Frodo's Attempted Defiance in "Flight to the Ford" (FotR I.12)

In this passage, references to the emotions of hatred and fear suddenly jumped out at me.  Could Frodo's attempts to defy the Black Riders perhaps be doomed to failure because they are motivated by hate and fear? Surely, in some sense, these emotions (unlike those of, say, love, loyalty, and – above all – pity) play right into the hands of Sauron and his agents.  But on closer inspection, I think hate does Frodo greater disservice than fear.

• Frodo initially obeys the Riders' silent command to wait, without realizing the source of his "strange reluctance" to comply with Glorfindel's instructions.  Suddenly he realizes what is happening and why, and "at once fear and hatred awoke in him.  His hand left the bridle and gripped the hilt of his sword, and with a red flash he drew it."  

In a sense, his very instinct to draw a sword betrays him, since swords will be useless against the Riders.  Indeed, as if in mockery, "[s]words were naked in their pale hands."  The only thing that drawing the sword accomplishes is further delaying Frodo's flight.

• The Riders "called to him with fell voices.  Fear now filled all Frodo's mind.  He thought no longer of his sword.  No cry came from him.  He shut his eyes and clung to the horse's mane."

Frodo's best hope is to obey Glorfindel's instruction, and get away as quickly as possible.  He must flee the Riders.  But his feeling of hatred seems to be closely linked to thinking of his sword (which again is of no conceivable use against the Riders).  It is only when fear fills "all Frodo's mind" (thus displacing hate) that he actually obeys the instruction and thinks no longer of his sword.  Shutting his eyes and clinging to the horse is almost literally blind trust.

• On the far bank, Frodo "felt that he was commanded urgently to halt.  Hatred again stirred in him, but he had no longer the strength to refuse." 

Is it possible that the strong, useless emotion of hatred has sapped Frodo's strength, leaving him too weak to resist the Riders' will?  What has happened to the fear that caused him to cling to the white elf-horse?

• Nonetheless, when the foremost Rider is momentarily checked at the water's edge, Frodo manages "[w]ith a great effort" to sit up "and brandish[] his sword."

• Frodo's "last effort" involves invoking the names of Elbereth and Luthien and "lifting up his sword."

• The leader raises his hand mid-stream and "Frodo was stricken dumb.  [...] His sword broke and fell out of his shaking hand."

At the end, Frodo stumbles on the one other thing besides fleeing that possibly could help him - invoking the names of Elbereth and Luthien - but the Rider apparently silences him.  It could be mere intimidation or a psychological effect, but I'm inclined to think it is some kind of spell or telekinesis.  The critical clue is the order of the words in the last quoted sentence: "His sword broke and fell out of his shaking hand."  Ordinarily, we would expect the sword to fall and then break.  Under the power of the Rider, it breaks and then falls.

There is also a curious thing that happens with the elf-horse.  I had been fully prepared to fault Frodo for not continuing to ride on; but the horse does not exactly cooperate with that plan.  With "a last spurt," it had been "speeding as if it had wings" to bring Frodo right past the face of the foremost Rider.  On reaching the far bank, Frodo feels "the quick heave and surge as the horse left the river and struggled up the stony path.  He was climbing the steep bank."  But the horse does not attempt to continue on.  Rather, "[a]t the top of the bank the horse halted and turned about neighing fiercely."  It is only at this point, when the horse has already halted, that Frodo feels he is "commanded urgently to halt."  The horse may well have reached a physical limit on its ability to gallop away, although it remains on its feet and its spirit remains unbroken.

I'm thinking there are also some important echoes of the incident in the barrow here, but I'll have to look at that another time.