What do you think the ring symbolizes?

[herlig9]

Is it obsession or greed? Or maybe both.

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Tolkien letter 131:

The chief power (of all the rings alike) was the prevention or slowing of decay (i.e. 'change'
viewed as a regrettable thing), the preservation of what is desired or loved, or its semblance – this is
more or less an Elvish motive. But also they enhanced the natural powers of a possessor – thus
approaching 'magic', a motive easily corruptible into evil, a lust for domination. And finally they
had other powers, more directly derived from Sauron ('the Necromancer': so he is called as he casts
a fleeting shadow and presage on the pages of The Hobbit): such as rendering invisible the material
body, and making things of the invisible world visible.

Tolkien letter 186:

Of course my story is not an allegory of Atomic power, but of Power (exerted for Domination).
Nuclear physics can be used for that purpose. But they need not be. They need not be used at all. If
there is any contemporary reference in my story at all it is to what seems to me the most widespread
assumption of our time: that if a thing can be done, it must be done.

To me, it represents temptation, desire for power, and the concept of free will van no free will.

 

[Idril Celebrindal]

The Ring represents dark chocolate. Both are bittersweet, both are dark, both leave a lasting mark on you (dark chocolate stains never wash out), both will melt when thrown into lava, both can result in people fighting over it. It's an obvious analogy.

 

[Ent]

hhmmmmm....
I think the ring will symbolize many, and different, things for different people, depending on their background, and their worldview.
To me, for example, it symbolizes these things at a minimum and without much thought:

1. A feeling of inadequacy - an acknowledgement one is insufficient within onesself to achieve what they want to achieve.
2. The constant pursuit for 'assurance' we get what we want, and come out on top.
3. The refusal to be "satisfied with such things as one has", but to constantly strive to insure we "get more".
4. The epitomy of "trusting in horses and men, rather than in God" - in Sauron's case, in Eru.
5. The clamboring for fulfillment of lust and greed - not in the form of money, though of course that comes along with absolute domination and control - but of absolute domination and control itself.
6. The pinnacle of self-importance and conceit. Needing to insure #5 stems from the refusal to accept anyone other than 'myself' is the most important person in the world.

From these quick gleanings, there is a good deal more the Ring represents. Another just occurring is, it represents the stupidity of 'Putting all one's horses in one basket," as Sauron ultimately finds out.

Other than these at the moment, I have no thoughts on the matter.