July 15, 2002

The (un)nature of Invisiblity
Brett C.

Tolkien Freak, a lot of the explanation for the functions of the ring have to lie in the fact that it is, after all, magical. (Much in the nature, I suppose, of winged demons which mysteriously have a habit of plunging to their doom from great heights.) Still, Tolkien took pains to make Middle Earth a place solidly grounded in its own reality, and did not lightly fly in the face of its conventions. The properties of the ring must therefore follow specific rules which govern its nature, if you can find what they are.

First, we must operate on the principal that the invisiblity of the ring-bearer is not the result of the bending of light waves around an object, as with the movie Predator or other science-fiction based premises. If this were the case then there would be no shadow to be seen however strong the light source, and we know the goblins could see Bilbo's shadow in the doorway. The person wearing the Ring is actually partially removed from the mortal plane of existence, and allowed to function, as Gandalf says of Glorfindel, 'in both worlds' or 'upon the other side.' This seems a vague reference to a different plane of existence, which the RingWraiths also occupy, but in more corrupted and debased form. He (the Ringbearer)is not physically removed from our reality, but has access to this different planes by being on its thresh-hold, the 'side effect' of which is he becomes invisible to mortal eyes.

It is also worth mentioning that this invisibilty seems only to work on mortals, such as Frodo and the Nazgul. Immortals, such as Galadriel, Gandalf, and Sauron wear their rings but remain visible. [At leat I assume this in the case of Sauron, since I beleive it would be difficult for Elendil and Gil-Galad to have overcome him without seeing him - evedently PJ thought so too]. The explaination must be that these beings already access both worlds [Galdriel by virtue of having lived in the Blessed Realm, though I admit this doesn't explain Elrond staying visible]and so do not need to be drawn to the border of the otherworld by magic.

Second, the glow of Sting being visible though its bearer is cloaked by the rings power is not without precedent. When the battle of the Gladden Fields is recounted in Unfinished Tales, the description of Isildur's doning of the ring to escape is that 'he set it upon his finger with a cry of pain...But the Elendilmir [the elf-stone worn by the High-Kings of Arnor upon their brow] could not be quenched, and suddenly it blazed forth red and wrathful as a burning star.' The associated footnote comments the this means the Elendilmir's light is proof against the Rings's invisiblity, but that when Isildur pulls his [now invisible] hood over his head the light is concealed and he can escape.

What this seems to imply is that enchanted objects, such as Sting, the Elendilmir, and the Phial of Galadriel, whose light source perhaps comes from the power to access this magical 'otherworld', cannot be concealed by the power of the Ring, for the same reason immortals like Galadriel cannot. The proof of this would seem to be that Isildur's hood cut off the Elendilmir's light. The hood still exists in our physical reality, and so its opaque properties are still operating within the area of effect of the Ring. In otherwords, the mundane physics of the hood were capable of doing what the magical metaphysics of the Ring could not.

Finally, it is stated many times that the Ring can only serve one master at a time. This being the case, the invisiblity benefit of the Ring's power can only be conferred upon one person, the wearer. They cannot 'share' the power with another, because the Ring does not work that way. Hence, when the invisible Frodo grabs Sam, Sam stays visible.

At least, that's my understanding of it. A bit long-winded I admit. Maybe you should ask Annatar. He's the expert, after all:)