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Saruman: Middle-Earth
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Saruman was the leader and most powerful of the Order of the Istari. In Aman, he was known as the maia Curumo (the Shaper), and like his appointed adversary Sauron, he was of the host of Aulë, the Smith. Arriving in Middle-Earth first of the Istari (circa Third Age 1000), he was known by the Elves as Curunir, the man of craft and by men as Saruman, the wise man.
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In the year 2759 T.A., Saruman settled in Isengard with the permission of the Steward of Gondor, Beren. The stronghold was by then abandoned by Gondor, although he settled only as Warden of the Tower and representative of the Steward. There he became important in the informal alliance defending the west of Middle-earth. In the tower of Isengard, Orthanc, he ... found one of the remaining palantÃri.
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The oval plaque Saruman stands on is etched with a map of Middle-earth after Tolkien's own map. Its underside, covered in velvet, is printed with the film's name, the figure's name and the sculptor's name (Mike Asquith.) Saruman comes packaged in a nicely printed box and is numbered.
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The power of Saruman's voice is noted several times. No other character in Middle-earth has Saruman's trick of balancing phrases against each other so that incompatibles are resolved, and none comes out with words as empty as 'deploring', 'ultimate', worst of all, 'real'. What is 'real change'?"[21] This speech pattern is contrasted with the stoicism and directness that Shippey believes represent Tolkien's ideal of heroism.
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The Elves ... declined during the period of Saruman's activity in the west of Middle-earth. Their lands were few and secretive, and although they wielded in some senses marvellous power, they were not in the habit of projecting it in the manner Saruman found useful or interesting. Also, they succumbed less easily than other races to manipulation.
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