Mouth/Eye of Sauron

[jmashore]

I've heard/read this term being used quite often but am not completely sure exactly what it is. Is it actually the mouth and eye of Sauron, if so how exactly does it have power? Thanks in advance for any explanations. If you get your info from any books let me know what ones so I can read for myself too

[Phantom]

The Mouth of Sauron is the Black Lieutenant, I believe he makes his appearance in RotK. He is a "Man" of great power and has been under the sway of the Dark Lord for so long he has forgotten his true name.

The All-Seeing Eye, basically a great mystical eye "wreathed in flame." It is how Sauron keeps watch of what is going on in ME.

I am sure someone else will be able to give more detail, but this is it in a nut-shell.

[Manveru]

.. is actually a metaphor, not an object.

In the movies, Sauron is a disembodied spirit in the shape of a evil eye wreathed in flame. In this case, the Eye of Sauron is essentially the same thing as Sauron, just a more dramatic title.

In the books, Sauron has taken physical form. The 'Eye' refers to his 'mind' basically, as he casts his thought out over the world (sorcerously) seeking the Ring, and spying on all he can from afar. The Palantir he obtained from Minas Ithil no doubt facilitated this and made it easier for him to do.

Philosophically, (btw, this is the 'Tedious Details' section ;-) the Eye (and therefore active Sight) is a masculine quality, and the Ear (and therefore active Listening) is a feminine quality (keep in mind this is only ONE _philosophical_ interpretation, and not the only one!, but one that applies to Tolkien's conception of ME).

Manwe and Varda, the King and Queen of the Valar personify this philosophical association in Middle Earth. Manwe can see to the ends of Arda, when he sits upon his throne and Varda sits next to him. Varda, in turn, can hear all that transpires in ME when Manwe sits next to her on their thrones.

Sauron, by being personified as a Great Evil All Knowing Eye, is therefore a personification of 'Evil Masculinity' as a principle. He's Big Brother, basically, in some ways. A personification of 'Mankind gone wrong'. Saruman takes on a lot of this mantle too, while being 'closer' to mankind in the illustration.

[Good Gulf]

Originally posted by Phantom
The Mouth of Sauron is the Black Lieutenant, I believe he makes his appearance in RotK. He is a "Man" of great power and has been under the sway of the Dark Lord for so long he has forgotten his true name.

The Mouth is a Black Numenorean. A descendent of the Numenorians that fell under Sauron's sway.

Jeb