Character Study of Saruman: Tolkien’s Portrait of the Modern Politician
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- čas přidán 27. 01. 2024
- Saruman’s speeches to Gandalf have always struck me as revealing something of Tolkien’s opinion of politicians in modern democratic systems. Sweet-tongued and convincing but willing to sacrifice principle and honesty in pursuit of his goals, he reflects an uncomfortably large number of prominent figures on the modern political scene. Let’s analyze him and see how he matches up.
Not familiar with the background of how Gandalf came to Saruman in the book? Check my recent video comparing the book and movie on this point: • Lord of the Rings Book...
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A character analysis that discusses contemporary issues in the present? A good day indeed.
9:20 The moment you mentioned modern politicians not being able to admit they don't know something, I immediately thought of Gary Johnson's "What is Aleppo?" moment and how the press and public reacted to it! In case anyone cares, it happened during the 2016 Election, Aleppo is a major city in Syria, and the Syrian Civil War was raging at the time, with Aleppo in the thick of the fighting. When a reporter to whom Johnson was giving an interview asked him his opinion about the situation in Aleppo, Johnson's response was "and what is Aleppo?" He got slammed by the media for that and spent the rest of his campaign unsuccessfully trying to combat the idea that he was "out of touch" or "clueless".
Yes! I remember when it happened, thinking he came across as a doofus. It truly was NOT a minor, esoteric question, at all, which is why he was made fun of for it. Had it been about a place we weren't all hearing about 24/7, it wouldnt have hurt him. Oh, well.
Honestly, I didn't know what it was. He did not lose one vote because of that media lynching. Libertarians never get more than a percentage or two of the vote anyhow.
@@Enerdhilhe went from 10 to 13% in nationwide polls to 5-6% overnight.
@@cynthiacarter9055the interview was clipped, they changed the subject from a discussion of domestic issues to Allepo with no transition whatsoever in a deliberate attempt to make him look like a moron. He knew about the siege but if someone goes from the marginal tax rate and whether or not the government should be screwing around with local elementary schools to a warzone halfway across the world it's going to take most people off guard and confuse them.
@@josephahner3031 Imagine punishing Gary Johnson at the polls for that minor faux pas and thinking the two opposing candidates had everything figured out! Ah, the American voter.
I can’t complain, much. I’m Canadian and look at who my countrymen elected. Three times.
Though maybe not entirely fair, I have always thought that democracy leads to a society getting the politicians it deserves. As a Brit, that does not reflect well on our society, and I suspect others fear the same for their politicians.
No one deserves to be hurt, fools included
19:30, i'm glad you also picked on the bureaucrats.
Great video! I feel like Saruman is broadly applicable to charismatic/manipulative people prioritising gaining power, and whatever else they desire, through their career while abandoning moral principles.
Sarumans can be found wherever being selfish is rewarded, in the public and the private sector. Sadly, the principled opposition of Gandalf's sort is hard to come by because it's much less flexible and profitable, which is what is incentivized today.
To me "Saruman of many colours" is more a sign of vanity, like the coat of many colours (Genesis 37:3). I know the Bible meaning isn't exactly that but it's how it might seem to a child. After all Saruman does know practically everything, but he has let himself become prideful (as Gandalf remarks to Frodo). And what is it with politicians and colours? :
"This is a moment to seize. The Kaleidoscope has been shaken. The pieces are in flux. Soon they will settle again. Before they do, let us re-order this world around us."
-- Tony Blair to the Labour Party conference, Tue 2 Oct 2001 (take note of the date)
EDIT Sorry if that sounds partisan. It's not meant to be and I am not commenting on any current events -- just a striking example of the mindset we are talking about.
I'm guessing you are in or from the UK? We had a politician here, I think it was Rahm Emmanuel, former mayor of Chicago, who famously said, "never let a crisis go to waste." Meaning, while people are riled up over some bad thing that has happened, get all your pet causes advanced, before there's time for cooler heads to prevail and realize what you're doing. :/
My melon Geek, As usual, you are wise--not merely claiming it as did Saruman, but actually being wise without making that claim. You elucidate Tolkien's art in drawing out the sinister character of Saruman who sought power for his own ends, not the ends for which he was sent to Middle Earth by the Valar. Gandalf points this out to him, and to us, that to join Sauron, or to pretend to join him, is to betray all that is good and true in their lives and their civilization. Wisely, Gandalf refuses, and wisely you have lifted the veil that Tolkien has created for his legendarium for us to see the use of this image. Well done, good and faithful man, who hands on the wisdom of his lord--or Professor, in this case. Keep to the path. Namarie.
So relaxing to listen to you nerd out on Tolkien 😊 glad the channel's going strong again 👍
Interesting perspective, good video. One thing I cannot agree about is the Aleppo thing - it was a major point in international politics (given who was involved) so I would really think that a candidate for a USA president should be aware of it.
P.S. Of course, anybody who claims to have a valid opinion on everything is scamming you, and requiring from a politician to know everything is asking for trouble.
Yeah I’m fairly Libertarian, was even more at that time and this among other missteps pulled me away from voting for Johnson. I don’t agree with the take that libertarians in general wouldn't know the key issues of the day if they were happening on the other side of the world because we aren’t interventionists, couldn't be farther from the truth. Noninterference as a principle requires even more awareness of what’s happening, everything connects in this world after all so there is the practical aspect of not wanting to be oblivious to things that could endanger our own country but also military nonintervention is merely the starting point. Ideally we’d be more like Gandalf and prompt people to do the right thing with wise council and that requires even more knowledge of what’s happening, Aleppo was center stage in the world at that time and had massive geopolitical
implications for the spread of Isis. If I as a moderately informed 20 something could give a more coherent answer on such a critical issue at that time than someone running to be our Commander in Chief … that's not just a gocha moment as these things so often are.
oh boy 45 minute Tolkien Lore video? count me in!
Very interesting take, great vid.
Around 25:00 you're talking about how Saruman presents Sauron as a "New power" when it is really not, like politicians tend to do.
The Coalition Avenir Québec, the party in power in my Province, has recently been mocked because they tried a slogan, while already preparing the ground for the elections in two years. "Change what doesn't work".
They have been in power since 2018.
So yeah, trying to pretend being the party of change when you're a political party made up of politicians from the two other oldest parties, that has been in power for 5 years, that's rich. Especially since the add ends with the Prime Minister Legault saying: "Change what doesn't work" *Black out with a signature*: "Your government".
Amen brother! 🙏 We need wiser leaders for sure, but those people with that potential seem to be more like dwarves, seeking riches and keeping to themselves. Keep up the great content!
I enjoyed this video very much Saruman is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating characters professor Tolkien ever created. How could one so great and wise fall so low? Or did he have a dark core from the very beginning? Like Sauron he was a star pupil of the Vala Aule wasn't he? I do wish we got to see more of him in the movies, while Sir Christopher performance is excellent I'd like to have seen the scouring of the shire, or his meeting with the heroes after Aragorn was crowned king.
As a non American I feel that politics are perhaps not the same but similar everywhere. A great many experts whose advice we "must" heed or else dire things will happen and yet I fear that many of these folks are as clueless as the rest of us if not more so. I wouldn't want to rule, as I've made a fair share of mistakes, and sooner or later you end up paying for them. Best not to drag other people down with you when it's time to pay the piper yes?
"You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain" one would hope that humanity had evolved beyond that at this point, but looking around today I guess not
I'm reminded of the quote from "Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy" : "Anyone capable of getting themselves elected, should on no account be permitted to do the job."
Tolkien was really prescient here, Saruman is the perfect Davos/WEF man. I wonder if Tolkien met people like this, Fabians etc.
Sauron: My dear friend Gandalf. You shall own nothing and be happy.
Gandalf: No kidding! That has been my life up to now.🤪
I'm watching a video of a lawyer talk about how evil politicians. Hehheh.
Many politicians are also lawyers.
Correction: Gary Johnson’s gaffe was in the 2016 election, not 2012. You were right on your second guess.
Wow the passage of time gets lost as you get older 😅
I think Saruman was a charismatic totalitarian leader. I think "political"implies choices. The Orcs had no choice. The Dunlendings had no choice. He used the power of his voice to control people, mostly to want what he wanted them to want, not what they actually needed.
Sharkey was a perfect totalitarian ruler in the Shire. There were requests from the prople, debates, just outcomes, etc. It was more militaristic than political.
While honest ignorance is preferable to just waffling and making stuff up… obliviousness to major world events (like the Syrian civil war) while they’re happening should make you think thrice about casting your lot with a would-be ruler of the foremost superpower.
Man I was a bureaucrat for a while or at least one of their harolds public facing IT support for the state government) and this certainly fits, technocrats and bureaucrats everywhere who probably started out meaing well and still perhaps do by their own reckoning.
Damn solid rant by the way.
An unconstitutional monarchy is also consistent with Tolkien's religion. Holding authority accountable to an infallible or at least supremely made document, is a Reform and Baptist idea.
God save the Catholic Church!!!
I don’t expected anyone to even read my comment. But if anybody does, then cool, whatever. 😁
The quote that I’m about to type down really reminded me about what you said in this video
The X-Files (Talitha Cumi) Cigarette-Smoking Man speaks to Jeremiah Smith in prison
Smoking Man: “This becomes a responsibility. The thing I am now called upon to put right and put down. Certainly you expected nothing less.”
Jeremiah Smith: “I’m not ashamed of my actions.”
Smoking Man: “Ashamed? You’re not allowed the luxury of human weakness in penitence. You’re not allowed to put your indulgences ahead of the greater purpose.”
Jeremiah: “I no longer agree in the greater purpose.”
Smoking Man: “Them your fate is just.”
Jeremiah: “My justice is not for you to mete out. You may have reason; you have no right, and you have no means either.”
Smoking Man: “You presume to dictate *me*? Have you any idea what the cost of your action is? What their effect might be? Who are you to give them hope?”
Jeremiah: “What do you give them?”
Smoking Man: “We give them happiness, and they give us authority.”
Jeremiah:” The authority to take away their freedom in the guise of democracy.”
Smoking Man: “Men can never be free, because they are weak, corrupt, worthless and restless. The people believe in authority; they’ve grown tired of waiting for miracle or mystery. Science is their religion, no greater explanation exists for them. They must never believe any differently if the project is to go forward.”
Jeremiah: “At what cost to them?”
Smoking Man: “The question is irrelevant, and the outcome inevitable, the date is set.”
(Jerimiah morphs into Deep Throat, which terrifies Smoking Man): “At what cost to them for your own selfish benefit? How many must die at your hand to preserve your stake in the project?”
Smoking Man: “I’m not impressed by your miracles or moved by your trickery. Your justice will be meted out.”
Deep Throat:” By whom this time, and by what tool?”
Smoking Man: “By those who posses the most oil of your destruction.”
*Tool of you’re destruction 🤦♂️🤣
*Dictate duty to me (Oh, my gosh, LOL!)
Interesting.😁👍
Hi Tolkien Geek, i have been a fan of your channel for a while now. I was wondering if you are a Zeppelin fan and maybe if you could make a vid talking about how their lyrics are inspired by Tolkien. Thanks for giving us great in depth analysis of Middle Earth
I’m not particularly a fan but I am somewhat familiar with some of the lyrics you’re talking about. I’ve thought about making a video but I need time to dig into the details.
Thank you for the answer. And if you decide to dig, good luck, cause there is a lot of digging to be done. Keep up the great work my man@@TolkienLorePodcast
SARUMAN OF MANY COLOURS!
imo tolkien touches on a supremely important reality here and that is losing sight of in this case Eru. Saruman KNOWS what Eru is. he was there. Yet he loses faith. Ultimately faith is clearly a major if not the major theme of the work, and here we see Saruman lose his faith for worldly practicality. no mistake that Tolkien called the world Morgoth's Ring (biblical "god of this earth" reference imo)
Pretty much every argument of whether something is right or wrong, is an argument that the ends justify the means. I suppose what people are trying to say when they say, "O you're saying that the ends justify the means," is that the accused is arbitrarily deciding what is an end and what is a means.
Why "arbitrary?
Biden ordering border patrol to disregard the laws and writing executive orders that further weaken border security is the means. The end is future Democrat voters. How is that arbitrary? It should be obvious.
There isn't enough funding for schools.
Obviously you think $25,000/year/child is not enough. The teachers unions in the USA are the root of all sorts of evil. They make more and more money each year and our kids test scores get lower and lower. No more money!
Humanity being a fallen species fits our Modern world perfectly.
It's a never-changing Biblical principle. It'll be true a hundred years from now.✝️
do you like JK Rowlings work on the Harry Potters series, Tolkien Geek?
I feel she makes some good examples of bureaucracy gone wrong with things like the corruption of the ministry of magic etc.
I definitely got those vibes lol
I think you did a good job.
Woidrow Wilson when he was a Political Science professor, wrote a paper advocating a government by experts. All policy would be determined by committees of experts, and the President would be replaced by a Chief Administrator. Thankfully, he never implemented or even tried to.
That's a great example. He did try, on the grand scale, and it was the League of Nations. Kinda sorta. Especially when he put the "experts" to work on drawing the frontiers in Eastern Europe.
But the theme is when politicians get the idea they are the one who can save the world. UK prime ministers are prone to this. Chamberlain at Munich -- thought he could do a personal deal with the H-man. Eden and Suez -- thought Nasser was the new H-man. Blair and Saddam, same thing.
@@pwmiles56 He never tried it domesticqlly. Although modern Regulatory State sometimes seems like it. Some people---and not just extreme right-wingers--sometimes think that Congress & the State Legiskatures have delegatedctoo much rule-making authority to unelected qdministrative officials.
What do you mean? He established the infrastructure of what would become the Deep State.
3:12
Eyyy!
*highfive*
The Gary Johnson thing was dirty as all hell. That reporter deliberately set him up to look like an idiot by switching subjects mid conversation with no transition. I recommend looking up the full interview.
A man of class who appreciates Vivek ;)
As soon as he mentioned that quote I knew exactly who he was referencing 😂
Could elves return from the Undying Lands? Or were they prohibited by the Valar of doing so? We know that Glorfindel returned, but he did it at the request of the Valar. Could Finrod do it if he wanted? I mean, after the First Age.
I get the impression that they can’t, but I’m not sure that’s explicitly stated anywhere.
Good question. Here is how I think about it:
Clearly, Elves do not return to Middle Earth, only Glorfindel has, as you wrote. Why? (1)!Either they are prohibited, which I doubt because the Valar are uninvolved and unconcerned about what Eru's Children actually do.
(2) Or they have no desire to go to Middle Earth because they are where Eru intended them to end up - in paradise. They know if they go back, fading will resume, while they will never fade in The Undying Lands. None of them would be foolish enough to bring their families to Middle Earth, so they would have to be willing (for many a second time) to leave their wives and kids. Very never meant paradise to be a place where families are divided or separated.
I was thinking of Saruman of many colors as more of a biblical reference, like he is the favored of the wonderwoman incarnations.
Biblical? You mean Joseph's coat?
@@Enerdhil yes!
Funny, I never thought Tolkien was pro royalty. I thought he was pretty evenly critical of both systems, what with Numenor. Byt it's true that if you only look at The Lord of the Rings there is clearly a leaning towards "the rightful ruler" and "the king is only doing bad things because he's being manipulated by evil counselors".
Saruman of many colours in a political sense may imply that he covers all opinions and values that there are. So basically people who love freedom and people who hate freedom should vote for him alike. Gandalf was so kind to point out to Saruman how ridiculuous it would be to claim adherence to conflicting values, but not so kind to keep silent about this embarassing verbal lapse of Saruman, so that we can all roll our eyes at it
Against the Power of Morder there can be no victory, @TLore
My minds hovering around an idea that keeps escaping me but maybe Saruman is loosely based on Thomas Wolsey who benefited greatly from his position as Lord High Chancellor.
A Roman Catholic, he was tasked to negotiate the annulment of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon but failed and was stripped of all his privileges.
I wonder if there’s some sort of equivalent in that regard to Saruman courting the power of Sauron.
Would that be Saruman's decision to wage war on the Rohirrim? He tried to control Grima and then Thëoden King, but failed.
The comparison I was making was a bit superficial to be honest lol
I had a thought it might be similar in terms of abuse of position to gain material wealth and political. Then a crux moment to continue on that path or reject it, but ultimately making the wrong decision and losing all respect and wealth.
Perfect now to talk about politics, thanks for signalling that this is now a political channel. So my politics if I'm frank, are the same as Gandalf and therefore utterly Villiers in nature, with a dash of Bock-Cote and Howardian on the side.
I'm joking here, but in all seriousness Saruman sounds like EVERY politician in the world saving a few I've seen in France and Japan, the rest seem utterly corrupt and disappointing. I guess there's one or two others who aren't so bad out there, but I don't know. I'm slowly divorcing myself from politics and paying ever more attention to only literature, history and my own novels these days.
That said, Saruman makes a poor argument for his case, just as is the case with all political fellows, and one can only hope things change soon. That said, I quite like your point about how Saruman is obsessed with his own 'wisdom' and vanities, and how Gandalf points out that he preferred the White colour, as this shows his preference for purity of mind and intention.
Unfortunately, this is an election year for most countries in the world.😞
@@Enerdhil True
Would you say Tolkien contradicts these sentiments himself in letter 183, where he writes:
"In The Lord of the Rings the conflict is not basically about 'freedom', though that is naturally involved. It is about God, and His sole right to divine honour. The Eldar and the Numenoreans believed in The One, the true God, and held worhsip of any other person an abomination. Sauron desired to be a God-King, and was held to be this by his servants; if he had been victorious he would have demanded divine honor from all rational creatures and absolute temporal power over the whole world. So even if in desperation 'the West' had bred or hired hordes of orcs and had cruelly ravaged the lands of other Men as allies of Sauron, or merely to prevent them from aiding him, their Cause would have remained indefeasibly right."?
Like here he seems to claim that evil means wouldn't have corrupted the cause, but the passages you quoted or paraphrased seem to suggest that they would.
One should remember, that having human soldiers ravage enemy lands is brutal enough, having Tolkien-orcs doing it would be far far worse. Excess destruction and death are basically guaranteed.
The Cause (note the capital) would still be right, but that doesn’t mean the means chosen are legitimate. But Saruman had even changed his goal, and merely claimed to be unchanged in that respect.
Saruman is more like a cult leader than a politician, me thinks.🤔
I'm no angel, but I'm not fallen. It's not that dramatic. I'm just a dude. Just an ape. Chillen, watching some LotR lore videos.