Quote:
Originally Posted by Ardent
If I've understood Lanwende's post #13 (and the links in it) correctly, then the rings acted as if to bridge the gap between the sub-conscious and conscious, or between the creative and logical sides of the brain. So if you're in fact a Maiar or Elf, who has a supernatural essence wrapped in a body, then a ring unlocks that nature.
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In Elves, the fea is bound to the world. When they die, the hroa obviously withers, but their fea is supposed to go to the Halls of Mandos (not always, as there are 'houseless fea' which linger in Middle-earth - some by choice, some not, in fact that was Saruman's fate). In Men, when the hroa dies, then the fea also leaves the world - the two are much more enmeshed.
Both Elves and Men have an innate ability to communicate with the mind. In Elves, according to the Osanwe-Kenta, this is easier owing to the nature of hroa/fea, in Men, it is more difficult. However, sanwe is less about sending your thoughts to others, more about being
open to the thoughts of others. The difference in how well sanwe works in Elves and Men is down to the hroa - in Men it is much more protective.
Tolkien may have put this information into an obscure essay, but it creeps in throughout the published texts. We know that the Elves 'perceive' what Sauron has done when he puts on the One and conceal their own Rings (I take this as the three bearers closing their minds to him, and of course closing the greater perception that might be available due to the Rings they wear). We see it during dream sequences. And of course we see it in how those who wear the One feel observed. There are other intriguing references to hroa/fea such as when Eowyn is threatened by the Witch-king with: "flesh shall be devoured, and your shriveled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye". Which hint at how the Nine rings work on Men to create Ringwraiths.
I think the Rings of Power work in one way to facilitate greater opening of the mind in sanwe (the Three especially), in some cases perhaps even to facilitate control (the Nine, in particular), and they work in another way to break the link between hroa/fea, especially in the case of Men. The One completely and instantly breaks the link between hroa/fea of course in Men/Hobbits, we don't know how it would work with an Elf though (would it destroy or empower him or her?). Wearing it means that Men no longer have the protection that the hroa gives them. It's also possible that one failing it has is that it cannot destroy the hroa, only wither it (a matter of opinion maybe).
So, Saruman may have known very well that a Ring of Power had benefits linked to sanwe. He may also have known that it would work on the link between hroa/fea. The only character we know who was a Maiar apart from Sauron to wear one of these Rings was Gandalf, and we can see that he has a tremendous power - no doubt part of what drove Saruman was to gain some of this, presuming he knew about it.
Saruman makes a Ring that's different and new, crafted based on his own learning. He also forges a new way based on broken Light - another recurring theme throughout Tolkien's work is Light and how various characters seek to possess, devour and destroy it. Saruman seeks to see what it is made from and make something new. I don't have any doubts that if it was crafted correctly then he could have quickly wielded great power - Saruman already had an incredibly powerful command over language and used his voice to persuade to devastating effect and with a Ring that enhanced this...
Whether he was ever going to succeed is an interesting point because it's hard to know just how much he was influenced by Sauron, and how independent he was.
One thing I really wish Tolkien had done at the end of Lord of the Rings was have someone pick up Saruman's Ring and pocket it - like the moment in Doctor Who when we see a hand creep in and take The Master's ring from his pyre...
