The One Ring in The Lord of the Rings was always defined by its ability to corrupt. Anyone who placed it on their finger could become "invisible" at will, yet doing so opened the user up to the “shadow realm." J.R.R. Tolkien based the concept on the Ring of Gyges, a philosophical construct Plato used in his book Republic to enforce the idea that morality is based on consequences. The Ring gave its bearer the ability to turn invisible, rendering them anonymous and thus divorcing them from any comeuppance for their misdeeds. In Tolkien’s work, that power became more overt as Sauron, and the various Rings he controlled could tempt and ultimately corrupt anyone who wore them to his side.

But not every Middle-earth race was affected the same way by the One Ring. Some would fall easily to its influence, but others proved more resistant and could hold it off for quite some time, depending on the circumstances. Tolkien was reasonably clear, not only in The Lord of the Rings but in The Silmarillion, which details the creation of all the great Rings. A list of pertinent Middle-earth races follows, ranked by their vulnerability to the Sauron’s corruption.

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Men Remained the Most Susceptible to the Ring

Boromir speaks during the formation of the Fellowship in Lord of the Rings

Men above all Middle-earth races were the most vulnerable to Sauron’s influence, with comparatively short lifespans and a propensity to power. The line in Tolkien’s famous poem “nine for mortal men doomed to die” suggests that they envied the Elves' immortality, allowing Sauron to easily tempt them. The nine human bearers of Sauron’s lesser Rings became Ringwraiths, the greatest of his servants, and humans were tempted again and again when faced with the power of the One Ring. Isildur, who cut it from Sauron’s hand, decided to keep it when he had a chance to destroy it and thus allowed Sauron to live. Similarly, Boromir eventually attacked Frodo in an effort to take the Ring, convinced it was the only way to save his people. It’s telling that Aragorn refused the Ring, proving that he was worthy of governing justly, as did Faramir.

Dwarves Were Corrupted by Greed

Gimli with his Ax in Lord of the Rings

Dwarves’ relationship to the Rings was more obscure than Men's. Beyond the mention of the seven given to the Dwarf-lords, they rarely interacted, at least in the main text of The Lord of the Rings. The Silmarillion went into greater detail about them, which shed considerable light on Dwarven resistance to the One Ring. All of Sauron’s Rings were intended to be for the Elves, so the seven he gave to the Dwarf-lords presumably differed little from the nine he gifted Men. Dwarves, however, were more stubborn than humans and resisted the corruption more ferociously, though the Rings extended their lives just as they did with Men. It also enhanced their natural greed, causing them to amass more and more wealth. This eventually led to their destruction when their hordes attracted dragons. According to The Silmarillion, four of the Rings were destroyed by dragon fire: one of the few things capable of melting them down.

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Elves Didn't Have Has Much to Gain From the Ring

Orlando Bloom's Legolas eyes his target in The Lord of the Rings

According to The Silmarillion, Sauron created the One Ring to ultimately destroy the Elves and tricked them into creating the remaining Rings as a part of his plan. They forged three Rings for themselves in secret, using Sauron’s methods but without his knowledge. The moment he created the One Ring, the Elves became aware of his intentions and removed theirs, denying him any influence. Furthermore, their Rings were created to protect their kingdoms and the natural beauty within, rather than to dominate and control. Elves were immortal, so the prospect of extended lifespan meant little to them, and with their own magic, they proved more resistant to the One Ring than Men or Dwarves. But even they weren’t immune. When Frodo offered Galadriel the One Ring, she speculated on what she might become -- a queen, “beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night” -- and made it clear that she wasn’t immune to the temptations of power either.

Maiar Were Wise of the Ring's Power But Could Still Be Tempted

Gandalf and Saruman in The Lord of the Rings

The Maiar were good spirits from the fount of the universe who assisted in the creation of Middle-earth. Five of them walked in human form, taking the shape of old men and providing aid and guidance to the world’s inhabitants as wizards. Their ranks included Gandalf the Gray and Saruman the White. Presumably, Maiar would be immune to the corruption of the Ring since they have no need for earthly power. However, that proved untrue when Saruman opted to side with Sauron rather than defend Middle-earth. Gandalf, wiser than Saruman about the Ring’s power, refused to touch it, suggesting that he himself was likely vulnerable to its temptations as well.

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Hobbits Proved the Most Unlikely of Heroes

The Hobbits Frodo, Samwise, Peregrin and Meriadoc standing by a mountain

Though Elves and Maiar had greater natural resistance to the Ring’s effects, Hobbits possessed an inborn resilience to its primary means of temptation. In fact, they saved Middle-earth from Sauron precisely because they could fend off his influence better than most others. Though rarely stated, the reasons for this likely involved their natural humility. They had little use for temporal power, preferring simple creature comforts like food and beer, and as outlined in the opening of The Hobbit, they were very good at remaining unseen without requiring an invisible ring to do so. The One Ring influenced them too, especially closer to Sauron’s source of power as when Frodo finally succumbed to it at Mount Doom. But his and Bilbo's resilience allowed it to get there in the first place. Even Gollum -- an utter slave of the Ring after 500 years -- still acted out of his desires more than Sauron’s, ultimately allowing the Ring to be destroyed when he finally tries to claim it.

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