Yes, just to add, that in the mythology of the books, he made the one ring in secret, to control all the other rings except those created by the Elves. Nobody knew that until he revealed it.
And - he put a lot of his former power into the ring when he forged it.
So the reason the ring is so powerful is because it is, in part, Sauron himself. In a way, Frodo is wearing a part of Sauron as a ring. It is no wonder it is so perilous to wear it.
That also surely is why he was so aware of Frodo when he put on the ring even many leagues away from the dark tower.
As Ani Ravi already said, Gandalf makes the situation clear here:
So that's why you can't think of Frodo as really the "Lord of the Rings", no matter how long he "owned" the ring. It only accepted Sauron himself as its master, ultimately.
If other characters were to attempt to control the ring, in a way they are attempting to control part of Sauron. Which would work for a while - but eventually even those with the purest hearts, even Galadriel, for instance, would succumb to its call.
The only one in the book who would not succumb and who the ring has no power over, is Tom Bombadil. But for him it is just a bauble, of no great significance, and he would have no interest in controlling it either. Would just lose it chances are, forget all about it.
So that's why even Gandalf didn't want to try to own or control it. And why the council decided that the only way forward was to destroy it.
But at the same time there is something else going on. Gollum lost the ring only to have it picked up by Bilbo, the most unlikely character. So - though there was something that pulled it towards the dark lord, obviously there is something else operating as well.
So what was that "something else"?
I'd be interested if any Tolkien experts here like to say a bit more about what that was, that was operating - why it was not just pure Sauron's will, but that there was some other overall patterning of the events as well.
And - he put a lot of his former power into the ring when he forged it.
See: One Ring. The ring was forged by Sauron and as he forged it he permitted a lot of his former power to enter the ring.
So the reason the ring is so powerful is because it is, in part, Sauron himself. In a way, Frodo is wearing a part of Sauron as a ring. It is no wonder it is so perilous to wear it.
That also surely is why he was so aware of Frodo when he put on the ring even many leagues away from the dark tower.
As Ani Ravi already said, Gandalf makes the situation clear here:
"Hush!" said Gandalf from the shadows at the back of the porch. "Evil things do not come into this valley; but all the same we should not name them. The Lord of the Ring is not Frodo, but the master of the Dark Tower of Mordor, whose power is again stretching out over the world!"
So that's why you can't think of Frodo as really the "Lord of the Rings", no matter how long he "owned" the ring. It only accepted Sauron himself as its master, ultimately.
If other characters were to attempt to control the ring, in a way they are attempting to control part of Sauron. Which would work for a while - but eventually even those with the purest hearts, even Galadriel, for instance, would succumb to its call.
The only one in the book who would not succumb and who the ring has no power over, is Tom Bombadil. But for him it is just a bauble, of no great significance, and he would have no interest in controlling it either. Would just lose it chances are, forget all about it.
So that's why even Gandalf didn't want to try to own or control it. And why the council decided that the only way forward was to destroy it.
But at the same time there is something else going on. Gollum lost the ring only to have it picked up by Bilbo, the most unlikely character. So - though there was something that pulled it towards the dark lord, obviously there is something else operating as well.
“The Ring was trying to get back to its master. It had slipped from Isildur's hand and betrayed him; then when a chance came it caught poor Déagol, and he was murdered; and after that Gollum, and it had devoured him. It could make no further use of him: he was too small and mean; and as long as it stayed with him he would never leave his deep pool again. So now, when its master was awake once more and sending out his dark thought from Mirkwood, it abandoned Gollum. Only to be picked up by the most unlikely person imaginable: Bilbo from the Shire!”
“...Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by its maker. In which case you also were meant to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought."
So what was that "something else"?
I'd be interested if any Tolkien experts here like to say a bit more about what that was, that was operating - why it was not just pure Sauron's will, but that there was some other overall patterning of the events as well.
About the Author
Robert Walker
Writer of articles on Mars and Space issues - Software Developer of Tune Smithy, Bounce Metronome etc.Studied at Wolfson College, Oxford
Lives in Isle of Mull
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