Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
So, does the ring always corrupt in a dark lord sort of way, or is Overtaxed more correct when she said that it corrupts according to one's ambition.
Yes, of all those who came in range of the Ring only the Great Powers, Gandalf, Galadriel, and possibly Elrond, could have mastered it and become another Sauron, but all three had the ability to refuse it. I disagree that Aragorn could have mastered it, the palantir was an instrument, but the Ring, as has been said, was associated with Sauron, and only the Great Ones could have gained and kept control of it.
By the way, I'm doing the Smeagol Victory Dance - I got 700!
Now, I don't know what would have happened if you gave the ring to Paladin, Thain of the Shire. A Took as a dark lord? Hmmmm....
Congratulations, who do you suppose will get #4100 this time? For that matter who got it last time? My guess is that it will happen in the second half of April!!
How can you not love the little guy? I mean, he had in his possession something that would make him master of the universe... and all he wants is some fish. Fresh fish... BTW don't you just love his song in The Two Towers. Fish... the ultimate drug.
Didn't Gandalf eventually decide that it was a higher power, and not just his liking for them, that brought him to associate with the Hobbits, because their simplicity and lack of ambition made them the only possibility on Middle Earth to dispose of the Ring. We know what would have happened if a man, elf, or Wizard had gotten their hands on it, and the dwarves would have used it to get all of the precious metals and jewels on earth into their possession.
I'm not sure how much of the ring's will was the ring's and how much was Sauron's. If Aragorn had the ring, would the ring's will be that of Sauron, Aragorn, or would it just weaken and all "wills" are belong to the current master. As long as the ring existed, Sauron would be lurking around somewhere. About the only thing I'm sure of is that if Aragorn had the ring, he also had the strength to become The Dark Lord of Middle Earth.
I think the ring represents power and the absolute corruption of absolute power. Souron was evil to begin with thus he embued the ring with evil in it's creation.
It appears that the ones he most feared using it were first Elrond and Galadriel (Elves) then Sarouman and Gandalf (Wizards) and finally Aragorn, Denethor, Boramir and Faramir (Nemenorian blood line). The Elves and Wizards could perhaps have supplanted him but would have eventually become as evil as he; and they knew it. That is why Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf refused to take it up.
Sarouman by that time, had already been corrupted, knew what he would become and didn't care. Sauron already had a head start on Sauroman and Denethor and no doubt was confident he could wrest the ring from them and Boromir as well. Aragorn and Faramir would have given him some difficulty and cost him a great deal more in conquering all of Middle-Earth but would have eventually succombed.
The ring bearers, on the other hand, had no real appetite for power, and though somewhat resistant to that lure, nevertheless under his influence would simply have delivered it to him.
Anyway,,, that's my take on it,,, for what its worth.
The world would never know! :D
One of the reasons to force yourself to read the Silmarillion (it took me two or three tries myself) is to understand that even though LOTR does not mention God directly, the WOTR is just one more refrain in the Great Music of Illuvatar (God.) So, we can reasonably assume that Gandalf's association with Hobbits is not an accident. It is part of a greater plan, as Gandalf himself intimates about many things which happen in both "The Hobbit" and LOTR.
You mean, like if I declared myself Global Overlord, but just didn't bother to tell anyone about it?
OT, I'm going to work on the Green Dragon thing this afternoon, and I won't be around until after 8 eastern to talk - class tonight. I'll try to leave the chapter at the Yahoo thread if you want to look at it later.
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