The Elven Rings

 

Among the free peoples of Middle Earth, the elves took special interest in the discovery of the Ring of Power, which had been lost for many years.

Like their allies among dwarves and men, the elves wished to defeat the Dark Lord Sauron.

But many elves, including King Elrond and Lady Galadriel, believed destroying the Ring of Power would eliminate the powers of the Elven Rings, which the Elves used to maintain the splendor and success of their realms. Without the power of the Elven Rings, they believed Rivendell and Lothlorien would diminish and fade away to the sands of time.

The origin, significance, and fate of the Elven Rings is discussed at length in The Silmarillion and The Fellowship of the Ring.

I will examine the lore of the Elven Rings, as described in these two books, across two blog posts.   

  

Origin 

Sauron approached various Elvish kingdoms, seeking to persuade them to become his allies. His goal was to bring them under his control.

At the time, Sauron appeared fair and wise. He presented himself as, “Annatar, the Lord of Gifts.”  

The elves in the land of Eregion accepted Sauron’s assistance and learned many things from him. They used their new-found knowledge to create magic rings.

 

In those days the smiths of Ost-in-Edhil surpassed all that they had contrived before; and they took thought, and they made Rings of Power. But Sauron guided their labours, and he was aware of all that they did; for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves and to bring them under his vigilance.

Now the Elves made many rings; but secretly Sauron made One Ring to rule all the others, and their power was bound up with it, to be subject wholly to it and to last only so long as it too should last.

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.

But the Elves were not so lightly to be caught. As soon as Sauron set the One Ring upon his finger they were aware of him; and they knew him, and perceived that he would be master of them, and of that they wrought.

Then in anger and fear they took off their rings. But he, finding that he was betrayed and that the Elves were not deceived, was filled with wrath; and he came against them with open war, demanding that all the rings should be delivered to him, since the Elven-smiths could not have attained to their making without his lore and counsel. But the Elves fled from him; and three of their rings they saved, and bore them away, and hid them.

Now these were the Three that had last been made, and they possessed the greatest powers. Narya, Nenya, and Vilya, they were named, the Rings of Fire, and of Water, and of Air, set with ruby and adamant and sapphire; and of all the Elven-rings Sauron most desired to possess them, for those who had them in their keeping could ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world.

But Sauron could not discover them, for 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.

From that time war never ceased between Sauron and the Elves; and Eregion was laid waste, and Celebrimbor slain, and the doors of Moria were shut.

In that time the stronghold and refuge of Imladris, that Men called Rivendell, was founded by Elrond Half-elven; and long it endured. (The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age)

  

According to The Silmarillion, the Elven Rings allowed their ring-bearers to, “ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world.”

King Elrond of Rivendell discussed the origin of the Elven Rings with assembled representatives of Elves, Dwarves, and Men during the Council of Elrond. They debated what to do with the Ring of Power.

  

Then all listened while Elrond in his clear voice spoke of Sauron and the Rings of Power, and their forging in the Second Age of the world long ago. A part of his tale was known to some there, but the full tale to none, and many eyes were turned to Elrond in fear and wonder as he told of the Elven-smiths of Eregion and their friendship with Moria, and their eagerness for knowledge, by which Sauron ensnared them.

For in that time he was not yet evil to behold, and they received his aid and grew mighty in craft, whereas he learned all their secrets, and betrayed them, and forged secretly in the Mountain of Fire the One Ring to be their master. But Celebrimbor was aware of him, and hid the Three which he had made; and there was war, and the land was laid waste, and the gate of Moria was shut. (The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter 2)

 

Elrond described the friendship between the Elven-smiths of Eregion and the Dwarves of Moria.

Later events in The Fellowship underscore the extent of that friendship. The door to Moria, opened by the fellowship, displayed text written in Elvish that stated Celebrimbor, the elf who forged the three Elven Rings, drew the door’s decorative pattern.

After the elves learned of Sauron’s intentions and refused to hand over the Elven Rings, Sauron went to war with the elves.

After he failed to bring the elves under his command, Sauron attempted to use magic rings to bring other races of Middle Earth under his control.

Sauron provided seven rings to the dwarves, who used them to amass large hordes of gold. But Sauron wasn’t able to bring the dwarves under his command.

Sauron provided nine rings to men, who used the rings to gather power, wealth, and glory. Among men, Sauron’s scheme finally worked as planned. The Dark Lord was able to corrupt these ring-bearers and bring them under his control.

These men diminished and became Ring Wraiths, frightening spirits who were invisible to almost everyone. They served as loyal servants to the Dark Lord.

Eventually, Sauron was vanquished, at least temporarily, by the free peoples of Middle Earth.  

Afterward, the elves felt safe using the Elven Rings again.

 

The Ring Bearers

King Elrond of Rivendell commanded the power of Vilya, the Blue Sapphire Ring. The elves referred to Rivendell as Imladris.  

Vilya is also known as the Ring of Air.

Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien marshalled the majesty of Nenya, the White Ring of Adamant. Tolkien likely used Adamant as a synonym for diamond, which would mean Galadriel wore a diamond ring.

Nenya is known as the Ring of Water.

 

Of the Three Rings that the Elves had preserved unsullied no open word was ever spoken among the Wise, and few even of the Eldar knew where they were bestowed. Yet after the fall of Sauron, their power was ever at work, and where they abode there mirth also dwelt and all things were unstained by the griefs of time.

Therefore ere the Third Age was ended the Elves perceived that the Ring of Sapphire was with Elrond, in the fair valley of Rivendell, upon whose house the stars of heaven most brightly shone; whereas the Ring of Adamant was in the Land of Lorien where dwelt the Lady Galadriel.

A queen she was of the woodland Elves, the wife of Celeborn of Doriath, yet she herself was of the Noldor and remembered the Day before days in Valinor, and she was the mightiest and fairest of all the Elves that remained in Middle-earth.

But the Red Ring remained hidden until the end, and none save Elrond and Galadriel and Cirdan knew to whom it had been committed.

Thus it was that in two domains the bliss and beauty of the Elves remained still undiminished while that Age endured: in Imladris; and in Lothlorien, the hidden land between Celebrant and Anduin, where the trees bore flowers of gold and no Orc or evil thing dared ever come. (The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age)

 

But Sauron wasn’t truly defeated.

Benevolent Gods, known as Valar, resided in Valinor, a city that resided on a continent to the west of Middle Earth, across a great ocean.

The Valar sent Wizards to Middle Earth to aid in the fight against Sauron, whose power was slowly returning.

 

Even as the first shadows were felt in Mirkwood there appeared in the west of Middle-earth the Istari, whom Men called the Wizards. None knew at that time whence they were, save Cirdan of the Havens, and only to Elrond and to Galadriel did he reveal that they came over the Sea.

But afterwards it was said among the Elves that they were messengers sent by the Lords of the West to contest the power of Sauron, if he should arise again, and to move Elves and Men and all living things of good will to valiant deeds. In the likeness of Men they appeared, old but vigorous, and they changed little with the years, and aged but slowly, though great cares lay on them; great wisdom they had, and many powers of mind and hand.

Long they journeyed far and wide among Elves and Men, and held converse also with beasts and with birds; and the peoples of Middle-earth gave to them many names, for their true names they did not reveal.

Chief among them were those whom the Elves called Mithrandir and Curunir, but Men in the North named Gandalf and Saruman.

Of these Curunir was the eldest and came first, and after him came Mithrandir and Radagast, and others of the Istari who went into the east of Middle-earth, and do not come into these tales.

Radagast was the friend of all beasts and birds; but Curunir went most among Men, and he was subtle in speech and skilled in all the devices of smith-craft.

Mithrandir was closest in counsel with Elrond and the Elves. He wandered far in the North and West and made never in any land any lasting abode. (The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age)

 

The free peoples of Middle Earth waged another great war against Sauron. Frodo destroyed the Ring of Power by dropping it into Mount Doom, leading to Sauron’s final defeat.

Only after these consequential events was it revealed that Gandalf, who helped Frodo and others defeat the Dark Lord, wore the third and final Elven Ring — Narya, the Ring of Fire, which donned a Red Ruby.

The elf Cirdan, a master ship-builder, had given the ring to Gandalf, who was known to the elves as Mithrandir. Cirdan believed Gandalf could put the ring to good use.

  

Not until the time came for him to depart was it known that he had long guarded the Red Ring of Fire. At the first, that Ring had been entrusted to Cirdan, Lord of the Havens; but he had surrendered it to Mithrandir, for he knew whence he came and whither at last he would return.

'Take now this Ring,' he said; 'for thy labours and thy cares will be heavy, but in all it will support thee and defend thee from weariness. For this is the Ring of Fire, and herewith, maybe, thou shalt rekindle hearts to the valour of old in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores, guarding the Havens until the last ship sails. Then I shall await thee.' (The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age)
 

In my next analysis, I will examine what Elrond and Galadriel, who both wore Elven Rings, believed was at stake for the Elves in the fight against Sauron. 

I will also discuss what they believed the discovery of the Ring of Power, and its planned destruction, meant for the Elven kingdoms they led.