question about the rings
 

why do the mortal men get 9 rings and the dwarves only get 7 and why did the elves get the least amount

[ May 14, 2002: Message edited by: Road Dog22 ]

I have another question also what are Floatsam and Jetsam

Maybe the elves didn't need as many because they were more powerfull. Or maybe it just sounded beter.

Floatsam and Jetsam mean like, misilaneus, unrealated, stuff that doesn't belong anywhere else, at least that is what I think.

anyone else?

about the rings - men got nine because there were nine kings of men to whom they were given. and dwarves got 7, because there were 7 dwarf lords to give them to.

flotsam: the wreckage of a ship found floating on the sea

jetsam: the cargo of a ship that is thrown overboard to lighten the ship in a time of danger

the phrase 'flotsam and jetsam' can allude to worthless and discarded things

The elves actually had more than 3 rings but they destroyed all but 3 when they got wist of Sauron's "real" plan.

All of the Rings of Power, except for the One Ring, were made by the Elves in the Second Age. All of these Elven Rings, except for the Three held by the Elves, were made with the help of Sauron, who befriended the Elves. All of the Rings (the 19) were used by the Elves originally. When his deception was revealed, the Elves took off the Rings, and would not use them. In short, Sauron got mad, took all but the Three, and gave them to the Dwarves and Men. The Dwarves could not be corrupted, except by greed, and the men of course, became wraiths. Because Sauron did not touch the Three, they were not subject to him, though in the Third Age, he would have known where they were (if he acquired the One) because they were in use.

actually..sauron helped make the nine rings and then he went to celebrimbors house and captured him along with the rings. He gave them to ones who would more easily fall under his power.

Poisenial (sp?) had it figured out as far as the men and dwarves go. Also yes, the elves did have more rings, but all but the three were destroyed when they found out the master plan. (i don't know if it ever says how many other ones were made). I always assumed that flotsam and jetsam were just miscelaneous extra junk type stuff. (b/c that's what the chapter is basically about). Correct me if i'm wrong on any of this stuff... Oh and one more thing about the three rings... who else would have gotten them? there weren't really any other major elves in the lotr

well at first the three were givin to only Gil-galad and Galadriel. Gil-galad then gave the Blue ring to Elrond and the Red to Cirdan.
There was also Celeborn.
Amroth, but he had died a time before..

There's also the possibility of Thranduil getting one. Who knows?

Anyway, it seems logical that Sauron bestowed more rings upon the human and dwarven races, especially the humans. Humans proved to give in to the desire for power more easily. Additionally, of the three races, they had the shortest lifespan. The dwarves, having the next shortest, were given more than the immortal elves.

[ June 13, 2002: Message edited by: Legalos ]