On film, Frodo is incredulous at Bilbo's transformation; he doesn't really
register the loathing radiated by the Ring. At Bilbo going 'Raagh!' was
sort of over-the-top.
1) I think this is the climactic scene of this chapter and a very important
scene in FotR as a whole. We have heard about how the Ring transformed
Smeagol into Gollum. But now we begin to see the effects on characters we
know. I think we see the both the seeds of Frodo’s eventual inability to
give up the Ring and, through Bilbo, the depth of the after effects of bearing
the Ring. What is the reason for Frodo's reluctance to show Bilbo the
Ring? Is it concern for Bilbo or something else? Did it occur to
you at this point that Frodo would not be able to give up the Ring in the
end? Or, like me, did you blithely assume that of course Frodo would be
able to overcome the Ring?
a: This scene shows the difficulty that Bilbo had in handing over the
Ring from the other side. I'm afraid that the first thimne around I was
clueless as to what anyone was going to do with the Ring.
2) Is the vision of Bilbo that Frodo sees a sort of mirage caused by the Ring
working on Frodo? Or is Frodo actually seeing “beyond the veil” as he did
with Glorfindel and looking at Bilbo’s soul as it is worked on by desire
for the Ring? Do you think Frodo’s lingering
“transparency” from the Morgul-knife wound gives him the ability to perceive
things beyond the abilities of most mortals?
a: Hmmm. I've always taken this to be the effects of the great lust
for posession that the Ring inspires. I've assumed, for example, that
when Bilbo accused Gandalf of trying to rob him, he was seeing Gandalf as
something like the nasty grasping creature that Frodo saw in Bilbo. I've
never thought about Frodo seeing any sort of Spiritual reality...and now that I
do I don't much like the notion. I like to think that Bilbo had a very
peasant soul.
3) Why does Bilbo pass his hand over his eyes? Wouldn’t it make more
sense for Frodo to be the one who rubs his eyes? So you think Bilbo saw
something when he looked at Frodo? Or was it just that he saw hatred on
Frodo’s expression?
a: He may have been cutting off his own view of the Ring. But if I
had to guess I'd say that he saw Frodo's expression, and it was more than
enough.
