A Probably too Sympathetic View of Gríma - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lalwendë · 03-29-2005, 02:34 PM

There is another possibility with Grima and why there are those prepared to give him pity and the chance for repentance. He has done great wrong, and Tolkien takes great care to show us just how far he has fallen into evil ways, but Saruman bullies him. In his final act of killing Saruman, Grima is taking out his anger at his master and fighting back, despite it being too late. He fights back not because he sees that Saruman has done wrong on the wider scale but because Saruman has done wrong to him. I wonder if he had carried out this act before this point had been reached would he have been shown more pity? But would he have accepted it? We know Grima has been an excessively proud man, and his sense of shame in being brought so low must have been almost too much to bear, so I don't think he would have accepted pity, whether Saruman was around or not.

03-29-2005, 02:34 PM	#38
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	There is another possibility with Grima and why there are those prepared to give him pity and the chance for repentance. He has done great wrong, and Tolkien takes great care to show us just how far he has fallen into evil ways, but Saruman bullies him. In his final act of killing Saruman, Grima is taking out his anger at his master and fighting back, despite it being too late. He fights back not because he sees that Saruman has done wrong on the wider scale but because Saruman has done wrong to him. I wonder if he had carried out this act before this point had been reached would he have been shown more pity? But would he have accepted it? We know Grima has been an excessively proud man, and his sense of shame in being brought so low must have been almost too much to bear, so I don't think he would have accepted pity, whether Saruman was around or not. __________________ Gordon's alive!