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Monday
Political scientist John Stoehr has suggested a striking literary parallel that is on the mark: think of White House Trump advisor Stephen as Wormtongue to Donald Trump’s Théoden. I add the qualifier that the comparison works only when we are talking about Théoden in his decrepit state, not the Théoden who returns to his former self as heroic king.
As Stoehr sees it, Trump is suffering from early dementia, which gives Miller a golden opportunity to manipulate him:
[Miller has] been on TV a lot lately, because that’s how he pours more poison into the president’s already-poisoned brain. He doesn’t whisper lies into the ear of the old and demented sovereign the way Wormtongue does in Tolkien’s epic. King Théoden didn’t have a TV. His Majesty Donald Trump can’t stop watching his. So Miller delivers the poison that way.
Miller, Stoehr believes, wishes to goad Trump into invoking the Insurrection Act and imposing martial law:
In the days since, Miller has repeated a variation of that “insurrection” theme during numerous TV appearances. Last night, for instance, he told a CNN anchor that ICE protesters are “actually, as we speak, trying to overthrow the core law enforcement function of the federal government. … ICE officers have to street battle against antifa, hand-to-hand combat every night, to come and go from their building.”
I don’t know if we can entirely give Miller credit for Trump demanding the imprisonment of Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson. Trump, after all, has wanted many of his enemies to be jailed and has set the Justice Department on some of them. Miller, however, has been fanning the flames.
Which is what Wormtongue does, persuading Théoden to lock up his loyal follower Eomer, despite the field general having notched a significant victory over a band of orcs. Wormtongue, it turns out, is actually working for a foreign power—think of him as Tolkien’s version of a Putin whisperer—and it takes outside intervention from Gandalf to expose him.
While Stoehr has Miller’s number, it might be more useful to see both him and Trump as Wormtongue, with Théoden as America. Both are pouring poison into our ears. And if that’s the case, he have an inspiring image once Théoden awakens to the threat. In an uplifting scene, he steps out of darkness and into the sunshine:
Slowly Théoden left his chair. A faint light grew in the hall again. The woman hastened to the king’s side, taking his arm, and with faltering steps the old man came down from the dais and paced softly through the hall. Wormtongue remained lying on the floor. They came to the doors and Gandalf knocked.
“Open!” he cried. “The Lord of the Mark comes forth!”
And further on:
“Now, lord,” said Gandalf, “look out upon your land! Breathe the free air again!”
Perhaps, in writing this scene, Tolkien is thinking of Britain emerging from World War II and the shadow of fascism. Seen in our current context, Rohan is America emerging from the threat of Trumpism. “It is not so dark here,” the king observes, to which Gandalf replies, “No. Nor does age lie so heavily on your shoulders as some would have you think. Cast aside your prop!” Théoden does so:
From the king’s hand the black staff fell clattering on the stones. He drew himself up, slowly, as a man that is stiff from long bending over some dull toil. Now tall and straight he stood, and his eyes were blue as he looked into the opening sky.
Théoden fears for his country as many of us fear for ours:
“Dark have been my dreams of late,” he said, “but I feel as one new awakened. I would now that you had come before, Gandalf. For I fear that already you have come too late, only to see the last days of my house. Not long now shall stand the high hall which Brego son of Eorl built. Fire shall devour the high seat. What is to be done?”
Gandalf can’t offer him easy reassurance. But because doing nothing at all is to invite sure defeat, he urges the king to gather his loyal followers around him and resist the impending threat of Saruman and Sauron. Critical in this effort is the inspiring call to the Rohan’s riders:
‘Will you not take the sword?’ said Gandalf. Slowly Théoden stretched forth his hand. As his fingers took the hilt, it seemed to the watchers that firmness and strength returned to his thin arm. Suddenly he lifted the blade and swung it shimmering and whistling in the air. Then he gave a great cry. His voice rang clear as he chanted in the tongue of Rohan a call to arms.
Arise now, arise, Riders of Théoden!
Dire deeds awake, dark is it eastward.
Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!
Forth Eorlingas!
This coming Saturday Americans can march in demonstrations that are being held all over the country. Arise now, arise, sons and daughters of American democracy.
