About the Ring

[Bombur]

Hello.
So Ive just started reading The Fellowship and recently finished the Hobbit. My question is this..

How come Bilbo had the Ring for 60 some odd years and the Ring Wraiths never found him, but when Frodo gets the ring, they are after him almost right away?

I had asked someone this who had already read all the books and he says that Tolkein never really explained it.

Anyone with any insight would surely be appreciated.

And BTW, I had no idea Frodo was so much older in the books than in the movies. Hes Fifty!

[MastrLOTRELF]

ya i guess it is because he might not of used it that much but then at his b-day he used it and at his b-day that was when the ringwriths were formed i think and then bilbo gave the ring to frodo and and they searched for him. i guess i dont really know how to explain it.

[bigred]

as in most stories, alot of questions will be answered later on, in the fellowship, while all was quiet when bilbo returned home alot was going on in the south. as you get on in the story almost all of it is explained. don't get ahead of your self, enjoy one of the most amazing stories ever written.

[MastrLOTRELF]

ya you can say that again

[Peregrina_Took]

The Ringwraiths never went after Bilbo mostly because while Bilbo had the Ring, Sauron was still making and ripening his plans. Also, the Ringwraiths had just been sent from Minas Morgul (or wherever it was) to hunt for the Ring when Frodo came into possession of it. 'It has been long since the Nine walked abroad', or something along those lines.

And yes, they cut about seventeen years out from the movie save time, and because who wants to watch Frodo wander around the Shire? Yaaawwwnnnn!

[matthew479]

you guys heard what he said on bilbos b-day he said he hadn't put it on for to long then he put it on

[Gandalf_45]

Maby because he did not wear it so the ringwraiths did not feel the rings power.

[MastrLOTRELF]

well, like you all have been saying he hadn't used it in "forever" but then he used it on his birthday. if you think about it some, the ringwraiths weren't that active before, i don't think, and then with all the chaos and world domination going on and starting, fthey are active more than ever now. i guess. i havn't read all the books, but i have seen the movies, extended version, a billion times over and practicaly memerised them, so i guess that could be what it was. in my perspective that is. hoope it helps.

[RoguishElf]

I have to argue this point. You all claim that by putting on the ring Bilbo alerted the enemy of the rings whereabouts. However, in The Fellowship it says, "it was over nine years since Frodo had seen or heard or him..." (FOTR:45). This quote is after Frodo was in possession of the ring and it is referring to the consistant visits Gandalf was making. If the Ringwraiths knew Frodo had the ring, it would not have taken them this long to find him. I think there must be another reason. Perhaps that they just weren't strong enough to leave Mordor or something along these lines.

[MastrLOTRELF]

you have a good point there.

[Rhynnyn_of_the_South]

I thought that the reason was because Sauron lay dormant, like the rings power was in a deep slumber, but it finally awoke and brought sauron back with a vengence and he used the time after Bilbo had left to gather his forces, and send the nine to start looking for the ring which led them to Smeagol, whom they tortured, before getting the two words "Shire" "Baggins". And that was when they set off for the Shire. And Gandalf learning from the library at Minas Tirith about the great ring probably saw the atmosphere blooming over the mountains and raced off to the shire to make certain that it was the one ring and if so then to warn Frodo to leave.

[MastrLOTRELF]

true to that as well.