[Thingol]

Most people see the conflict in The Lord of the Rings as a one dimensional struggle between good and evil. The character that is most easily identified as the antagonist is of course Sauron. In my opinion the antagonist is not Sauron, but Sauron’s chief creation, the Ring. Throughout the novel Gandalf makes it clear that the Ring is more than just an inanimate piece of jewelry, it is alive and has a will of its own. The Ring symbolizes ultimate power, anyone who possesses it will eventually succumb to the corrupting nature of that type of power. Boromir, a main character, succumbs to temptation and dies for his weakness (Hardly a one dimensional struggle). Tolkien, one of the most descriptive authors of the 20th century, spends a great deal of time describing the Ring, but the reader is never introduced to Sauron. The only description of Sauron is a few passing remarks by Gollum about Sauron's black hand and a letter written over a thousand years earlier by Islidur. I believe that it is the higher, spiritual struggle, between Frodo’s will and the desire to use the Ring that is the true conflict in The Lord of the Rings. The roles of Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and even Gandalf in the battle against Sauron were all secondary to the main quest; the destruction of the Ring by Sam and Frodo. Does anyone else see the Ring as the true antagonist, or is it just crazy me?

[ May 26, 2002: Message edited by: Thingol ]