Did Sauron Really Know Frodo?

[Birdland]

This question ocurred to me as I was reading Manwe's "Coat, Cloak, Sword...Hobbit?" thread. So I thought I'd give it its own space.

Sauron knew from Gollum that the Ring had been found by Halflings, and was in the Shire. Of course, Sauron being Sauron, I'm sure he assumed that one of the "mightier" races would walk up to this Halfling and say: "(Yoink!) Thanks, Halfing, we'll take that off your hands, now." Heck, even Frodo was hoping that would happen in the beginning.

Well, of course, it didn't. But every time Frodo put on the Ring, he was aware of the Dark Lord searching for him, and the Dark Lord was aware of him. But was Sauron really aware that it was Frodo the Halfling wearing the Ring, or did he just sense some nebulous "someone" who was wielding it?

Even at the Cracks of Doom, did Sauron know that it was a Halfling that did him in?

[ September 02, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[Tigerlily Gamgee]

Well, I think he knew that a halfling had the ring because that is what Saruman's and Sauron's orcs were sent out to find.
But, I really don't think he ever had a clue that two halflings were on his back doorstep with the ring in tow, because he could've easily caught them.

I think he was diverted by the capture of Merry and Pippin and believed them to have the ring. This was probably even more true after Frodo was captured and they found no ring on him at all - and after Pippin looked in the Palantir. Besides, they didn't know Frodo was accompanied by another halfling... I believe they thought they were looking for a fierce Elven warrior (Sam loved that!).

Sauron probably didn't know what hit him!

[Beren87]

Come to think of it, would Sauron even know what a Baggins was? How would he know it was a name and not a word of some halfling language?

[Durialion]

I think he just felt him weilding it. Because if he knew he was a just a hobbit he would have not put so much effort forth I think. And remember the orcs thought Sam was an Elf so they did'nt know it was an halfling. [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img]

[akhtene]

I'm afraid that even as Sauron knew that it was a Halfling that was keeping the Ring, it must have been quite hard for him to spot the exact Halfling and his whereabouts. Hope I don't sound racist, but one perceives people of another race as being much the same.

So with four Halflings in action and all the turmoil in Mordor and at its bordres Sauron might have as well be looking in the wrong direction

[Beren87]

But how often did he see a Halfling? I mean he knows thats what he's looking for, and suddenly 2 enter his domain, you think he could put 2 and 2 together.

[Midgardsormen]

Beren, why should he put 'two and two togehter' as you say?? Who in their right minds would enter Mordor voluntarily?? That was the whole point! Boromir said that it was folly, and even Gandalf conceeded that the chances of success were extremely small, but that Frodo and Sam had the best chance because it was totally unbelievable that two little helpless halflings would walk INTO Mordor with the One Ring!! He knew some Hobbits had it, but assumed that they would go to Minas Tirith with it, and when Sauron saw Aragorn in the Palantir, he was convinced that Aragorn had the ring even if he was not wearing it, and would try to wrest it from Sauron when the armies met. Even when Frodo got captured, although they stripped him to make sure, the Orcs (and Sauron....who knew about him once he got the Mithril shirt) thought he (and his 'Elven' companion) were sent to spy on Sauron.
So I think Gandalf was being wise....and to further help them they marched to the Morannen, although he knew that they might die before they even knew whether Frodo was successful or not. (and when they saw the Mithril shirt etc. they assumed all was lost but they still fought!!)
So, although Sauron was aware of a halfling having the ring, he could in no way concieve of it not being used against him.

[Nar]

Good question, Birdland. Sauron being Sauron, as you say, he probably assumed that the great Warriors, Wizards, Kings and so forth were letting some lowly Hobbit bear the ring while they sorted out which of them would cast down all others and claim it. He probably thought this half-pint One Ring Valet ('May I park your Ring, sir?') was under strict guard and close control by the squabbling wise and great. When he sensed Frodo, he assumed he was on his way to Minas Tirith under control, or already there. Pippin's Palantir escapade helped further that impression, obviously. I doubt he could tell the difference between Pippin's fea and Frodo's fea, he wasn't exactly Mr. Sensitive, but I think he could tell they were hobbit fea. And I think at that last moment when Frodo put on the ring, Sauron saw him and knew him for a hobbit, even knew him for a Baggins, at least a Baggins, and maybe even a Frodo Baggins. Frodo was claiming the ring containing much of Sauron's power and bound to him, claiming him, in a sense, so I think there was enough communion (ugh!) for Sauron to name his opponent.

[ September 04, 2002: Message edited by: Nar ]

[Evenstar1]

I agree with what Nar has just said, partly because that was the impression I had when reading, and partly because I just really like this thought: Sauron didn't know who had the Ring and where he was until the very last second, when Frodo put the Ring on at the edge of Mt. Doom. And forever after, Sauron will have the name and face of Frodo Baggins emblazoned in his brain.

This is totally in-line with Tolkien's eucatastrophe-event, to have the Ultimate Bad Guy realize his imminent demise at the last second, when it is too late, and he realizes that the one who did him in is some shrimpy-halfling who has made it all the way across his barren wasteland and up the side of a mountain unnoticed! (Except for the one part where the clumsy henchmen had caught him but somehow let him escape.) And previously, Sauron hadn't even bothered to differentiate between Hobbit-names and faces (as akhtene pointed out), let alone even really noticed the entire RACE of Hobbits!

[O'Boile]

Sauron was not aware of Frodo every time he put on the ring. He was aware of him when he was at Mt. Doom, and he was almost aware of him when he put it on at the end of FOTR. No other times. The movie portrayal is innaccurate.

[Tirned Tinnu]

At first, Sauron was aware of a hobbit that carried the Ring. He did not know him by sight, until Pippin looked into the Palantir. This was the reason for Gandalf's flight with him. if they had journeyed slowly, Sauron would have sent the Nazgul to capture him.
What you all seem to forget is that at the time when Frodo was crawling into Mordor, Aragorn showed himself to Sauron in the same Palatir that Pippin had. This led Sauron to believe that the Ring had been delivered into the hands of his enemy, the Last Heir to The Throne of Gondor, rightful King of the World, and Heir to Isildur who chopped the Ring from Sauron's finger. And Aragorn was strong enough to use it.
When Sam is detected and Frodo taken, it is thought that a hobbit and an Elf Warrior have snuck in to spy upon Sauron, not to return the Ring. Sauron proves his worry about Aragorn by redoubling his efforts to stop Aragorn at Minas Tirith, the city he would most likely rule from.

[ September 06, 2002: Message edited by: Tirned Tinnu ]