A Probably too Sympathetic View of Gríma

[Lhunardawen]

There seems to be a lot of Grima threads these days...

The act of Grima killing Saruman in The Scouring of the Shire is rather ambiguous. It could be that he already had the will to be free from the evil in which he had been ensnared by Saruman, and killed him so that he could be altogether released from his bondage to evil. But on the other hand, he could be tired of being Saruman's underdog and killed him so he could be his own master, possibly not aware of the fact that he could be killed by the hobbits in doing so.

It was probably the first idea that moved him to kill Saruman. Frodo was offering him a way out, and he probably felt he could not accept that way with Saruman still around. Then again, seeing that he tried to run away after killing him, it could be the latter idea. All the same, his death was grievous, for while he is yet alive there is a chance for him to finally turn his back from evil.