Which of the Fellowship would have gone ring mad?

[Silmiel of Imladris]

Wow! I can't believe that this little thread I created is still active. I still stand on my opinion that it would have been Pippen for I don't think he as strong as the others. Just look at the Palantire inncident.

[The Saucepan Man]

In condemning Pippin, everyone habitually refers to the “Palantir incident”. But what is the basis for concluding from this incident that Pippin would have been vulnerable to the effects of the Ring?

It is said that the “Palantir incident” was a consequence of Pippin’s curious nature. But surely curiosity alone would not have led him to attack one of his closest friends (and anyone trying to seize the Ring would have had to have taken it by force). Taking the Palantir from a sleeping Gandalf just to “have a look” is a completely different proposition to attacking Frodo in order to deprive him permanently of the Ring. Possibly, the Ring might have tried to “play on” Pippin’s curious nature to tempt him into going for it, just as it played on Boromir’s pride and his wish to defend his country and his people. But, as I have said, I see Hobbits as having a particular resistance to the Ring’s seductive power. Admittedly, the power of the Palantir had an effect in encouraging Pippin’s curiosity, but I see the nature of the Palantir’s power as quite different to that of the Ring. And the Ring would have needed to overcome sturdy resistance indeed to have tempted Pippin into attacking one of his bestest pals.

And then there is the Ring itself to consider. Its purpose was to return to its Master. In choosing who to try to tempt into making a play for it, it would no doubt take into account its victim’s physical power as well as his likely susceptibility to its wiles (hence it picked on Boromir, the prime candidate under these criteria). On this basis, I would think Pippin would be fairly low down on its list of candidates.

[Lyta_Underhill]

Its purpose was to return to its Master. In choosing who to try to tempt into making a play for it, it would no doubt take into account its victim’s physical power as well as his likely susceptibility to its wiles

How does this explain Gollum, then? Gollum was not strong, but he was susceptible, and, most of all, he was convenient for a while. I think this would also play a part; if all the Fellowship stayed together, then perhaps the strength factor would be important, but there is also the matter of maneuverability, and Gollum turned out to be quite good at that, as is Frodo and all the other hobbits.

I must say, though, that I find your defense of Pippin against all this 'palantirization' refreshing, Saucepan Man. So many people dismiss him as stupid or just silly, while he really wasn't, and I think he had a touch of the cosmic playfulness of Eru in him, even more than the others...but then that's my own view (but I think Gandalf would agree with me!)

Cheers!
Lyta

I don't think it would be Legolas, simply because he is an Elf. As most of you said, he knows of the danger of the Ring and I think an Elf could resist the Ring if he or she really wants it. I think Legolas is strong enough to resist it.

Gandalf won't be it either. He is much more then what he seems to be. He also knows the danger, probably even better then the Elfs do.

Aragorn is one of the Numenor, so I think he could resist really long. He is also very wise, but eventually the Ring would take him.

The hobbits are easily to take for the Ring, so it seems, but they are so innocent that they probably wouln't even know what to do with it. Frodo also gets mad after he know more about the Ring.

So I think it would be Gimli. He knows what power is, and he knows how to use it. But he doesn't exactly know what the dangers of the Ring are. He would be next in my opinion.

[Olorin_TLA]

Pippin would NEVER TAKE the ing from Frodo. If it was just lying, abandoned, for a while...I daresay he would have, in the end, picked it up, probably just to go invisible and see what it was like. But niehter he nor any of the other Hobbits would have taken it by force. Just look at Sam.

I actually think it would have been Gnadalf or Aragorn. HOWEVER, I also think that they might never become corrrupted...but if I HAVE to choose, I say them. Simply because if it went to Minas Tirith with them, faced with the situations G & A find themselves in, they NEED the Ring for victory, and Gandlaf certainly nearly toys with the idea of using it in Minas Tirith, and is glad that it's gone. If Frodo had been in Minas Tirith when all hope of survvial had blakcened to ash, it may only have been a matter of time before Gandlaf or Aragorn took the Ring, convincing themselves that it was for the best of everyone...

Gimli or Legolas though, well they aren't as "responsible", in a way, as G&A are for Gondor.

Alas for Boromir, whom I too loved!

[The Only Real Estel]

I would say Gimli would be the person who would endure the Ring for the longest period of time. I remember reading somewhere that Sauron's seven rings only increased the Dwarves' lust for gold, but even after a very long time, they still were not subdued to his will.

I'd think Gimli would be one of the first to go, with dwarves nature lust for gold & all. You could be right, but I doubt Gimli would hold out the longest.

I really didn't think it was a good idea for PJ to have Galadriel drop that line in FotR, & I've wondered how many of the fellowship really would've 'been destroyed' by it. It's hard to imagine any of the other 3 hobbits succombing to it, they're all so simple, & it's nearly impossible to see Legolas takeing it. But then, look at Sam, he proved Galadriel wrong, so maybe others would've proved her wrong also. Maybe they all would have.

[Olorin_TLA]

The Hobbits aren't simple, they simply don't want power. They don't desire it, like Boromir, and they don't need it, like Gandalf.

The whole point with the Rings not corrupting the Dwarves a lot, but only making them greedy, is that they can't be corrupted easily, and even when Rings have an effect it's no where near as bad as the effect it has on Men (the Nazgul) etc. So I think this gold-greed would infact be a reason for Gimli to not be one to succumb. At least, not before the whole Fellowship had gone mad with desire. And frankly, would that have happened, with such good friends? Certianly Gimli wuld not have had the same immeditate need for the weapon of the enemy a Boromir percieved he did, or Gandalf and Aragorn, but then again the temptation to regain the glory days of the Dwarves would grow strong. But like Sam, I think he would have overcome it.