Saruman

Lore & Background

Consistent accounts from Appendix B, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales detail Saruman's history as a Maia sent to Middle-earth two thousand years before The Lord of the Rings. Originally traveling in the east, he was appointed head of the White Council and settled at Isengard. His fall began as he studied Sauron and the lore of the Rings of Power, eventually desiring the One Ring for himself. Fifty years before the main events, Saruman helped drive Sauron from Dol Guldur to facilitate his own search for the Ring in the river Anduin. Unfinished Tales notes drafts where he attempted to frustrate the Nazgûl and even considered throwing himself on Gandalf's mercy. His jealousy of Gandalf grew over time, culminating in a betrayal where he proposed allying with Sauron or taking the Ring to challenge him.

In Their Own Story

In The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf reveals he was held captive by Saruman after refusing to ally with Sauron or take the Ring. Imprisoned atop Orthanc, Gandalf observed Saruman industrializing Isengard and creating an army of Half-Orc/Half-Man fighters and Wargs. After escaping on a Great Eagle, Gandalf exposed the betrayal at the Council of Elrond. In The Two Towers, Saruman's Orcs captured Merry and Pippin, who later prompted the Ents to destroy Isengard while Rohan defeated his army. Trapped in Orthanc, Saruman failed to negotiate with the Rohirrim or accept Gandalf's offer of redemption; Gandalf cast him out of the White Council and broke his staff. In The Return of the King, he traveled north as 'Sharkey,' secretly governing an industrialized Shire until Frodo led a rebellion. After attempting to stab Frodo, Saruman was taunted by Gríma Wormtongue, who finally snapped and murdered him.

Reader's Guide

Saruman appears first in The Fellowship of the Ring, where Gandalf describes him as 'the chief of my order.' His betrayal is revealed when he proposes allying with Sauron or taking the One Ring for himself. Imprisoning Gandalf in Orthanc, Saruman industrialized Isengard and bred a new army to invade Rohan. In The Two Towers, his forces attack Frodo's companions, leading to the destruction of Isengard by the Ents. Saruman is defeated when he fails to negotiate with Gandalf and the Rohirrim; he is exiled from the wizards. His final chapter occurs in The Return of the King as 'Sharkey' in the Shire, where his rule ends after Frodo's return. He dies at the hands of Wormtongue after refusing to show mercy or accept redemption.

Did You Know?

• The name Saruman means 'man of skill or cunning' in the Mercian dialect of Anglo-Saxon.
• Saruman first appeared during a fourth phase of writing in a rough narrative outline dated August 1940, originally titled 'Saramond the White' or 'Saramund the Grey'.
• In early drafts, the old man seen at the edge of Fangorn Forest was intended to be Gandalf, not Saruman.
• Saruman's death scene, where his body shrivels to reveal a 'pale shrouded figure,' was added only when Tolkien reviewed page proofs.
• The name 'Sharkey' used by Saruman's henchmen is derived from an Orkish term meaning 'old man'.