Why a ring?

[Taurendil]

Maybe a strange question, but I wonder why did Tolkien use a ring(rings) in his remarkable works and not other thing. I mean he could have used a staff for example. I'm not sure but there are no ancient legends in history with rings in them, are there?

[Mojo Toner]

Think about how hard it is to lose a staff, a ring is small and easy to lose. Thats probaly why it was used.

[Lessa]

circles or rings have been a potent symbol for thousands of years in various cultures. So it was a symbol everyone would recognise

Lessa

[Taurendil]

Yeah, now I see that it is the most obvious thing, if not the only one that could have been used. 

[Hulo_uruk]

circles or rings have been a potent symbol for thousands of years in various cultures. So it was a symbol everyone would recognise

Lessa

I am absolutely agree with Lessa :)I think there are some legends about some rings of power....But yes,the rings are simbols of a protection and sometimes it can be a power in them-for good or for evil

[EG]

not only that, but a Ring is easily carried.. into battle, to bed etc...

A staff could easily break, or be propped up in the corner, easily stolen.

I guess he could have had Magic pants or something!

[EG]

hmmmm *considers registering it.................*

(did they wear pants in those days )

[In AmericEar]

circles or rings have been a potent symbol for thousands of years in various cultures. So it was a symbol everyone would recognise

Lessa

I agree

and I hope so...

[Theo]

  Here's what I found on Wikipedia:

  Parallels have been drawn between the literary device of Tolkien's Cursed Ring and the titular ring in Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen.  Tolkien dismissed critics' direct comparisons to Wagner, telling his publisher, "Both rings were round, and there the resemblance ceases."  According to Humphrey Carpenter's biography of Tolkien, the author held Wagner's interpretation of the relevant Germanic myths in contempt.  In the contrary sense, some critics hold that Tolkien's work borrows so liberally from Wagner that Tolkien's work exists in the shadow of Wagner's.  Others, such as Tom Shippey and Gloriana St. Clair, attribute the resemblances to the fact that Tolkien and Wagner have created homologue works based in the same sources. However, Shippey and other researchers have written on an intermediary position, stating that both the authors, indeed, used the same source materials but that Tolkien was, in fact, indebted to some of the original developments, insights and artistic uses made upon those sources that first appeared in Wagner.

  My opinion is that the choice of making it into a ring was purely for cosmetic reasons..  I mean, would anyone have accepted anything else?  They were thought to be gifts, turning out that they were to be used to do evil, but they were gifts..

  That is all.. but then it is the middle of the night..  I might have more to say tomorrow.. 

[GG]

Considering how long rings have been used to show status in society such as wedding rings and signet rings, not to mention how many cultures use rings in various forms of divination, it's logical that many people associate rings with power and even possibly mysticism.

[Theo]

  And consider this: rings are symbols of forever/ eternity..  Like a wedding ring, the unending circle symbolizes that they will (hopefully) love each other for the rest of their lives and beyond..  The unending circle could symbolize the neverending power put into those rings when they were made and the impact it had on each individual..  Not all of them succumbed to the power of the ring they possessed..

[Anne]

Remember also that rings can look attractive, so the power to corrupt disguised as a ring would help distract people from Sauron's main intention.  Who would think that something small and ornamental could be used to overthrow kingdoms.

[Edge]

Yeah, Rings in the past were a consideration of status and power, plus, I think it might be representative of Man's Avarice for valuable and precious things, the greed of man (Pretty prophetic when you look at our world now.) and in alot of ways how the intention behind aquiring power/wealth/fame/status doesn't always amount to the end result. (Smeagol becoming Gollum is the perfect example there- another would be Isildur.)

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