The Eye: what was it?

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That's an interesting reading, Fordim. A bit obvious, only.

It could also be that the character Sauron is part of a prophetic vision Tolkien had regarding the rise of the heretic Rastafarian movement in Jamaica. Sauron is the mystic union of Eye & I, and is worshipped by his followers like a living God on earth, just like Haile Selassie. Think about it!

Originally Posted by Boro

Capitalization of "the Eye" being perhaps the most important thing, because capitalizing denotes a specific person or place. Like Saruman referring to Sauron as "that Power." If Saruman was talking about the random idea of accumulating power, it would not be capitalized. Since it is, Saruman is talking about joining Sauron, Sauron being "that Power." Or it is like when Gandalf in The Shire uses "Ring-maker." Yet again the capitalization means Gandalf is referring to a specific person, and yet again this "Ring-maker" is Sauron.

The capitalized Eye, therefor is referring to not a spot-light on-top of a tower, but Sauron himself.

Was just about to point out in triumph that the e isn't in fact capitalized in the Mount Doom quote, but checking the book I realised that I'd made a typing mistake, and that it really was. Blasted!

Plus Frodo wasn't looking at the top of Barad-dur at all, it was through some great unknown window, that is where Frodo gets the red flicker of a piercing Eye.

When I checked the passage again I learned a few things that I missed last time round. Firstly, Frodo did see the top of Barad-Dûr.

Originally Posted by LorR; Mount Doom

...and then he saw ... the cruel pinnacles and iron crown of the topmost tower of Barad-Dûr

Also there is apparently a window up there, since the dark entrance into Mount Doom is described (by the Author) as "gazing straight back to the Window of the Eye in Sauron's shadow-mantled fortress."

A curious thing though is that when Frodo and Sam get a glimpse of the Dark Tower they should be looking straight at the Window of the Eye, since they are close to the entrance it is facing, but The Eye is then turned North, towards Morannon, and since Mount Doom is North-West of Barad-Dûr, they can't see the window directly, it is behind the Tower from their direction. Apparently the Eye is gazing out of not the Window of the Eye, but out of another less renowned window.

Unless the Window of the Eye can actually revolve.