Gandalf Vs. The Witch King

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by obloquy

Don't forget the nature of the letter. You mention readers who might misinterpret it, but it was originally a letter to an individual

I agree; however, I was reffering to the books having this possible believability problem, I apologise if I wasn't specific enough.

Originally Posted by obloquy

You ask why Tolkien would create this impression if it was not representative of the reality. I believe that it was congruent with the reality, but that the reality was merely that the Witch-King now commanded an army in open daylight. That narrative revelation conveys "an added demonic power."

Well, it wasn't technically daylight, since they were fighting under Sauron's Shadow. As I see it, the witch-king is consistently described as leader of armies and a high-ranking (if not highest) in Sauron's army/subjects - starting from the Prologue, to Aragorn's, Tom's, Gandalf's mentionings, and finishing with the appendices and tale of years. If Tolkien intended to present him in increase stature only as a military comander at the Pelennor Fields, he spoiled that "surprise" by other (past and not only) refferences.