XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien   
   From: the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm   
      
   On Sat, 4 Aug 2012 13:50:41 +0000 (UTC), Lewis wrote:   
   > In message    
   >   Troels Forchhammer  wrote:   
   > > In message    
   > > Lewis  spoke these staves:   
   > >> I've always maintained that the essential point<1> of the book is   
   > >> that Frodo *fails* in his quest. In the end, the ring is too   
   > >> strong and Frodo is corrupted by it.   
   >   
   > > I agree that Frodo's failure is important, but I don't think it is   
   > > correct to say that Frodo was corrupted by the Ring -- Frodo was   
   > > /tempted/ by the Ring, and in the end that temptation grew too   
   > > strong for him. The difference may be subtle, but it is, I think,   
   > > very important (for one thing it significantly reduces the agency of   
   > > the Ring).   
   >   
   > I'll concede corrupted wasn't the right word, though I think we went a   
   > little beyond merely tempted when Frodo put the ring on. Frodo obviously   
   > was *not* corrupted since he remained himself after the destruction of   
   > the Ring. Broken, perhaps? I'm not sure what the right word is.   
      
   "Overcome", maybe?   
      
   I only half understand the distinction from "corrupted", but I've   
   just thought of this analogy that has helped me.  In certain types of   
   illness, you develop a high fever.  Under the influence of high   
   fever, you may do or say things you'd never do or say otherwise --   
   you may say things that you don't believe.  Then the fever breaks,   
   and almost immediately you're in your right mind again.  Those who   
   love you heave a sigh of relief because your restoration to rational   
   thought is an obvious sign that you're getting well.  And they don't   
   hold you top blame for anything you said or did under the influence   
   of the fever, because they know it was the illness, not any kind of   
   moral failing.   
      
   This was suggested to me by the passage about Sam seeing his master   
   "himself again" after the destruction of the Ring:   
      
   "'Well, this is the end, Sam Gamgee,' said a voice by his side. And   
   there was Frodo, pale and worn, and yet himself again; and in his   
   eyes there was peace now, neither strain of will, nor madness, nor   
   any fear."   
      
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