: : : "I will take the Ring, even though I do not know the way" seems to me Frodo was as ignorant about the quest as Sam, Merry or Pippen. Emphises on TAKE, he did not say i will destroy the Ring even though i do not know the way, he said i will take.

: : : Ryan Williams

: : Well said,

: : I was about to post the same thing. I think all the company, especially the hobbits, were ignorant to what they were getting into. I think Gandalf was the only exception. Aragorn was almost completely knowledgable, but he did not know nearly as much as Gandalf. The point is, Sam was the not the only one who didn't know what he was getting into.

: : No, Sam is not the only one who didn't know what he was getting into but Sam was the only one who followed through without knowing specifically what his objective was and without any knowledge of what was in store.

How many times do Legolas and Gimli talk about their ancient knowledge of this land. or this wood or this mountain?
Aragorn knew from the beginning, (he mentions during or soon after the Council of Elrond that "our roads lie together for many miles at least") that he was going to Gondor and the defence of Minas Tirith and not to Mt. Doom.

Pippin only accidently aids the quest by looking into the Palantir. Frodo, well you all know Frodo's failure at the end.

There are numerous references to Sam's speaking wisely, seeing clearly. Hero or not, I think the LOTR is very much about Sam as he represents one of the major themes of LOTR which is the virtue of an age of innocense and simplicity versus the evils of the increasingly industrial and militaristic society that Tolkien was witnessing around him.

Ciao,

The Hama-man