Quote:
Originally Posted by Galadriel55
Firstly, I don't think the Ring has any power over sight except for to muddle it. Sam coudn't have "tried looking through the murk and smoke", simply because loss of sight is one of the Ring's side-effects. 
Also, I don't think that Frodo was really trying to use the power of Amon Hen. He just looked without particularly knowing what he's trying to see. However, I agree that looking at Barad Dur had the effect of drawing Sauron's attention.
Very peculiar.  |
I believe the ring in most places allows one to see into some sort of spirit realm. When Frodo was wearing the Ring on Weathertop, or when he was starting to fade from the Morgul knife near the fords of Rivendell, Frodo saw the Nazgul not as vague shapes under black cloaks but with clarity. Glorfindel appeared very brightly at the fords, while the others were blurs carrying flame. I'm of the opinion that one might see barrow wights or the inhabitants of the Paths of the Dead fairly clearly when one is wearing the Ring, but if one might see into the other realm one might also be seen.
I also note the difference between what Frodo saw on the top of Amon Hen and what Aragorn saw. Frodo got a pretty darn good mission briefing on the state of Middle Earth. Aragorn got more or less nothing, and Aragorn in terms of legitimate right and focused will seems as likely as anyone to make good use of Amon Hen. He certainly did well with the Orthanc Palantír.
Agreed, Frodo wasn't consciously thinking of what he was doing at Amon Hen, but he got a lot more information than he would just from being on top of a tall hill. I don't think either the hill or the Ring would have given Frodo those visions, thus I figure the two must have combined.