The Three Elven Rings

[Galin]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Even though Sam did not recognise Nenya for what it was, I don't think that suggests the ring itself had properties of invisibility. It was dark at the Mirror; Frodo saw the starlight glint on the ring's stone, and, having borne and worn the One, he knew what Nenya was.

That's a good point: although Earendil was said to be bright enough that Galadriel cast a dim shadow, it was still dark, and Frodo sees the ring when the starlight glanced off Nenya. And interestingly, the text does not say he suddenly saw Nenya, but that he saw it and suddenly understood.

The use of the Three by their keepers wouldn't seem to require the rings being invisible for secrecy to be maintained. The books say the Three were simply not used openly, nor were they discussed. If the rings themselves were invisible to all but their bearers, or the bearer of the One, why couldn't the Three have been used "openly" during the time of the watchful Peace, say? Who would have known?

I agree they don't need to be invisible, and I see no reason for Celebrimbor to have made them so initially. In one of Tolkien's letters (the Waldman letter), generally speaking I think invisibility power seems 'more connected' to Sauron, while as we know, the Three are distanced from Sauron and are said to be directed to preservation.

The 'problem' is that the second time Galadriel raises her arm Nenya issues a great light, and Sam somehow thinks this is a star...

... while Samwise was 'halfwise' and a simple hobbit, for some this seems 'too much' to accept (for him to have missed that it was a Ring, not a star) -- Sam may not have understood or certainly known Galadriel was revealing one of the great Three at this moment, but the argument is that he should have at least physically seen a ring.

I can 'see' that point, however I would argue that Sam's troubling vision had his attention before, and even after Nenya illuminated Galadriel... as evidenced by Sam's statement to Galadriel.

Anyone have opinions about that intepretation? Seem like too much? Tolkien doesn't really describe what Sam was doing while Galadriel and Frodo were talking, but the way he left Sam after his vision seems to imply (the possibility that) he need not be wholly engaged on what's going on right in 'front of him', so to speak.

If this could, at least in part, account for his answer to Nerwen Artanis.