An excellent post, davem! The points about mercy are especially well-noted. This dominant theme of Tolkien's is sadly given a much diminished impact in the movie.
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Originally Posted by davem
It does seem like Gandalf has supreme wizardly authority over both Order & Council - though I can’t help wonder whether Gandalf consulted with Galadriel (& possibly Elrond via sanwe) before deciding on this course of action. Surely he would not have the authority to cast Saruman from the White Council without the agreement of the other members.
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It would seem that the White Council of the Third Age (in contrast to that held in the Second Age after the War in Eregion), was convened by the authority of the Istari. After all, it only begins meeting once they arrive in Middle-earth, and Saruman seems to be the Head of the Council, just because.
I mean, we know that Galadriel would have preferred Gandalf as head of the Council. Elrond and Gandalf seem to be best friends. Cirdan gives Gandalf Narya. So how is that Saruman is the head of the council? Because he is the White Wizard. At least as I interpret it, the White Council was a creation of the Istari for the commom defence of middle-earth, and was naturally headed by the White Wizard.
Besides which, Gandalf had returned as the White Wizard, that is, the chief emissary of Manwe, King of Arda. His authority is pretty much undisputed. And from inference, it would seem that Gandalf would have been in the right to take supreme control over the armies of the West, had he not been under orders from Valinor to convince and not control.
Less specifically,
"The Voice of Saruman" is possibly my favourite chapter in the
Two Towers. I love the high concentration of dialogue, especially Saruman's great speeches. One thing though, that has always made me ponder is the Palantir. Gandalf says that there were probably few things in Orthanc that were as valuable that he could have thrown away, but I've always wondered what other things there were. As noted in
Unfinished Tales, Saruman was a packrat, and had all sorts of valuables in his tower. What else was there other than the Elendilmir and Isildur's ring-chain? What else could Grima have possibly thrown down at Gandalf. Or was he aiming at Saruman?