LotR -- Book 3 - Chapter 09 - Flotsam and Jetsam

[Lalwendë]

One Ent alone, as has been shown, could eventually be broken down by Saruman's words, but it did take some considerable time. I think maybe Saruman had to listen to Treebeard, to try to find a way into his head and to learn the right words to use to persuade him to release him. But what I am trying to get at is whether he even attempts anything while the Ent attack is underway. There is no evidence of this, and he clearly does not have any problem in dealing with groups of people - as shown in the next chapter. So is it his fear of the violence of the attack which stops him from attempting anything? Or is he simply unable to do anything, as he does not know the way into the minds of the Ents?

The following line shows how Saruman was totally unprepared for what was coming - he was in fact dealing with his own army at this point and took no account of the other 'army' on his doorstep:

"If Saruman had heard it, he would be a hundred miles away by now, even if he had had to run on his own legs," said Pippin

When the attack happens it clearly catches him off his guard and is something totally unexpected:

I don't know what Saruman thought was happening; but anyway he did not know how to deal with it. His wizardry may have been falling off lately

And the following lines suggest that at one time, at least, Saruman may have been able to persuade the Ents in some way (whether in a placatory or sneaky way is not clear) but it seems he may have mistakenly disregarded them:

"The Ents are safe," said Pippin. "He seems at one time to have got round them, but never again. And anyway he did not understand them; and he made the great mistake of leaving them out of his calculations. He had no plan for them, and there was no time to make any, once they had set to work.

Saruman and Treebeard at one time used to converse together, but this is now far in the past, and it also seems that Treebeard was in some way aware that he had been 'conned' by Saruman many years before. This may have given the Ents, including Treebeard, some knowledge of how Saruman's mind and words worked. But it seems Saruman did not necessarily listen to the Ents, and when it came time for him to defend his stronghold he simply 'did not have the words' to be able to do this; and when he wanted to escape captivity, again he lacked the right words and it took him a long time to learn them.

So the Ents do resist; the very act of their pulling apart Isengard is resistance. Saruman was once their friend, and they would have been very aware of how dangerous he was, so to carry out this act was risky for the Ents. Was it simple fear that prevented Saruman from striking back, or was it that he did not have the words to do it? He resorts in the end to his 'conventional' defences in firing up his underground forges, so he does want to defend Isengard, but these defences were clearly not made to withstand an Ent attack (as they have little effect), which suggests that this was not something he expected, and therefore, something which he could not deal with in the way he would usually deal with an enemy. This is all very fortuitous for the Ents, as they have taken a risk in attacking Isengard, and it is unlucky for Saruman, who had not considered this possible threat.