Evil Rhetors in The Lord of the Rings 

In J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings there are several types of communicating dark and evil characters. They may be primarily divided into two groups, each of which is rhetorically distinctive from the other. The first and lowest level group is the brutal and rhetorically crude foot soldiers of the powerful, such as Orcs, whose names, harsh voices and speech are unpleasant to hear. These lovers of cruelty and killing do their master's bidding relentlessly, but have no rhetorical skills, display the basest emotions and often fight among themselves. Sam was able to rescue Frodo from imprisonment in the Orc tower when the Orcs holding Frodo began killing each other in anger and jealousy.

The second level of evil characters are the Rhetorical specialists who use speech to manipulate, control and ensnare others with their verbal webs. They are close advisers to the powerful and the powerful. Who ever first said, "work smarter, not harder" could have been talking about these types. These fictional and non-fictional speech weavers are the ones who give the Sophists' view of rhetoric a bad name. For example, Bernard Madoff, now serving a 150 year prison sentence for running the largest Ponzi scheme in U.S history, must have been a master of Sophist techniques. As a former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock exchange he had the credibility and rhetorical skill to convince his wealthy clients to believe in him and give him billions of dollars with the expectation of probable further enrichment. Poulakos notes that, according to Robert L. Scott,  "...rhetoric moves beyond the domain of logic and, satisfied with probability, lends itself to the flexibility of the contingent." A film currently being made by HBO about Madoff is called The Wizard of Lies and is based on the book of the same name by Diana Henrigues.

The Wizard Saruman and his subordinate Grima Wormtongue, however, both use their speech and voices to usurp power and manipulate others. "...in the case of speeches," says Gorgias in Enconium of Helen, "...some distress, others delight, some cause fear, others make the hearers bold, and some drug and bewitch the soul with a kind of evil persuasion." Gandalf describes Wormtongue's effect to King Theoden just after Wormtonge's expulsion from Theoden's court, where he had been the King's advisor. "And ever Wormtongue's whispering was in your ears poisoning your thought, chilling your heart, weakening your limbs, while others watched and could do nothing, for your will was in his keeping...he was crafty: dulling men's wariness, or working on their fears, as served the occasion."

In The Sophistic Definition of Rhetoric, John Poulakos states, "For the most part, what compels a rhetor to speak is a sense of urgency." "...during times of stress, we feel compelled to intervene and with the power of the word, to attempt to end the crisis, redistribute the justice, or restore order." Gandalf warns Pippin as their party approaches the Tower of Orthanc where Saruman is contained after his defeat by the Ents. "What's the danger?" asked Pippen. "A wild beast cornered is not safe to approach. Saruman has powers you do not guess," explained Gandalf, "Beware of his voice!" Then Saruman, in "crisis" and anxious to "restore" his power, "spoke low
and melodious, it's very sound an enchantment....it was a delight to hear the voice speaking, all that it said seemed wise and reasonable, and desire awoke in them by swift agreement to seem wise themselves....none rejected it's pleas and commands without an effort of mind and will, so long as it's master had control of it."

In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers the primary heroic characters often sing and recite poetry as a mark of their intelligence and nobility of character. No Orc would recite an epic poem. Bilbo Baggins is a writer of repute, and in The Hobbit won the Ring from Gollum by means of cleaver speech. These forms of communicative arts are a mark of gentility and goodness.

In The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Tolkien used various rhetorical styles and Sophistic themes and techniques to mold his "evil" and "good" characters in the world of Middle Earth. The beauty of the speeches, poems and songs capture the reader's imagination regardless of generation. The enduring popularity of the trilogy is a testament to the success of his rhetorical genius.