Why take a body? Why make a Ring?

[The Saucepan Man]

Agree with all that is said about taking on a physical body to interact with the physical world. In most cases, the Ainur retained tha ability to abandon their earthly body and revert to their natural form. My understanding however is that, the more an Ainu indulged in taking on a physical form, the greater the likelihood that it would become permanent. This, I assume, is what happened to Sauron.

As for the One Ring, while its main purpose was to gain control (via the other Rings of Power) over the Free Peoples of Middle-earth (and particularly the Elves), it also, as Boro has indicated, made Sauron practically invulnerable. Having taken on a physical body, that body could not permanently be destroyed while the One Ring remained in existence (or, if it was, he was able subsequently to rehouse his spirit in another). And given that virtually no one could willingly destroy the One Ring or master it to the exclusion of Sauron, it made him more or less invincible.

But for two brave Hobbits and a wizened proto-Hobbit with dual-personality disorder ...

[Lalwendë]

SpM is onto something here, saying that while the One Ring existed, even if his physical body was destroyed, he could maintain his power, and tha chance of being 'rehoused'. Its a very old idea and occurs in folklore, how a spirit or soul may be confined within an object instead of a body. If you want another example then I'm sure a lot of you will have read the latest Harry Potter and learned how Voldemort has maintained a semblance of immortality by doing exactly that, by containing aspects of his soul/spirit within the Horcruxes.

I think Tolkien was working from an old idea that is still inspiring wrieters today. And if you think about it, it also makes a perfect literary device - trapping the soul/spirit within an object or objects might seem foolproof (and you can imagine our Dark lord laughing at his cunning plan and going "Mua-ha-ha" at his own cleverness), but like all 'bad guys', the act of doing this actually turns out to be a fatal flaw when the hero of the story comes along.

I wonder why Sauron chose to use a gold ring - not exactly unobtrusive is it? Especially with bling-hungry Hobbits around. Yes he also wanted to control the other rings, but he could have made the One an ugly ring - the kind that leaves a green stain on the finger! Maybe that reveals something about his vanity too?

I hope that makes sense, I'm not exactly lucid right now, as I'm running an horrific fever.

[littlemanpoet]

So Maiar (such as Sauron) want bodies (at least as clothing) in order to interact in (and/or control) a material world.

And Sauron wanted a Ring in order to control a certain collection of other Rings. He also knew that Ring would be virtually impossible for anyone to destroy. However, he never expected to be destroyed himself, and never expected the Ring to be destroyed. I think that that much can be read from Gandalf's words in the Council of Elrond and other parts of LotR. That is, Sauron's and the Ring's near-invincibility are at best by-products of its making. So if Sauron didn't make the Ring with great concern for his own and the Ring's destruction, then the remaining motivation was domination of Arda. Fair enough.

Why would these Maiar be so bent on affecting material Arda? I suppose the only answer provided from our vast resources of Tolkieniana, is pride, envy, ambition and all that for the evil Maiar, and love and its related virtues for the good Maiar.

It should be pointed out that the Ring is, unless heated, unobtrusive, though made of gold. So it appears unextraordinary.

I think Folwren's speculative answer bears some consideration as well.

And much thanks to Raynor for providing the background information from the various works.

The Ring served to focus Sauron's power in terms of the other rings, but not only. There seems to be some ability to affect others from great distances, such as whole armies. Did that come from the Ring, or just from Sauron's power? Was Sauron's native power increased by the fact of the Ring? That is, let's say Sauron = 7 and the Ring = 6; does it make sense within the way LotR was sub-created that Sauron increases, by virtue of the Ring, from a 7 to a 10? ...such that even while dispossessed of the Ring, he functions effectively as a 5 (instead of the expected 7-6=1)? (the numbers are of course arbitrary and meant strictly for illustration).

[doug*platypus]

Hello again littlemanpoet and Saucepan Man! It's been a long time since I posted on The Barrow Downs, but I remember you both fondly. Thanks, Raynor for providing those quotes!

I believe that the Valar and Maiar were fascinated with the Children of Ilúvatar and took bodies to interact with them more fully, and on a more personal level. That at least would explain why they took bodies after contact had been made by Oromë with the children. As for before that, the theory that has already been expounded as to wishing to exercise control over the physical matter of Arda seems sufficient.

Interesting that these demi-gods did not wish to remain aloof from the children, but sought a peaceful co-habitation in Valinor, at least with the Eldar. I think that they most likely also wished to experience all the sensations that the Eldar could. Why would anyone wish to have a physical rather than solely metaphysical embodiment? I'm talking about eating, drinking, perhaps also sports, and other pleasures of the flesh which I won't delve into further to avoid getting banned!

As for the reason behind the creation of a ring, I would guess that this was necessary in order to control the other Rings of Power. Like controls like, kind of thing. If you want to beat other cars in a race, you build a faster car, rather than an airplane. I think Sauron's main purpose in creating the One Ring was to exercise control over all that was created with the others, rather than simply to increase his own innate power. Surely it also would have pleased him to beat Celebrimbor at his own game. Sauron was, after all, of the Maiar of Aulë, and we may guess that he was a master craftsman in his own right. He would have taken great pride in his creation, and may have been the first being to call It preciouss?

[Raynor]

Was Sauron's native power increased by the fact of the Ring? That is, let's say Sauron = 7 and the Ring = 6; does it make sense within the way LotR was sub-created that Sauron increases, by virtue of the Ring, from a 7 to a 10? ...such that even while dispossessed of the Ring, he functions effectively as a 5 (instead of the expected 7-6=1)? (the numbers are of course arbitrary and meant strictly for illustration).?

To address both bolded issues, I think that Letter #131 comes in handy :

While he wore it, his power on earth was actually enhanced. But even if he did not wear it, that power existed and was in 'rapport' with himself: he was not 'diminished'.

this source also reinforces the previous argument various posters have made about Sauron's intent with the ring:

This was the essential weakness [the possessing of the ring by someone else] he had introduced into his situation in his effort (largely unsuccessful) to enslave the Elves, and in his desire to establish a control over the minds and wills of his servants.

Edit:
Concerning the statement in letter #131 that Sauron was not diminished without the ring, it seems to be at odds with LotR:

Originally Posted by Shadow of the past, FotR

This is the One Ring that he lost many ages ago, to the great weakening of his power.

unless the first quote means that the _potential_ power was not dimished.

[Lalwendë]

The Osanwe-kenta should illuminate a lot about this question. It has a long note about the wself-arraying of the Ainur, and the main point is that the longer one of them takes on a hroa, the more of a 'habit' this becomes:

if a "spirit" (that is, not one of those embodied by creation) uses a hroa for the furtherance of its own personal purposes, or (still more) for the enjoyment of bodily faculties, it finds itself increasingly difficult to operate without the hroa.

It also specifically mentions Melkor and his quest:

to become Lord of the Incarnate, and of the great evils that he did in the visible body. Also he had disspiated his native powers in the control of his agents and servants, so that he became in the end, in himself and without their support, a weakened thing, consumed by hate and unable to restore himself from the state into which he had fallen.....So it was also with even some of his greatest servants, as in these later days we see:they became wedded to the forms of their evild deeds, and if these bodies wree taken from them or destroyed, they were nullified, until they had rebuilt a semblance of their former habitations, with which they could continue the evil courses in which they had become fixed. (Pengolodh here evidently refers to Sauron in particular...)

And this also applies to Sauron. We know that Sauron created the Ring when he was still 'hale' in his hroa, even beautiful in the form of Annatar; it was much later that his bodily form was harmed and he had to lie in hiding while he regained his strength or hroa. It seems that Sauron may have watched what happened to Melkor and learned a lesson, so he attempted to put some of his power into the Ring in order to maintain it.

Originally Posted by lmp

It should be pointed out that the Ring is, unless heated, unobtrusive, though made of gold. So it appears unextraordinary.

I wouldn't call any gold ring 'unobtrusive' as if you saw one lying on the ground or indeed fished one out of a river, then you would take it. Had he made a brass curtain ring then I think it would have gone unnoticed! However the question remains as to whether he did want it to go unnoticed? Of course, Gold was the metal into which Melkor had infused his power.

The other point arising from the Osanwe-kenta is to do with why Sauron made the Ring, and more to the point, why he helped make the other Rings. From the Sil there is evidence that the three Elven Rings (made in secret) made their bearers able to 'perceive' the One Ring, and we must presume this worked the other way too:

As soon as Sauron set the One Ring upon his finger they were aware of him; and they knew him, and perceived that he would be the master of them, and of all that they wrought. Then in anger and fear they took off their rings.

So this reveals something of the relationship between the Rings, and Osanwe-kenta makes it fall into place as being linked to sanwe. And the bearers of the Three must presumably have had to exercise considerable unwill in preventing Sauron (while he bore the One Ring, at least) from intruding on their thoughts.

Note now that Melkor, due to the right of the incarnate to utilise unwill, i.e. to close their minds to interrogation by others through use of sanwe, was unable to enter every mind. Some he did enter as they did not choose to use their unwill, but others remained shut. In Osanwe-kenta we are told that instead, he used language to enter these minds. Language, the skill which in many (most?) cases made the use of sanwe redundant.

in Valinor Melkor used the Quenya with such mastery that all the Eldar were amazed, for his use could not bettered, scarce equalled even, by the poets and the loremasters.

And what is that special feature of the One Ring? The words, the Black Speech, written in Tengwar, which are only revealed by Fire. A spell of sanwe, written in words, mastered with fire? The Ring Of Words indeed!

[littlemanpoet]

Thus we come to a rather fascinating set of concepts to set beside each other.

A spirit is more powerful than a being born of flesh. Note any Maia as compared to an Elf or Man. However, that spirit is, as unbodied, unable to have any effect upon material things, both living and unliving, other than by influence of thought.

A spirit can cause fear (not fëar), doubt, confusion, weariness, and the like, but cannot actually stop a bodied being in the road unless by influencing another bodied being to get in the first one's way.

Why would a spirit want to take on flesh? There is a good reason, and an evil reason. The good reason is to sub-create and enjoy; the evil reason is to possess and control. This is, of course, an oversimplification, but nevertheless harks back to some of the primary themes of Tolkien.

Funny, humans are faced with the same choice as are the Maiar in LotR: subcreate and enjoy, or possess and control.

However, Sauron does both in the making of the Ring. He sub-creates in order to possess and control, and finds his pleasure (enjoyment) in torturing others that he possesses and controls. So subcreation is at base what humans (both in LotR and in real life) are meant for; the choice is whether to do so for enjoyment and sharing (in all the best senses) or to possess and control.