The Two Towers

by

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Ring Symbol Analysis

The Ring Symbol Icon

The One Ring, which tempts and influences its bearers with visions of power in its efforts to return to Sauron, its only true master, is a symbol of the corrupting influence of power. The Ring was created by the Dark Lord Sauron to enable him to enhance his own power and gain control of Middle-earth. Just as Sauron desires control over the people of Middle-earth’s free will, the Ring reads the fears and desires of the people around it, manipulating their thoughts and guiding their choices. At the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, Boromir falls prey to the Ring’s seduction, attempting to steal it from Frodo and use it to protect Gondor from Sauron’s armies. Then, Frodo uses Gollum’s desire and respect for the Ring to secure his help as a guide to lead him into Mordor. Gollum’s obsession with the Ring, which he carried for many years, has turned him into the strange creature he appears as in The Two Towers and has split his mind into two. Half of him speaks for the Ring, tempting and corrupting the other half with promises of revenge, power, and unlimited food. While the Ring can bring its bearer incredible power, it has its own goals, proven in its betrayal and abandonment of both Isildur and Gollum.

Frodo, the Ring-bearer, must constantly contend with the Ring’s dragging weight and the temptation to use it for himself as they approach Mordor. The Ring’s attempt to corrupt Frodo is slow and wearying. It seeks to eventually corrupt his mind by first exhausting him and making him hopeless of ever completing his quest. In this way, the Ring also represents the great burden of responsibly bearing power. Frodo bears the most powerful object in Middle-earth. He seeks to destroy it rather than wield it, yet simply wearing it around his neck takes a great toll. Frodo’s deterioration into physical weakness and spiritual despondency the course of The Two Towers indicates that such dominating power can’t be carried safely for long.

The Ring Quotes in The Two Towers

The The Two Towers quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Ring. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
).
Book 3, Chapter 1 Quotes

Boromir opened his eyes and strove to speak. At last slow words came. ‘I tried to take the Ring from Frodo,’ he said. ‘I am sorry. I have paid.’ His glance strayed to his fallen enemies; twenty at least lay there. ‘They have gone: the Halflings: the Orcs have taken them. I think they are not dead. Orcs bound them.’ He paused and his eyes closed wearily. After a moment he spoke again.

‘Farewell, Aragorn! Go to Minas Tirith and save my people! I have failed.’

Related Characters: Boromir (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Aragorn, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:

‘Let me think!’ said Aragorn. ‘And now may I make a right choice, and change the evil fate of this unhappy day!’ He stood silent for a moment. ‘I will follow the Orcs,’ he said at last. ‘I would have guided Frodo into Mordor and gone with him to the end; but if I seek him now in the wilderness, I must abandon the captives to torment and death. My heart speaks clearly at last: the fate of the Bearer is in my hands no longer. The Company has played its part. Yet we that remain cannot forsake our companions while we have strength left. Come! We will go now. Leave all that can be spared behind! We will press on by day and dark!’

Related Characters: Aragorn (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took , Gimli, Legolas
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 11
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 3 Quotes

‘Now,’ thought Pippin, ‘if only it takes that ugly fellow a little while to get his troops under control, I’ve got a chance.’ A gleam of hope had come to him.

Related Characters: Peregrin “Pippin” Took (speaker), Uglúk, Grishnákh
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 45
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 5 Quotes

‘You have not said what you know or guess, Aragorn, my friend,’ he said quietly. ‘Poor Boromir! I could not see what happened to him. It was a sore trial for such a man: a warrior, and a lord of men. Galadriel told me that he was in peril. But he escaped in the end. I am glad. It was not in vain that the young hobbits came with us, if only for Boromir’s sake.’

Related Characters: Gandalf (speaker), Aragorn, Boromir, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck, Peregrin “Pippin” Took , Gimli, Legolas
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 104
Explanation and Analysis:

‘I have spoken words of hope. But only of hope. Hope is not victory. War is upon us and all our friends, a war in which only the use of the Ring could give us surety of victory. It fills me with great sorrow and great fear: for much shall be destroyed and all may be lost. I am Gandalf, Gandalf the White, but Black is mightier still.’

He rose and gazed out eastward, shading his eyes, as if he saw things far away that none of them could see. Then he shook his head. ‘No,’ he said in a soft voice, ‘it has gone beyond our reach. Of that at least let us be glad. We can no longer be tempted to use the Ring. We must go down to face a peril near despair, yet that deadly peril is removed.’

Related Characters: Gandalf (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Aragorn, Sauron, Gimli, Legolas
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 108-109
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 10 Quotes

‘Yes, when you also have the Keys of Barad-dûr itself, I suppose; and the crowns of seven kings, and the rods of the Five Wizards, and have purchased yourself a pair of boots many sizes larger than those you wear now. A modest plan. Hardly one in which my help is needed! I have other things to do. Do not be a fool. If you wish to treat with me, while you have a chance, go away, and come back when you are sober!’

Related Characters: Saruman (speaker), Gandalf
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 207
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 1 Quotes

I do not feel any pity for Gollum. He deserves death.

Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give that to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.

‘Very well,’ he answered aloud, lowering his sword. ‘But still I am afraid. And yet, as you see, I will not touch the creature. For now that I see him, I do pity him.”

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Gandalf (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Gollum (Sméagol)
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 246
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 2 Quotes

‘About the food,’ said Sam. ‘How long’s it going to take us to do this job?’

[…]

‘I don’t know how long we shall take to—to finish,’ said Frodo. ‘We were miserably delayed in the hills. But Samwise Gamgee, my dear hobbit—indeed, Sam my dearest hobbit, friend of friends—I do not think we need to give thought to what comes after that. To do the job as you put it—what hope is there that we ever shall? And if we do, who knows what will come of that? If the One goes into the Fire, and we are at hand? I ask you, Sam, are we ever likely to need bread again?’

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Ring, Lembas
Page Number: 257
Explanation and Analysis:

‘No, no! Not that way!’ wailed Sméagol.

‘Yes! We wants it! We wants it!’

Each time that the second thought spoke, Gollum’s long hand crept out slowly, pawing towards Frodo, and then was drawn back with a jerk as Sméagol spoke again. Finally both arms, with long fingers flexed and twitching, clawed towards his neck.

Related Characters: Gollum (Sméagol) (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Sauron
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 268
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 3 Quotes

‘It was an evil fate. But he had taken it on himself in his own sitting-room in the far-off spring of another year, so remote now that it was like a chapter in a story of the world’s youth, when the Trees of Silver and Gold were still in bloom. This was an evil choice. Which way should he choose? And if both led to terror and death, what good lay in choice?’

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Gollum (Sméagol)
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 281
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 5 Quotes

‘Not were Minas Tirith falling in ruin and I alone could save her, so, using the weapon of the Dark Lord for her good and my glory. No, I do not wish for such triumphs, Frodo son of Drogo. […] War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend: the city of the Men of Númenor; and I would have her loved for her memory, her ancientry, her beauty, and her present wisdom.’

Related Characters: Faramir (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Sauron, Isildur
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 314
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 7 Quotes

‘I’m afraid our journey’s drawing to an end.’

‘Maybe,’ said Sam; ‘but where there’s life there’s hope, as my Gaffer used to say; and need of vittles, as he mostways used to add. You have a bite, Mr. Frodo, and then a bit of sleep.’

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Ring, Lembas
Page Number: 348-349
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 8 Quotes

‘All is lost. Even if my errand is performed, no one will ever know. There will be no one I can tell. It will be in vain.’ Overcome with weakness he wept. And still the host of Morgul crossed the bridge.

Then, at a great distance, as if it came out of memories of the Shire, some sunlit early morning, when the day called and the doors were opening, he heard Sam’s voice speaking. ‘Wake up, Mr. Frodo! Wake up!’

[…]

Frodo raised his head, and then stood up. Despair had not left him, but the weakness had passed. He even smiled grimly, feeling now as clearly as a moment before he had felt the opposite, that what he had to do, he had to do, if he could, and that whether Faramir or Aragorn or Elrond or Galadriel or Gandalf or anyone else ever knew about it was beside the purpose.

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee (speaker), Aragorn, Gandalf, Faramir, Galadriel, The Wraith-king, Elrond
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 357-358
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 10 Quotes

He flung the Quest and all his decisions away, and fear and doubt with them. He knew now where his place was and had been: at his master’s side, though what he could do there was not clear. Back he ran down the steps, down the path towards Frodo.

[…]

‘I wonder if any song will ever mention it: How Samwise fell in the High Pass and made a wall of bodies round his master. No, no song. Of course not, for the Ring’ll be found, and there’ll be no more songs. I can’t help it. My place is by Mr. Frodo. They must understand that—Elrond and the Council, and the great Lords and Ladies with all their wisdom. Their plans have gone wrong. I can’t be their Ring-bearer. Not without Mr. Frodo.’

Related Characters: Samwise “Sam” Gamgee (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Elrond
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 390
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Two Towers LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Two Towers PDF

The Ring Symbol Timeline in The Two Towers

The timeline below shows where the symbol The Ring appears in The Two Towers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 3, Chapter 1
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...ground. As Aragorn kneels beside him, Boromir weakly confesses that he tried to take the Ring from Frodo and that the orcs have taken the hobbits. (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...want to lead his friends to their deaths and decided that he must take the Ring to Mount Doom himself. Legolas wonders if it was the orcs that led him to... (full context)
Book 3, Chapter 3
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...side of the company, Grishnákh searches the hobbits. Pippin realizes that he’s looking for the Ring and wonders if he can use Grishnákh’s desire to escape. Impersonating Gollum, Pippin tells Grishnákh... (full context)
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
Grishnákh loses his temper, asking if either of them has the Ring, but Merry demands again that they be freed before they tell him. Rather than untying... (full context)
Book 3, Chapter 5
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
...some of what happened while he was gone, but not everything. He knows that the Ring was almost revealed to Sauron and helped to protect it by fighting Sauron mentally. Gimli... (full context)
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
Gandalf explains that, while Sauron knows the Ring is in the possession of a hobbit, he doesn’t know the purpose of the Company... (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...Théoden instead. They must all prepare for war against Mordor without the help of the Ring, which is now beyond their reach. Gandalf urges Aragorn not to regret the choice he... (full context)
Book 3, Chapter 6
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
...Théoden—the enemy is strong, but Rohan and Gondor are not alone. Their greatest hope (the Ring-bearer) is traveling east into Mordor, and all they have to do is remain unconquered until... (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 1
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
Gollum mutters to himself that he hates the hobbits and is looking for his “Precious” Ring. Reaching a place on the cliff with no footholds, Gollum falls a dozen feet to... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...hurts him, though the knot is not tight. Frodo forces Gollum to swear by the Ring to be good and serve Frodo. It seems to Sam as though Frodo has grown... (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 2
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
...falling asleep on watch and assures him that Gollum will come back—he won’t leave the Ring any time soon. (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
...Frodo, meanwhile, is worrisomely weary, hardly speaking, and walking as though the burden of the Ring grows heavier the closer they get to Mordor. He is also troubled by the Eye,... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
...to be loyal to Frodo, and the other side, called Gollum, wants to take the Ring. Gollum argues that they promised Frodo not to let Sauron have the Ring, but Frodo... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...next, he insists that they have to hate all Bagginses and anyone who holds the Ring. Gollum tries to cajole Sméagol into taking the Ring and keeping it safe from both... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
Sméagol whines that there are two hobbits, so if he tries to take the Ring, they’ll overpower him. Gollum, like a child, repeatedly insists that he wants the Ring, no... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
...want to eat them, as Sam had assumed. Instead, he feels the pull of the Ring. Sam wonders who the “She” Gollum mentioned is. Something tells Sam that he shouldn’t let... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...night, as they travel, the winged shapes fly out of Mordor three times, sensing the Ring. Gollum pleads with the hobbits not to continue towards the gate and refuses to move... (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 3
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...through the gate, but Gollum tells him that doing that would just be delivering the Ring to Sauron and asks Frodo to give it back to him instead. Gollum tries again... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
However, Frodo warns Gollum not to let his desire for the Ring get him in trouble. As a last resort, Frodo will put on the Ring and... (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...an errand, as Aragorn thought. Gollum admits that he was told to look for the Ring, but he did escape, and he was searching for the Ring for himself rather than... (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 5
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
...the Fellowship and where he’s going now. Faramir wants to know about Isildur’s Bane (the Ring) which is referenced in the riddle that sent Boromir to Rivendell, but all Frodo will... (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
...if Frodo was Boromir’s friend, and Frodo hesitates, remembering when Boromir tried to take the Ring, and then says that yes, he was Boromir’s friend. Faramir then reveals that Boromir is... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...Company and wary that Faramir, like his brother, will be possessed by desire for the Ring. Still, Frodo likes Faramir and longs to ask him for help and advice. (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
...though Boromir was a fine man, Sam knew all along that Boromir wanted “the Enemy’s Ring!” The hobbits are both horrified that Sam has accidentally blurted the secret of Isildur’s Bane,... (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...to desire power, and, even if he was, he already swore he wouldn’t take the Ring from Frodo. He comforts Sam about his blunder, claiming that Sam’s heart understood that Faramir... (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...fear, Frodo explains that he’s trying to find a way into Mordor to throw the Ring into Mount Doom, but he doesn’t think he’ll actually make it. Faramir is surprised for... (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 6
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
...customs of men and that he was only lured into trespassing, following Frodo and the Ring, which he carried for many years. When Faramir asks what Gollum is seeking, Frodo answers... (full context)
Duty Theme Icon
Frodo creeps down carefully towards Gollum, who talks to his fish about the Ring. As he goes, Frodo is disgusted and wishes he could turn back and tell Faramir... (full context)
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...get into Mordor besides Cirith Ungol and asks if Faramir would prefer he bring the Ring to Gondor to corrupt Minas Tirith. (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 8
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
Impatient, Gollum pulls them onwards. Frodo is once again heavy-hearted under the weight of the Ring as they pass slowly beneath Minas Morgul, the city of the Ringwraiths. When they arrive... (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
...and wonders to Sam how far he can carry his burden. He says that the Ring is “very heavy” and that he needs to rest. Gollum frantically pulls Frodo’s sleeve to... (full context)
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...looks around the valley. As he watches, Frodo feels the compulsion to put on the Ring, though he knows it will only betray him to the Wraith-king. His hand creeps towards... (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...late, and the armies of Mordor will wipe everything out before he can destroy the Ring. Overwhelmed, he begins to cry, certain that his quest is meaningless and that no one... (full context)
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
...and if people will one day ask to hear the story of Frodo and the Ring. Frodo laughs, the first laugh heard in that land since Sauron came to Middle-earth. (full context)
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...many opportunities before. Frodo doesn’t think Gollum has any plan besides trying to protect the Ring from Sauron for as long as he can or maybe waiting for a chance to... (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 9
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Good and Evil Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...to Shelob, letting her eat them, then picking through their clothes and bones for the Ring. Once he had the Ring, he would take revenge on her. Concealing his plan, he... (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 10
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
Sam wonders how he can carry the Ring, since the Council gave it to Frodo, but he remembers that the Council also sent... (full context)
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
But if Sam isn’t the right person to carry the Ring, then neither was Frodo, who didn’t choose his burden initially when he set out from... (full context)
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...Sam puts the chain around his own neck and immediately feels the weight of the Ring. As strength grows in him, however, he discovers that he can bear the burden. He... (full context)
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Power Theme Icon
...indecision has ruined everything. As he tries to think of how he can save the Ring, he finds himself slipping it out of his shirt and putting it on. (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...his death. Then he remembers that no one will write songs about him because the Ring will be taken by the enemy and there won’t be any more songs at all.... (full context)
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
Duty Theme Icon
Joy and Optimism vs. Despair Theme Icon
Heroism, Honor, and Glory Theme Icon
...attack them, only to realize he misjudged the distance because of the sharpened hearing the Ring gives him. The orcs are far ahead, nearing the gate, which swings shut after they... (full context)