Wormtongue Character Analysis

Wormtongue is a malevolent traitor who exemplifies J.R.R. Tolkien’s belief that power is corruptive in The Two Towers: Book One. Wormtongue is not an influential character alone, but he leeches onto the power of Theoden and uses the force of betrayal to attempt his own personal gain. While Wormtongue’s ultimate loyalty remains to Saruman, he manipulates King Theoden to weaken the power of Edoras. While Wormtongue’s method of manipulation and strategic influence over Theoden gain him some temporary power as an advisor, his objective to take Ewoyn as a prize and help Saruman increase the influence of Saruman prove futile to his ineffective devices. Wormtongue’s method is working as an agent of Saruman in the land of Theoden. Wormtongue is able to influence Theoden as an advisor in …show more content…
Wormtongue is a rash individual and underestimates the power of the outsider Gandalf to exploit him as a traitor. Wormtongue’s first mistake was getting caught stealing Theoden’s sword. After this discovery, Theoden gives Wormtongue the option to ride into battle with him or return to Saruman. Instead of agreeing to fight with Theoden, “His eyes glittered. Such malice was in them that men stepped back from him. He bared his teeth: and with a hissing breath he spat before the king’s feet, and darting to the side, he fled down the stairs” (509). Instead of keeping his contact with Theoden, Wormtongue abandons his position as advisor to return to Saruman. When Gandalf throws down Saruman at Orthanc, Wormtongue becomes enraged and throws out the palentir at Gandalf. This was a terrible decision, because as Gandalf points out, “’Strange are the turns of fortune! Often does hatred hurt itself! I guess that, even if we had entered in, we could have found few treasures in Orthanc more precious than the thing which Wormtongue threw down at us’” (571). Wormtongue let his emotions overcome him and paid the price by giving away the