Lord of the Rings and Philosophy @ Concordia University Wisconsin

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

We've discussed the power of the ring often here, yet I find that the last two points you mention add an interesting dimension.

Invisibility as signifying deception - a fascinating connection! When I stop to think about it, it's very true - from Isildur's escape attempt, to Gollum's petty crimes, to Bilbo's disappearance from pesky relatives - even Sam's appearance as a huge Elf-warrior! I'm not sure this applies to any of Frodo's uses of the ring though.

Frodo deceives Sauron into thinking that he's not on Amon Hen. (right hill?) On Weathertop, all he did was reveal himself to his attackers and hide himself from his friends; so that's not so much deception of others as a kind of somewhat accidental self-removal from community.

As for a "community of evil", such a thing can only ever be an accident of common purpose as long as the common purpose exists, for evil is by definition self-centered, and will brook no rivalry in its attempts to gain for itself what it desires, certainly at the expense of weaker beings of evil.