The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Why didn't Saruman go to the Shire to take the Ring?

Alfirin · 12-24-2008, 02:43 PM

I think that the main reason Saruman did not immeditely go running to the shire was in its own way becuse he had made a great error in dealing with the WK, not so much in what he had kept hidden, but in what he hadn't. He had lied to the WK and he had no way of knowing how long it would be before the lie was exposed. More importantly he had (possibly inadvertently) said so fairly damming things to the WK, namely 1. that he knew what the WK was after and more importantly that, given the opportuntity, he would no hestitie to claim this item for himself. Given the fact that the WK is basically Sauron's right hand man, (in the absence of a new ringlord) and anything said to him is more or less guarneteed to wind up being reported to Sauron, this is a very foolish thing to say. The moment the message is recived by Sauron, Saruman will be kept under immediate and total survallaince, if he is allowed to remain free at all. With Gandalf gone Saruman is in even hotter water. I think that he assumes the following-

The moment the WK left he would have had suspisions as to Saruman's loyalty, the WK would then have posted some sort of spies, even possibly allowing one or two of the lesser riders to peel off and keep an eye on Saruman in secret. The moment Saruman made a move, the message would have gotten to the WK, at which point ALL the Nazgul would be hot on Saruman's trail, assuming that where he went the ring was. Saruman's only hope (and likely plan) was to wait until such time as the ring wraiths were, in thier searches all sufficiently far away from both him and the shire (given how small the shire was, it would be likey that without a good lead, the WK would miss it) that he could safely get to the shire before the Nazgul could catch up.

Once there he would indeed have had little trouble finding Frodo or convincing him, The most likey story would have been as follows. Saruman arrives at Bag End (or if a little later meets the party on the road) and tells Frodo that due to pressing matters Gandalf is going to be delayed (as he said he might be) but that the matter the Ring was so important to Gandalf that he came and begged Saruman, who as head of the order of wizards was the greatest of the all, to come in the interim, to protect Frodo in his stead, and that He realizaing the great need, had consented. Alternitvely, he could have simply disgused himself as Gandalf, as It is doubtful that anyone he met would be able to see through the disguise.

12-24-2008, 02:43 PM	#5
Alfirin Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 435	I think that the main reason Saruman did not immeditely go running to the shire was in its own way becuse he had made a great error in dealing with the WK, not so much in what he had kept hidden, but in what he hadn't. He had lied to the WK and he had no way of knowing how long it would be before the lie was exposed. More importantly he had (possibly inadvertently) said so fairly damming things to the WK, namely 1. that he knew what the WK was after and more importantly that, given the opportuntity, he would no hestitie to claim this item for himself. Given the fact that the WK is basically Sauron's right hand man, (in the absence of a new ringlord) and anything said to him is more or less guarneteed to wind up being reported to Sauron, this is a very foolish thing to say. The moment the message is recived by Sauron, Saruman will be kept under immediate and total survallaince, if he is allowed to remain free at all. With Gandalf gone Saruman is in even hotter water. I think that he assumes the following- The moment the WK left he would have had suspisions as to Saruman's loyalty, the WK would then have posted some sort of spies, even possibly allowing one or two of the lesser riders to peel off and keep an eye on Saruman in secret. The moment Saruman made a move, the message would have gotten to the WK, at which point ALL the Nazgul would be hot on Saruman's trail, assuming that where he went the ring was. Saruman's only hope (and likely plan) was to wait until such time as the ring wraiths were, in thier searches all sufficiently far away from both him and the shire (given how small the shire was, it would be likey that without a good lead, the WK would miss it) that he could safely get to the shire before the Nazgul could catch up. Once there he would indeed have had little trouble finding Frodo or convincing him, The most likey story would have been as follows. Saruman arrives at Bag End (or if a little later meets the party on the road) and tells Frodo that due to pressing matters Gandalf is going to be delayed (as he said he might be) but that the matter the Ring was so important to Gandalf that he came and begged Saruman, who as head of the order of wizards was the greatest of the all, to come in the interim, to protect Frodo in his stead, and that He realizaing the great need, had consented. Alternitvely, he could have simply disgused himself as Gandalf, as It is doubtful that anyone he met would be able to see through the disguise.