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... it is only the last-minute intervention of Gandalf which saves Frodo. The enhanced powers of perception that Frodo has when he wears the Ring is the essence of temptation put forth by the evil forces at work. Frodo is obviously tempted to use the Ring for his own prosperity, for the power of perception is very great with the Ring.
At this time, he is unable to see the danger of the Ring that is ever-growing. This section of the trilogy is one of the most important of all, and it is a turning point in both the reader's understanding of the Ring as well as Frodo's. There is an interesting parallel here, concerning an issue which will be expanded on at a later point, a parallel between Frodo's individual struggle with temptation on the summit and Christ's temptation on the summit. Not necessarily to say that Frodo Baggins is a Christ-figure, but rather to suggest that the issue of free will is an individual matter seems relevant here. The effect of the Ring on mortals is not limited to temptation and corruption. In addition to these, the Ring works in different ways, exploiting the weaknesses and fears of each individual who encounters it in any way.
Evidently, there are only three individuals who are not tempted by the Ring. Sauron is immune to the power of it, for it is the personification of his own evil nature which the Ring represents. Sam is only tempted by the Ring once, before the Tower of Cirith Until, and he defeats the temptation. This is most likely because of his undying loyalty to Frodo and his intentions.
He would never think to upstage Frodo by allowing the Ring to become an issue for him. The third individual who is immune to the temptation of the Ring is Tom Bombadil, who is possibly the strongest reference to a Christ-figure in the trilogy. He is "the Master of Wood, water, and hill" (Elwood 105) according to Old Man Willow and other inhabitants of nature. It is his nature not to be influenced by the evil forces of the Ring. He knows his bounds, and will never go beyond them. It is this which prevents him from becoming corrupted by the Ring.
He has set bounds for himself, and is completely content with them. This lack of ambition is something not present in any other character in the story. Any other character, including Gollum, Frodo, Boromir, and even Gandalf, possesses an innate sense of ambition which allows for the evil of the Ring to work. The most obvious example of the Ring's effect on a mortal is obviously Gollum.
Gollum is the result of nearly complete corruption by the Ring, and his situation demonstrates to us the way that the Ring's evil works. He is evasive, cunning. He lies and deceives everyone, including himself. He has a peculiar relationship with the Ring, hating and loving it at the same time.
In effect, Gollum represents what Frodo could have become. Also, he represents in an exaggerated fashion what becomes of Frodo whenever he wears the Ring. Gollum's mind and soul are shattered by his obsession for the Ring, and its retrieval is his only and ultimate goal. This advanced stage of corruption is another example of the parasitic, evil nature which the Ring represents. The next section of this essay deals with the destruction of the Ring, including the failure of Frodo and the irony of Gollum's intervention.
At the last moment, in the heart of Sauron's kingdom, Frodo wavers in his quest, and gives in to the temptation completely. The Ring has complete control over Frodo for only an instant before the intervention of Gollum, whose death is redeemed only by the ultimate completion of his quest, that to retrieve the Ring. His intervention seems to prevent an ultimate catastrophe, but one must realize that Gollum would " ve attempted to retrieve the Ring from Frodo whether or not Frodo had accepted it as his own. Therefore, it is irrelevant to wonder what would have happened if Frodo had not failed in his individual quest. At first, it seems as though this ending to such a complicated ordeal is too incomplete, leaving too much to chance.
However, it is this ending which further develops the concept of evil explained earlier. Evil is a destructive force, and it carries within it the formula for its own destruction. Therefore, because the Ring is the embodiment of Evil, it had the potential for self-destruction. This idea, of the self-destructive nature of Evil, is the most important issue concerning the destruction of the Ring.
There is a major flaw in the mind of Sauron, and in turn the mind of Evil, which is that Sauron never considered the possibility that anyone would desire to destroy the Ring. Similarly, the Ring itself, in its desire to return to its master Sauron, never considered the possibility that the level of corruption that it had performed against Gollum would turn against it. Indeed, Gollum was so obsessed with the Ring that when he finally gets it back, he is so ecstatic that he missteps. In both cases, Evil has deceived itself, which in turn has brought about its destruction. The Ring, the symbol of Evil and evil power, has been defeated, not by the will of goodness, but rather by its own doing. The next section of this essay will make comparisons between LotR and Norse Mythology, specifically the myths of the Rhine gold Ring and Otter's Ransom.
Also, comparisons will be made between LotR and Christianity, specifically the possible presence of one or more Christ-figures in the trilogy. Through these comparisons, a greater understanding of the universality of the Ring's symbolic significance will be reached. The Myth of Otter's Ransom is a retelling of a myth contained in the Volsung a Saga of Norse Mythology. In this account, three gods, Loki, Odin, and Honir, are in a predicament over the accidental killing of Otter, brother of the giants Fafnir and Regin. The gods are trapped by the brothers, and held to avenge Otter's death.
In order to save them, Odin makes an offer to repay the family for the death. The ransom price set by the family is a horde of red gold, enough to entirely cover the body of Otter. In order to accomplish this, Loki leaves while Odin and Honir remain. Loki borrows a net from another god, and proceeds to capture the dwarf Andvari from the bottom of a pool inside a cavern.
Loki dema...
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