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There was a scene in the book that did not make it into the movies, that I think is particularly crucial. Gollum swore an oath on the ring, that if he should ever betray Frodo, he would cast himself in to Mount Doom. It was therefore no accident that Gollum fell after stealing the ring, but an effect of the ring's own power. An unsubtle message, that Evil betrays even its own goals, has been left by the wayside.
I forgot about that. One thing that seems to be all-powerful in Tolkien's world is taking an oath. Oath-breaking (and taking) has ruined and killed many characters thought-out its history. I can completely see Gollum being punished for breaking it, with Eru Ilúvatar intervening.
That's wrong, I just checked. Gollum swore to "be good and never let Him have it" (meaning Sauron). That was the entire oath. Gollum didn't techically broke his promise, but it did make him treacherous (as Frodo warned it might). Gollum had convinced himself that Frodo was taking the ring to close to Sauron, and thus Gollum HAD to take it away to make sure Sauron didn't get it. And also, by doing so, he would become the master of the Precious, and thus would serve the master of the Precious. Here's the relevant part of the section: "'Smeagol,' said Gollum, suddenly and clearly, opening his eyes wide and staring at Frodo with a strange light. 'Smeagol will swear on the Precious.' Frodo drew himself up, and again Sam was startled by his words and his stern voice. 'On the Precious? How dare you?' he said. "Think! One Ring to rule them all and in the Darkness bind them. Would you commit your promise to that, Smeagol? It will hold you. But it is more treacherous than you are. It may twist your words. Beware!' Gollum cowered. 'On the Precious, on the Precious!' he repeated. 'And what would you swear?' asked Frodo. 'To be very, very good,' said Gollum. Then crawling to Frodo's feet he grovelled before him, whispering hoarsely: a shudder ran over him, as if the words shook his very bones with fear. 'Smeagol will swear never, never to let Him have it. Never! Smeagol will save it. But he must swear on the Precious.' "No! not on it,' said Frodo, looking down at him with stern pity. 'All you wish is to see it and touch it, if you can, though you know it would drive you mad. Not on it. Swear by it, if you will. For you know where it is. Yes, you know, Smeagol. It is before you.' For a moment it appeared to Sam that his master had grown and Gollum had shrunk: a tall stern shadow, a mighty lord who hid his brightness in grey cloud, and at his feet a little whining dog. Yet the two were in some way akin and not alien: they could reach one another's minds. Gollum raised himself and began pawing at Frodo, fawning at his knees. 'Down, down!' said Frodo. 'Now speak your promise!' 'We promises, yes I promise!' said Gollum. 'I will serve the master of the Precious. Good master, good Smeagol, gollum, gollum!' Suddenly he began to weep and bite at his ankle again. 'Take the rope off, Sam!' said Frodo." The movie trims this down, but Gollum's promise is the same, as is Frodo's warning about how the Ring will twist his oath.
Bilbo Baggins in The lord of the Rings describes the "prolonged life" the ring gives the wearer really well: "I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” I believe that like you said the ring stretches your life, instead of adding to it, until you eventually become so stretched, an (almost) formeless wraith is all you can be
I think the story could be interpreted in such a way: That the ring not only betrayed all of the other wearers, but even Sauron himself. How else would it have been possible to simply cut it off Saurons hand? Betrayal was so much part of it's nature and essence, that not even it's creator was exempt from that. The eventual destruction of the ring and the subsequent demise of Sauron was, therefore, unintentionally built into the ring from the start.
I must disagree with this. The Ring never betrayed Sauron. The reason the Ring was cut off, was because he was defeated by Elendil and Gil-Galad. Isildur simply cut it off when Sauron was defeated. This is though a bit controversial, as Tolkien's writings differs on the defeat of Sauron.
@@LoreOfTheRingsYT Sauron was never defeated by Elendil and Gil-Galad. Already Sauron defeated and slayed them both. In the lore he fell off a cliff with Elendils body that's why that's why he got stunned then Isildur came and cut the ring off
I think as Tolkien described it,Valar and maiar only"wore"physical form like clothes,I would class the ring as an extension of himself which Sauron was foolish to create,since its nature caused it to be physically separate from him,and being separate it could be lost.
Bombadil could walk into main event status at any time but he refuses to do business with World Wrestling ENTertainment and he refuses to do the job for Hogan so therefore well never get the Bombadil vs Sauron angle, Sarumcmahon just won't bring Bombadil in even though hes over as hell. He just hangs around All Elflite Wrestling running feuds for the Barrow Wights In Wrestling Tights stable...fuckin Hogan man.
LOTR newcomers often ask "What does it do?" My favorite interpretation has always be domination. I believe The Ring allows you to dominate others. It makes you a leader. A really capable, really evil leader. You give commands, people listen. Not mind control though. More like overwhelming, evil, irresistible, cult-like charisma. "The Taming of Sméagol" is my favorite example.
@@LoreOfTheRingsYT For sure! "Oaths" have an extra supernatural power in the Tolkien universe. The Pass of the Dead proves that. Gollum also swears to Frodo, on "The Precious," that he'll jump into lava if he ever touches "The Ring" again. If you'd like, I can pull the quote. Yet, I still think the "The One Ring" has a power different than the natural "magic" that occurs when you swear a holy oath. The Ring is all about control through fear and domination. Remember when Sam is mistaken for some great Elf while rescuing Frodo? Let me know if you disagree or have anything else to add or change. I love talking about this stuff.
@Karl Quetzacoatl He is infamous for hating any comparison of his work to... Well, anything. Be it simile, or metaphor, this is stuff he just made up. If you listen to, or read, his interviews, he stresses this. When an interviewer draws comparison to Catholic religious overtones, he gets audibly annoyed. He really does make an extreme effort to express that it's all fantasy he made up. It shouldn't be taken as some deep philosophical masterpiece, reframing modern religion in a way that's easily digestible by modern audiences. If you want to use religion to interpret the story, I would recommend only using it on a sort of subconscious level. Should you really want to take his work seriously, focus on his work with language. I've always got the impression his work with myth was an outlet for language study.
@Karl Quetzacoatl Sounds like we agree. Any religious undertones were subconscious, as opposed to intentional or symbolic. I think that's why the rare interviews we have with him, by hyper-nerds of his stories, have them drawing connections to modern Catholic theology. Then we hear him get annoyed.
@@Bluemilk92 He didn't swear to jump in anything. I pulled the quote in a reply above. He swears to be very good, to serve the master of the Precious, and to never let Him have it. That's it.
I think this video was like Lord of the Rings 101, a review course in this history of the ring. I hope any newbies who see it will be inspired to read the books.
too dyslexic. couldnt get past the names and descriptions ov the dwarves... they all muddled together and i had a feeling it wasnt going to get any easier. movies and documentaries i am beyond are all i got
I’m inspired to re-read the books! I can still recall the first time I read the Fellowship of the Ring; it was such a surreal and epic experience and I remember leaving the worries of the real world behind (not that I had many at 13 years old) and travelling to Middle Earth and just becoming engrossed in the adventure.
(I haven't watched the full video yet.) In my opinion, The One Ring does not make you Invisible, but instead makes you Ethereal. While it does confer the benefits of Invisibility, it however also allows you to see and be seen by spirits. This is why putting on the Ring is a very bad idea. With it off, Sauron (who has no physical form) has to search the mortal realm thoroughly and with great difficulty. But with it on, you become the opposite of being Invisible, you quite literally become a shining beacon to spirits. This is why Stone, Metal, and Flesh will no longer protect you from Sauron's gaze. It is the world around the wearer that has become invisible by the power of the Ring.
In many ways, Sauron himself was a slave to his own ring. Ever searching for it, a slave to seeking the power he put into it, and bound to the fate of the ring more than any other. Like almost every other being of Middle Earth, he both feared and craved that one, tiny, golden bauble.
The Numenorians rise and fall would make a great TV series. Vague enough to make it someone's and defined enough to have "bullet points" so those in the know where they are ish in the plot.
This has been one of the most enlightening videos on the LotR! It casts new light onto everything, and honestly allows me to see even more greatness in these works. Thank you for creating all of this!
I suppose you would have to cover your hand with a glove after donning the One Ring to keep it on. At that point, the Ring would be saying, "Awww crap! Dammit!"
It left its wearers, when it could no longer use them - because, once separated from its maker, it sought always to return to him. As Tolkien says (this is why the book is better).
Always had this theory about Bombadil I always assumed the colours of the wizards were based on their duty or path Grey for the stone and smoke of cities, Brown for the soil or dirt Blue and blue for the sky and sea White for all the light touches Bombadil I always assumed represented the power of song. A metaphor for the power of music. Transpiring all things music can sway minds, change history, tell stories, in this reality his power is equal to the power of song, hence he is insanely powerful. Just a theory
keep in mind if you read the silmarillion, all of reality and history were quite literally created, defined, and predicted by the song of iliuvatar and the valar. so i agree its not a coincidence that bombadill has so much association with music.
Okay. Posting this before watching. The way I understand it, the power of The One Ring scales with the inherent power of the wielder. Sauron was a demigod, like Gandalf, so it’s power was unimaginable, hence why Gandalf refuses to take it. Meanwhile, hobbits are... well, hobbits. Bottom of the power totem pole. Hence why the ring is safest in halfling hands. It has the least amount of power in their hands.
Indeed! It's safest in their hands. This is also shown be Frodo's resistance towards the Morgul wound. The Morgul Blade has much power against the powerful and little power against the powerless.
I had a theory that the power the ring manifests has to do with the race as well. All of the times, to my knowledge, that we see the ring turn someone invisible, it was being worn by a hobbit. Frodo, Smeagle, Bilbo, all halflings. Imagine you are the One Ring. Your host is the least powerful being it could possibly be. How do you make that host survive? You can’t grant them ungodly strength, you can’t make them fly, you can’t even give them spells, there’s not enough power inside them to draw out those abilities. So you make the ability something that allows them to avoid confrontation. They can’t be killed if no one ever finds them. But of course, they are still only a halfling, the invisibility isn’t perfect. I also recall a theory that the scaling power of the ring is why flying the eagles to Mordor is a terrible idea. They are one of the oldest and most powerful entities on Middle Earth, and we see that the Ring can mold itself to fit the bearer.
Tolkien intended to show that both Melkor or Sauron could not by themselves conquer middle earth. They had to surrender much of their native power to ensnare the gullible or manufacture monsters like balrogs, dragons and orcs. The great rings of Sauron depleted much of his native power and left him vulnerable. Morgoth at his end fled rather than fought in the Great War of Wrath.had Sauron "won" the battle he still had to face Galadriel Celeborn, the elf lords of Imladris and the Grey Havens and even then Bombadil. Without his precious. Had Sauron been destroyed he would have ended up in the halls of Mandos but he was not destroyed. He was reduced to a gnat Morgoth could not be destroyed. His destruction would have brought forth the end of everything other than Eru.
Great thoughts! That's also why Sauron can't recreate the One Ring, for he has surrendered that power as you say. Just like Fëanor can't recreate the Silmarrils.
I don't think Sauron would have had a problem defeating the other parts of Middle-Earth if he succesfully got the ring back , Tom is a tricky one but wasn't he in Middle-Earth before Melkor even arrived? If so then he didn't do anything against Melkor when he was ruling Middle-Earth which makes me doubt that he would or could do anything against Sauron if he were to control Middle-Earth
UPDATE: I just listened to your most recent video (RU-vid just recommended this video today & I didn't realize you had more) But in only 3 months your speech has improved there is still room for improvement but it's much better. Much less of a sing song pattern to your speech. Excellent job! Before I say anything else. NICE JOB. A criticism I think will help future videos: The cadence you tell the story in is difficult to listen to (this is an issue that acting or speech coaches often help their students with & I'm certain you would be able to over come fairly quickly). You have a good speaking voice and did an excellent job collecting the details and presenting them as a coherent story. Thank you for making this video.
Listening to all of this makes me realize how Harry Potter takes so much from the Lord of the Rings. The horcrux’s are like the one ring keeping its master alive after death unless they are destroyed. The deathly hallows are also like the rings of power. The reason invisibility cloak grants invisibility and immortality, just like the One ring. Death created the deathly hallows as gifts disguised as traps. Power that will destroy its user. Sauron is kinda spilt between Voldemort and Death in Harry Potter. Both stories are about evil wizards that left a pice of them selves to survived death and the quest of the story is destroy the remnants of the evil wizard to prevent them from coming back to life.
That's the rings weakness! The power to put others before yourself. I believe that's the key! This is why it corrupted Isildur a Numenorian decendant of royal lineage so easily. In the bereavement of his loss he became selfish and was instantly corrupted! So in theory if you came across the one ring if you knew it was the one ring you could remain temporarily uncorrupted if you focused on Putting others (ones you care DEEPLY for) before yourself.
You also have to be fully aware of the powers of the ring; otherwise it could tempt you by simply promising you the power to help and protect those you love. This is why I don't like the word choice of the video author to call Sam 'simple-minded'. Sam wasn't 'simple-minded' in our common understanding of that phrase; Sam was incredibly wise. Tolkien even named him 'Samwise', not 'Samsimpleminded'. Rather, you could say that Sam was simple-hearted. He had simple desires; family, friendship, loyalty, a nice garden to tend. But he was very wise, and very cognizant of what the ring was trying to do to tempt him. He was even wise enough to realize mid-sentence when he was explaining to Frodo that he was only wanting to help him carry the ring because it was such an awful burden that that was more trickery of the ring, trying to drive a rift between them, and so immediately gave the ring to Frodo upon that realization even though he did genuinely just want to help Frodo carry it because he understood how terrible it really was.
@@nHautamaki Exactly! Corruption has many forms, it is not simple evil, is evil drived from an initially good intention and it can lead you to even betray yourself... Thats the lesson that Bhoromir gives.
@@nHautamaki This. Sam was not "simple minded" as in stupid. He posessed love and empathy for those around him and the self awarenesss to know what was important. Those are the things that allowed him to resist the power of the ring. It couldn't convincingly offer him anything he wanted.
I've watched countless videos about Lord of the Rings theories, this by far is the most intuitive. I've never once considered that it was the act of mercy Frodo showed Gollum that ultimately destroyed the Ring.
The only thing I have against all you said is that sauron wasn't defeated in combat in battle of the last alliance. He killed gil galad and nearly ended the bloodline of tar minyatur. Isildur's strike was a lucky one but people also say that the ring betrayed sauron at that moment. Maybe because isildur was filled with such hatred amidst the death of his father and brother that he deserved the ring more
Nah the ring never betrayed Sauron , it would be like if Sauron betrayed himself which would make no sense , they simply got lucky that he didn't have his original body , otherwise Sauron would have wiped them out like bugs
I understand what you mean when you describe Hobbits as having “simple minds”, but when people say that, it usually implies very limited intellect, which isn’t the case with Hobbits. Hard to think of a less insulting way to put it though. Maybe saying that they have simple desires, rather than simple minds?
You missed one important feature of the nature of the ring. Tolkein was almost certainly aware of the Myth of Gyges, which is part of a Socratic philosophical dialogue written by Plato. The message of the myth is that power corrupts. That is why Tolkein's ring is the ring of power, and that it corrupts. The men are corruptible. But the Hobbits are humble, and resist the corruption.
@@lproof8472 You are right, it even corrupts Hobbits. It just takes longer, because they tend to lack a lust for power, and love the simple life. But yes, even they can be corrupted if the temptation works at them long enough.
Nice video! I have visited Denmark, Sweden and Finland but I've never been to Norway. I must get there some time although I hear that it's very expensive.
Smeagol wasn't a Hobbit. The book describes his people as Hobbit Like, but not actually Hobbits. Also Smeagol was underground for more than decades. I believe it was hundreds of years. Good video though.
I think the idea was that the Hobbits were still evolving into... Hobbits. Smeagol was a proto-Hobbit, because their race hadn't fully developed yet. Hobbits are not one of the races mentioned in the Silmarillion, until the very end, which is a brief summary of the Lord of the Rings. Their origin is largely a mystery. I like to imagine that they are the results of men crossing with elves and dwarves. (Fallhoides would have the most elf blood, Harfoots mostly men, and Stoors more dwarf.) The headwaters of Anduin on the eastern edge of the Towers of Mist is where the early tribes of men, dark elves (the elves who never left Middle-Earth for the West), and dwarves had the most contact.
I loved that you mentioned that Sam's love and simple-mindedness had protected him from the power of the ring. That was a cool mention that I hadn't thought of before.
I always interpreted Bombadil's interest to be more out of mild curiosity. Like he just wanted to see what the big deal was, not that the ring was influencing him. Gandalf himself said Tom would just forget about the ring if he had it.
Each to his/her own taste but, for my part, your accent and inflection add an incantatory quality that is perfectly suited to the mood and vibe of these epic tales. Regards, Kev
I'm late to the game.... There's a power of the One Ring I haven't ever seen commented on by a RU-vid essay regarding the One Ring; and it's odd to me because it is one of Tolkien's more blatant demonstrations of a power of the One Ring: The possessor of the Ring has the ability to mimic a Palantir. Let me explain: When Frodo was wearing the Ring and ran to the top of Amon Hen (Ch.22 FotR), and sat on the Seat of Seeing, he wanted to see what was going on, and lo! he saw Orthanc, Minas Tirith, and Barad-dûr+Sauron (he was literally able to see pretty much all the focal points in the south of Middle-Earth). Later in the chapter (or the next, I'm lazy and not looking it up), Aragorn wanted to sit on the Seat of Seeing and he saw the surrounding mountains and the area around Amon-Hen. ..... aka, to normal folk, the Seat of Seeing is located in a very good spot to survey the area. There is an obvious difference between what Frodo w/Ring could see and what joe-shmoe-normal-Aragorn could see. This also gives reason why Sauron was so active using his captured Palantir--- he had lost his natural ability of clairvoyance.
I recommend reading this text. Just because Aragorn wasn't able to spot anything, didn't mean he couldn't have spotted anything: middle-earth.xenite.org/was-the-seat-on-amon-hen-inherently-magical/
@@LoreOfTheRingsYT , Hrmm.... from your above link: "Christopher correctly deduces that his father implied (in the final published text) that Frodo’s vision was the result of both the hill’s power and the Ring’s power. " ---- And if we look at the actual writing, there's nothing that gives credence to the suggestion that the 'hill had power.' Mr. Martinez, in his article, points out that his views are speculation.... which is fine and a lot of fun to do. However, in this instance, I'll skip 95% of the speculation and keep to the actual text, which clearly demonstrates a difference between Frodo with the Ring on and Aragorn just being a norm. ....And finally.... if the seat was magical, it doesn't really matter, because we have a baseline with Aragorn that was clearly described, this means Frodo should have seen the same as Aragorn, but because the power of the Ring, he sees more... meaning the Ring allows an increased clairvoyance.
One thing I never understood was Tolkien wrote it as Men being blessed with short lives because their souls leave Arda and join Eru, thus framing mortality as a good thing, and the fear lf death and seeking immortality as a bad thing, but Tolkien also later wrote it as Numenoreans and righteous and noble humans as long lived and wicked eastern men as being short lived. So is mortality good or bad?
The Gift of Eru is ultimately a good thing, but in Middle Earth, for Men, Nobility is measured by many things, most of which relate to the Elves, and is generally a function of your lineage, but some Elf-friends have gain some nobility 'rub off' on them, such as Biblo and Frodo. Noblity does not always equal good however, as seen in Denethor and the Numenoreans towards the end. The Valar gave the Elf-Friends many gifts, that made them a little more like Elves. And, at first, The Kings had the ability to know when their time was up and to give up the gift of Life willingly; this, too, was a sign of Nobility.
@@LoreOfTheRingsYT According to the Silmarillion, (well, really, the Elves) the Gift of Men is not being bound to the circle of the World. To where they go after is unknown. The Elves called it "the Gift of Men" because in their debates with the Numenoreans, they explained the burden of the years and how living for so long isn't the best thing and asked them who should envy the other?
@@ElurinThat is a hint toward apocalypse and his Catholic faith. If you think abstractly, immortality and oblivion are more or less equivalent because existence would become a kind of dreamless sleep if you lived long enough.
All, I repeat ALL the great rings would make a mortal invisible and give them long life. Sauron was angered that the rings he gave to the Dwarves were not able to enslave them, nor make them invisible. It was because the Vala, Aule who created them made them tough to be able to bear the evils and hard influences of Morgoth so as a race they couldn't be enslaved to the mind of any power nor live longer because of the rings. All that the rings did was inflame their heart with greed, of which enough trouble enough came about to Sauron's advantage. I have wondered if a dwarf may not have been a better Ring Bearer?
@@MountainFisher Tolkien explaining the powers of the Rings: "The Elves of Eregion made Three supremely beautiful and powerful rings, almost solely of their own imagination, and directed to the preservation of beauty: they did not confer invisibility." -Letter 131 It doesn't matter who wears them, the Three won't make them invisible.
Right off the bat, it’s mentioned that the ring makes you invisible because it’s on a Hobbit. Which. hobbits not being powerful by default, all it could do for them is basic invisibility. It’s implied, and outright said, that if someone like Gandalf were to wear it, it would be incredibly dangerous, granting power that raises them from beyond their own minor godhood to be an incredibly powerful entity, which is why powerful beings of decidedly Noble interests have resisted the ring, one going so far as to say, should they take possession of it, would no longer need fear a dark lord, but bow before a Bright Queen, the light washing over all, Gandalf is shown to fear the ring, however, not its darkness, directly, but when given the option to take the ring as his own, to keep it from the hands of evil, he backs away in fear before composing himself, knowing that should he choose to do so, he would be elevated to a level beyond even Sauron, beyond even the tenuous forces of light and darkness that had been fighting for as long as they had, in fact, Sauron himself, with the ring upon his hand, was on his way to overthrowing the forces of light, and bringing the heavens down from on high, luckily, in Sauron the ring seemed to have left a weakness, if not a direct effect of the ring, a mistake made by Sauron in its usage, his ring finger severed, he lost his power, where it then corrupted king isildur, the stronger you were, the more it would corrupt, however, it is told that the ring itself doesn’t just grant power of its own, it amplifies that which one already has, which is why, alongside its corrupting abilities, the forces of light generally shun it, one, even, knowing that in their hands, it could be used to conquer ALL of the land of men and men, and even beyond, claiming with it, they would fear not any lord of darkness, but bow before a BRIGHT QUEEN, in the shadow of Mordor games, Celebrimbor and our Ranger, claim the title, of THE BRIGHT LORD, we know how that ends, but it shows that the powers of that universe are in constant flux, claiming, in the end, Celibrimbor became, in many ways, one with Sauron, waging unending war against each other, until the ring is destroyed, and the wraith is freed.
The One Ring is an inner chi amplifier. Sam’s hearing and empathy and loyalty become amplified. Bilbo desire for long life and good living….amplified. Isildur’s desire for control, Gollums skill in grappling and strangulation like how he killed Deagol- amplified. Frodo sense to save the Shire. Gandalf’s fear of his desire to bring Manwe’s love of order and harmony by force, Galdriels desire to be queen of all, which was her motive in staying in Lorien all those years, etc. All canon fact. The Ring also gave prolonged life, forced invisibility where mortal beings couldn’t see the wearer. Ability to understand any language, including spider-speak, and heightened senses. Sauron was amplified x1.5, how is this known? He was 12 feet tall with the Ring (canon), at his physical and magical zenith. For this to be 1.5, his starting height was 8 feet tall, which is canon in Tolkien describing him as somewhat larger than the tallest elves but in the form of a man. Elves and Numenoreans were 7 feet tall, so 8 feet is accurate. Also, lengendarium sources confirm his magic level went from 240 to 360 when the Ring was made. Again an increase of 1.5x. Sauron could control becoming visible or not even though he could already see in both planes. Why? He was the powerful Maia sorcerer ever. He imbued invisibility into the Ring with such power and skill he was obviously a master of that ability, If elves can enchant cloaks with invisibility spells, Sauron has that spell figured out at well, he doesn’t go invisible in battles because 1) he’s arrogant for cause, 2) he impervious, 3) immortal, 4) super powerful with his mace and gauntlet, 5) and exudes an automatic fear aura many times greater than the Nazgul, dragons, or Balrogs ( Tolkien canon). So be being visible in battle he in incapacitating more enemies that he could if he was invisible. Walking into melee combat isn’t about safety and invisibility protection, it’s about causing and much fear and death as possible. For more on Saurons actual power, go to lore-master.com ~LMHS
The ring was not a sentient separate thing,it was part of Sauron's own sentience.Not sure Sauron could not comprehend mercy,he did attempt to surrender after the end of Morgoth but Eonwe fluffed it,but he would consider it a weakness.He spread himself way too thin,attempting to put so much of himself in the ring,and in the end,it cost him everything.One of the most fascinating characters Tolkien created,but too few people read The Silmarillion and know him as a character,not just a backdrop.
Few things here. First video I have seen of yours. Loved it. Having said that as someone who has studied speech I hope you can smooth out your English a little bit. It was difficult at times but not enough to shy me away. Subbed.
@@LoreOfTheRingsYT I think your accent adds character to what you say! Imagine if an elf was explaining the content of this video to us, they'd have an accent too! I really enjoy your content, voice and all, personally! :)
Tolkien himself shunned any comparison of his works to, well, most anything, but especially religion. I am not sure where or who first decided that most books of worth need be compared or otherwise scrutinized with religion or religious ideas, but most of the time it is nothing the author intended, injects misunderstanding into the work, and is largely useless.
You can find symbols in anything, but sin has nothing to do with corruption or domination. Sin is just a term for a list of actions already committed, it is in no way an entity in itself like a magic ring that has loyalty to its creator
Iirc, Frodo did not leave the ring with Bombadil, because Gandalf counseled him that Bombadil, although impervious to its influence, was careless, and would quickly misplace the ring rather than keep it safe, and just as quickly forget about it entirely. At that point it would be just as it was at the bottom of the Anduin River, a lure to the first malleable creature to wander by, and would eventually find its way back to Sauron.
It also grants power to talk to animals pretty much immediately. Bilbo talked to Smaug and Gollum talked to Shelob. Or maybe just evil animals idk. Great narrative btw. Keep em coming.
Would have loved if you also talked a bit about: 1) why the elves (and Gandalf/Istari) were able to put the elven rings back on without fear of being influenced by Sauron. Was this a result of Sauron loosing the one ring or did they ward off the elven rings from its influence somehow? 2) Why were the dwarves not affected by the rings in the same ways as the humans? Was it because of Aule and the fact that he created them extra hardy to protect them from the many hardships they were predicted to suffer? 3) Sauron learned to craft rings by the Noldor / grey elves. He had a natural affinity for it because of his patron Valar (just as Saruman) but he had to be taught by others.
i'm not the top tier expert but i believe i can answer you a bit. 1. Yes, it was because at the time Sauron didn't have the one ring; remember that the very first time they started feeling its influence only when he put it on 2. Yes. They also had a natural resistance towards fire which helped a lot in the war of dragons and dwarves 3. I guess so, i know he had indeed a natural affinity because of Aule. Also the Noldor, especially the house of Feanor, are the most crafty of the elves, and celebrimbor was himself grandson of Feanor
It's rumored that Tolkien based the "One Ring" on another real life ring called: "The Seal of Solomon" The "Seal" (an ancient word for ring, much like the word "Stone" is an ancient word for dagger: i.e Cain killed Abel with a dagger not a rock or David used his sling to throw a dagger into Goliath's head), was worn by King Solomon during the building of a temple. In the "Book of Solomon" (a book that the Church removed from the Collections in the Bible since it concerned occult things like summoning demons), King Solomon put on the ring (or seal) and the INVISIBLE became visible. This is based on the idea that at some point either a Christ-like being or even God itself, changed the magnetic frequency of all Angels (and Demons, the mutated form of Angels who had backed Satan during a purge) so that neither Angels nor Demons could interact with humans again. Magnetic frequencies of light, sound, and metaphysical which had been been disabled would be turned on in a measured radius around the wearer of the Seal of Solomon. This way he could command the Demons to build the structure. Speculation has it that even the Angels and Demons are basically, the Elves and Orcs respectively in Tolkien's work and a lot of his story was influenced by several of the books of the original collection in the Bible that were or have been removed by those who run the Vatican. Research the Seal of Solomon and see what you come across... if you can find a legit copy of the "Book of Solomon" that would be an interesting video to make with regards to a comparison between the two rings.
Cool, i was wondering what happened to Sauron so that he lost his normal "elf form". Now i know. And now i also connected stories from second game and LoTR movie :)
@Lore...man this is a nice video essay. However, consider a re-edit. Sauron laid down the One Ring to go to Numenor. That is cannon. I do accept your supposition that the Ring could exert hideous influence on anyone with native corrupting ambition as was the case with Ar-Pharazon. I find your theory on the role of mercy and pity as the weakness of the Ring to be very compelling. May I offer you this to consider: The missing component in the nature of the power of the Ring is the craft of Fëanor in the inherited skill of his grandson Celebrimbor. Recall that Fëanor, greatest of Elves, made the Silmarils. What he achieved in locking the living light of the tress in his jewels is very much like Sauron locking much of his native power in the One Ring. (Sauron does not credit the Nolder with teaching him anything in this, but we know better) These singular achievements both contained a corrupting contradiction; they trap within them, something created by a higher being (Valar or Eru) in order to possess and wield it. This is bound to have certain effects. Holy as the Silmarils were, they magnified lust and greed (the dwarves killed Thingol for example) are especially dangerous to anyone who already possesses great power and their mere existence creates a serious power imbalance. Therefore, part of the explanation for the characteristics of the One Ring is the Noldorian crafts utilized to make it.
You argue that Sauron did not possess the One Ring in Númenor, I would very much like to hear the source, for the Letters of Tolkien states that Sauron brought the Ring to Númenor. Very interesting discussion about the crafting. Tolkien viewed a craft this way: anyone creating something, had to exert some of their native power and strength into the artifact. This is why Yavanna can't recreate the two trees, and why Fëanor can't recreate the Silmarrils. It requires an immense amount of their own strength.
@@LoreOfTheRingsYT I know the Letter of which you speak #211. Tolkien could only mean that, being reduced (from the making of his ring) Sauron could not do without it to exert real power. However, did he actually utilize it while the guest of Ar-Pharazon? Naturally, I cannot gain say JRRT, but I worry about Letters substituting for the implications in the text. (Letters seem to me to be authors revisionism as much as clarifications) Nevertheless, on the issue of crafting, this only applies to singular instances in which what is created is new. The trees, the Silmarils, the One Ring, each unique as opposed to smithying or mere manufacturing. I agree these creations take something permanently into the artifact from the maker. Maybe also Arda itself? However, what do you think of the point that the Noldorian craft coveys some principle of Feanor into one more characteristic of the Ring, thereby, driving the wearer to be obsessive and obstinate? I never thought of that before your video essay!
Was it mercy and pity that destroyed the ring or was it evil that destroyed itself. Frodo channeled sauron and cursed golem saying that he would be cast into fire. Then golem slipped. Sauron destroyed the ring
So the seat of seeing is magical similar to the palantir, and with the one ring augmenting it's magic (maiar powers unfettered) it became a proto palantir unconnected to them. Yet it almost revealed Frodo to Sauron. Here's a theory, what if someone like gandalf (either gray or white), Elrond, Galadriel, or glorfindel undominated by the ring had done so to see the happenings of Sauron/Saruman?
I've got a question about the One Ring.. Have you come across any indication of who wrote the Ring verse poem in universe? Part of it was inscribed on the One Ring by Sauron himself. Gandalf quotes it. In BOFA Galadriel finishes the next line when the Nazgul taunt her by reciting the first few verses My guess would be Sauron.. Though if Sauron did create the entire verse himself how would it be so well known amongst the free people of Middle-Earth? We hear it spoken in the Black Speech a few times, by Sauron and the Witch King of Agmar.. even by Gandalf in Imladris. I don't recall seeing anything written by Tolkien himself though. And of course the inscription on the Ring itself is Elvish. Have you come across anything on this before?
They would not take it, for they would not be burdened with a task that was appointed to those who lived in Middle-Earth. The Elves explicitly states this during the Council of Elrond.
Gollum wasn't a hobbit. Just hobbit like. Otherwise heaps of stuff I didn't know. Really well done and informative and I love that you don't "yell" at us. Wonderful thank you!
Thanks! Gollum was a Stoor, you are correct, however; Tolkien often mentions Frodo, Sam and Gollum as "the Hobbits" if you look very closely in the books. Its basically the same :)
This video did bring up a two questions that I never thought of. Why didn't the ringwraiths/nazgul go after Gollum and Bilbao when they used the ring? Were they too weak at the time or were they too busy with other things to pay attention?
Only hobbits disappear while using it. The ring amplifies one's own strengths and desires. Hobbits are great at being stealthy, hence why Bilbo was selected to be a thief in the Hobbit book.
No, all mortal beings disappear. Men too, but perhaps not elves that have been in the utmost west, for they live in both the seen and unseen simultaneously
@@RebootedGaming It's correct that it amplifies one's ability and turn it to evil, but if you read the unfinished tales, it's mentioned that Isildur becomes invisible upon using the One Ring.
At one point Saruman refers to hiimself as "ring maker".... and nothing is ever made of this... though it does seem that Saruman had a special ability of persuasive poison or something in his words.... perhaps from the effects of the ring he made?
His authority was granted to him as one of the istari. We know that his ring was largely unsuccessful due to Tolkien's description in the introduction of the Lord of the Rings. He there mentions that Saruman would have found his missing ring lore in Mordor, meaning he did not have the knowledge simply.
The One Ring was the lich king's phalicary. The ring housed the sile of the lich king. The rings power insured the owner would not destroy it and use it. This way Saron would know where the ring is. Destroy the ring destroy the king.
Lore of Middle-Earth A Phylactery is, to put it simply, a vessel that liches put their soul into, wether in pieces or as a whole. The existence of this Phylactery prevents the death of their physical body, or their permanent death, anyways. This side-stepping of death allows a lich to amass power over longer periods of time than would be possible if they were still mortals. The Phylactery has one flaw, though. They can easily be destroyed, destroying the lich they belong to as well. I can definitely see the parallel to Sauron.
Some wonder if the ring was sentient. I doubt it. It was infused by Sauron with his malice and hatred, and it was forever linked to him. This is why no other could wield the ring without being corrupted by it (well, Tom could). So, why didn’t it corrupt Bilbo until the LoTR trilogy? Sauron was banished and needed time to renter the world...needing his ring at the end to complete his return. So, the ring had no imperative to be found until Sauron was close to returning. It would be like comparing a VI to an AI. A VI appears to be intelligent and self aware, but it’s a product of its programming which it can’t exceed. A true AI can act in its own will and interests. The One Ring seems to be able to take action to the sole goal of reunification with Sauron...and self preservation of the ring itself. That’s why none could cast it into Mount Doom but rather it was cast in by accident during the struggle at the end.
Father: "So the Prince put the glass slipper on Cinderella's foot and it fit perfectly." Daughter: "Why didn't the slipper change back into whatever it originally was, like the coach into the pumpkin?" Father: "Well...then the story doesn't work. Now shut up and go to sleep!" If Sauron had the One Ring in his possession when he surrendered to the armies of Numenor, then why didn't they just take it from him and destroy it? Why wasn't it destroyed when Numenor was swallowed by the sea? The problem Tolkien had, was that he had painted himself into a corner. When asked, he replied in his letters that the OR followed Sauron't spirit back to Mordor. That he decided this is a fact. This also doesn't make any sense. So, the history of the OR has a caveat. Either it was hidden within the depths of Barad-dûr until Sauron returned from exile, or we accept the Glass Slipper Paradox.
His big out is he always (quite sincerely and ingeniously, if eccentrically) imagined himself as a reconstructor, adapter, translator of lost myth, not a conventional modern author per se. An inconsistency here or there could easily be explained as a fault of his 'sources.'
I never saw in the Letters that Tolkien said that! If he did, it must have been old age talking (like some of the other retcons he made later in life) In the Silmarillion, it specifically states after the downfall of Numenor that his spirit fled back to Mordor and he took up the One Ring once again.(pg 336 HarperCollins paperback edition) Sauron was smart enough and Ar-Pharazôn was already corrupt enough (as was most of Numenorean society) to not require the Ring to play on his pride and fear of death to convince him to build his great armament to try and take the land of immortality away from the Valar.
If Sauron poured much of his power into the ring, thereby diminishing his power (which was now contained in the ring), why wouldn't his level of power actually be the SAME, given that he wore a ring containing merely the power he lost into it?
Maybe this is a minor detail, but the elves didnt just take off their rings to avoid sauron's influence, they actually were able to break their connections to the one ring, and use their power to protect them from sauron. elrond and galadrial wore 2 of them, and used them to protect lothlorien and rivendell from sauron's forces, and the third, the ring of fire, originally worn by cirdan the shipright, was worn by gandalf, who not only used to to help fight sauron, but used it against the balrog to protect from his fire. i believe all 3 eventually ended up in the undying lands when their respective owners journeyed there.
They took of their Rings as long as Sauron had the one. That's why Galadriel mentions that if the One Ring is retrieved by Sauron, the power of the Elven Rings would be known to Sauron.
@@LoreOfTheRingsYT Oh thats right, its not that they broke the connection, its that he never touched them in the first place. he gave instructions to the elvish crafters for how to make them, but he wasnt able to directly corrupt them, so while they are connected to the one ring, they are safe to wear when sauron isnt wearing the one ring.
@@Swiftbow true, yet in the movie it seemed as if they held back from stabbing blindly where he layed and tried to just take the ring. When he opposed he got stabbed. This may be just actors or the way the scene was shot.
I don't think the one ring makes you invisible , unless your a hobbit , even gollum was a hobbit-like race. If a man wears it they become mighty warriors, wizards become darklords/ladies , it amplifies whatever power you have. I disagree that you say it grants no power , Galadriel said she'd become dark and terrifying , Gandalf also refused it's power , knowing it would corrupt him , so it does grant power , just twisted/evil side-effects and can't be used against Sauron.
