The One Ring is a device of extraordinary power, perhaps surpassing that of all other devices that were created in the Middle-earth. Dark Lord Sauron, the mastermind behind the item, made it out of the fire of Mount Doom, variously known as Orodruin and Amon Amarth. The intention was to increase his power and to lord over all the other Rings of Power that the Celebrimbor and his people had made in the past. Sauron had helped make the other rings but now wanted something that would surpass all of them in power so that he could rule over all different races, such as the Elves, in Middle-earth. This One Ring was known variously by several other names such as Ruling Ring, Master Ring, Ring of Power, and Isildur’s Bane.
Once the Ring was ready, Sauron proceeded to use it to gain control over the elves that possessed most of the other rings. However, his attempt to gain control over them in this manner was immediately thwarted as the elves became aware of his intentions, the moment he wore the one ring on his finger. Quickly grasping what had happened, Sauron next tried the use of force to capture the other rings from the elves physically. The ensuing war, which began in SA 1693, acquired great notoriety and came to be known as the War of the Elves and Sauron. Sauron made significant gains in the initial stages when he managed to recover nine rings after quickly capturing Eregion. He also caught Celebrimbor, who had made the eleven rings of power.
While he managed to ferret out the secret location of the seven rings, he failed in getting any information regarding the three rings, which were the most valued. Celebrimbor, even under torture, refused to reveal the secret until he ultimately died of pain. Further success followed Sauron after the defeat of Eregion as he could quickly capture most of western Middle Earth. He drove the Noldor, under Gil-Galad, to their safe refuge and held the Imladris under siege. However, in a tantalizing turn of events, fortunes swiftly abandoned Sauron in SA 1700, even as the elves were seemingly on the brink of their final defeat. The blow came as Tar-Minaster of Numena led a large fleet into Middle-Earth. Joining forces with Gil-Galad, Tir-Minaster’s fleet struck a crippling defeat upon Sauran’s army, who had no option but to retreat to Mordor in an attempt to regroup his forces. The final blow came in SA 3261 when Ar-Pharazon, the last King of Numenor, who was also it is most powerful, came into Umbar, leading a much bigger army. The sight of the enormous army terrorized Sauran’s forces, who were overwhelmed by the size and power of the invading troops and quickly took to flight.
Sauron sensed that it would be impossible to win the army by force and worked out a scheme to gain access to the Numenoreans, who knew nothing about the Ring or its power. In a move that was driven more by cunning than by helplessness, he surrendered to Ar-Pharazon, who took him back as a prisoner. Sauron soon became the king’s trusted counsel and manipulated the fear that the Numenor people had about death, to turn them away from Valar and to persuade them to worship Melkor. When ultimately Numenor fell, Sauron's body was destroyed, but his spirit survived. It took the Ring back to Middle-Earth and used it to wage a new war against the Last Alliance of Elves and Men during the period SA 3429-3441. When the Siege of Barad-Dur ended in 3441, Isildur took the Ring by cutting Sauron's finger. However, his joy was short-lived as he was killed in an ambush by Orcs. A little before this, Isildur had lost the Ring in the river. This was instrumental in bringing about his death as the Orcs came to know of his presence through it. This moment earned the Ring the sobriquet of Isildur’s Bane in Gondor.
This conclusion pushed Gollum with renewed vigor to set about the task of killing Bilbo. However, that task proved to be more difficult than he had imagined. Unknown to Gillum, Bilbo had already found out the power of the Ring and had used it to become invisible. As Gillum went around searching for Bilbo, he was unwittingly leading the latter to the exit of the cave. As they neared the end of the cave, Bilbo had an opportunity to kill Gollum but thought the better of it. Taking pity on the miserable condition of his foe, Bilbo preferred to let his prey go free.
Using his newfound invisibility to great advantage, Bilbo escaped from the Gollum and the Orcs, coming out of the Misty Mountains unscathed. He, however, concealed the real happenings from Thorin’s company and Gandalf, lying to them instead that he had escaped, taking advantage of the darkness in the cave, thanks to his quickness and ability. This account failed to convince Gandalf, who had observed the sobering effect that the Ring had had on Gollum. He rightly guessed that the Ring, now in possession of Bilbo, was one of the great rings, the existence of which he was already aware. It was several years later that Gandalf could get Bilbo to tell him the truth. The significant similarity between what had happened and the falsified version that Bilbo had told struck Gandalf as peculiar. There was no reason for Bilbo to lie about the matter, and he was not one given to lying unnecessarily.
Apart from the possible desire that Bilbo might have nourished to retain unquestioned control over the Ring, Gandalf could think of no other reason for his lying. The Ring might have been responsible for the strange behavior of Bilbo. This observation made Gandalf conclude that the Ring had an evil influence on its keeper. The keenness with which Bilbo clung to the Ring intrigued Gandalf, but he could see no real harm in letting Bilbo keep the Ring. The year TA 3001 brought things ahead. Bilbo and Gandalf had decided to leave the Shire and go to Rivendell.
They had decided to leave Bilbo's estate and the Ring to Bilbo's nephew Frodo, before leaving the Shire. At the last moment, however, Bilbo exhibited great reluctance to part with the Ring. Although Gandalf was not aware of the exact nature of the Ring or its powers, the drastic change in Bilbo's attitude once again raised his suspicions. He concluded that the Ring must have some extraordinary power apart from wielding a bad influence on the possessor. An angry argument ensued between the two friends, at the end of which Bilbo finally agreed to give the Ring to his nephew voluntarily and whole-heartedly. It was in this manner that Frodo came to possess the Ring.
Gandalf concluded that approaching Gollum would be the best course available to him. His quest to find Gollum, however, led him up a blind alley, as he learned that Gollum had already left the Misty Mountains on the trail of the Ring. Although initially perturbed, he was aware that Saruman had informed the White Council that the Ring was lost beyond retrieval. This information helped in assuaging his fears, and he took comfort in that knowledge to abandon any further efforts to seek the truth about the Ring. However, that proved to be a damaging decision because Sauron's spirit was still actively seeking out and gathering malevolent forces to build a powerful army of evil forces to support him. The long association that Gollum had with the Ring made him an ideal target in Sauron's endeavor.
Consequently, Gollum was pulled irresistibly towards Sauron, making him abandon his quest for the Shire and head towards Mordor instead. Having reached his destination, Gollum was loitering around the borders of the Black Land, when he was taken to Barad-Dur, which had been reconstructed by now. Sauron was staying there and, observing Gollum, quickly recognized the special powers that he possessed. As these could only come from the Ring, and as all other rings had been accounted for, Sauron understood that Gollum must have obtained the One ring by some means. It did not take long to get the truth out of Gollum, who, under torture, blurted out what he knew about Bilbo and the Shire. In a parallel set of events, Gandalf had requested Aragorn to put the Shire under watch. Reports now reached him that a large number of strange people, not belonging to the Shire, were wandering around the place.
This news worried Gandalf, urging him to start a quest for Gollum. As this was no easy task, he enlisted the aid of Aragorn. Since Gollum was in the custody of Sauron, this proved to be a fruitless exercise, which after much effort, Gandalf decided to abandon while letting Aragorn continue the search. By now, things had reached a point of great anxiety for Gandalf, who needed information desperately. Based on the folklore surrounding the Ring, he knew that it was only Isildur, the only other person to have held the Ring, who could throw some light on the matter.
This conclusion took Gandalf to Minas Tirith in search of any documents that might have been left behind by Isildur. His quest yielded results in the form of several papers, among which there was one that contained the valuable information that when the Ring was subjected to heat, it flashed fiery characters that revealed essential facts. Having obtained this information, Gandalf returned to the Shire, where a surprise awaited him. Gollum had been captured. After interviewing Gollum, Gandalf understood that Sauron knew the whereabouts of the Ring and of the existence of the Shire, which now housed it. If Sauron was seriously pursuing the Ring in the Shire, it meant that this was the One ring that Gandalf had heard about.
His worst suspicions having been aroused. Thus, Gandalf rushed to the Shire to investigate whether the Ring that Bilbo had given to Frodo was the same as the One ring that he had heard about. This possibility raised the alarm bells as Gandalf knew that Sauron would leave no stone unturned to gain possession of the Ring if this were so. He warned Frodo to immediately leave the Shire and go to Rendell, which was the nearest refuge that offered safety. Although Gandalf had intended to join Frodo, he was prevented from doing so as he was allured into going to Isengard and was captured there by Saruman. Gandalf managed to dash off a letter, through Mr. Butterbur, the innkeeper at the Prancing Pony in the Bree, to Frodo informing him of his plight, but the message was never delivered. The letter also contained information about Aragorn, who had been asked by Gandalf to aid the hobbits.
After waiting for quite a while for Gandalf's return, Frodo finally left for Rivendell without him, taking along his friends Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, and Meriadok Brandybuck. Meanwhile, Shire was being infested by a swarm of strange black-clad horsemen, who owed allegiance to Sauron. The hobbits, however, managed to keep out of their reach, although there were some close brushes. Finally, they managed to reach the village of Bree, where Aragorn met them and offered help. The suspicion with which the hobbits initially received the offer was soon dispelled when Butterbur produced the letter written by Gandalf. Gandalf had by then escaped from his captivity and headed to the Shire.
When he learned that Frodo had left only a few days earlier, he immediately understood that the letter had not been delivered to him. He reached Bree in a furious state, but on learning about the turn of events concerning the hobbits and Frodo, Gandalf's feelings were much assuaged. Gandalf then proceeded to Rivendell but had little hopes of finding his friend and the hobbits in the wilderness. He encountered the nine Nazguls on the way to Weathertop, where he was headed, in the hope of meeting Aragorn and the hobbits. Although he managed to escape the attacks by the Nazguls and flee from them, Gandalf allowed four of them to pursue him to keep them out of the way of Aragorn. His ploy worked, as several weeks later, Aragorn and the hobbits reached Rivendell with the help of Glorfindel.
The two continued on their journey alone and soon were lost in the Emyn Muil. Here they met Gollum, who had been following them all the way, and took him into their custody. Gollum swore that he would serve the owner of the Ring, which at that time happened to be Frodo, and was released. He was asked to lead them to Mordor, to which he knew the way, as he had earlier visited it. The hobbits, meanwhile, had made their way through the Dead Marshes and arrived at the Black Gate.
Gollum, who had at first not appreciated the seriousness of Frodo’s purpose, realized that Frodo was seriously planning to enter Mordor, once they neared its gate. He offered to show them a better way to open it, which was through the pass of Cirith Ungol. The group left for this pass and, on their way, met Faramir along with his group of Ithilien rangers. On learning the purpose of Frodo’s mission, Faramir agreed to help by offering them food and shelter, although his father would have wished him to take the Ring for himself.
Frodo and Sam continued their journey and reached Minas Morgul, where they entered a long tunnel after climbing a winding stair. The tube proved to be a trap laid by the treacherous Gollum as it housed, Shelob, who attempted to devour them. Although the two hobbits escaped, Frodo was stung by Shelob, leaving him paralyzed. Believing him to be dead, Sam decided to move on and complete the task. Meanwhile, the Orcs had captured Frodo, who was immobilized as the orcs were discussing Frodo’s condition, Sam overheard them and understood the real position, and went after them to the Tower of Cirith Ungol. Here the Orcs witnessed a mutiny that killed most of them in an internecine struggle. This moment enabled Sam to rescue Frodo, to whom he restored the Ring, and the two continued their arduous journey to Mount Doom.
According to Gandalf, there was yet another effect that took possession gradually, but surely. Any person wearing the Ring for an extended period tended to become ghost-like with his presence more in the world of spirits than in that of men. Several factors seemed to determine the extent to which these influences affected those who came into contact with it. Merely possessing the Ring without wearing it delayed this process substantially. Some races were more vulnerable to this effect than others. Those who possessed the Ring without desiring anything from it were affected to a much smaller extent.
How a person first came into contact with the Ring also had a significant role in determining the magnitude of the influence. Persons who acquired the Ring through violent methods came under its control more readily and ultimately, as was the case with Gollum, who acquired it by murdering the previous owner. By contrast, Bilbo, even when he had the opportunity to kill his opponent let him go. He was affected to a much smaller degree by the Ring. These effects could also be linked to the personal disposition of the person acquiring the Ring. The ring was not entirely devoid of positive aspects.
It gave the wearer the power to understand the words of evil creatures, as was evidenced in the case of Samwise Gamgee, who could understand the Black Speech of the Orcs in Mordor. However, the positive aspects were few. The predominant influence was one of evil, which came about through an extension of the personality of Sauron into the Ring. The Ring could sometimes act independently, pushing people to take it or kill its present owner. Another feature of the Ring was its ability to change its size at will. The limited extent of cognition and ability to act independently was employed by the Ring to reunite with its original master, whenever the opportunity arose. One influence that was common to all owners of the Ring, irrespective of whether they used it or not, was to prolong their life. Even persons like Bilbo and Gollum, who hardly used the Ring, aged slowly after coming into contact with the Ring.
Owners of the Ring also acquired the power to dominate the wills of others, both wearers and non-wearers. This was, again, limited in its influence, as it could only work on the native capacity of the wearer and could only give this capability in proportion to what they already possessed. Most holders of the One ring were in a susceptible position as they could not wield all of its powers. Only Sauron or someone like him could use its skills fully. Moreover, the same Ring conferred different powers on various users. For example, it sharpened the hearing of Samwise Gamgee but improved the vision of Frodo.
The Ring made mortals, who wore it, invisible to others in the physical world. The exceptions were those who could see in the non-physical realm, where they perceived a thin shadowy figure. Its effect on immortals has not been established. Tom Bombadil, the only immortal who had worn it, was not affected by it at all. This reality does not, however, prove anything, as Gandalf and Saruman had also come under its power. The Ring could project a false image of the wearer. This could at times frighten enemies and protect the wearer.
It protected Sam in the Tower of Cirith-Ungol from an orc, to whom Sam appeared as a mighty warrior, who could inflict Doom on it. This made the orc fly away from the scene. It also happened when Gollum attacked Sam and Frodo. Frodo appeared in a white robe and foretold the destruction of Gollum. The protective powers of the Ring, however, did not extend to the case of physical harm, from which it could not protect the wearer. Another feature of the Ring was its malevolence. It was conscious to a limited extent and always tended to return to its original owner. To achieve this, it would influence the owner or abandon him at the crucial hour. Its capability to change its size will enable it to escape from anyone when it wants.
The powers of the Ring could be used fully only by a person with extraordinary control over his mind. This was necessary but, by itself, was not enough. It also needed a very strong will and a highly developed spiritual state. The Ring could corrupt even persons with pure intentions and turn them into aids of the dark forces. All these made it extremely difficult for anyone to overthrow Sauron and restore goodness. The powers of the Ring, however, were neither complete nor undiluted. It could not save even Sauron from military defeat on three occasions or prevent his final downfall.
A rough translation of the words runs as follows:
History of the One Ring
How the Ring Came into Existence
Sauron made the Ring around the year SA 1600 in the Sammath Naur area of Orodruin. He sensed that his aim of subjugating all the peoples of Middle Earth could be achieved only by wielding extraordinary power. To this end, he pulled all stops in making the Ring by infusing the more significant part of his fea (soul) into it. This action had the effect of intricately binding him with the Ring. Such binding implied that anything that happened to the Ring would affect him and his power, for example, destruction of the Ring would destroy his power and reduce his strength.Once the Ring was ready, Sauron proceeded to use it to gain control over the elves that possessed most of the other rings. However, his attempt to gain control over them in this manner was immediately thwarted as the elves became aware of his intentions, the moment he wore the one ring on his finger. Quickly grasping what had happened, Sauron next tried the use of force to capture the other rings from the elves physically. The ensuing war, which began in SA 1693, acquired great notoriety and came to be known as the War of the Elves and Sauron. Sauron made significant gains in the initial stages when he managed to recover nine rings after quickly capturing Eregion. He also caught Celebrimbor, who had made the eleven rings of power.
While he managed to ferret out the secret location of the seven rings, he failed in getting any information regarding the three rings, which were the most valued. Celebrimbor, even under torture, refused to reveal the secret until he ultimately died of pain. Further success followed Sauron after the defeat of Eregion as he could quickly capture most of western Middle Earth. He drove the Noldor, under Gil-Galad, to their safe refuge and held the Imladris under siege. However, in a tantalizing turn of events, fortunes swiftly abandoned Sauron in SA 1700, even as the elves were seemingly on the brink of their final defeat. The blow came as Tar-Minaster of Numena led a large fleet into Middle-Earth. Joining forces with Gil-Galad, Tir-Minaster’s fleet struck a crippling defeat upon Sauran’s army, who had no option but to retreat to Mordor in an attempt to regroup his forces. The final blow came in SA 3261 when Ar-Pharazon, the last King of Numenor, who was also it is most powerful, came into Umbar, leading a much bigger army. The sight of the enormous army terrorized Sauran’s forces, who were overwhelmed by the size and power of the invading troops and quickly took to flight.
Sauron sensed that it would be impossible to win the army by force and worked out a scheme to gain access to the Numenoreans, who knew nothing about the Ring or its power. In a move that was driven more by cunning than by helplessness, he surrendered to Ar-Pharazon, who took him back as a prisoner. Sauron soon became the king’s trusted counsel and manipulated the fear that the Numenor people had about death, to turn them away from Valar and to persuade them to worship Melkor. When ultimately Numenor fell, Sauron's body was destroyed, but his spirit survived. It took the Ring back to Middle-Earth and used it to wage a new war against the Last Alliance of Elves and Men during the period SA 3429-3441. When the Siege of Barad-Dur ended in 3441, Isildur took the Ring by cutting Sauron's finger. However, his joy was short-lived as he was killed in an ambush by Orcs. A little before this, Isildur had lost the Ring in the river. This was instrumental in bringing about his death as the Orcs came to know of his presence through it. This moment earned the Ring the sobriquet of Isildur’s Bane in Gondor.
The Third Age
Smeagol and Deagol Find the Ring
After slipping from the finger of Sauron, the Ring lay undiscovered for more than two thousand five hundred years, until at last it was found by Deagol, a Stoor, while he was fishing in the river. In turn, he was murdered by his cousin Smeagol, who took the Ring, which, over several centuries—changed him into Gollum, a strange creature. Gollum was banished from his native land and took refuge in the hills deep down the Misty Mountains. Gollum remained in the Depths of the Misty Mountains for nearly five centuries. At the end of this period, the Ring abandoned him by slipping out of his finger, demonstrating its power to change its size when it wanted. This power, a visible hallmark of the Ring, could hardly escape notice. It also provided evidence that the Ring was a living spirit capable of recognizing and acting on cues – a power bestowed by the spirit of Sauron inside it.Bilbo Baggins Finds the Ring
The Ring was next discovered by Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit that lost its way deep in the caves of the Misty Mountains. Bilbo came face to face with Gollum a little while after finding the Ring. Gollum wanted to eat Bilbo, but Bilbo proposed a game of wits. Bilbo made it exciting by offering that Gollum could eat him if Bilbo lost, but if Bilbo won, Gollum should lead him out of the Mountains. Gollum lost but was in no mood to honor his commitment. Instead, he planned to kill Bilbo. He went to fetch the Ring so that he could become invisible, and thereby kill Bilbo quickly. To his dismay, he found the Ring missing. The last question that Bilbo had fired in the game, which was about what he had in his pocket, gave a clue to Gollum as to what might have happened. Putting two and two together, he concluded that Bilbo's last question was a reference to the Ring, which must now be in his pocket.This conclusion pushed Gollum with renewed vigor to set about the task of killing Bilbo. However, that task proved to be more difficult than he had imagined. Unknown to Gillum, Bilbo had already found out the power of the Ring and had used it to become invisible. As Gillum went around searching for Bilbo, he was unwittingly leading the latter to the exit of the cave. As they neared the end of the cave, Bilbo had an opportunity to kill Gollum but thought the better of it. Taking pity on the miserable condition of his foe, Bilbo preferred to let his prey go free.
Using his newfound invisibility to great advantage, Bilbo escaped from the Gollum and the Orcs, coming out of the Misty Mountains unscathed. He, however, concealed the real happenings from Thorin’s company and Gandalf, lying to them instead that he had escaped, taking advantage of the darkness in the cave, thanks to his quickness and ability. This account failed to convince Gandalf, who had observed the sobering effect that the Ring had had on Gollum. He rightly guessed that the Ring, now in possession of Bilbo, was one of the great rings, the existence of which he was already aware. It was several years later that Gandalf could get Bilbo to tell him the truth. The significant similarity between what had happened and the falsified version that Bilbo had told struck Gandalf as peculiar. There was no reason for Bilbo to lie about the matter, and he was not one given to lying unnecessarily.
Apart from the possible desire that Bilbo might have nourished to retain unquestioned control over the Ring, Gandalf could think of no other reason for his lying. The Ring might have been responsible for the strange behavior of Bilbo. This observation made Gandalf conclude that the Ring had an evil influence on its keeper. The keenness with which Bilbo clung to the Ring intrigued Gandalf, but he could see no real harm in letting Bilbo keep the Ring. The year TA 3001 brought things ahead. Bilbo and Gandalf had decided to leave the Shire and go to Rivendell.
They had decided to leave Bilbo's estate and the Ring to Bilbo's nephew Frodo, before leaving the Shire. At the last moment, however, Bilbo exhibited great reluctance to part with the Ring. Although Gandalf was not aware of the exact nature of the Ring or its powers, the drastic change in Bilbo's attitude once again raised his suspicions. He concluded that the Ring must have some extraordinary power apart from wielding a bad influence on the possessor. An angry argument ensued between the two friends, at the end of which Bilbo finally agreed to give the Ring to his nephew voluntarily and whole-heartedly. It was in this manner that Frodo came to possess the Ring.
The Truth of the Ring
Although Gandalf had succeeded in persuading his friend to part with the Ring and Bilbo had handed it over to Frodo, the initial reluctance that Bilbo had exhibited and the violent manner in which he insisted on retaining the Ring, aroused suspicions in the mind of Gandalf about the true nature of the Ring. The strange happenings around him further fueled his suspicions. He needed to find out the truth. His first instinct was to approach Saruman, the Head of the White Council, and his henchman Istari and confide in them his apprehensions. He was, however, put off by the proud nature of Saruman, and soon thought the better of his initial impulse. The problem, or rather the mystery, however, remained and had to be probed.Gandalf concluded that approaching Gollum would be the best course available to him. His quest to find Gollum, however, led him up a blind alley, as he learned that Gollum had already left the Misty Mountains on the trail of the Ring. Although initially perturbed, he was aware that Saruman had informed the White Council that the Ring was lost beyond retrieval. This information helped in assuaging his fears, and he took comfort in that knowledge to abandon any further efforts to seek the truth about the Ring. However, that proved to be a damaging decision because Sauron's spirit was still actively seeking out and gathering malevolent forces to build a powerful army of evil forces to support him. The long association that Gollum had with the Ring made him an ideal target in Sauron's endeavor.
Consequently, Gollum was pulled irresistibly towards Sauron, making him abandon his quest for the Shire and head towards Mordor instead. Having reached his destination, Gollum was loitering around the borders of the Black Land, when he was taken to Barad-Dur, which had been reconstructed by now. Sauron was staying there and, observing Gollum, quickly recognized the special powers that he possessed. As these could only come from the Ring, and as all other rings had been accounted for, Sauron understood that Gollum must have obtained the One ring by some means. It did not take long to get the truth out of Gollum, who, under torture, blurted out what he knew about Bilbo and the Shire. In a parallel set of events, Gandalf had requested Aragorn to put the Shire under watch. Reports now reached him that a large number of strange people, not belonging to the Shire, were wandering around the place.
This news worried Gandalf, urging him to start a quest for Gollum. As this was no easy task, he enlisted the aid of Aragorn. Since Gollum was in the custody of Sauron, this proved to be a fruitless exercise, which after much effort, Gandalf decided to abandon while letting Aragorn continue the search. By now, things had reached a point of great anxiety for Gandalf, who needed information desperately. Based on the folklore surrounding the Ring, he knew that it was only Isildur, the only other person to have held the Ring, who could throw some light on the matter.
This conclusion took Gandalf to Minas Tirith in search of any documents that might have been left behind by Isildur. His quest yielded results in the form of several papers, among which there was one that contained the valuable information that when the Ring was subjected to heat, it flashed fiery characters that revealed essential facts. Having obtained this information, Gandalf returned to the Shire, where a surprise awaited him. Gollum had been captured. After interviewing Gollum, Gandalf understood that Sauron knew the whereabouts of the Ring and of the existence of the Shire, which now housed it. If Sauron was seriously pursuing the Ring in the Shire, it meant that this was the One ring that Gandalf had heard about.
His worst suspicions having been aroused. Thus, Gandalf rushed to the Shire to investigate whether the Ring that Bilbo had given to Frodo was the same as the One ring that he had heard about. This possibility raised the alarm bells as Gandalf knew that Sauron would leave no stone unturned to gain possession of the Ring if this were so. He warned Frodo to immediately leave the Shire and go to Rendell, which was the nearest refuge that offered safety. Although Gandalf had intended to join Frodo, he was prevented from doing so as he was allured into going to Isengard and was captured there by Saruman. Gandalf managed to dash off a letter, through Mr. Butterbur, the innkeeper at the Prancing Pony in the Bree, to Frodo informing him of his plight, but the message was never delivered. The letter also contained information about Aragorn, who had been asked by Gandalf to aid the hobbits.
After waiting for quite a while for Gandalf's return, Frodo finally left for Rivendell without him, taking along his friends Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, and Meriadok Brandybuck. Meanwhile, Shire was being infested by a swarm of strange black-clad horsemen, who owed allegiance to Sauron. The hobbits, however, managed to keep out of their reach, although there were some close brushes. Finally, they managed to reach the village of Bree, where Aragorn met them and offered help. The suspicion with which the hobbits initially received the offer was soon dispelled when Butterbur produced the letter written by Gandalf. Gandalf had by then escaped from his captivity and headed to the Shire.
When he learned that Frodo had left only a few days earlier, he immediately understood that the letter had not been delivered to him. He reached Bree in a furious state, but on learning about the turn of events concerning the hobbits and Frodo, Gandalf's feelings were much assuaged. Gandalf then proceeded to Rivendell but had little hopes of finding his friend and the hobbits in the wilderness. He encountered the nine Nazguls on the way to Weathertop, where he was headed, in the hope of meeting Aragorn and the hobbits. Although he managed to escape the attacks by the Nazguls and flee from them, Gandalf allowed four of them to pursue him to keep them out of the way of Aragorn. His ploy worked, as several weeks later, Aragorn and the hobbits reached Rivendell with the help of Glorfindel.
Quest of the Ring
At Rivendell, a council comprising every free race in Middle-Earth was convened under Elrond to consider the course of action in respect of the Ring. It was decided that the best course of action would be to destroy the Ring by throwing it down Mount Doom. Frodo, who volunteered to execute this task, along with a group of eight other men, who acquired the famous appellation of The Fellowship of the Ring, set out on an arduous journey to Mordor for this purpose. As the group passed through Moria, Gandalf fell. The group was split after an attack by Uruk-Hai, leaving Sam and Frodo separated from the rest.The two continued on their journey alone and soon were lost in the Emyn Muil. Here they met Gollum, who had been following them all the way, and took him into their custody. Gollum swore that he would serve the owner of the Ring, which at that time happened to be Frodo, and was released. He was asked to lead them to Mordor, to which he knew the way, as he had earlier visited it. The hobbits, meanwhile, had made their way through the Dead Marshes and arrived at the Black Gate.
Gollum, who had at first not appreciated the seriousness of Frodo’s purpose, realized that Frodo was seriously planning to enter Mordor, once they neared its gate. He offered to show them a better way to open it, which was through the pass of Cirith Ungol. The group left for this pass and, on their way, met Faramir along with his group of Ithilien rangers. On learning the purpose of Frodo’s mission, Faramir agreed to help by offering them food and shelter, although his father would have wished him to take the Ring for himself.
Frodo and Sam continued their journey and reached Minas Morgul, where they entered a long tunnel after climbing a winding stair. The tube proved to be a trap laid by the treacherous Gollum as it housed, Shelob, who attempted to devour them. Although the two hobbits escaped, Frodo was stung by Shelob, leaving him paralyzed. Believing him to be dead, Sam decided to move on and complete the task. Meanwhile, the Orcs had captured Frodo, who was immobilized as the orcs were discussing Frodo’s condition, Sam overheard them and understood the real position, and went after them to the Tower of Cirith Ungol. Here the Orcs witnessed a mutiny that killed most of them in an internecine struggle. This moment enabled Sam to rescue Frodo, to whom he restored the Ring, and the two continued their arduous journey to Mount Doom.
The Final Undoing
When Sam and Frodo finally reached the volcanic mountain, a lurking Gollum attacked them. Frodo managed to ward him off and move on to the crack of Doom. The Ring had, however, all along been tightening its grip on Frodo, who now became possessive, and succumbed to the folly of wearing it on his finger. This induced Sauron to send Nazgul flying to Frodo to seize the Ring from him. Just before Nazgul reached the scene, Gollum had, in a bizarre twist to the events, bitten off the Ring and most of the finger on which Frodo wore it. His joy on acquiring the treasure was, however, short-lived as he soon fell into the crack of Doom, while dancing with joy at his vast fortune. That marked the irretrievable end of the Ring. The Ring was swiftly undone on falling into the crack of Doom, dismantling, along with it, the powers that Sauron had acquired.Influence of the Ring on Mortals
Wearing the Ring transported an ordinary mortal out of the physical into a different world. This power was, of course, a subtle influence that was not easily noticeable by creatures in the physical world. Another influence was more easily observed. This power was the ability of the wearer to become invisible, except to other invisible beings like the Ringwraiths. On the whole, the Ring had a deleterious effect on mortals, although it prolonged their lives indefinitely. Such extension to their experience, however, added no value, as these mortals merely continued their existence in their formal states without any further development or growth. The Ring also captivated the mortals who wore it into an irresistible affinity and a reluctance to let go of it.According to Gandalf, there was yet another effect that took possession gradually, but surely. Any person wearing the Ring for an extended period tended to become ghost-like with his presence more in the world of spirits than in that of men. Several factors seemed to determine the extent to which these influences affected those who came into contact with it. Merely possessing the Ring without wearing it delayed this process substantially. Some races were more vulnerable to this effect than others. Those who possessed the Ring without desiring anything from it were affected to a much smaller extent.
How a person first came into contact with the Ring also had a significant role in determining the magnitude of the influence. Persons who acquired the Ring through violent methods came under its control more readily and ultimately, as was the case with Gollum, who acquired it by murdering the previous owner. By contrast, Bilbo, even when he had the opportunity to kill his opponent let him go. He was affected to a much smaller degree by the Ring. These effects could also be linked to the personal disposition of the person acquiring the Ring. The ring was not entirely devoid of positive aspects.
It gave the wearer the power to understand the words of evil creatures, as was evidenced in the case of Samwise Gamgee, who could understand the Black Speech of the Orcs in Mordor. However, the positive aspects were few. The predominant influence was one of evil, which came about through an extension of the personality of Sauron into the Ring. The Ring could sometimes act independently, pushing people to take it or kill its present owner. Another feature of the Ring was its ability to change its size at will. The limited extent of cognition and ability to act independently was employed by the Ring to reunite with its original master, whenever the opportunity arose. One influence that was common to all owners of the Ring, irrespective of whether they used it or not, was to prolong their life. Even persons like Bilbo and Gollum, who hardly used the Ring, aged slowly after coming into contact with the Ring.
Powers of the Ring
The One ring had several impressive powers, which is what made it a much sought-after device. Its greatest strength was its absolute control over all other forces. It could also shape the wills of its users. This power came with some limitations depending on the person with whom it was dealing. Some proved more malleable under its influence, while others were harder to crack. The holders of the three rings never used them. The dwarves who held the seven rings could not be influenced easily, and Sauron's power proved insufficient in dealing with them.Owners of the Ring also acquired the power to dominate the wills of others, both wearers and non-wearers. This was, again, limited in its influence, as it could only work on the native capacity of the wearer and could only give this capability in proportion to what they already possessed. Most holders of the One ring were in a susceptible position as they could not wield all of its powers. Only Sauron or someone like him could use its skills fully. Moreover, the same Ring conferred different powers on various users. For example, it sharpened the hearing of Samwise Gamgee but improved the vision of Frodo.
The Ring made mortals, who wore it, invisible to others in the physical world. The exceptions were those who could see in the non-physical realm, where they perceived a thin shadowy figure. Its effect on immortals has not been established. Tom Bombadil, the only immortal who had worn it, was not affected by it at all. This reality does not, however, prove anything, as Gandalf and Saruman had also come under its power. The Ring could project a false image of the wearer. This could at times frighten enemies and protect the wearer.
It protected Sam in the Tower of Cirith-Ungol from an orc, to whom Sam appeared as a mighty warrior, who could inflict Doom on it. This made the orc fly away from the scene. It also happened when Gollum attacked Sam and Frodo. Frodo appeared in a white robe and foretold the destruction of Gollum. The protective powers of the Ring, however, did not extend to the case of physical harm, from which it could not protect the wearer. Another feature of the Ring was its malevolence. It was conscious to a limited extent and always tended to return to its original owner. To achieve this, it would influence the owner or abandon him at the crucial hour. Its capability to change its size will enable it to escape from anyone when it wants.
The powers of the Ring could be used fully only by a person with extraordinary control over his mind. This was necessary but, by itself, was not enough. It also needed a very strong will and a highly developed spiritual state. The Ring could corrupt even persons with pure intentions and turn them into aids of the dark forces. All these made it extremely difficult for anyone to overthrow Sauron and restore goodness. The powers of the Ring, however, were neither complete nor undiluted. It could not save even Sauron from military defeat on three occasions or prevent his final downfall.
Holders of the Ring
Nine different people had obtained possession of the Ring at various points in time. Sauron was the original, and most extended holder, holding it for nearly 1850 years starting from the time he forged it in SA 1600. Isildur kept it for two years following the defeat of Sauron in SA 3441. After this, the Ring was lost for 2461 years, when it was in nobody's possession. Deagol held it for just a few minutes before it was snatched from him by his cousin Smeagol, who held it for 478 years. Bilbo Baggins held it for 60 years before handing it over voluntarily to his nephew Frodo. Frodo held the Ring for seventeen years and six months. Gandalf and Tom Bombadil held it next for very short whiles lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes. After that, the Ring came into the possession of Samwise Gamgee, who held it for a day under the impression that Frodo was dead. He restored it to Frodo on learning that he was alive. Frodo stayed for just ten days. Gollum, who cut the Ring out along with a finger from Frodo's body, held it for a few seconds before a misstep plunged him into the abyss along with the Ring, both being lost forever.The Ringbearers’ Destiny
Only three bearers of the Ring survived in the end, namely, Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam. Bilbo had held it for 60 years, the longest among the three survivors. He lived to see a ripe old age that few if any, hobbit had seen. Sam had held it for just a day and was the least affected by it. He could carry on his routine life in the aftermath with practically no influence of the Ring on him. Frodo was the one who suffered the most both physically and psychologically. The sufferings of the three and their good intentions did not go unnoticed. The Valar granted them the power to travel to Tol Eressea, the land of the elves, to enable them to rest and find peace. However, they were not allowed into the land of the undying. Towards the end, following the king’s return, Bilbo and Fredo, accompanied by many of their compatriots, traveled to the West. Sam also went to the Eressea, where all visitors enjoyed a period of extended life and healing.Description of the Ring
The Ring had the look of a real gold ring. Its value was, of course, far higher than any material from which it was made, no matter how precious and valuable that it might be. It could never be damaged by any force – not even that of the dragon's fire. It could only be destroyed either by a person whose smithcraft exceeded that of Sauron or by throwing it in the volcanic pit in Mount Doom. When heated, the Ring exhibited a fiery inscription, whose words were believed to be an incantation that endowed it with its special powers. The words were in the language of Mordor, which was Black Speech, and were written in the Tengwar script. There seemed nothing special about the Ring at first sight, but when it was cast into the fire, it displayed the spell in fiery characters. The characters were deciphered and transliterated when Gandalf read the inscription at the Council of Elrond.A rough translation of the words runs as follows:
Symbolism
The Ring has been interpreted to symbolize the lure of power and material possessions. It also expresses the repudiation of ordinary human nature. However, this view has been opposed by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, who holds that there is no strict symbolism in his works. The Volsunga Saga [1] that contains the Andvarinaut [2] was claimed to have inspired the One Ring. Still, Tolkien attributed many others that speak of the disconnection to oneself to obtain immortality. In the book, “The Philosophy of Tolkien,” by Peter Kreeft, it was explained that the One Ring was contradictory to the Christian Cross [3]. During the 20th century, most of the book fans felt that the Ring was the allegorical symbol for the atomic bomb [4] of World War II.One Ring on the chart
References
Categories:
Evil
Magical Objects
Rings and Jewels
