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The Writings of J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings
Saruman
9/2/2K6
"his pride has grown with it [his knowledge]"
-- Gandalf of Saruman (Fellowship, p. 57)
The idea that pride is what turns good into evil is mythically and symbolically expressed in Tolkien's stories. You see a glimpse of this in the character Saruman.
Saruman is a good wizard gone bad. He is also proud. His knowledge is great, "but his pride has grown with it" (Fellowship, p. 57).
The idea that pride is the root of evil finds expression in Saruman being proud and becoming evil.
Tolkien no where says that Saruman's pride made him evil. If you are looking for mathematical proof, you won't find it. Rather, the idea is expressed mythically.
Saruman is proud. He was once good. He has now become evil. Tolkien leaves it up to the reader to fill in the rest.
There is possibly a fine distinction between something being expressed mythically and something finding mythical expression. The idea that pride is what turns good to evil finds expression here. However, it may be going too far to say that the idea finds mythical expression. It is less a part of the story and more a part of the background. The expression here is attenuated and weak.
Nevertheless, the idea is present.
Pride may be the root of evil in Middle-earth. However, pride does not always turn characters bad. There is plenty of proud behavior on the part of the Free Peoples of the West in Middle-earth.
So when is it that pride turns someone evil, and why does it not in other instances? Tolkien never says. However, sometimes pride is the handle that evil uses to work its way with good individuals.
Revised 9/3/2K6