Rings of Power
Rings of Power | |
---|---|
First appearance | The Hobbit (1937: a magical ring) The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955: Rings of Power) |
Created by | J. R. R. Tolkien |
Genre | Fantasy |
In-universe information | |
Type | Magical rings |
The Rings of Power are
Proposed sources of inspiration for the Rings of Power range from Germanic legend with the ring Andvaranaut and eventually Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, to fairy tales such as Snow White, which features both a magic ring and seven dwarfs. One experience that may have been pivotal was Tolkien's professional work on a Latin inscription at the temple of Nodens; he was a god-hero linked to the Irish hero Nuada Airgetlám, whose epithet is "Silver-Hand", or in Elvish "Celebrimbor", the name of the Elven-smith who made the Rings of Power. The inscription contained a curse upon a ring, and the site was called Dwarf's Hill.
The Rings of Power have been described as symbolising the way that power conflicts with moral behaviour; Tolkien explores the way that different characters, from the humble gardener
Fictional history
"But wherefore should
Eressëa, nay even as Valinor? And since you have not returned thither, as you might, I perceive that you love this Middle-earth, as do I. Is it not then our task to labour together for its enrichment, and for the raising of all the Elven-kindreds that wander here untaught to the height of that power and knowledge which those have who are beyond the Sea?"
—
The Rings of Power were forged by the
When the One Ring was made using the Black Speech, the Elves immediately became aware of Sauron's true motive to control the other Rings.[T 2] When Sauron set the completed One Ring upon his finger, the Elves quickly hid their rings.[T 2] Celebrimbor entrusted one of the Three to Galadriel and sent the other Two to Gil-galad and Círdan.[T 3][T 4] In an attempt to seize all the Rings of Power for himself, Sauron waged an assault upon the Elves.[T 2] He destroyed Eregion and captured the Nine. Under torture, Celebrimbor revealed where the Seven were, but refused to reveal the Three.[T 5]
Toward the end of the Second Age, the Númenóreans took Sauron prisoner.
During the Third Age, the One Ring is discovered by
Description
Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for theDwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for MortalMendoomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne;
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, one Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them;
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
—
As observed by Saruman, each Ring of Power was adorned with its "proper gem", except for the One Ring, which was unadorned.[T 7]
The One
Unlike the other great rings, the One was created as an unadorned gold band similar in appearance to the lesser rings, though it bore Sauron's incantation, the Ring Verse, in the Black Speech; it became visible only when heated, whether by fire or by Sauron's hand.[T 6] As the other Rings were made under the influence of Sauron, the power of all the Rings depended on the One Ring's survival.[2][T 9] To make the One Ring, Sauron had to put almost all his power into it—when worn, it enhanced his power; unworn, it remained aligned to him unless another seized it and took control of it.[T 10] A prospective possessor could, if sufficiently strong, overthrow Sauron and usurp his place; but they would become as evil as he.[T 10] As the One was made in the fires of Mount Doom, it could only be unmade there.[T 7] Sauron, being evil, never imagined that anyone might try to destroy the One Ring, as he imagined that anyone bearing it would be corrupted by it.[T 10]
The Three
Named for the three elements of fire, water, and air, the Three were the last to be made before Sauron's solo creation of the One. Although Celebrimbor forged the Three Rings alone in Eregion, they were moulded by Sauron's craft and were bound to the One.[T 1] Only after Sauron's defeat, when the One Ring was cut from his finger at the end of the Second Age, did the Elves begin to actively use the Three to ward off the decay brought by time. Even then, the Rings could be worn without being seen.[T 2] After the One Ring, they are the most powerful of the twenty Rings of Power.[T 11] They are:
- Narya (the Ring of Fire, the Red Ring), from
- Nenya (the Ring of Water, the White Ring, the Ring of Adamant), from Quenya nén, "water",[T 13] was made of mithril and set with a "shimmering white stone". Galadriel used it to protect and preserve the realm of Lothlórien.[T 2] "Adamant" means both a type of stone, usually a diamond, and "stubbornly resolute", a description that equally well suits the quality of Galadriel's resistance to Sauron.[3]
- Vilya (the Ring of Air, the Blue Ring), from Quenya vilya, "air",[T 14] was the mightiest of the Three. It was made of gold and set with a sapphire. Elrond inherited Vilya from Gil-galad and used it to safeguard Rivendell.[T 2]
The Seven
Sauron recovered the Seven Rings from information provided by Celebrimbor, and gave them to the leaders of the seven kindreds of the Dwarves: Durin's Folk (Longbeards), Firebeards, Broadbeams, Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots,
The Nine
Sauron gave Nine of the Rings of Power to leaders of Men, who became "mighty in their day, kings, sorcerers, and warriors of old". They gained unending lifespans, and the ability to see things in worlds invisible to mortal Men.[T 2] One by one, the Men fell to the power of the One Ring; by the end of the Second Age, all nine had become invisible ring-wraiths – the Nazgûl, Sauron's most terrible servants. In particular, they helped him search for the One Ring, to which they were powerfully attracted.[T 16]
Powers
Type of Ring | Powers granted | Effects on bearer |
---|---|---|
Ruling Ring | Invisibility, extended lifespan, control, knowledge of all other Rings | Corruption to evil |
Elven-Rings |
To heal and preserve | Nostalgia, procrastination |
Dwarf-Rings | To gain wealth | Greed, anger |
Rings for Men | Invisibility, extended lifespan, terror | Enslavement, fading to permanent invisibility |
The Rings of Power were made using the craft taught by Sauron to give their wearers "wealth and dominion over others". Each Ring enhances the "natural power" of its possessor, thus approaching its "magical aspect", which can be "easily corruptible to evil and lust of domination".[T 17] Gandalf explains that a Ring of Power is self-serving and can "look after itself": the One Ring, in particular, can "slip off treacherously" to return to its master Sauron, betraying its bearer when an opportunity arrives.[T 6] As the Ruling Ring, the One enables a sufficiently powerful bearer to perceive what is done using the other rings and to govern the thoughts of their bearers.[T 2] To use the One Ring to its full extent, the bearer needs to be strong and train their will to the domination of others.[T 18]
A mortal Man or Hobbit who takes possession of a Ring of Power can manifest its power, becoming invisible and able to see things that are normally invisible, as the bearer is partly transported into the spirit world.[T 6][5][T 17] However, they also "fade"; the Rings unnaturally extend their life-spans, but gradually transform them into permanently invisible wraiths.[T 19][T 6][T 20] The Rings affect other beings differently. The Seven are used by their Dwarven bearers to increase their treasure hoards, but they do not gain invisibility, and Sauron was unable to bend the Dwarves to his will, instead only amplifying their greed and anger.[T 2] Tom Bombadil, the only person unaffected by the power of the One Ring, could both see its wearer and remained visible when he wore it.[T 21]
Unlike the other Rings, the main purpose of the Three is to "heal and preserve", as when Galadriel used Nenya to preserve her realm of Lothlórien over long periods.[1] The Elves made the Three Rings to try to halt the passage of time, or as Tolkien had Elrond say, "to preserve all things unstained". This was seen most clearly in Lothlórien, which was free of both evil and the passage of time.[6][7] The Three do not make their wearers invisible.[T 18] The Three had other powers: Narya could rekindle hearts with its fire and inspire others to resist tyranny, domination, and despair; Nenya had a secret power in its water that protected from evil; while Vilya healed and preserved wisdom in its element of air.[T 2]
Analysis
Plot device to core element
The One Ring first appeared in Tolkien's
Tolkien's conception of Ring-lore was closely linked to his development of the One Ring.
Jason Fisher, writing in Tolkien Studies, notes that Tolkien developed the names, descriptions and powers of the Three Rings late and slowly through many drafts of his narratives. In Fisher's view, Tolkien found it difficult to work these Rings both into the existing story of the One Ring, and into the enormous but Ring-free Legendarium.[13] Some of the descriptions, such as that Vilya was the mightiest of the Three, and that Narya was called "The Great", were added at the galley proof stage, just before printing.[13][14] The Rings had earlier been named Kemen, Ëar, and Menel, meaning the Rings of Earth, Sea, and Heaven.[15]
According to Johann Köberl, Tolkien struggled with the notion of a "special status" for the Elven-Rings, and considered having The Three set free when the One Ring was destroyed. In the published The Lord of the Rings, Gil-galad received only Vilya, while Círdan was the direct recipient of Narya from Celebrimbor.
Tolkien noted in his letters that the primary power of the Three was to "the prevention and slowing of decay", which appealed to the Elves in their pursuit of preserving what they loved in Middle-earth.
Inspiration
The Tolkien scholar
Magical rings occur in classical legend, in the form of Plato's Ring of Gyges which grants the power of invisibility to its wearer, though there is no suggestion that this influenced Tolkien.[21] He was certainly influenced, however, by the Germanic legend: Andvaranaut is a magical ring that can give its wielder wealth, while Draupnir is a self-multiplying ring that holds dominion over all the rings it creates. Richard Wagner's opera series Der Ring des Nibelungen adapted Norse mythology to provide a magical but cursed golden ring.[22] Tolkien denied any connection, but scholars agreed that Wagner's Ring powerfully influenced Tolkien.[23] The scholar of religion Stefan Arvidsson writes that Tolkien's ring differs from Wagner's in being concerned with power for its own sake and that he turned one ring into many, an echo of the self-multiplying ring.[23]
"Magic rings are a frequent motif in
Power and morality
According to the scholars of philosophy Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson, the Rings of Power can be seen as a modern representation of the relationship between power and morality, it portrays an idea that "absolute power is in conflict with behaviour that respects the wishes and needs of others".[5] They also observed that several of Tolkien's characters have responded in different ways when faced with the possibility of possessing the One Ring—characters such as Samwise Gamgee and Galadriel have rejected it; Boromir and Gollum, were seduced by its power; and Frodo Baggins, though in limited use, ultimately succumbs to it; while Tom Bombadil can transcend its power entirely.[5] They also noted that for Tolkien, the crucial moment of each character in the story is the moment in which they are tempted to use a Ring, a choice that will determine their fate.[27] The science fiction author Isaac Asimov described the Rings of Power as symbols of industrial technology.[28][29] While Tolkien denied that The Lord of the Rings was an allegory, he stated that it could be applied to situations and described it as an examination of "placing power in external objects".[1]
Catholicism
Gwyneth Hood, writing in
In adaptations
The forging of the Rings of Power opens the prologue of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film series in the 2001 The Fellowship of the Ring. The Three Elven Rings are shown being cast using a cuttlebone mould, an ancient casting technique. These were given to Gil-galad (portrayed by Mark Ferguson), Círdan (Michael Elsworth), and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett).[33] The Tolkien illustrator Alan Lee, employed as a conceptual designer for the films, had a cameo as one of the nine human Ring-bearers who later became the Nazgûl. Sauron (Sala Baker) is seen forging the One Ring at the chamber of Mount Doom.[34] The One Ring was shown to have the ability to adjust in size to the finger of its wearer, such as when it became smaller to fit Isildur (Harry Sinclair). In the extended version, Galadriel properly introduces Nenya, the Ring of Adamant, to Frodo. In the concluding film, The Return of the King (2003), the final wearers of the Three Rings—Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Elrond (Hugo Weaving), and Galadriel, appear openly at the Grey Havens wearing the Three, with Galadriel proclaiming the end of its power and the beginning of the Dominion of Men.[35]
Four Rings of Power appeared in Jackson's The Hobbit film series. In An Unexpected Journey (2012), the One Ring was found by Bilbo Baggins (portrayed by Martin Freeman).[36] In the extended version of the succeeding film The Desolation of Smaug (2013), Gandalf discovers that Sauron took the Ring of Thrór (a Dwarf-Lord) from Thráin (Antony Sher), who revealed in a flashback scene his possession of the Ring during a siege of Moria.[37] In the concluding film The Battle of the Five Armies (2014), Galadriel (Blanchett) reveals Nenya in rescuing Gandalf (McKellen) from Sauron (Benedict Cumberbatch), aided by Saruman (Christopher Lee) and Elrond (Weaving), who is wearing Vilya, the Ring of Air.[38]
In the 2014 video game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, the wraith-like spirit of Celebrimbor (fused with the body of the Ranger Talion) recalls how Sauron had deceived him into forging the Rings of Power.[39] In the sequel, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Celebrimbor forges a new Ring of Power unsullied by Sauron's influence.[40]
The 2022 television series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power depicts the forging of the Rings of Power.[41]
See also
- The Palantírs – indestructible crystal stones that enable their users to communicate with users of the other stones
- The Silmarils – three jewels containing the light of the Two Trees of Valinor and the chief objects of The Silmarillion
References
Primary
- ^ a b c d e f Tolkien 1980, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn"
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Tolkien 1977, p. 298, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"
- ^ Tolkien 1955, Appendix B: "The Third Age"
- ^ a b c Tolkien 1980, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn": The original published edition of The Lord of the Rings states that Gil-galad and Círdan each received a Ring of Power, though in his subsequent works Gil-galad received both and later gave one to Círdan.
- ^ Tolkien 1980, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn": Christopher Tolkien notes that though it is implied that Sauron had taken possession of the Seven, there is no text detailing how those came into possession of the Dwarves, and the Dwarves of Moria maintained that their ring had come directly from Celebrimbor.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Tolkien 1954a, book 1, ch. 2 "The Shadow of the Past"
- ^ a b c d e Tolkien 1954a, book 2, ch. 2 "The Council of Elrond"
- ^ Tolkien 1937, ch. 5 "Riddles in the Dark"
- ^ a b Tolkien 1955, book 6, ch. 9 "The Grey Havens"
- ^ a b c Carpenter 2023, Letter #131 to Milton Waldman, late 1951
- ^ Tolkien (1977), "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age": "Now these were the Three that had last been made, and they possessed the greatest powers"
- ^ Tolkien (1987), entry "nar"
- ^ Tolkien (1987), entry "nen"
- ^ Tolkien (1955), "Writing", "The Fëanorian Letters"
- ^ Tolkien 1955, Appendix A: III. "Durin's Folk"
- ^ Tolkien 1955, Appendix B "The Tale of Years"
- ^ a b Carpenter 2023, Letter #121 to Allen & Unwin, 13 July 1949
- ^ a b c Tolkien 1954a, book 2, ch. 7 "The Mirror of Galadriel"
- ^ Tolkien 1988, p. 78, "Of Gollum and the Ring"
- ^ Tolkien 1954a, book 2, ch. 1 "Many Meetings"
- ^ Tolkien 1954a, book 1, ch. 7 "In the House of Tom Bombadil"
- ^ Carpenter 2023, Letter #19 to Stanley Unwin, 16 December 1937
- ^ Carpenter 2023, Letter #21 to Allen & Unwin, 1 February 1938
- ^ Tolkien 1937: In the first published edition of The Hobbit, Gollum is portrayed as less obsessed with the One Ring, even offering it as a prize to Bilbo Baggins.
- ^ Tolkien 1989, p. 155
- ^ Tolkien 1989, p. 255
- ^ Tolkien 1988, ch. 3 "Of Gollum and the Ring"
- ^ Tolkien 1989, chs. 6, 7 "The Council of Elrond" (parts 1 & 2)
- ^ a b Tolkien (1980), The History of Galadriel and Celeborn
- ^ Carpenter 2023, Letter #121 to Allen & Unwin, 13 July 1949
- ^ Carpenter 2023, Letter #154 to Naomi Mitchison, 25 September 1954
- ^ Carpenter 2023, Letter #131 to Milton Waldman, late 1951
- ^ Tolkien, J. R. R., "The Name Nodens", Appendix to "Report on the excavation of the prehistoric, Roman and post-Roman site in Lydney Park, Gloucestershire", Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London, 1932; also in Tolkien Studies: An Annual Scholarly Review, Vol. 4, 2007
Secondary
- ^ a b c d e Bassham & Bronson 2013, pp. 23–25.
- ^ a b Drout 2006, p. 573.
- ^ Hammond & Scull 2005, p. 324.
- ^ Strachan & Moseley 2017, p. 62.
- ^ a b c Bassham & Bronson 2013, p. 6-7
- ^ Aldrich, Kevin (1988). "The Sense of Time in J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'". Mythlore. 15 (1). article 1.
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- ^ Köberl 2006, p. 4.
- ^ Köberl 2006, p. 1.
- ^ Rérolle 2012.
- ^ Drout 2006, p. 572.
- ^ a b c d Köberl 2006, p. 16
- ^ S2CID 171012566.
- ^ Hammond & Scull 2005, pp. 670–676.
- ^ Hammond & Scull 2005, pp. 670–671.
- ISBN 978-0-415-86511-1.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-415-86511-1.
- ^ Lyons 2004, p. 63.
- Amon Hen: The Bulletin of the Tolkien Society (145): 13–14.
- ^ Bowers 2019, pp. 131–132.
- ^ Radeska, Tijana (28 February 2018). "The idea of "the Ring" existed centuries before Tolkien's epic saga". The Vintage News.
- ^ Simek 2005, pp. 165, 173
- ^ .
- ^ Rawls, Melanie (1984). "The Rings of Power". Mythlore. 11 (2). Article 5.
- ^ White, Jeannette (20 February 2021). "Are Lord of the Rings and Disney's Snow White Part of the Same Universe?". CBR. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ Grundhauser, Eric (25 April 2017). "The Movie Date That Solidified J.R.R. Tolkien's Dislike of Walt Disney". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ Bassham & Bronson 2013, p. 10.
- ^ Asimov 1996, p. 155, Concerning Tolkien.
- ^ Bassham & Bronson 2013, p. 21.
- ^ a b c Hood, Gwyneth (1993). "Nature and Technology: Angelic and Sacrificial Strategies in Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'". Mythlore. 19 (4). article 2.
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- ^ Gilkeson 2018.
- ^ Pak, Jaron (24 July 2019). "The most powerful elves in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings". Looper.com. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ "Interview: December 16, 2005". The Book Report, Inc. 16 December 2005. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ Elvy, Craig (8 November 2019). "Lord Of The Rings: What Happened To The OTHER Rings Of Power". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- CraveOnline. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- TheOneRing.net. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ Nuwer, Rachel (19 December 2014). "The Tolkien Nerd's Guide to "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ Beck, Kellen (9 June 2017). "There's a new ring of power in Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' universe". Mashable. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ Kain, Erik (27 February 2017). "New Ring Of Power Probably A Bad Idea In 'Middle-earth: Shadow of War'". Forbes. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ Joe Otterson (19 January 2022). "'Lord of the Rings' Amazon Series Reveals Full Title in New Video". Variety.
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