The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Lesson Plan

Compare Saruman’s character with Gandalf’s. Why does Saruman refuse to repent for his misdeeds when given the chance?

The exchange between Gandalf and Saruman in Isengard suggests that the latter's most overmastering personality flaw is pride – and this is as good an explanation as any for his contemptuous sneering. Indeed, the characters of Gandalf and Saruman arguably represent two sides of the same coin: though each had great power, and each came to Middle-Earth with the same mission of helping its peoples, only one strayed. Saruman's pride lead him to seek dominion over Middle-Earth, whereas Gandalf stayed true to his purpose, and sacrificed himself for the greater...