Following quite a few recent posts about arrogance and pride, it seems like it’s about time to turn to humility and something more positive! I’ve been rereading Book V of LOTR recently, and was struck by Gandalf’s remark to Pippin following the hobbit impulsively swearing fealty to Denethor.
‘I do not know what put it into your head, or your heart, to do that. But it was well done. I did not hinder it, for generous deed should not be checked by cold counsel. It touched his heart, as well (may I say it) as pleasing his humour. And at least you are free now to move about as you will in Minas Tirith – when you are not on duty. For there is another side to it. You are at his command; and he will not forget. Be wary still!’
The Lord of the Rings, Book V, Chapter 1, ‘Minas Tirith’, by J.R.R. Tolkien
The contrast between Gandalf the tactician, master strategist opposing policies that are to Sauron’s advantage; and Gandalf the counsellor, wise and benevolent bearer of hope, is arguably best articulated in that paragraph. Gandalf is fully aware of the dangers of giving Denethor too much information, or more influence than he already has. His words to Pippin before they come to Denethor are indicative of this, Gandalf is clearly nervous that Pippin will (as he did earlier in the chapter with Ingold) reveal far too much far too freely.
Following the meeting, Gandalf also reveals that he’s been very attentive to what Pippin said, and what Pippin failed to hide:
‘Still, the Lord of Gondor learned more from you than you may have guessed, Pippin. You could not hide the fact that Boromir did not lead the Company from Moria, and that there was one among you of high honour who was coming to Minas Tirith; and that he had a famous sword.’
LOTR, Book V, Chapter 1
Gandalf, of course, has not asked Denethor what he has learned – Gandalf knows this through observing Pippin’s speech, observing Denethor’s line of questioning, and knowing what Denethor knows and what Denethor would be capable of inferring – it is made clear that Gandalf and Denethor operate on intellectually similar levels, and so Gandalf is able to judge what Denethor would have gained…and, further, Gandalf would likely have prepared his own line of answers (had Denethor deigned to question Gandalf) in order to obfuscate as much as possible, while still being useful to Denethor for planning his defence of the city.
All of that is to say, Gandalf has come to Minas Tirith with a crystal clear awareness of what he will face – and then Pippin goes and ruins it all almost immediately, by swearing fealty to Denethor, thus immediately obligating the hobbit to answer any and every question posed to him by his new lord.
This is near to the worst outcome imaginable to Gandalf, yet the wizard does absolutely nothing to check it, to prevent it, to dissuade it. Because, as he explains to Pippin, generous deed should not be checked by cold counsel. In other words, Gandalf’s counsel would have been cold, had he given it, yet he was wise enough to recognise the error in checking a deed done out of goodness, and so let his counsel rest.
And, of course, that wisdom is rewarded in but a few days. Because if Pippin had not been sworn into Denethor’s service, then (as Gandalf himself notes) the hobbit would not have been at liberty to go where he would within the city, would not have been granted leave to enter Rath Dínen and to behold Denethor’s madness. As Denethor’s liege, Pippin is allowed to accompany him right up to the pyre where he and Faramir are to be burnt, and is thus able to warn Gandalf of the impending evil, saving Faramir.
This all seems well and good – but it is worth observing Gandalf’s thoughts on the matter, too. When Pippin first comes to Gandalf, by the gate of the City, and pleads for him to save Faramir, Gandalf answers:
‘Maybe I can…but if I do, then others will die, I fear.’
LOTR, Book V, Chapter 7, ‘The Pyre of Denethor’
Later, having saved Faramir and seen the aftermath of the Witch-king’s end, Gandalf reiterates and emphasises that his absence from the Pelennor may have led to sorrow and loss.
‘Beyond hope the Captain of our foes has been destroyed…But he has not gone without woe and bitter loss. And that I might have averted but for the madness of Denethor.’
LOTR, Book V, Chapter 7
Gandalf’s implication that he may have been able to save Théoden, or at least prevent Éowyn and Merry from being injured, may not be unfounded. It is undeniable that, with Gandalf on the battlefield, the Witch-king would likely have been more concerned with him…and there is ample evidence also that Gandalf’s very presence may have reduced the fear and panic that men felt on being confronted with the Nazgûl.
But even if Gandalf’s might have averted is rather would have averted, if Gandalf is correct that he would have been able to avoid this evil (and for the sake of argument, we’ll assume the ‘best possible outcome’…Gandalf survives, the Witch-king is killed, and so on and so forth), consider the implications of both Denethor and Faramir being killed during the siege.
On a personal level, this is catastrophic for Éowyn, though she does not know it – without Faramir’s wisdom and care, she remains the icy death-seeker that she was when she rode with the Rohirrim, determined to meet an evil end doing great deeds. Gandalf may have been able to save Éowyn in the moment, as it were, but it is my feeling that that would have been for naught without Faramir to help her heal of her inner despair.
Further, and somewhat callously, the political implications of both Denethor and Faramir dying are (I think) disastrous for Aragorn’s attempt to claim the throne of Gondor. This might seem counterintuitive – after all, Minas Tirith would be leaderless and in need of a unifier, which might as well be Aragorn.
But Aragorn’s claim upon the kingship is aided massively by Faramir’s immediate and unquestioning legitimisation of it – indeed, the very first words that Faramir says to Aragorn, on waking from his deathly sleep, are:
‘My lord, you called me. I come. What does the king command?’
LOTR, Book V, Chapter 8, ‘The Houses of Healing’
And Minas Tirith’s leadership is, of course, the final obstacle on the way to Aragorn’s claim. Imrahil also immediately acknowledges Aragorn’s right, and the fiefdoms love him for his ruining of the Corsairs. Gondor’s closest allies, the Rohirrim, also support him (whether the King of Rohan is Éomer or a surviving Théoden seems likely to be an academic difference, I do not doubt that Théoden would also have backed Aragorn). In short, all the pieces are in place, bar the Stewards themselves.
Aragorn himself is very aware of this, I think. He goes to great pains following Pelennor to not take any action that may be perceived as a political threat, refusing to enter Minas Tirith (at least, in an ‘official’ capacity) or to bear tokens of his claim. Indeed, Aragorn even spells this out to Imrahil and Éomer following the battle.
‘…But this City and realm has rested in the charge of the Stewards for many long years, and I fear that if I enter it unbidden, then doubt and debate may arise, which should not be while this war is fought. I will not enter in, nor make any claim, until it be seen whether we or Mordor shall prevail. Men shall pitch my tents upon the field, and here I will await the welcome of the Lord of the City.’
But Éomer said, ‘Already you have raised the banner of the Kings and displayed the tokens of Elendil’s House. Will you suffer these to be challenged?’
‘No,’ said Aragorn. ‘But I deem the time unripe; and I have no mind for strife except with our Enemy and his servants.’
And the Prince Imrahil said: ‘Your words, lord, are wise, if one who is a kinsman of the Lord Denethor may counsel you in this matter. He is strong-willed and proud, but old; and his mood has been strange since his son was stricken down. Yet I would not have you remain like a beggar at the door.’
‘Not a beggar,’ said Aragorn. ‘Say a captain of the Rangers, who are unused to cities and houses of stone.’ And he commanded that his banner should be furled; and he did off the Star of the North Kingdom and gave it to the keeping of the sons of Elrond.
LOTR, Book V, Chapter 8
Unbeknownst to Aragorn, Denethor is already dead and this prudence is unneeded. But consider the scenario outlined above, where Faramir is also burnt with his father, and the line of the Stewards fails. We know that Denethor has a council, and if Faramir also dies then it seems likely that this council would have some authority in determining how Minas Tirith should be governed.
Now, thinking from the point of view of that council, in the very same hour when the line of the Stewards has failed, some northerner turns up with a pretty sword and the adoration of the fiefdoms, and he is claiming to be Elendil’s long-lost direct descendant? That seems, frankly, very suspicious, and worthy of at least some further interrogation; if not so outrageous as to be worthy of being dismissed out of hand. Aragorn honestly catches a lucky break with Faramir’s inheriting of the Stewardship – it is not difficult to imagine, at best, years of political wrangling and resentment, and perhaps worse, had there been greater doubt concerning Aragorn’s claim (and it is well worth noting that there was fair precedence for such doubts among the people of Minas Tirith, as evidenced by Arvedui’s unsuccessful bid for the throne a thousand years prior).
So, to summarise. Gandalf’s intervention as Denethor attempts to burn himself and his son leads to Faramir living, to Aragorn assuming the kingship with minimal strife, and to Éowyn being healed of her deathwish. Indeed, even the principle characters who Gandalf cannot save are granted, in a strange way, that which they wish for. For Denethor, Minas Tirith is saved, and the son he thought had perished is spared. And for Théoden, he comes to the end of a long life well lived, free from regrets and bitterness. It is not unfair for Gandalf to rue his inability to save more lives, to help more people, but it is also difficult (with the benefit of all the information) to imagine a better outcome, given how the pieces were placed.
And all of this because Gandalf did not check generous deed with cold counsel, because Gandalf was wise enough to follow his own wisdom, and allowed a very small and very great deed to be done by Pippin.
This theme of great deeds being allowed by small actions, and (in the case of Denethor’s death) good endings coming of evil is well-studied in Tolkien, but I like this example in part because the text does not call attention to it. Gandalf never says, ‘Well done, Pippin, bad stuff would have happened if you hadn’t granted your service to Denethor.’ But at the same time, Gandalf does call attention to his overall philosophy that a kindly deed should not be prevented by wisdom or pragmatism, and we then see the fruits of this philosophy borne out in the story’s ending.
It also illustrates the balance that Gandalf himself must always be trying to strike, that of being Sauron’s intellectual equal without succumbing to Sauron’s pride. I am not saying that Gandalf would have become evil if he had intervened with Pippin and Denethor! However, Gandalf is clearly keenly aware not to overstep in his interventions, and has humility and wisdom enough to allow others to act. Gandalf may not intellectually approve of Pippin’s actions, yet he is also willing to recognise that it is not a bad deed (telling Pippin that it touched Denethor’s heart) and that it was a deed well done (affirming the moral greatness of Pippin’s small action). And, in the end, Gandalf’s humility is rewarded, confirming that the wizard himself did well.
‘For even the very wise cannot see all ends.’
LOTR, Book I, Chapter 2, ‘The Shadow of the Past’,
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