THE RING and corruption

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

Perhaps it has more to do with the person's character.

I believe it can, however, I believe it has more to do with knowledge.

Frodo, Aragorn, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, etc.

All of those you mentioned had been informed about the ring and had knowledge that it was eveil and should not be touched or put on. With the hobbits, they were Frodo's friend, and I don't thnk that they would take it from him or kill him for it. Hobbits are a simple folk, and I think that has something to do with it. Aragorn was no ordinary man, he was a king and I'm sure he had some knowledge of the ring. Gandalf knew much about it and he was very wise and cautious. So I think that's why they did not touch it or desire it (who knows, maybe they did). But as for Smeagol, he had absolutely no knowledge of what the ring was. And Bilbo too, he just picked it up by chance (or maybe the ring had something to do with it, I often wonder). Boromir heard about the ring. When he did, I think he was first told of the great power it had, not he cautious info that Gandalf would have given. So, he already wanted it before he knew what the dangers of it were. And when he did, he refused to acknowledge them. He was overly concerned with defending Gondor, and so that helped with the ring growing on him. Saruman was concerned with the power. I think it was the same with Boromir, but I don't think that he would use it to defend anyone, and besides, he never really understood how dangerous it was. I think he and Boromir were too ignorant. And I think that the ring can also bring out and use other negative qualities to corrupt. Desire could be considered a negative quality, especially if you look at it as lust.