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#1 |
Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On the Bay of Belfalas
Posts: 1,125
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The Ringwraiths and the Ring
I think that the part about Sauron's being lessened when he let a great portion of his former power pass into the Ring is very interesting. Aragorn and Gandalf both said that the Ringwraiths were drawn to the Ring, but they passed very closely to it without knowing exactly where it was, letting, I guess, the Black Horses serve as their eyes, and, they being fooled, not seeing the Ringbearer and his companions. The "sniffing" has always bothered me, for if they were seeking the location of the ring, and their sense was all that keen, why didn't they find it immediately? My guess is that they could vaguely sense that the Ring was in the immediate vicinity, and were actually willing the Ringbearer to put on the Ring, so that they could locate him, which actually happened on Weathertop. Now, they had no power of their own except fear and physically, correct? Were they asking Sauron's power in the Ring to make the Bearer don it?
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"What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions are not beyond conjecture." - Sir Thomas Browne, Urn Burial. |
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#2 |
'Sober' Mullet Frosh
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Queen's
Posts: 1,245
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The ringwraiths had powers of domination. They dominated those who Sauron wished to dominate. And their wills, of course, were subservient to Sauron due to their rings.
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"Earnur was a man like his father in valour, but not in wisdom" |
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#3 |
Death of Mooters and [Entmoot] Internal Affairs
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 2,870
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They had the Black Breath.
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Fëanor - Innocence incarnated Still, Aikanáro 'till the Last battle. |
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#4 |
Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On the Bay of Belfalas
Posts: 1,125
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![]() But, that is what I mean. The Black Breath induces terror and demoraization. They could not subdue any one on theri own, except through physical means.
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"What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions are not beyond conjecture." - Sir Thomas Browne, Urn Burial. |
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#5 | |
Queen of Nargothrond
Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Akron, Ohio - USA
Posts: 7,121
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Re: The Ringwraiths and the Ring
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Welcome to Entmoot Attalus. Nice to see you here too. ![]()
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"Whither go you?" she said. "North away." he said: "to the swords, and the siege, and the walls of defence - that yet for a while in Beleriand rivers may run clean, leaves spring, and birds build their nests, ere Night comes." AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide |
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#6 |
Greatest Elven woman of Aman
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Having way too much fun with Fëanor's 7
Posts: 4,285
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In "The shadow from the past" Gandalf talks about the Ring as if it had a will of its own. The Ring was trying to get back to Sauron, its master. Sauron had put most of his spiritual power into the Ring, so it is not that surprising it could feel the presence of the Ringwraiths, and vice versa.
On Weathertop, and on other similar occasions, I do think that the wraiths and the Ring was working on Frodo's will together, to make him put the Ring on.
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#7 | |
Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On the Bay of Belfalas
Posts: 1,125
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![]() Quote:
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"What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions are not beyond conjecture." - Sir Thomas Browne, Urn Burial. |
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#8 |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Hobbiton
Posts: 739
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Well, they also had there sowds, like the one that Frodo was stabbed with. I believe that the book said that there main power was in scarrying others, but I don't believe that that was there only one, if I am understanding your question correctly.
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Jesus loves you! Movie vewing count from the theater: Return of the King:9 Two Towers: 11 Fellowship: 13 FRODO LIVES! |
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#9 |
Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On the Bay of Belfalas
Posts: 1,125
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Actually, that was a Morgul Knife that breaks off in the wound that stabbed Frodo. I was referring to this, as well as the mace of the King of the Ringwraiths when I referred to physical threat. Magically, the Black Breath and the horror of their presence and voices seem to be the only one. Of course, you don't need much when you cannot be wounded by men.
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"What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions are not beyond conjecture." - Sir Thomas Browne, Urn Burial. |
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#10 | ||
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Right here in between yesterday and tomorrow.
Posts: 357
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Re: The Ringwraiths and the Ring
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#11 |
Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On the Bay of Belfalas
Posts: 1,125
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![]() That is true. So, if they sensed the Ring to be nearby, then they would have searched about for a living sentient being as being the most likely thing to be wearing or bearing the Ring! That is excellent. Thank you, Lady of Ithilien.
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"What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions are not beyond conjecture." - Sir Thomas Browne, Urn Burial. |
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#12 | |
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Right here in between yesterday and tomorrow.
Posts: 357
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Thanks, Attalus, but it was Aragorn who said it
![]() Seriously, it's hard to think of another book that can be reread so often (somebody in one of the other threads said they had been reading The Lord of the Rings once each year for the past 20 years, and I gave up counting after 13 times) and be so consistent in every detail. Writers are supposed to do that, of course, but JRRT carried it to levels possibly unheard of before. And not just consistent, but with ever new details jumping out at the reader. Wow!
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#13 |
Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On the Bay of Belfalas
Posts: 1,125
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![]() For a while, after I got my leather-bound one-volume version back in the 1970's, I wrote the date that I finished each time on the end-papers. When I got to thirty nine, I stopped. Yes, and the consistency was a borderline obsession with him. He was always going back and correcting.
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"What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions are not beyond conjecture." - Sir Thomas Browne, Urn Burial. |
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#14 |
Hobbit
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: bethel, ME
Posts: 43
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![]() I don't think that the power of the Ringwraiths has to do with the five senses as we know them. I think (this is rather hard to explain) that they have a sense of presence, so to speak. They can feel the ring and that is what they are made for. I think the only other time (and this is purely hypothetically) that they have any of our five senses is when Sauron gives it to them to do a particular task for him. All they have to do now is sense the ring and their rides can do the rest. Didn't Gandalf or somebody say that when Sauron came to full power that so would the Ringwraiths? Something to that effect anyway...
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#15 |
Enting
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 73
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LOTR
They had the black breath.
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Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing? Where is the hand on the harpsting, and the red fire glowing? Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing? They have past like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow; The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow. Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning, or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning? Frodo lives |
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