THE RING and corruption

[Dininziliel]

Willie:

Interesting thought. I always thought that the ring didn't count on Gollum hiding in the Misty Mountains, but the ring's desire to remain hidden is a good one. Then, after rethinking, I don't think that it ever expected Gollum to stay for that long. But now, thinking again, maybe it wanted to stay hidden all that time. Someone (I'm really sorry, I can't remember who) suggested that the ring left Gollum to get out of the Misty Mts. because of a sort of sense or link with Sauron. When Sauron rose to power again, it was only about 2-3 years before the ring left Gollum. Was this idea brought up in this thread? Sorry, I can't remember.

I recall posting about Sauron emerging from Mirkwood 2-3 years prior to Gollum's emerging from Misty Mtns, but am unsure if I posted it here or elsehwere.

I think the idea about the Ring's will having Gollum go into hiding is pregnanat with possibilities for this discussion. I'd like to offer a twist on this: working on the notion that no event occurs without it being willed, what if was not the Ring's will to go/stay in hiding? what if it was not the Ring's will to emerge when it did with Bilbo? And regarding Bilbo finding the Ring ...what will was behing that? I am positing the notion that it was a greater will than Sauron's and/or the Ring's for any or all of that--certainly for Bilbo.

If a greater will was responsible for the Ring coming to Bilbo and subsequent bearers, then what was the intention regarding their respective fates as individuals fate, not only as a bearer of the Ring. One could say they were selected for sacrifice, or, they were selected for a kind of immortality, or ... what other possibilities are there?

The presumption (classical use of the word) that there was/is a greater intelligence/will/force at work governing everyone and everything to a certain outcome is a frame that, when put onto the tale, changes its colors and patterns.

Not a new notion, granted, it's all in (The Silmarillion, but this is a more specific aspect that has not yet been discussed. How can we claim to have exhausted the subject of the Ring and corruption without examining the nature of its opposite? I was so excited when I read that part of Willie's post that I immediately replied without reading the other posts. Maybe I should go do that, huh?

Peace, and my admiration to the people and their leaders of Britain in demonstrating what a democracy looks like today/yesterday!

[ February 26, 2003: Message edited by: dininziliel ]