Did the Ring have a diffrent effect on Frodo than Bilbo?

[WallRocker]

It seems to me that the Ring affected Bilbo diffrently than Frodo. If you'll notice, Bilbo can see everything just fine when he has the RIng on and is invisible, but Frodo, it appears, cannot. This is not specefic in LOTR, but I bellieve that Frodo could not see very well, for he had come into the Nazgul's world, and as we know, the Nazgul have a very good sense of smell, but very poor eyesight. Bilbo, however, could obviously see just fine, as he stole from Lake Town and Smog. Anyone have an opinon on this?

[Dunadan]

Maybe the Ring's powers changed when Sauron was fully aware of its presence. Most likely Tolkien hadn't thought too much about it when he wrote the hobbit.

[Beleg Strongbow]

I wondered about that too. I think it was that Sauron had returned to the Barad-dûr and was exerting his power again, because he knew the Ring had been found.

[barrelrider110]

One of the risks of watching the movie version of Lord of the Rings is that we tend to mix up what we see in the movie with what we remember of the books.

In the book there is no mention of Frodo's vision, except on Weathertop, when he puts on the ring, he sees the beneath the Ringwraiths' disguises.

The difference between the ring’s effect on Bilbo and Frodo is the Frodo seems to have an urge to put the ring on at times, e.g., when the Ringwraiths are near, and other times, times when the ring trying to get back to its master, as it was trying to do when it slipped off of Gollum's hand. Bilbo puts in on when he doesn't want to be seen.

Bilbo also lied about finding it. He wanted to keep the ring for his own, a sign that the ring’s power was working on him. Frodo similarly shows reluctance to part with it, even early on in “The Shadow of the Past.”The only difference then in the effects on Bilbo and Frodo is the a result of the proximity of the ring to it’s master or to the Ringwraiths.

The shadowy world of the ring depicted in the movie is only PJ’s (and Bakshi's) interpretation, and in my opinion much too overdone.

[Dunadan]

Originally posted by barrelrider110
In the book there is no mention of Frodo's vision, except on Weathertop, when he puts on the ring, he sees the beneath the Ringwraiths' disguises.

Not so. There's loads of stuff in TTT and ROTK about the world seeming like shades of grey. Sam describes it as stumbling about in a fog, and actually takes off the ring so he can get a better look at the orcs at Cirith Ungol.

[barrelrider110]

We have two accounts of how the ring affects the wearer's vision.
From TTT "The Choices of Master Samwise" when Sam puts on the ring,

Then he put it on.
The world changed, and a single moment of time was filled with an hour of thought. At once he was aware that hearing was sharpened while sight was dimmed, but otherwise than in Shelob's lair. All things about him now were not dark but vague; while he himself was there in a grey hazy world

In FotR, in "The Knife in the Dark," Frodo's experience is somewhat different:
Immediately, though everything else remained as before, dim and dark, the shapes became terribly clear. He was able to see beneath their black wrappings. There were five tall figures: two standing on the lip of the dell, three advancing. In their white faces burned keen and merciless eyes; under their mantles were long grey robes; upon their grey hairs were helms of silver; in their haggard hands were swords of steel.

It looks like Frodo's vision was actually sharpened. There's no difference between Frodo's sight and Bilbo's when wearing the ring.

[starofelendil]

Well of corse the ring effected bilbo different than frodo.

1. They were in different posistions! Bilbo, first of all knew nothing about the ring except that it made him invisible, and he was obsessed with it. Frodo knew all about it, and he was on the quest to destroy it.
If frodo was just at home safe, naive, then it would probably be different

2. Bilbo had it longer, weather that makes any difference or not

Basicly, they are two different people with two different views on the ring, different situations!.

[Mirahzi]

The ring affected Frodo more so than Bilbo, because it was more actively seeking its master in his possession. The ring had its inherent abilities (e.g. entrance into the wraith world, greed), but perhaps these were heightened as the ring became aware of Sauron. For example, none of Bilbo's friends were affected as much as say, Boromir or even Galadriel.

[Duddun]

But it was always seeking its master

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Duddun
But it was always seeking its master

Yeah, but as far as Sauron was concerned, the ring was lost for good during the Hobbit. Perhaps his actively seeking the ring in LOTR made the ring more perceptive in kind?

[Spock]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by barrelrider110
[B]One of the risks of watching the movie version of Lord of the Rings is that we tend to mix up what we see in the movie with what we remember of the books.

In the book there is no mention of Frodo's vision, except on Weathertop, when he puts on the ring, he sees the beneath the Ringwraiths' disguises.

I TEND TO AGREE with this assessment. Indeed Bilbo had the ring in his possession and used it far longer than Frodo did and so any effects would have been greater.

[iowyth]

At the time that Frodo set out on his quest the Dark Lord had learned from Gollum that the Ring had been found. At the time that Bilbo had it, and possibly for some of the time Frodo had it, Sauron did not definetly know it was in Middle Earth and in use. (Though I often think he must have felt its pull)
However, once he definetly knew it had been found, knew which way to bend his will, Frodo was very vulnerable when he put it on. And the Ring itself must have received some sort of... emanations? from Sauron? making it more powerful.
I am a great believer in the power and the individuality of the Ring. It was not just an inanimate piece of metal. It changed in response to its master. Therefore, its effect on its hobbit bearers changed over the years.

[barrelrider110]

Sauron was most definitely looking for the ring, and in close proximity to Bilbo at the time the ring left Gollum.

As the Necromancer, Sauron was camped in DolGuldur in southern Mirkwood. When Thorin and company reach Mirkwood, Gandalf, when he tells the group they are going separate ways, warns them not to go too far south:

and even you. Bilbo, won't need me to tell you tales of that black sorcerer [the Necromancer]. I don't advise you to go anywhere near the places overlooked by his dark tower!

Did Sauron feel the ring’s presence, and vice versa? I think so. That’s why the ring left Gollum. The ring’s more subtle effect on Bilbo was owing more toward Bilbo’s character.

I don’t think there was very much difference in the ring's effect on Frodo. In the FotR movie, the world gets cloudy when Frodo puts it on in Bree and on Weathertop. However, the book does not say his vision was at all impaired at these times. The scenes in the movie do remind us of Sam’s experience the early chapters Return of the King when he wore the ring in Mordor after Frodo was taken captive.

The only difference between the ring's effect on Bilbo was Frodo's almost irrestistable temptation to put it on when the Ringwraiths were in close proximity, whereas Bilbo's use of the ring was a bit more casual. But remember, Bilbo did not know what he possessed. Perhaps he was just as tempted as Frodo at times, he just was not aware that the ring was willing him to wear it.

It's not hard to confuse scenes in the movie with our memory of the books. I think that's what is going on in this thread.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by iowyth
At the time that Frodo set out on his quest the Dark Lord had learned from Gollum that the Ring had been found. At the time that Bilbo had it, and possibly for some of the time Frodo had it, Sauron did not definetly know it was in Middle Earth and in use. (Though I often think he must have felt its pull)
However, once he definetly knew it had been found, knew which way to bend his will, Frodo was very vulnerable when he put it on. And the Ring itself must have received some sort of... emanations? from Sauron? making it more powerful.

Meh. Didn't I just say that?

[iowyth]

Yes, Beardofpants, you did just say that, but you weren't nearly as long winded as me.