In the first half of Fellowship, Frodo and the hobbits have made their way against the odds to the elven haven of Rivendell. Although he has received help along the way from Tom Bombadil and Strider, it is only in Rivendell that Frodo meets the many and varied people of Middle-earth who depend upon the success of the quest he only half understands himself. Elrond, the master of Rivendell, is one of the oldest people in Middle-earth, and his house is a kind of living history lesson. Here, Frodo learns the truth of Strider, of the Ring, of why Gandalf did not meet him in the Shire as they had planned—and he also begins to find his own place in the larger world of Middle-earth. Only he, despite or even because of his insignificance, can destroy the Ring.
The incident with Bilbo and the Ring is significant because it demonstrates that Frodo has fallen under the Ring’s spell, although it has not yet gained control of his will. He feels possessive of it, and anyone’s desire to touch or look at it arouses discomfort or even anger, whether that person be his beloved Bilbo or Elrond himself. The Ring is subtle, tempting rather than overpowering, and its influence extends beyond its bearer. Twice during the trip to Moria, Frodo is singled out by attackers who have no reason to focus on the hobbit—the Watcher at the gate and the orc-leader both attack an unthreatening member of the company, drawn by the Ring.
The Mines of Moria give a haunting glimpse into the past of the dwarves, the most detailed and suggestive of the many ruins of past civilizations that the travelers encounter on their journey. They also provide an opportunity for Gimli the dwarf to develop as a character. Gandalf’s fall to the Balrog also highlights the multiplicity of evil; the Balrog is evil, but it is not a part of Sauron’s armies, nor of Saruman’s. Although the Fellowship has a particular enemy to fight, and a specific evil to eradicate, embodied in the Ring, there are many other evils in the world. Unfortunately for the quest, one of those evils has been disturbed, and Gandalf sacrifices himself so that the quest may continue.
