The effect of the Ring

[Meriadoc1961]

Knowledge, I agree, plays a part, but what I believe was the most important factor is the heart of the individual. Take the cases of Smeagol and Bilbo: Smeagol already had an evil heart, and he saw the ring and used it as an opportunity to murder his friend, Deagol. Frodo found the ring, discovered that it held some power for it made him invisible, and yet of his own free will he discarded the option of killing Smeagol, a creature who at that moment was his enemy, and bent on killing him, and yet Frodo chose to spare his life.

Merry