Rings of Power & Osanwe-Kenta

[Lalwendë]

I have recently had the pleasure of reading the Osanwe-Kenta and it has had my head spinning with ideas, the first of which I shall attempt to start a discussion on here, as it might be of interest to all. While I appreciate that not everyone will have had the benefit of reading this piece by Tolkien, I think it will still be a topic others can join in on. For purposes of clarity, the thread already open discussing the work is here

There is also a current discussion on the Three Rings here

In a nutshell, the Osanwe-Kenta concerns the issue of thought transference, which is a skill not only Elves posses, but also Valar and Maiar, and there is a possibility it is latent within other species/races. But I still recommend that you look at the existing review thread at least! It is very complex, but once you read the actual essay (available by mail order) your head will be full of new thoughts.

One of my first thoughts was how this relates to the Rings of Power. We know about the powers of the One Ring and how the Ringbearer can be ‘seen’ when wearing it, and it is this thought which sparked me off on this line of thought.

In the Osanwe-Kenta it says of Morgoth:

For he would come by stealth to a mind open and unwary, hoping to learn some part of its thought before it closed, and still more to implant in it his own thought, to deceive it and win it to his friendship.

This is a useful thought to bear in mind, as I think that Sauron himself, by way of the Rings of Power, hoped to enter the minds of others, in particular the Elves.

his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves and to bring them under his vigilance

Those who were aware of having this power could in effect ‘close’ their minds to outside influences, and indeed, this happened to Morgoth himself, as he could not perceive truth from lies. So Sauron, by cunning, may have hoped to create these Rings of Power in an attempt to ‘see’ into the minds of others.

He failed seemingly to entirely reach into the minds of Dwarves:

The Dwarves indeed proved tough and hard to tame; they ill endure the domination of others, and the thoughts of their hearts are hard to fathom, nor can they be turned to shadows.

This is interesting, as the creation of Dwarves took a different path to the creation of other races, so they may have possessed different abilities.

But he was entirely successful in reaching into the hearts and minds of men, as it says in The Sil of the enslavement of the Nazgul:

They could walk, if they would, unseen by all eyes in this world beneath the sun, and they could see things in worlds invisible to mortal men; but too often they beheld only the phantoms and delusions of Sauron. And one by one, sooner or later, according to their native strength and to the good or evil of their wills in the beginning, they fell under the thraldom of the ring that they bore and under the domination of the One, which was Sauron's. And they became for ever invisible save to him that wore the Ruling Ring, and they entered into the realm of shadows.

I was thinking why Sauron would even want to see into the hearts and minds of men in this way, as due to their mortality, this would be a power limited in itself. Unless his aim was purely to create a group of wraiths to do his bidding. Perhaps this is why he so desired to see into the hearts and minds of immortal Elves; he would have an everlasting link into their thoughts.

Sauron did not make the three Elven rings of power, but once they were created, he went on to create the Ruling Ring, which appears to have had some way of affecting the Three, even though it could not control them in the same way it could control the other rings.

they were given into the hands of the Wise, who concealed them and never again used them openly while Sauron kept the Ruling Ring. Therefore the Three remained unsullied, for they were forged by Celebrimbor alone, and the hand of Sauron had never touched them; yet they also were subject to the One.

What is interesting in the above passage is how it specifically mentions that the Three had to be concealed. Was there some faint or tenuous connection between the One and the Three which may have enabled thought transference between Sauron and those who bore these rings? I cannot be certain, but is it the case that they were not used until the Ruling Ring was known to be lost? That they in themselves in some way possessed qualities which may have enhanced those discussed in Osanwe-Kenta is a possibility raised in the following sentence which says that no ‘open’ word was ‘spoken’:

Of the Three Rings that the Elves had preserved unsullied no open word was ever spoken among the Wise,

I feel sure, now I have read Osanwe-Kenta, that there is a definite link between what it discusses and the Rings of Power. It seems to me to explain the powers contained within those rings, in particular, the powers within the Ruling Ring. In the passage below we see how the One Ring must be made powerful (in effect, how it must contain so much of Sauron’s strength that to destroy it is also to destroy Sauron), and also a purpose for his making it. In doing this, he hoped to be able to not only see into the thoughts of others, but also to control those thoughts, and to perceive truth from lies.

And much of the strength and will of Sauron passed into that One Ring; for the power of the Elven-rings was very great, and that which should govern them must be a thing of surpassing potency; and Sauron forged it in the Mountain of Fire in the Land of Shadow. And while he wore the One Ring he could perceive all the things that were done by means of the lesser rings, and he could see and govern the very thoughts of those that wore them.

That he was unable to control the thoughts of the Elves is due to their own innate abilities, and they ‘saw’ what he was attempting to do. While Men were not aware of what he would do, maybe because their power of thought was latent?

I wonder if anyone else agrees with what I've postulated here? What impressions did others who have read the Osanwe-Kenta get about the Rings of Power? And what do those who have not read it think of my idea?

[Bêthberry]

I still recommend that you look at the existing review thread at least! It is very complex, but once you read the actual essay (available by mail order) your head will be full of new thoughts.

We have to read the essay? No transference?

[obloquy]

Whoa, this might be up my alley. ^_^

[Maédhros]

Very interesting I must say.

I was thinking why Sauron would even want to see into the hearts and minds of men in this way, as due to their mortality, this would be a power limited in itself. Unless his aim was purely to create a group of wraiths to do his bidding. Perhaps this is why he so desired to see into the hearts and minds of immortal Elves; he would have an everlasting link into their thoughts.

Perhaps there is another motif as to why Sauron would want to have men as his slaves in this way. Consider that because of Men are mortal, their hröa would eventually die and their fëa would leave the world, those cannot be such great servants if they leave eventually but if you somehow could prevent their fëar leavin the world (ex: by somehow linking Sauron's own spirit to the fëar of men) to prevent that men would enjoy the gift of Eru in order to make men slaves forever.

What is interesting in the above passage is how it specifically mentions that the Three had to be concealed. Was there some faint or tenuous connection between the One and the Three which may have enabled thought transference between Sauron and those who bore these rings? I cannot be certain, but is it the case that they were not used until the Ruling Ring was known to be lost? That they in themselves in some way possessed qualities which may have enhanced those discussed in Osanwe-Kenta is a possibility raised in the following sentence which says that no ‘open’ word was ‘spoken’:

Perhaps because the rings came from the same kind of craft, the ringbearers had greater affinity than otherwise they would have had. We also have to remember that it was not the later elven ring bearers but Celebrimbor who noticed what Sauron was up to. I don't think that there can be a greater affinity between the maker of the 3 rings and Sauron, both great craftsmen in their own right.

That he was unable to control the thoughts of the Elves is due to their own innate abilities, and they ‘saw’ what he was attempting to do. While Men were not aware of what he would do, maybe because their power of thought was latent?

The thing is that, if the One ring could control the mind of the ring bearers, how is it that Celebrimbor was able not to fall into Sauron's control? Does that means that Sauron needed sometime to get used to using the ring to control others?

I think that the bigger question that needs to be asked is this:
How could Sauron control minds of Elves that not even Morgoth could? How could Sauron control the minds of others if that is an impossibility? Only Eru can open a closed mind?
I wonder if that means that Sauron could leave open the minds of other beings by deceiving them with their desires?
Elves (ñoldor) = Valinor in ME.
dwarves = riches.
Men = power.

From Ósanwe-kenta

The Incarnates have by the nature of sáma the same faculties; but their perception is dimmed by the hröa, for their fëa is united to their hröa and its normal procedure is through the hröa, which is in itself part of Eä, without thought. The dimming is indeed double; for thought has to pass one mantle of hröa and penetrate another. For this reason in Incarnates transmission of thought requires strengthening to be effective. Strengthening can be by affinity, by urgency, or by authority.
Affinity may be due to kinship; for this may increase the likeness of hröa to hröa, and so of the concerns and modes of thought of the indwelling fëar, kinship is also normally accompanied by love and sympathy. Affinity may come simply from love and friendship, which is likeness or affinity of fëa to fëa.
Urgency is imparted by great need of the "sender" (as in joy, grief or fear); and if these things are in any degree shared by the "receiver" the thought is the clearer received. Authority may also lend force to the thought of one who has a duty towards another, or of any ruler who has a right to issue commands or to seek the truth for the good of others.
These causes may strengthen the thought to pass the veils and reach a recipient mind. But that mind must remain open, and at the least passive. If, being aware that it is addressed, it then closes, no urgency or affinity will enable the sender's thought to enter.

Though in "Arda Unmarred" openness is the normal state, every mind has, from its first making as an individual, the right to close; and it has absolute power to make this effective by will. Nothing can penetrate the barrier of Unwill.

Just to make a note:

With this statement of the impossibility of forced penetration of the mind, compare the first paragraph of part (ii) of the Notes on motives in the Silmarillion (MR:398-99), which appears to say that such an act is possible, though forbidden and, even if done for "good" purposes, criminal.

The interesting thing is that while Melkor used his powers to control others by the use of the language, could Sauron have refined this method by somehow using the rings?

[Lalwendë]

The interesting thing is that while Melkor used his powers to control others by the use of the language, could Sauron have refined this method by somehow using the rings?

One of my further thoughts - which I failed to include - was on the script which is engraved on the One Ring. Obviously script is language, and I was thinking whether in some way Sauron too was attempting to control by the use of language. The script as we know is hidden unless the ring is placed in fire so this could possibly be a case of subliminal messaging. It is not said, or at least I do not know that it says, whether the other rings (I'm thinking of the 7 and the 9) were also inscribed in some way.

[Maédhros]

One of my further thoughts - which I failed to include - was on the script which is engraved on the One Ring. Obviously script is language, and I was thinking whether in some way Sauron too was attempting to control by the use of language. The script as we know is hidden unless the ring is placed in fire so this could possibly be a case of subliminal messaging. It is not said, or at least I do not know that it says, whether the other rings (I'm thinking of the 7 and the 9) were also inscribed in some way.

I really don't see the script in the One ring as significant except to identify it from other magical rings. I think that Sauron as his former master Melkor used the language in order to trick Celebrimbor in order to control them.

The question still remains as to how Sauron could best Melkor into finally achieving the fact that he could control the users of the Rings, even the 3 of the elves.

[drigel]

Was it the innate ability of the elves, or their superb craftsmenship? These Noldor have a history of creating things that Vala / Maia covet.... and on a related note -

As for Sauron - being one of Aule's faction is heady stuff! This is the only way I could see Sauron bettering Morgoth in any aspect. It is interesting to contemplate how created things have such an impact on Ea.

Ultimately, knowlage of use and identity of the 3 rings users could be sufficient intelligence for Sauron. Im sure he intended that thought awareness or thought control was the object in the creation of the Ruling ring, but perhaps (after the destruction of Eregion) user identity was enough. Concealing the rings seems logical in the fact that Sauron could/would have common present knowlage of the bearer's location. --"Ah, Galadriel just put her ring on - I know where her kingdom lies.... "

It's interesting and somewhat ironic that - free peoples uniting aside - it seems to me, that only the elves (by an act of Grace?), in creating such powerfull rings, were ultimately the architects of the downfall of Sauron. Otherwise he would not have put so much of his power in the Ruling ring, and created the lynchpin of his own demise.?..?

[Maédhros]

Was it the innate ability of the elves, or their superb craftsmenship? These Noldor have a history of creating things that Vala / Maia covet.... and on a related note -

I would have to say that in the case of Fëanor, his silmarils while the greatest creation by any Eldar, were not if fact something new but they captured the light of the Trees made by Yavanna. So in a way it was a memento of the Trees of Valinórë.

It's interesting and somewhat ironic that - free peoples uniting aside - it seems to me, that only the elves (by an act of Grace?), in creating such powerfull rings, were ultimately the architects of the downfall of Sauron. Otherwise he would not have put so much of his power in the Ruling ring, and created the lynchpin of his own demise.?..?

I have to totally disagree with this, it was not the Elves of their own accord that they created the rings but it was Sauron himself who had the initial idea of the Rings.
But if you think for a bit, would have Sauron endured this long without making the Ruling Ring?
I don't know for how long Sauron had "incarnated" himself with a body, but I think that it is very likely that without his ring, his bodily demise in both Númenor and with the Elendil/Erenion fight, that he would have been unable to reappear again in the Third Age.
So, yes with the destruction of the Ring, Sauron was "destroyed" if you will but would Sauron had been able to reincarnate himself after his Númenor and Second Age downfall?