Gandalf: the Unilateral Coalition Builder

[Lalwendë]

I think that Saruman genuinely believed he could get Gandalf 'on side', and that he was somewhat taken unawares when Gandalf challenged his behaviour. Saruman had become so convinced that he was taking the right path, that he had found a solution to the problem he was trying to solve that he became blinded to what was going an around him, as seen in his surprise at the actions of the Ents.

Which leads me on to what I was going to say...

The difference between Gandalf and Saruman provides an important lesson in Tolkien's world. Gandalf has entered into service while Saruman seeks power. Drawing an analogy from something I know about myself, Gandalf behaves as a civil servant ought to, accepting a role and carrying out the orders from above that he is given, without bringing his own agenda to what he does. He acts without prejudice. Saruman on the other hand exploits the position he has been given. Instead of doing what he has been instructed to do, he goes beyond his brief and in so doing, acts upon his own agenda.

Gandalf in this respect is similar to Frodo, who also accepts a task he is given and enters into service. Both display behaviour which defines the word.

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by Eruanna

So why didn't Saruman try to take it from him when he had Gandalf locked up in Orthanc?

I'm thinking - and I could be wrong - that this is another manifestation of Saruman's pride. Yes, it hurt him and made him jealous to know that people in Middle Earth (at least Cirdan, and the rest of the White Council) trust Gandalf more than him (ouch! a double blow!), but I guess he was confident that his job could be done without the ring.

[Boromir88]

So why didn't Saruman try to take it from him when he had Gandalf locked up in Orthanc?

Could it be as simple as the ring being invisible while on it's bearers hands? We see in the Mirror of Galadriel that Sam does not see Galadriel's ring on her finger, but Frodo does for he is the bearer of the one. Could it be that Gandalf's ring was also invisible on his finger, and that Saruman just forgot Gandalf even had a ring?

I wonder if another factor could be that Saruman made his own ring of power. While there is not proof that the ring ever did anything for him and it seemed like a failed attempt. He obviously kept it on his finger for some purpose.

[Eruanna]

Could it be that Gandalf's ring was also invisible on his finger, and that Saruman just forgot Gandalf even had a ring?

I don't think that Saruman would forget any of the perceived slights against him.
However, thanks for reminding me that Saruman made his own ring. As you say Boromir there's no evidence that it did anything for him, but it does illustrate his immense knowledge of the Rings of Power and ringcraft in general.

I was still thinking about the question and I wonder if perhaps Saruman didn't try to take Gandalf's ring because he had no need of it?
Gandalf's ring has the power to enhance his abilities to influence the hearts and minds of others. Saruman, even without a Ring of Power, already possesses the ability to cloud minds and influence people, mainly through the use of his voice; as we see with Theoden and Treebeard for instance.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

I wonder if another factor could be that Saruman made his own ring of power. While there is not proof that the ring ever did anything for him and it seemed like a failed attempt. He obviously kept it on his finger for some purpose.

Originally Posted by Eruanna

I was still thinking about the question and I wonder if perhaps Saruman didn't try to take Gandalf's ring because he had no need of it?

That's a very good point, it tallies with other things about Saruman. If he was prepared to go his own way in trying to break the Light, and become Saruman of many colours, then why should he not also seek to make his own ring of power? And as he seemed to be thoroughly convinced that his renegade way was the right way, then why wouldn't he also assume that the ring he created was better than anything Gandalf possessed?

[Celuien]

Rattling around in the back of the barrow:

Why didn't Saurman take Narya? and Saruman the Ring-maker

And here you will stay, Gandalf the Grey, and rest from journeys. For I am Saruman the Wise, Saruman Ring-maker, Saruman of Many Colours!

Saruman could also have thought that he had Gandalf exactly where he wanted him. He probably was not expecting an escape, and told Gandalf that he would stay in Orthanc until the One Ring wa found. If Saruman took possession of the One, he wouldn't have a need to take Narya, since the One would give him control over all of the rings anyway, in addition to giving him all of the study sources he needed to perfect his own ring-making sklls.

[lindil]

Lots of interesting posts. Perhaps the Saruman oriented stuff will resume in the links Celuien posted for us [thanks]. Perhaps not....

Saruman's pride was evidenced from the first, Gandalf seems to have come slowly to his role as 'leader of the resistance to Sauron'. Indeed he only fully took up the job it seems when it was clear that the Council would remain locked in a 'protect Lothlorien and Rivendell mode' and that Saruman had turned to the dark side, seemingly convinced he was not.

Gandalf did w/ the Hobbit events set the whole stage for the final resistance to Sauron. But it was still being done in a subtle way compared to his assuming temporary command at Minas Tirith and being declared the real Leader by Aragorn in the War tent of Pellenor.

It is an unusaual thing to find a cheif leader who has no personal interest in the role. Virtually all of Tolkiens hero's and leaders had a 'taste for power':

Feanor
Fingolfin
Galadriel
Thingol
Turin
Hurin
Isildur
Elendil
Boromir
Denethor
Thorin
Balin
Finrod
Saruman

or at least a natural desire or did not resist an obligation to lead:
Aragorn
Faramir
Elendil
Beren
Cirdan[?]
Gandalf
Frodo


IN the top list we see more ultimate failures and pyrrhic victories than outright success.

In the latter we find what we could term as the more pure success stories [a generalization admittedly].

But of these only Gandalf was not born into this kind of leadership role [even though a Maia he was a rather retiring one 'seeking to understand not be understood], even Frodo was Bilbo's heir.

So he was not by temperment suited to his task, he had to reshape his own self if you will to adapt to the task and it seemingly happened slowly. There is little to say about Gandalf's adventures prior to his Dol Guldor break in and aiding the shire during the White Wolf invasion. Indeed had Saruman heard of it, he may have thought it a waste of time for a Maia...

So I wonder if this does not perhaps explain his unorthodox technique of forcing alliances and his knack for intuiting when to put himself [or others] in impossible situations.

Probably he was 'trusting to Eru', At these moments.

" How will I get the dwarves across Mirkwood and through a hostile Thranduil's realm, without being there?"

Why does Bilbo need to go? surely he asked himself this, but all we know is that he told Thorin in earnest, " If he goes you may succeed, if not - you won't and I am done with you."

So his boldness was perhaps [ring of fire aside] purely a product of clearly seeing, the correct action at any given moment.


Oner final point, how impossible it seems today that America [where I live] could ever have such a leader to lead us out of the quagmire the country [not too mention the world] is in on every level.

I am not trying to point the finger at W. so much as point out that even a minor Gandalfian figure could never navigate the political process intact.

And thus our leaders instead of building 'unlikely coalitions' resort to pushing the interests of those who paid for their elections.

An aside I admit, but that is one of things that fascinates me about M-E and Tolkien [and loved to draw such parallels between M-E and current politics in the Letters] if one takes the examples their and tries to apply them [minus magic and rings] you will almost certainly come to a different valuation and understanding of a situation than off thinking only 'within the box - or bun]