# Frodo’s alleged use of the ring



## Deleted member 12094 (May 16, 2016)

There’s something I can’t understand in the letter Gandalf wrote to Frodo and which was left unsent in the Prancing Pony.

In this letter there is a line that goes as follows:

_PS. Do NOT use It again, not for any reason whatsoever!_​
I assume that Gandalf means the ring by “It”, but then what is the word “again” referring to? In as far as I know, Frodo had not used the ring at the time of writing of this letter yet.


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## Beorn84 (May 16, 2016)

Maybe he ment in general bilbo had used it dont use it again


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## Alcuin (May 16, 2016)

By the time Frodo received the letter from Butterbur, he _had_ used the Ring at least once since he’d known what it was and that it was how dangerous it was: He put it on in Tom Bombadil’s house _after_ he gave it to Bombadil: Bombadil had put it on and to the hobbits’ amazement did not vanish.

When Gandalf wrote the letter and left it with Butterbur on mid-summer’s day, we might assume that Frodo had not used it since Gandalf’s warning: after all, Gandalf had just left Hobbiton, ridden to Sarn Ford (presumably to speak to the Rangers guarding the ford), and then to Bree (possibly by way of the Greenway), where he met Radagast.

Later on, Galadriel tells Frodo that _since he’d known what the Ring was_, he’d only worn it three times:

in Bombadil’s house,
at Bree (by “accident”), and
on Weathertop.
 This rather begs two questions:

How did Galadriel know that? and
Did Frodo use the Ring before Gandalf warned him?
I think the answer to the first question is that Galadriel (and Celeborn) were fully briefed by their grandsons, Elladan and Elrohir, in all matters discussed at the Council of Elrond, as well as what Aragorn and Gandalf could report of Frodo’s journey and illness. Remember that Frodo was talking in his delirium in Rivendell before he awakened under Elrond’s care, and Gandalf hinted he’d learned much from Frodo’s speech, probably more than even Aragorn could report; besides the other hobbits would tell him about the incident at Bombadil’s.

The answer to the second question is probably yes, Frodo did most likely use the Ring, if only sparingly, during the 17 years between Bilbo’s party and Gandalf’s return. After all, Gandalf did not at first tell him to forego it altogether, but rather to “use it very seldom, or not at all.” Sparingly. That would explain both Gandalf’s admonition in the letter and Galadriel’s strange phrasing, “Only thrice have you set the ring upon your finger since you knew what you possessed.”


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## Beorn84 (May 17, 2016)

That answer is better im gonna go set in the corner now


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## Alcuin (May 17, 2016)

Please don’t do that! Come out and talk. You opened a good thread; I’ve read the book many, many times; I have notes in my copy that I consulted (I’d already counted and found the three times Frodo put on the Ring, writing down the page numbers where Galadriel mentioned it); so I’ve had lots of time to think about these answers. I love to answer them – and get beaten up – in a friendly way – by *Galin* or *Gothmog* or *Gordis* or *Valandil* or *Yay Gollum* or someone else here when I make an error. 

Don’t hide. Post.


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## Beorn84 (May 17, 2016)

Lol i like hearing yalls answers that points it out exactly makes this very interesting


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## Deleted member 12094 (May 18, 2016)

I was not expecting this level of insight! This was a surprise I enjoyed and great reading too! Thank you all for contributing.

So Frodo must have used the ring between Bilbo’s party and Gandalf’s return – “occasionally”. Never that thought would have occurred to me. Yet why not … he knew Bilbo had done so, therefore this suggestion looks quite reasonable to me even though there was no mention of it.


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## grimalkin (Sep 19, 2016)

Tom Bombadil's forgetfulness, and the fact that the ring had no hold on his mind, unlike the ring's effect on Sauron, Gandalf and Saruman indicates clearly that he is no Maia, nor Valar, elf or man, neither dwarf.


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## grimalkin (Sep 23, 2016)

Elessar said:


> Yeah.


There is a difference between overcoming temptation and 'had no hold on his mind' ...


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## Sulimo (Oct 25, 2017)

There are few things that fascinate me more then the power of the ring. I am currently reading through the trilogy again, and one thing I have been paying close attention to is the precious. 

I am curious if Frodo is actually using the ring on a subconscious level more often then we would think. I feel that the visions he has in his dreams may come from the power of the ring. It's master poured an immense amount of his power into it and from its return to him many things would be revealed. Gandalf has the red ring and his plight became at least presented to Frodo. Note Gandalf's shock when Group tells him of his vision. Also note the seeing of both Galadrial's ring and his perception of her mind.
It makes me wonder how much of his change was an effect from the Morgul knife, and how much came from the ring. 
Therefore, I believe in some way he was accessing the power of the ring without putting it on.


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## Deleted member 12094 (Oct 25, 2017)

Frodo's improved perception of things unseen became noticeable earlier on in the story already, during their journey across Moria. I refer to the following passage of Bk 2 Ch 4: “A journey in the dark” of FotR:

_Though he had been healed in Rivendell of the knife-stroke, that grim wound had not been without effect. His senses were sharper and more aware of things that could not be seen. One sign of change that he soon had noticed was that he could see more in the dark than any of his companions, save perhaps Gandalf. And he was in any case the bearer of the Ring: it hung upon its chain against his breast, and at whiles it seemed a heavy weight. He felt the certainty of evil ahead and of evil following; but he said nothing. He gripped tighter on the hilt of his sword and went on doggedly._​
Also his sense of hearing was improved, as suggested in the next §:

_Yet Frodo began to hear, or to imagine that he heard, something else: like the faint fall of soft bare feet. It was never loud enough, or near enough, for him to feel certain that he heard it; but once it had started it never stopped, while the Company was moving. But it was not an echo, for when they halted it pattered on for a little all by itself, and then grew still._​


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## Elthir (Oct 25, 2017)

I seem to be in the minority concerning this, but I think Nenya was visible... Frodo's perception being that he recognized Galadriel's ring as one of the Three.

Just my half penny 'bout that


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## Sulimo (Oct 25, 2017)

I was thinking of that quote from Journey in the Dark as I wrote my post. Glad you posted it because my copy was not handy and I did not remember if it was a perception from Frodo's mind or the narrator.


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