[The Saucepan Man]

I wonder if there is any merit on distinguishing between oaths sworn to individuals and oaths sworn to office-holders. It might be said, for example, that Merry and Pippin both took vows to serve Theoden and Denethor as representatives of their respective realms, rather than as individuals. Aragorn certainly seems to be suggesting this when he says that Pippin's oath of allegiance is not discharged, evn though Denethor is dead and the House of Stewards no longer rule Gondor.

If so, then it might be said that they are entitled to disobey the orders of the office-holder if their actions are in fact in the best interests of the realm to which they have pledged their allegiance. Merry and Pippin both effectively disobey those to whom they have sworn an oath, namely Theoden and Denethor, and yet their actions turn out to be in the better interests of Rohan and Gondor. Aren't they therefore, in effect, fulfilling their oath rather than breaking it? The same might be said of Beregond.

Sam, on the other hand, pledged himself to Frodo as an individual, rather than to the "office" of Ringbearer. His duty, therefore, was to Frodo rather than to Frodo's quest. Hence his dilemma at the pass of Cirith Ungol.