with their work, they will feel his absence - instead of nothing they will have worse: a hole. Pippin and Merry, to this point, have embodied frivolity, all singing and joking. But they realize without their friends - both Sam and Frodo - they will have lost something important to their lives, something they had not realized they had had. To drink to the health with different strangers every night might seem wordly but the connections you make with them can only be so strong. Better to drink and dance with a small few, over and over again. To pile joys upon joys, so when tragedy strikes it is easier to recall, because you have so many to recall. You can see what is built: this corner reminds me of the time... I recall making this piece... I forgot about that until I saw... It is a source of depth and dependability - it becomes the constant source. Those who seek joy without it will fail.
"Is Frodo right to want to keep his friends home and safe, or are his friends right to want to remain with him?"
"They are right, for danger is inevitable. Better to face it with friends."
This had been a patreon-supported project, but that proved too annoying to maintain. If you would like to financially support this project, drop $1.11 (or any amount, I suppose) into my Venmo!
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