Did the Ring Need a Label?

[Troelsfo]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

Words have power in Middle-earth.

I would add that also the written words have power in Middle-earth.

This is, I think, particularly relevant with respect to physical items. Some kind of markings seems to have been a part of many of the more powerful items in Middle-earth (one notable exception being jewels and gems). See for instance both Andúril itself and the sheath Galadriel gives Aragorn for the sword. About Andúril we're told that

Originally Posted by LotR, II,3

on its blade was traced a device of seven stars set between the crescent Moon and the rayed Sun, and about them was written many runes; for Aragorn son of Arathorn was going to war upon the marches of Mordor.

The runes are there because Aragorn is going to fight Mordor — the runes, mind ... the magical secrets for which Odin hung in the holy ash tree as a sacrifice to himself for nine days and nine nights.

This does, of course, not invalidate Galadriel55's excellent points about the symbolic meaning of the fiery letters on the Master Ring: it is just that the symbolism exists at the level of The Lord of the Rings seen as literature, while the letters as a part of the magic of the Master Ring exist at the level of Middle-earth as a real place, within the sub-creation, so to speak.