Frodo and Sam: Friends or Master Servent Realtionship

[Lady of Rohan]

My family and I had a long debate last night, over Sam and Frodo's realtionship, discussing if they overcame the master/servent relationship to the point where they where friends, or if they stayed at the master servent realtionship. I thought it would be interesting to hear everyone else's oppinon on this matter. So, oppinons anyone?

[Lalaith]

I never really understood their relationship as I don't get it, how a servant and the master can be best friends. But to answer your question I would say that they still were master and servant, till Frodo finally left.

[Bombadillo]

I think FotR started out with Sam being the servant of Frodo, but as the story continued they became more friendly, and I think Frodo would have been equally quick to help Sam if he had the opportunity. Sort of like, if you're cool with one of your teachers, and then once you're out of school you're real good friends.

[Lady of Rohan]

Yah, thats how I saw it. I thought that they where master/servent to begin with, but there realationship as friends grew stronger as the quest lead on. I think that in the end, they where more friends then master/servent, thouhg the master/servent part was still there.

[Artanis]

They were both master/servant and best friends, I believe. I think this sort of relationship was/is common in England.

[Jonathan]

I could never really see the master/servant relationship when I read LotR. The only relationship I saw was pure friendship. During the quest for Mt. Doom, Frodo never really treated Sam as a servant but more of a very good companion. It's true that Sam himself put on the role of a servant to Frodo, but to me it seemed as if Sam just wanted to be nice. Frodo had a quite difficult time being the Ringbearer after all, and by behaving like a servant Sam could make the mission a little bit easier for Frodo.

[Bombadillo]

Good point. I'd also like to point out that Sam did have the fear of Gandlalf in him, and so he would probably wet himself if he ever noticed he was becoming less of a servant to Frodo (and more of a friend).

[durin's bane]

I agree entirely with Jonathan. Frodo and Sam were friends from the start, but as the story progressed they obtained a stronger bond. Sam acted like a servant sometimes, but Frodo never ordered him around like, "Fetch the water" or "Carry me." What can make their relationship seem like master/servant is that they're such good friends to each other, and Sam really tries hard to make the journey a bit easier for Frodo.

[Lady of Rohan]

I never really noticed that they where that great a friends in the begging ( knew they where friendly, but i never got the impression that they where actual buddies), but I think that towards the end of the book, there friendship grew and surpassed the master/servent part of there realationship. (And like Bombadillo said, Sam was scared of Gandalf too, which I think is the reason Sam was always so polite )

[Ragnarok]

I always saw it as master/servant relationship but I think it changed as I read further into the book. It seemed to me by the end of the book it was more of a best friend relationship and seemed less apparent of a slave/master relationship, although Sam still tried to serve Frodo.

[cassiopeia]

I admit I feel a little uncomfortable with the master/servant relationship. I think, at the beginning of thier journey it more like that, but as they came to rely on each other more and more, and as they faced great evil, they became friends. I can't recall Frodo ordering Sam about, though Pippin did order Sam to fetch water in the FOTR. Although, after the War of the Ring, I believe Sam would still think himself as Frodo's servant. It would be interesting to know how things fared when Sam, Rosie and Frodo (and Elanor) all lived in Bag End. I'm sure Rosie would feel a little left out because of Sam and Frodo's close bond.

[Psycho Kitty]

i think their relationship was particular to hobbit society. kind of a weird watered down caste system thing going on. where sam felt lesser to frodo and thats just how it was. and it was normal for someone like sam to be a gardner to a land owner like frodo. but at the SAME time they were best of friends. and sams devotion to frodo was both as body guard and loyal friend.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I pretty much agree with PK, except that it wasn't particular to the Shire, being in fact deriven from the "family servant" of olden England.

[azalea]

That's part of the whole thing, that a truly good servant (which Sam was) does not NEED to be ordered to do his duty, he knows what he must do and is always mindful of that. Yes, because Frodo was from a well to do hobbit family and Sam from one of the working class, there was always some of that master/ servant role at work, but they were friends, too.
I said in another thread that discussed this that I think Frodo thought of Sam as a friend (starting somewhere in the middle of the journey, maybe around when they separated from the fellowship) rather than a servant anymore, but that Sam loved Frodo and relished his role as servant to him, and Frodo knew this and allowed that aspect of their relationship to remain intact. IOW, it wasn't so much Frodo keeping the master role, but Sam keeping the servant role.

[gimli7410]

i believe sam and him were always true friends but sam always wanted to keep that servant relationship part of it. and of course i know frodo would help no matter what.

[Beren, Son of Barahir]

I believe at first Sam taking care of Frodo because it was his obligation but a little affection was there. As they got to Mordor and were left on their own Sam I think took it into his own to make sure his master, and at this point best friend, would complete his mission of throwing the ring into the cracks of Mt. Doom. Sam definatly became more emotional and a sense of love grew as the story progressed.

[Silpion]

I think Frodo and Sam were friends but were also master and servant. On Frodo’s part, I don’t believe being the master was important. I agree with azalea that

I said in another thread that discussed this that I think Frodo thought of Sam as a friend (starting somewhere in the middle of the journey, maybe around when they separated from the fellowship) rather than a servant anymore, but that Sam loved Frodo and relished his role as servant to him, and Frodo knew this and allowed that aspect of their relationship to remain intact. IOW, it wasn't so much Frodo keeping the master role, but Sam keeping the servant role.

I think they became a lot less formal on the quest/journey, but I don’t believe that Sam let himself think of being Frodo’s equal. I think Sam thought of himself as Frodo’s servant then later, after the quest, as Frodo’s caregiver.

[Laurus Nobilis]

Originally posted by azalea
I think Frodo thought of Sam as a friend (starting somewhere in the middle of the journey, maybe around when they separated from the fellowship) rather than a servant anymore, but that Sam loved Frodo and relished his role as servant to him, and Frodo knew this and allowed that aspect of their relationship to remain intact.

I think that sums it up pretty well. I also agree with those who said that they were best friends anyway- maybe not in a "Merry & Pippin" way, but they truly cared for each other.

[WhackoJacko]

well dont ask me but with the pipeweed and lewinksy, i'd say they were both GAY...

[Baby-K]

Thank you for that insight

My opinion re the Master/Servant relationship: At first the relationship was that of master / servant - not only due to the social standings of Frodo & Sam, but also because of the warning Gandalf gives Sam before he departs. However, as the journey progresses & Frodo becomes more affected (or rather afflicted) by the power of the Ring he starts relying on Sam more & more - in the end I believe he is closer to Sam than he ever was to Merry or Pippen, as he has gone through all the bad things with Sam & had not been rejected by him. That is what true friendship is in a way, supporting each other in times of need & accepting each other - flaws / weaknesses and all.