Why is Grima crying? Analysis by Parmadur
Contributed by: Parmadur
Grima is the only human character (that the audience is acquainted with, anyway) that actually turns bad. Wanting acceptance may have brought about part of this change, but he also changed because he wanted Eowyn – because he loved her (or believed he did) and did what he thought he had to do to get her, even if it required betrayal.
Despite the damage and pain he caused, he was still human. He didn’t turn to evil because he wanted to dominate Middle-earth, but rather out of selfishness, because he knew no other way to get what he wanted. The tear, I think, is further proof that he is not wholly evil and still has a human heart somewhere beneath the ruin.
Perhaps that tear was from awe. However, it could have been the result of a different sort of awe. The expression on his face certainly doesn’t register in my eyes as one of someone who loves what he’s seeing. It’s impressive, yes, but certainly not in a positive way. I think that the tear came from shock, from fear, and yes, maybe a twinge of human regret.
(Note: Spoiler Ahead)
When Frodo and the hobbits are banishing Saruman in the Scouring of the Shire, and Saruman mentions that it was Grima who killed Lotho, doesn’t Grima retort with something along the lines of: “You made me do it!” What that may mean is that Grima was under the influence of Saruman, possibly seduced into it by his Voice.
Grima hated Saruman. He hated him, but he also desired some form of acceptance, and that’s why he was susceptible to the power of Saruman’s Voice. I really do think it all comes back to Eowyn. Would Grima have agreed to do all of this – to have his home destroyed (he is from Rohan, after all), to betray his people and, above all, his King – for a man who wasn’t trustworthy, a man he most likely knew was evil, if the “promised price” hadn’t been her? Any forms of emotion – lust, love, caring – can either be the best thing to happen to someone or the worst. I think that it was the latter for Grima.
He is capable of regret. His anger towards Saruman for “making” him kill Lotho is proof of it, proof that perhaps he really doesn’t want to be doing what he’s doing, doesn’t want to be a part of what’s going on.
And how do we really know that Grima wanted everything that happened? I think that he did feel regret, but also continued on because he was too deep into it to turn back. Theoden wouldn’t receive him again. Eowyn knew who and what he was and wouldn’t love him. He had nowhere else to go and he was too emotionally weak and afraid to break free. He considered staying with the hobbits – and was going to, I believe – when Saruman revealed the secret about Lotho. I truly believe that he wanted out, that he wanted to be clean, but he didn’t know how to go about doing it.
