XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien
From: mr@sandman.net
In article ,
Troels Forchhammer wrote:
> >> Gandalf feels himself drawn to the ring as well, as well as
> >> Galadriel - but neither should be called "turned" or evil for
> >> feeling that.
>
> They both felt a desire for the power that the Ring could be, but
> both rejected that desire within themselves (a desire which is, in
> Tolkien's story, inherently corrupting if not actively rejected) and
> thus rejected the Ring. They are free of fault because of this
> rejection while Saruman, who didn't reject, but rather embraced, his
> desire for the power of the Ring, is accordingly fallen.
I just don't agree with that definition of "desire". Desiring the ring
would not be analogous to being corrupted by the ring, if you ask me.
Gandalf desires the ring, sees how it can be used for good, but won't
take the ring in fear of being corrupted by it. Saruman desires the
ring, and has no chance to be corrupted by it since he never has the
chance to use it.
> >> I always felt that the lure of the ring would be stronger for
> >> Maiar (which is why so many of them seem to confront the ring
> >> bearer so often, you'd think),
>
> I can't think of any definite Maiar confronting the Ring Bearer. Of
> course, if by 'confront' you merely mean 'face', Gandalf faces the
> Ring Bearer several times, but no other known Maia does so.
Yes, well, maybe I spoke too soon. My thoughts were on Durins Bane
foremost, and I subscribe to the idea that while he was woken by the
dwarves, he was drawn to the fellowship by the one ring.
Ungoliant is often thought to be a Maia or Ainur, meaning that Shelob
had something of that spirit in her, but then again, it is never
explicitly stated that she covets the ring.
And hey, why not call the Watcher a Maia when we're at it? :)
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