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On the larger theme of disloyalty, perhaps it reflects the emptiness of swearing fealty to an impure or material end
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I don't think this was what Tolkien was trying to illustrate in his theme of disloyalty. Neither Melkor, Sauron, or Saruman (the three biggest traitors in the books) swore any oath (that I know of; that pertained to their treachery). It's possible he was going for "Absolute power corrupts absolutely", but not all of his traitors were corrupted by power (ie Mim, Gollum[debatable], Grima, Maeglin[he was corrupt before he got any power]). Anyone have a theory?