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Plz note this is not everybody and is NOT all the deeds they did, just the deeds I can remember:

Bilbo:found the ring helped dwarves reclaim mountain from evil dragon.

Merry: Helped slay witchy, defended the shire in the "Battle of Bywater"

Pippen: Killed a troll...slew some orcs....became a guard of Minas Tirith, Defended Shire in "Battle of Bywater"

Sam: Tended the bagginses Garden, nearly killed Shelob, Slew orcs, rescued Frodo MANY times, Ringbearer, gave up the ring when frodo asked, caried Frodo AND the Ring up a Mountain, Defended Shire in "Battle of Bywater"

Gandalf: Ousmarted Sauron,

Aragorn: Guided hobbits to Rivendell, Defended them, Faught in Battle of the Hornburg, Pellanor Fields, and at the Gates of Mordor, Summoned a Dead army, Claimed his throne maried a goddess and ruled his people.

Legolas: Befriended dwarf,aided fellowship, helped Minas Tirith look purtey.

Gimli: Befriended Elf, aided felloship had frodo braid his beard, Re-built gates of Minas Tirith out of Mithrill.

Frodo: hmmm....Now what did he do? All i can think is that he bore the burden...and ultimately gave up his home, but it seems clear to me that the real hero's our other people.

he fell over alot

arwen a godess....whatever you say

he resisted the temptation of the Ring for soo long and led it all the way up to Mt. Doom, through starvation and weariness

oh and dont forget Aragorn: downright hotness

He's not the usual hero and thats why I like him.

Being a hero doesnt only depend on what you do physically but also mentally... and Frodo kept up his strenght unto the very end

Nice sig Sauron

ta....yeah unto the VERY end...then went insane and claimed the ring in mordor....

hmmm VERY good point..He had to keep going with (almost literaly) the wait of the world on his neck.

He doesn't have to do everything all the other guys did to be a hero. Frodo is one to himself, he's fought his inner temptations to just grab the ring and high-tail it out of there and he did that in what? A year travelin' from The Shire to Mordor? I find that very heroic.



Oh and 'pelennor' is how you really spell it.

I think that Frodo was influenced by the ring to a point that he wasn't able to care anymore, he was wounded by a "some wounds never heal" wound, he DID destroy the ring saving middle earth, he DID carry the splinter of the knife for 17 days or 22 or something like that, he never gave up and, except at the end, but he really did keep on going... they're all heroes, really, actually Legolas and Gimli are less heroic than Frodo I think...

Frodo rox!!!
but the other guys rock more...

tolkien himself said that as he was writing the books he found more and more that sam was begining to look like the real hero of the story, not frodo.

I agree with that, Sam is the real hero, Frodo would have just collapsed in Mordor, or before then, not to mention been captured by the orcs with the ring on, or actually Shelob would have killed Frodo first, but it would have resulted in the end with Sauron getting the ring back

All and all we still respect Frodo. To me every character is a hero, no doubt.

if not for each other they would all be dead

except boromir who died anyway...but you know these things happen......

I think that any charactor could be a hero, including Boromir, who you forgot in your list of people of the Fellowship, who DID accept Aragorn as his king, which his father didn't do, even though he tried to take the ring from Frodo, he did try to defend Merry and Pippin...

Fodo saved sam from gollum, but thats about all

Boromir's the best man! BOROMIR WILL ALWAYS BE THE CAPTAIN OF GONDOR!

That's not all.

e tried to take the ring because of his dad thats the onbly reason he went along...i mean he would have taken it at the council he ASKED nicely...but elves got all nancey so he tried to take it in secret....he sees the way his dad treats faramir, and he doesnt want that to happen to him

which it would if he did not bring the ring back

Boromir in the movies didn't even seem to want to go to Rivendell anyways, his father just sent him off, but then that wouldn't make sense in the FotR: EE when Boromir speaks about the dream of the halflings, the king has been found and all (which was in the book by the way).

yeah i agree everyone was a hero in their own way

but Boromir in the books volunteered to go, Faramir offered to go to find out about his dream, but Boromir felt he should go and their father let him...

Boromir went because of the dream he had.

isidurs bane...he thought was an arrow lol...then realised it couldnt be..as there were many orc arrows about

Hahahah an arrow.

well it IS what killed him

Yeah

about this forgeting boromir thing, i didn't have him in my list because i don't realy think he was a hero, he tried to TAKE the ring from frodo after swearing an oath to protect him...sure you can all blame it on the Ring and say oh the ring made him do it , you are still responsible for ur actions. and boromir failed the fellowship,

don't get me wrong he was a hero in gondor and all that just not fellowship.

IT WAS THE RING COMBINED WITH WANTING TO PLEASE HIS FATHER


HE WAS A HERO...HE TOOK THREE ARROWS FOR THREE FOOT PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOROMIR'S NOT A HERO?!?! BOROMIR IS A HERO! HE HELPED WIN OVER THE STRUGGLING BATTLE OF OSGILIATH! HE'S THE CAPTAIN OF GONDOR! HE IS A HERO!

All of them are hero's each member of the fellowship played apart and boromir tried to die to save his friends if thats not a hero I don't know what is, and also the only reason he tried to take the ring was because the ring was trying to have boromir take it to gondor

thats exactly what i said...he was a hero in gondor and did countless good deeds, his father loved him, he was a leader,...i just think he failed the fellowship and betrayed frodo.

HE WAS a HERO to many ppl just not too frodo, sory if i was unclear..

REPLY TO MINE!!!!!!

HE WAS A HERO TO THE FELLOWSHIP TOO

Of course Frodo is a hero!
And so are the other brave warriors!
They have come to save the world!!!!!!!

see ancientwisdon agrees that no-one is as big a hero as boromir

We should put on a strike for Boromir.......




Love your new sig, sauron

thanks i just relaised that can make thingfs semi disapear

so i now have 4 melkors and a sauron on my sig

yeah lets strike

What program do you use? PhotoShop? I used PhotoDeluxe....



STRIKE!

photodraw.....it just appeared on my pc one day lol

Lucky, I had to install PhotoDedluxe on my laptop because I'd been usin' Paint, which sucks by the way.

It does suck, thats all i use, hence bad sigs made by me.

awww that cantbe true

just look at that beautiful sig you have there...i think you should gicve the person who made it some money

sauron you self-centered bastard j/k

hey kit...easy money...easy money

Ah true, though I thought we were goin to start up our own spoof company?

indeed we shall

thats why i need the moneuy...land doesnt go cheap you know

I don't expect it to be, though this isn't the 1860's anymore.

also we will need workers

or should we do it alone

Hmm....up to you, but if we do have more workers it'll seem like we'll be doing all the work ourselves.

good point

thread wreckers! this is about frodo! not sigys!!!

j/k

IMHO Borimir was a great warior/fighter/defender/companion/instructer/teacher. He was great but it was all downhill after the counsil of elrond. The Ring corupted his mind, used him ( a man who is so easily suduced by it's powers),

His actions are not justifyed by the ring.IMHO

YES THEY ARE!!!!!!


the ring ****ed up his mind...plus his daddy wanted it

I actually have decided that Sam spent a REALLY long time with the Ring and never went after it and GAVE IT UP WILLINGLY (Go Sam!!) and he was the ONLY ring bearer to do that, Bilbo had to be pursuaded a bit by Gandalf at the end, but he did too... Boromir DID convince Frodo to go off on his own, which helped because then the others could do their heroic deeds...

I think Frodo is a really big hero first he left the Shire(his home which he loved) and then he bared the ring all the way to Mordor I agree he probably would not have gone that far without Sam..I think The True heroes of The whole trilogy were Frodo and Sam..I mean the other guys were awesome too...but did they really give great speeches and destroy the ring I don't think so....Anyways you shouldn't say that Frodo is not a hero.

*wipes eyes from strain of reading last post*

I can see the light

anyways, Frodo of course, a hero saves the day and what did Frodo do? exactly!

Who is more than a hero than Frodo? I'll tell ya who....

Discos - Gwaihir

I dont think ive replied here either yet, but i must REPLY, the temptation of replying to this great thread!

Frodo IS a hero, some people dont realize what he went through, as im watching these films, in my mind, I could feel what Frodo was going through, he beared the temptations of the Ring all the way to Mordor and to the firey cracks of doom, that is courage, he didnt give up, he wanted to keep going, but the weight of the ring kept bearing down on him, making it even harder for him to go on, he took the Ring of power, the ONE ring to rule them all and destroyed it, saving the entire middle earth, yes...he did fall around alot, because he was weak, and yes he was scared because hes a hobbit, hes never been to places like that before, it was all new to him, if i was him, yes id be afraid to, and also he did a damn good job of keeping the Ring away from gollum but trusting him to guide them to Mordor, he never gave into the Ring either, he fought the temptation, although at the end, he did go crazy and claimed the ring to be his, putting the ring on and disappearing, but the truth of the matter is Frodo is a hero in his own way, he carried the burden all the way, he never gave up and he destroyed the ring, and not to mention he left his home to do the task, he sacerficed alot to get the task done. So yes, Frodo is a amazing hero.

Sam is also the hero of the story, he motivated frodo to keep going, he was always there when frodo was weak and tired, to push him along, he even beared the ring, not giving into temptation of it and handed it to frodo, when i thought for sure sam was gonna keep it, and..he battled shelob, orcs, and even gollum for Frodo, Sam always knew that gollum was only after the ring, and warned frodo about him (Frodo of course NOT believing him until the end!) if sam wasnt there, Frodo would of been dead, no doubt by the orcs, gollum and shelob. Sam is definetly a hero of the story

And you have to admit...gollum was a little bit of a hero, if it wasnt for him, frodo and sam would of been lost, not knowing where to go, even though he wanted the ring, he helped them

But like you said...every character has a little heroness about them, they all deserve the applaudes and respect they deserve


Lol..sorry, i got carried away, sorry if it sounds like im rambling

another good thread bumped up.

i've always joked that Frodo did nothing, but reading the last few posts does make Frodo a hero. However, Frodo needed Sam's aid alot

this is a very wonderful thread and shouldnt die, lets keep it going guys!!! A thread about frodo being a hero is a very great thread indeed!

Oh yeah frodo needed sams aid alot, if it wasnt for sam, frodo would be laying in shelobs lair dead and eaten

He's still a hero, regardless of what everyone else did. They too are heroes.

But Frodo was chosen. It was he who was chosen to complete the task.

That's my opinion anyway...

agreed, Frodo is a hero

Oh, also: in response to the reply that 'I'm dead...' posted...

Brilliant explanation. It sums up exactly what I wanted to say. Well done. THAT is the reason why Frodo is a hero - all that you said.

In regards to Frodo AND sam, and their heroic reasons, ect

Sam ALWAYS seemed to think they were going to do the task, and then return home to the way they were, living in the shire, gardening, and peace...Frodo I think believed that for a while, but then started to relize towards the end...but SAM even to the very very very end.

Sam never gave up hope, Always had his eyes set on the task of returning home, and getting on with life.
Frodo had his eyes set on the task-his task...The ring, He didn't know he was going to ultimatly sacrifice his life in the end...That he would never fulfill Sam's task...And that he would give up so much, for so many. But in the end I think He relized it, and began to understand...That sometimes In order to save the world, HE had to loose it.

21 days

I don't think this thread is taking the proper meaning of the word 'hero'

Oh yes the post that "im dead" posted was definetly a wonderful explanation to frodo being a hero *applaudes*

Frodo DID give up his life, his home and his future to get the task done, most people dont realize it what he sacrificed to do the task, and it was brave of him to step in and say he would take it. Frodo deserves the much needed respect he deserves, as Gandalf says "Hobbits are truly amazing creatures"

I think it was all the more heroic considering the life he had as a child.

He was orphaned at 12, and then Bilbo left him when he was 33.

That would stir things up I think. I get the impression that all Frodo really wanted out of life was the odd adventure here and there, maybe learn a little more Elvish than he already knew, and then to settle down, start a family of his own and have someone, a soul mate, to share all his things with.

The fact that he accepted the burden and admitted to losing the life he could have possibly had makes him a hero, in my opinion.

So in order to be a hero...you have to Loose something? Just asking?
is that what it is...Loose your home? Life?...Is that what true heros are? It is interesting to note, that the heros we here about most often, are the ones that die. but not always...

coughSPIDERMAN2-9DAYS!cough

No, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying that his earlier experiences helped him to be the hero he was later on in life.

Look at my sig! Concentrate especially to the last couple of sentences.

Uhm, Smodden wanted me to post the poems I made. They're not really good...but...they're kinda about Sam and Frodo and their perilous journey to Mordor.

1.
Through darkest night
I see the light
I'm here with you
You'll get me through

We're far from home and
We're far from friend
But on we go
To journey's end

2.
Twilight comes
The shadow is rising;
growing, consuming
The dark mist that once
shrouded the face
of evil is clearing

The world once known is fading
The bright day comes to a close
Time, once a gently passing stream,
now flows swiftly, inevitably

Mirth is not lost
and courage strengthens
Twilight lingers
and with it memories
of times past

The leaves fade
The seasons change
and time grows ever shorter
yet mirth is not lost
as the golden sun shines
and the silver rains fall

3.
Rolling hills of peaceful ire,
greenary doth reign in passive Shire,
Land of Halflings of little known,
where seeds of bravery were hence sown.

In Hobbiton where Halflings dwell,
A tale so great, it here fell,
to little hands and little Ring,
to feet so swift as Eagle's great wing.

To one so Wise as to lead them all,
Gandalf remained true to his call.
Yet he fell in darkness, in mines so deep,
to where the demon his lair did keep.

To one so Small as to trust them all,
Frodo climbed the steepest wall.
Destroy the Ring, a mission sincere,
To quell the strength of his own fear.

To one so Great as to rule them all,
to Aragorn, a past did call,
to reclaim the throne of a Land unknown
Ranger of Anor, the kingdom of old.

To one so Loyal as to help them all,
to Sam did the fated decision fall,
yet heart stayed true and Seed was sown,
To get his beloved Master home.

Rolling hills of peaceful ire,
greenary doth reign in passive Shire,
Land of Halflings of little known,
where seeds of bravery were hence sown.

poems?

I like your sig btw, sounds like your speaking with someone....whats the word called again, "feeling"?

Yes, poems.

I know, I know...even I freak myself out.

clap

nice...

nice sig...

mmm.....I dont aprove of the spiderman 2 advertisement

But that's where the quote came from. We have to give the guys some credit.

I'm tempted to go on a huge 100page rant on how spiderman 2 will be the greatest thing in cinematic history with the exception of the lord of the rings...and that this movie will change my life forever, and that I can relate to peter parker in numerous ways, and that i would gladly advertise the movie, as to boost its sucess that much more, to ensure that more marvel movies will come...but I think I'll just say:
your entitled to your on oppinon sir hector....

OK...bumping up from page 5, but see, I've been reading the books again lately, and I've been watching the movies too, and for some reason, Frodo is growing in me more and more. I appreciated his deeds before, but I think from further reading and watching, Frodo is becoming one of my favorite characters. *coughdejavucough*

Yes, it's quite certain that Frodo would have failed without Sam's help. Without Sam's physical assistance, Frodo literally wouldn't even have made it up the ashen slopes of Mount Doom. Even more importantly, the only way for Frodo to stave off the power of the Ring, to push down its incessent clamor in his heart and mind, was to bind himself to others. And this is what Sam allowed Frodo to do by providing that opportunity for closeness and caring, a mode of caring which Frodo extended even to the character of Smeagol/Gollum itself.

Yet, by this same standard, Sam also needed Frodo. He relied on Frodo to teach him gentleness towards a miserable creature also bound to the Ring and to share the quiet stories and memories that helped push these two determined hobbits onward through the Shadow.

Since we all know this to be true, why does this question come up--the endless task of trying to weigh and measure the exact contribution of Frodo and that of Sam? Fan sites debate this issue endlessly, and critics also chip in with articles explaining why Sam is or is not the "real" hero of "The Lord of the Rings". I can't think of any other characters we do this with. There are few heartfelt threads weighing the comparative contributions of Merry/Pippin, Gimli/Legolas, or any other possible pair you care to imagine. With these folks, we're content to appreciate their individual contribution without trying to weigh and measure it down to the tiniest degree.

I myself have done it as an admirer of Frodo Baggins. "Heh, why doesn't Frodo get the credit he deserves from the Shire? So Sam thinks it's so easy to bear the Ring, just let him try! What do you mean that Frodo sailed to Elvenhome purely out of despair, while Sam had the courage to return to the Shire and bring life to the earth? How can you say that? Can't you see that Frodo hears the call of the Elves at least as strongly as he feels the tug of the Shire?"

Just why do I, and we, do this? Certainly, these are the two chief characters in the story. Tolkien created an ensemble cast but no one else, neither Gandalf nor Aragorn, played quite the same role as Sam and Frodo. After thinking about this for some time, I feel there's something else going on. That "something" focuses not merely on the story but on ourselves as individuals, our hopes and ways of looking at things.

At heart, I think, when readers meet Sam and Frodo, each individual feels a natural empathy to one of the two archetypes that these characters represent. And these two hobbits are so very different, and so very good for each other's souls, because they do represent two distinct ways of dealng with and looking at life. In a very real sense, Sam fills the holes in Frodo's heart and Frodo does the same for Sam.

Sam is the practical doer, who does things because he has a basic and unswerving commitment to the people he loves in his life. He has a direct and often simple view of things that enables him to surmount any obstacle and to go on when hope seems lost. His eyes stay focused on the close horizon because this is where he can do so much good. Within the circle of his friends and community, he gives of himself again and again without question. He is the loving spouse and friend who can appreciate the secrets of Elves, but who can also go through every daily disaster and come out on top.

And Frodo? Frodo is the seer and the prophet whose eyes and ears are tuned to distant music. He is the one who understands what sacrifices must be made to reach out beyond ourselves and grasp on to something higher whose meaning we can barely comprehend. He never forgets the sound of the Sea or the vision of the green distant land. He brings gifts of love to his small group of dear friends--gifts like laughter, stories, and the teaching of mercy. His way is less practical so the world will often shake its head in bewilderment or even turn aside, not understanding his growing reluctance to wield a sword or his trusting in strange and flawed creatures. Above all, he will bind himself to an idea, and make that commitment the center of his soul, without thought of personal happiness or reward.

It is the sad ending of the book that each of these character has grown to the point that they must take a different path in life. Sam and Frodo, so good for each other but so unlike, come to the parting of ways at Grey Havens, and we are left with a tremendous sense of sorrow and loss. We wish Tolkien were here to tell us exactly how it turned out for the two of them. We do know a bit about Sam, but for Frodo there is only a sad blank page. And that makes it so much harder for us to comprehend his choice.

I am certain, however, that they each took the path that was right for them. And, whether in the Shire or in the West, they continued to grow and learn, one perhaps with less effort and the other perhaps with more pain, but still going on.

And so each of us, as readers, feels a natural empathy towards either Sam or Frodo, largely dependent on our own ideals and attitudes towards life. We may respect and admire them both, but there is one who will tug more naturally at our heart.

In regards to the comments made about Frodo "doing nothing": That is as far from the truth as anything is possible to be. Every moment, even in his sleep, he had to battle the will of Sauron. Can you imagine that? This small hobbit battling the will of the Dark Lord himself, something that Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel all said they could not do. He didn't just have one person to be loyal to. By accepting the Ring, he took upon himself the burden of the future of all of Middle-earth and its inhabitants. His responsibility was to everyone. He had to make the choices that would determine the fate of the world, and he was hunted; physically, emotionally and mentally, at every step of the way. The hordes of Sauron were after him. The Ring bore down on him with relentless evil will. He saw his friends torn apart. He suffered the guilt that if he did succeed, he saved Men but doomed the Elves, and if he lost, he doomed everything and everyone. He was beset from without and within. The Ring tried to control him and the people around him. After the Ring's power grows stronger on the way to Mordor, he staggers on. Frodo had all he could do to stumble forward one foot in front of the other. Sam was his Rock, and Frodo couldn't have made it without him certainly; but Frodo was neither selfish, self-centered, weak, wimpy, or wishy-washy. Frodo would not bring himself to kill, but that does not in any way make him weak. His body may have been weakened but not his soul. Frodo learned from Gandalf, with the Gollum debate about dealing out death in the name of justice. He learned it from one of the wisest beings in Middle earth. The Valar did not kill people such as Feanor, even though he did many terrible things, does that make them weak? Frodo killed in the book--remember the cave troll? He killed only when absolutely necessary. Remember it was he who kept the Shire hobbits from killing the ruffians in the Scouring of the Shire, when it would have been tempting to punish them for ruining the Shire? He even wanted Grima to stay alive, not out of weakness but out of mercy--just as the Valar were merciful to Melkor in the beginning. In a similar situation, Aragorn was merciful to Beregond, when he committed an offense punishable by death in spilling blood in the citadel. It is tempting to call peacemakers weak, but it takes a stronger person to stay the hand in mercy than it takes to strike with the hand.

If what Frodo did was nothing, then nobody in LotR did anything, and it is a book about nothing.

Sorry about the rambling, but I love Frodo. I cried for him so many times in the book when he was tired or naked or cold. And in the movie, Elijah Wood was so amazing that at the end, when he's standing by the water and later when he's embracing Sam, he looked so sorrowful and haunted that it broke my heart.

They are all heroes, but remove one of their "party" and that heroism would crumble.

Sam and Frodo are a double act. Frodo was amazingly gifted in that he could hold the ring for so long and not be affected. Look at how quickly others had given in to the power. Frodo lasted a near eternity next to these guys. The likes of Aragorn and Co are all noble heroes surely, but not even Gandalf wanted to even look at the ring.

Look at Sam. It was clear that during his time as the bearer, the ring had already started to affect him, showing that Frodo was essential.

Tolkien proved Frodo and Sams essential qualities time in and time out during the saga. Why can't people realise this? Without Sam, Frodo would be screwed. He'd have nobody to fall back on during desperate times, he'd have no-one close enough to get his rear in gear and keep going. Without Frodo, how the hell would the ring get to Mordor at all? Only Frodo could hold the thing longer than anyone else.

Frodo had every right to fall over, act like a wuss and be a bit annoying. His battle was in his mind, he was constantly distracted. He was fighting The Ring all the time. Nobody else had the task of fighting The Ring did they? People only seem to judge on what the characters do with their fists rather than what's goin on in their head.

Frodo was a hero.

Nice post, Red Superfly.

Frodo and Sam basically kept each other sane. They were in a situation that was completely hopeless -- dead men walking. At this point their relationship was just raw uninhibited emotion. Sam was sustaining Frodo and vice versa. If something had happened to Sam, Frodo would have laid down and died. Likewise, if something had happened to Frodo, Sam would've died with Sting in his hand, slashing amid a horde of Orcs. They each gave the other the love and support that he needed to sustain the will to live. Sometimes, Sam's love of Frodo seemed to be mixed with pity, somewhat like the man who will sit for hours on end and watch his comatosed friend drift further from life.

I think he is.After all he had the ring all through all three movies.And to me that sounds like he is a hero.JM

Yeah, just for the fact that he's the Ringbearer for all three movies, yeah. And mind you, that's not an easy job!

O.o I thought XenArwen was bad enough...


There are so many heroes in LotR that I can't list them all here. Frodo was a hero. Boromir was a hero (he repented, so nyeah). Even people like Gollum had to play their part (to paraphrase Gandalf): I mean, look at what could have happened had good old Stinker not been there in the Sammath Nuar. *shudders*

Ok, I'm having this thought...don't kill me...but:

I just keep seeing merry's face screaming "Frodo!!" after the ring was destroyed....after Frodo decided to keep the ring, after the ring had to be TAKEN from him, because the ring had a hold on him...and I just can't get merry's face out of my head..."Frodo!!"

Yeah, LOL. Don't you just love irony?

I'm not sure if the filmmakers included that scene intentionally to insert some irony into it, but yeah, I noticed that too. But certainly, I don't think it's bad. I mean, Frodo claimed the Ring for himself in Sammath Naur, at the last minute, but let's consider the fact that the temptation of the Ring is far more stronger in the place of its creation, and let's not forget all the things that he went through to even get that far. The fact that he's the only being who can carry the weight of the burden of all the peoples of Middle-earth, and he did...til the last minute, is in my opinion, worthy of Merry's cheer, "Frodo!!"

It could have been better if he also said, "Sam!!" but...I think it will be kinda silly on screen.

Frodo was a hero. During the council of Elrond, he was the only one who chose to take the ring to destroy it. Everyone else was busy fighting over it. Frodo was an expert at riddles, and if it were not for him the Fellowship would have remained stuck outside of Moria (he solved the riddle of the password). Also, not from the films, but in the first book, he fought a Barrow Wight and saved his incapacitated friends. Lastly, he resisted the power of the ring until the very last moment. I'd say that makes him a hero.

Gandalf tells Frodo in Bag End before Frodo even agrees to take the ring that no-one could willing throw the ring away, indeed Frodo tries to throw it into his little fire but instead unintentionally puts it back in his pocket. Tolkien points out that Frodo was doomed to fail from the start. I think Frodo knew this before he even agreed to take the ring to Mount Doom.

Does the fact that Frodo took up the quest knowing that he would fail, but trying anyway, not make him a hero?

Does not the fact that he saw what the ring would do too him through Gollum, but continued on the quest regardless, make him a hero.

Too me Frodo is the hero, don't get me wrong Sam is one of my favourite characters, but I think that because people see what Sam achieves they don't acknowledge what Frodo did, because people have a harder time understanding what Frodo went through.

Frodo reflects the struggles we all go through in our lives, its like any emotional pain its much harder for people to deal with, and people turn away from it because its difficult to witness.

Tolkien reflects the average readers reactions to Frodo back at them through the Hobbits reactions to Frodo, i.e they ignore him, he gets no recognition for what he did for them or for M.E. because like real life, when someone is so emotionally drained and in so much pain its hard to deal with, its much easier to ignore them.

This is why so few people recognise what Frodo actually did, and when they do recognise it they try to diminish that achievement by comparing him to Sam or one of the other heros.

Hem... well said indeed.

Hmmm, Frodo was very brave.

Dictionary "A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life"

Oh, yep, that makes him a hero!