Separated at... incarnation?

[bunsen_h]

(Yes, I still think the whole "Sauron is an eyeball" thing is really silly.)

Comments

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

[Unfortunately, the 'arwen-undomiel.com' server objects to image hot-links.]

The second image (from the cartoon "Duck Dodgers", IIRC) was an attempt to make the phrase "electric eye" (used for a motion sensor back in the 60s) rather more literal than was intended. As for Sauron's eye, that had more in common with a cat's eye than the cartoon eye did.

Eye-yai-yai. :-)

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

Hm. The 'arwen-undomiel.com' server wasn't complaining when I originally posted, but fair enough... I've linked to a different image.

[i-and-t.livejournal.com]

relevant to chalk drawing discussions,
i see your point!
i.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It is a silly image, but IMHO, Tolkien was amazingly successful at taking silly things and giving them majesty - or, sometimes, whimsical charm.

Still. Discorporate eyeballs?

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

To me, it's pretty clear from the text that the Eye is only one aspect of Sauron's form. Even Gollum says that he has hands and fingers.

    'It was Isildur who cut the finger off the enemy.'

    'Yes, he has only four on the Black Hand, but they are enough,' said Gollum shuddering.

See also here.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

As I understand the Tolkien mythology, Sauron was a Maya and could therefore pretty much take whatever shape he wished - and basically has a humanoid form, of which the all-seeing Eye was a variant, or part thereof.

It also reminds me of various Cristian symbols that make use of the 'eye of God', especially masonic stuff:

http://www.brisbanelivingheritage.com/_dbase_upl/ig_fasm_eye_god.jpg

and

http://eyemakeart.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/eye_of_god.jpg

and the 'all seing eye':

http://www.gocek.org/christiansymbols/images/allseeing.gif

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

The page that I nabbed the "Duck Dodgers" picture from has a long list of images of the "all-seeing eye".

It's canonical that after he lost his body in the destruction of Numenor, Sauron was no longer able to "appear fair to the eyes of men". I'm not sure if that means that he was unable to change shape at will, or if any form he chose turned out ugly (surely a judgment call? Some of those folks had weird tastes).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Probably a spiritual thing... To the uncorrupted, Sauron could not appear beautiful.