Something I've never quite understood... (Why a Ring?)

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Sauron made the One Ring to rule the other Rings of Power: you need a Ring to rule the Rings? This makes an odd kind of sense to me -- his own innate power had not worked, he had been unable to subdue Middle-Earth on at least two occaisions, so the only recourse was to take the gamble of depending upon a new kind of 'technology'; his power couldn't be imposed on others, so he develope a cunning way to have his power be accepted by those he could seduce. He had to give some of himself (his evil) to bind others to him -- just like people in love have to give of themselves to bind themselves together.

As to the Nazgul and their Rings, by the time of the War of the Ring, the no longer wore their Rings -- if they did, then when their bodies were destroyed by Elrond and Gandalf at the Fords of Bruinen then they would have lost their Rings and been either freed of fully dead. I think that the final result of having become a Wraith is that the 'technology' of the Ring was no longer needed in direct application -- like with Gollum, even after he lost the Ring it still exercised total control of him.

[Voralphion]

Furthermore, why tie your life-force to something physical at all? Why not ferret it away on the astral plane or somewhere else safe?

Sauron had to put his power into the ring so he could control the others. His ring had to be more powerful than the others so only his direct physical power would be enough in order to be more powerful than the elven rings

[Rilwen Gamgee]

One possible reason that Tolkien used the One Ring as a main source of power is he was trying to emphasize the point that Sauron had almost all of Middle-earth at his disposal: right at his fingertips. This sort of power probably coudn't have been explained the same way if the weapon was, say, a frying pan (or a sword).

[dancing spawn of ungoliant]

One reason for using a ring could be that rings possessed at that time (I think) a certain value. They told the family the ring's bearer belonged, great lords had rings as a sign of their social status and they were beautiful things. Or that could be one explanation, why they made the nine, the seven and the three rings. Then Sauron made, as he was mocking all other ring bearers, a master ring.

[Orofaniel]

One possible reason that Tolkien used the One Ring as a main source of power is he was trying to emphasize the point that Sauron had almost all of Middle-earth at his disposal: right at his fingertips. This sort of power probably coudn't have been explained the same way if the weapon was, say, a frying pan (or a sword).

Just a comment on this one; There are probably many reasons why Tolkien sued “a Ring”. I do think however that he was inspired by Norse Mythology, which many have said before me. Rings are in Norse mythology a sign of power and fortune/wealth. Sauron's Ring was definitely a powerful Ring.( )

I have a couple of very interesting examples that'll bind the tales about Rings in Norse mythology together with LotR, but I'm afraid I'll turn this topic away from it originally theme.

[Lathriel]

I see a ring as a symbol of something precious and something that can't be lost that easily because Sauron wore it like a wedding ring which you never ever take off. Also if this was kind of like a wedding ring you could say that with his ring he was bound to his power as a husband is bound to his wife.

Maybe that is reaching a little far but I thought it was an interesting thought.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

This is an interesting question, which I hope will generate some good discussion! Those who read here might also want to go back to previous old threads on this topic: Why a Ring?(1) and Why a Ring?(2). For an interesting and amusing thread on the aspect of the ring as a 'wife', check out The One Ring?. Enjoy!