The highlight of this chapter is the brief appearance of the villain Saruman, who is described as an old ragged beggar leaning on a staff. In his ragged form, once again, Saruman is offered mercy. And once again, Saruman rejects it.
I can't help but suspect that Tolkien and C.S. Lewis had a talk about theology once or twice. Saruman's repeated rejection of mercy is very similar to Lewis' Great Divorce. Indeed, Saruman's infinite, unrelenting pride gives him the incapacity to understand why Gandalf and the others offer mercy in the first place. Saruman cannot accept others' mercy because he once dominated the council of wizards and was one of the most powerful beings in Middle Earth. Even Gandalf would take Saruman's counsel. To be seen in rags by his former friends; that must gnaw him from the inside. To accept their mercy, well, that would just be giving them the satisfaction that he was wrong, right? Humbug!
As will be seen, sympathy for Saruman is not the best approach, however. The man is a snake, and Saruman's capacity for evil is not done yet. Perhaps spurred by his close encounter, Saruman turns to the Shire to seek revenge. One thing I wonder -- is Saruman aware that the hobbits Merry and Pippin spurred the Ents to war? If so, it adds another layer of pettiness to the man--even though he has lost, he wishes to destroy as many lives as possible before he is caught and taken from the world.
Hooray, you're almost there!
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