Sauron/Gorthaur
Sauron is
Melkor’s “right hand” and I would also say his best student.
After
Morgoth was overthrown he became personalization of
evil in
Middle-earth. It develops too, it finds new ways of corrupting, deceiving,
destroying and achieving its aims.
Although Morgoth is a great deceiver and manipulates some of his enemies
he uses nothing else but force. That can be interpreted even as a mistake.
Sauron’s acts are different and I would add they are better and more
effective. He sponges on
elves and
Numenoreans, manipulates them without
using force. He uses it only when it is necessary. What is the most
interesting fact is that Sauron does not try to create evil, but awakens
seeds of evil, which are saved by Melkor in every person in ancient times.
He makes use of human weak points and fears and elven desire for progress
and glory in order to achieve his aims. Thus evil becomes an enemy who is
around and in us, thing that should be unasked.
AC 500 years Sauron’s preseme is felt for the first time. He shows
cautiousness and dwells in
Mordor, from where he can observe all
events in
Middle-earth. For about 200 years he has the chance to learn all strong and
weak points of his enemies and...
when he felt himself to be secure he sent emissaries to Errador, and finally, in about the year 1200 of the
Second Age, came himself, wearing the fairest form that could contrive.
Gorthaur does everything possible to hide his real personality and to
break a tail for his plans. At that moment we see evil with a new face –
beautiful and incognizable. Only the great wisdom of
Gil-galad,
Galadriel,
Elrond,
Cirdan perceive it, but even they cannot define it.
What is more, the
Maia bears their suspicions, attacks and even anger in
order to conceal his true identity:
He perceived at once that Galadriel would be his chief adversary and obstacle and he endeavoured therefore to placate her, bearing her scorn with outward patience and courtesy.
Although he does not have success with elven leaders Sauron manages to
deceive Noldors from Eregion:
But Sauron had better fortune with the
Noldor of Eregion and especially
Celebrimbor, who desired in his heart to rival the skill and fame of
Feanor.
Curufin’s son is an easy target for Sauron. He is leaded by thoughts of
glory and mastery, thoughts that cause Feanor and his sons’ death.
Celebrimbor cannot escape his fate of inheritor of Feanor. That uses Sauron
and Celembrimbor is deceived. Thus Gorthaur achieves his first victory,
taking advantage not of his power, but of elven desires and ambitions. He
continues providing such policy until things change and there is no other
alternative but use of force:
When Sauron learned of the repentance and revolt of Celebrimbor his disguise fell and his wrath was revealed; and gathering a great force he moved over Calenardhon (
Rohan) to the mission of
Eriador in the year 1695.
During the war from 1645 Sauron demonstrates all his fury. Gorthang shows
that if everything happens according to his plans he will be ‘kind’, but if
it is not as he wants he will be brutal enough.
Sauron demonstrates that every kind of resistance will be smashed:
Then Celebrimbor was put to torment…
In black anger he (Sauron) turned back to battle; and bearing as a banner Celebrimbar’s body hung upon a pole, short though with Orc-arrows, he turned upon the forces of Elrond.
And Sauron would have won if Numenoreans hadn’t come to help Gil-galad and
Elrond. He makes a mistake that causes his loss. The
Dark Lord does not
include Tar-Minastir and the Numenoreans in his plan. Just like Morgoth he
underestimates
men’s abilities. Thus Gorthaur looses the first war because
of people and never forgets that.
More than 1000 years he lives in Mordor and does nothing to achieve his aims,
but watching. He stays in Mordor not only because the Numenoreans are great,
but also because he is watching for the best moment to come. Sauron knows
that seeds of evil need time to grow up and that Numenoreans’ might and
glory will soon influence negatively on people. Gorthaur’s actions are
well-thought. After he has achieved what he wants during his contacts with
the Mirdain ( he receives
the Rings of Power), now the Dark Lord can face
the next problem- the Numenoreans and their destruction.
He starts providing policy of expansion and provokes
Ar-Pharazon the Golden
to take act. The
Numenorean king marches upon Middle-earth:
And Sauron came. Even from his mighty tower of
Barad-dur he came and made no after of battle. For he perceived that the power and majesty of the
kings of the Sea surpassed ill rumour of them, so that he could not trust even the greatest of his servants to withstand them; and he saw not his time yet to work his will with the
Dunedain. And he was crafty, well skilled to gain what he would by subtlety ihen force might and avail. Therfore he humbled himself before Ar-Pharazon and smoothed his tongue; and men wondered, for all that he said seemed fair and wise.
After Sauron deceived wisdom of elves he confines providing same policy
towards people. He asses that he will not win a war against the might and
glory of
Numenor and the only way to destroy then is to do it inside; to
become one of them. That is why his inmost wish is to go to Numenor. Thus
evil becomes opponent which is not in front of people, but around them and
slowly achieves its aims. What is more, Sauron does his best to deceive the
Edain and it becomes almost impossible his actions to be unmasked.
Gorthaurs’ acts can be best described by the long-known saying: ‘Keep your
friends close, and your enemies closer.’:
Yet such was the coming of his mind and mouth, and the strength of his hidden will, that ere three years had passed he had become closest to the secret counsels of the king; for flattery sweet as honey was ever on his tongue and knowledge he had of many things yet unrevealed to Men.
This passage shows that evil is evaluating in every moment. It takes
advantage of human progress and desire for cognition and win their trust in
order to use them for achieving its own purposes and interests:
For now, having the ears of men, Sauron with many arguments gainsaid all that the
Valar had taught; and he made men think that in the world, in
the east and even in the west, there lay yet many seas and many lands for their winning, wherein was wealth uncounted. And still if they should at the last come to the end of those lands and seas, beyond all lay the Ancient Darkness.
When Gorthaur wins Numenoreans’ trust and he directs Hurins Numenoreans to
the dark side of our world. So Sauron de facto rules over Numenor. He gives
people some things they long for- power (to rule over Middle-earth) and
wealth. But they do not receive what they desire most-immortality. And just
when fear of death obsesses Ar-Pharazon’s mind and soul, Sauron incites the
Numenorean king to set sail for
Valinor and conquer The
Undying Lands. At
that time he shows his real face. The time of cult of Melkor is the heyday
of Sauron’s might and actions:
But the Temple itself was unshaken, and Sauron stood there upon the pinnacle and defied the lightening and was unharmed; and in that hour men called him a
god and did all that he could.
Ar-Pharazon sets sail for Valinor and Gorthaur achieves exactly what he
wants. But the Dark Lord makes a great mistake; a mistake that Melkor made:
he believes in his power too much and forgets that the Lords of the West are
always observing Children of
Iluvatar. He thinks nobody can stop him and his
authority will spread everywhere, mistake that its consequences.
The fall of Numenor has its cost, Sauron looses his beauty. This loss is
acceptable, Numenor is destroyed elves were deceived and will not ever
believe in Gorthaur’s appearance, so there is no matter whether he will
continue his actions with or without his beautiful mask:
There he took up again his great King in Barad-dur, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and
the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.
The Dark Lord creates a guise that will help him in the future. Now he is brutal, furious and ready to destroy Middle-earth:
Now Sauron prepared war against the Eldar and the
Men of Westernesse, and the fires of the
Mountains were wakened again.And Sauron gathered to him great strength of his servants out of the east and the south; and among them were not a few of the high
race of Numenor.
He looses the war and
The One Ring.But then comes the question why happens so?
First of all I should mentioned that Sauron does not use the right moment to attack.He underestimates the power of Gil-galad and that of
the Faithful.But those who found
Gondor and
Arnor are still Numenoreans and they have not lost still the might and glory of Numenoreans.
Gorthaur obviously does not manage to divide men and people.His teacher succeeded and that is why he managed to destroy all his enemies,one by one,except for The Lords of The Wets.That Sauron does not.Thus he has far more difficult task:to destroy both elves and men together.It would have been easier if he had tried to divide them and eliminate them one by one.
In conclusion I would say that Sauron is the better evil,evil that is on progress,just like every living thing.And it also makes mistakes and then suffers,but later receives the chance not to make them again (III age).
,but the lecture will be the the same in terms of ideas etc. ...
