[Anguirel]

To skip back along way to Lalwende's quest for the Miltonic Satan in Tolkien-whom she found closest to Saruman-the character that leapt to mind for me was Galadriel.

Certainly Galadriel and Saruman, for all their enmity, have much in common. Indeed, I always thought their mutual loathing came from recognition of a kindred spirit; Galadriel liked Gandalf because he was a good deal more straightforward than she, and so reassuring. Maybe.

Saruman tempts for his own evil purposes. Fair enough. Galadriel is odder in that she tempts for the greater good. I am vaguely reminded of Gnostic and Cathar heresies, and the so called Gospel of Judas, which hinted that Satan/Judas was consciously fulfilling God's will in their treachery. A bit like certain theories I've seen about Melkor.

Galadriel fits more swiftly than Saruman for me because she is physically as well as mentally tempting. I get a kind of image of the Massolino fresco of the Serpent with the head of a golden-haired woman...