The whole topic belongs together. My answer to one of your points would
be that use of the Ring (not necessarily use of the Ring's powers) is
enough. Second, despite the way I structured my post, I had already
formed my opinion before I found the passage in "The Treason of
Isengard". I'm aware that the use of authors' outlines and such can
be slippery -- but so can the use of authors' afterthoughts, esp. when they're
trying to prove what they meant to say. At any rate, I don't see
necessarily that the passages which you have quoted from the letters make the
case you advance, certainly not to the exclusion of others; I too quoted some
of the same texts to advance my argument.
Likewise, when you quote the following passage from the
RotK:
"A crouching shape, scarcely more than the shadow of a living thing, a creature
now wholly ruined and defeated, yet filled with a hideous lust and rage; and
before it stood stern, untouchable now by pity, a figure robed in white, but at
its breast it held a wheel of fire."
Note that when you imagine it visualluy, it parallels exactly the scene from
the taming of Sméagol. And my answer back to you as regards your
interpretation would have to be: Why has Frodo become untouchable by
pity? Why has the Ring been able to gain such complete ascendancy over
him? When "Frodo" speaks to Gollum in the next lines, Sam hears the voice
coming from the wheel of fire. The Ring has taken over.
The two scenes, from the Taming and from Mt. Doom, in my
view must be set side by side. Guideline for my interpretation is this,
the tag from Wagner: Des Ringes Herr ist des Ringes Knecht, the Ring's lord is
the Ring's slave; a sentiment expressed by Tolkien again and again, both in the
text of the LotR as well as in the Letters.
In the first scene Frodo uses the Ring (in your responses
you admit the formulation) as his instrument to control Gollum. In the
second the Ring is using Frodo as its instrument. Des Ringes Herr ist des
Ringes Knecht. These two scenes have so much more point when read this
way.
__________________________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
