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Surveillance in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

-- By JoannaGainesZhang - 14 Mar 2025

Agency and Salvation

From the ever-watchful Eye of Sauron to the aerial Nazgul and spies of the Enemy—over and cover— surveillance casts a long shadow over the experiences of the Fellowship on their quasi-suicidal quest to destroy the One Ring in the heart of Modor. Tolkien captures the insidiousness of Evil through its creeping influence that erodes the bonds between the Kingdoms of Man Elf, and Dwarf: a plan effectuated by Sauron’s almost omniscient knowledge and foresight as facilitated by his surveillance network and his Palantiri.

Evil has a geographic epicenter but is also omnipresent through its piercing ability to access the inner desires of all residents of Middle Earth. Through the examination of the all-seeing eye of Sauron, the surveillance tactics of various factions, and the themes of privacy and agency, The Lord of the Rings can also be read as a tale of evading the “gaze” and reaffirming one’s agency to choose a difficult path when the most powerful artefact in the entire world hangs around one’s neck, tempting one day after day. Perhaps the greatest invasion of privacy is the temptation to relinquish one’s agency to an artificially created power that one cannot understand but promises, as the One Ring does, the world at our fingertips.

The Eye of Sauron: Surveillance as a Symbol of Totalitarian Power

The Eye can be read as a metaphor for the surveillance state—an omnipresent, invasive force that sees all and knows all. It watches over Middle Earth, its red glare unrelenting, unceasing, penetrating.

This Eye is an embodiment of Evil on Middle Earth. Through corrupting the helpful and good attributes of sight, the Eye seeks control of minds and wills. The Eye seeks not merely to observe but to dominate and control, to consume anything in the world not under its absolute control like the Orcs. Vision, a neutral sense, becomes weaponized as a tool of oppression and destruction for all those who earn for freedom from Sauron’s regime and oppose his invasion.

Saruman and the Use of Spies: Political Surveillance and Informants

As Sauron’s henchmen, other characters such as Saruman also engage in surveillance, often using spies to gain knowledge about enemies and allies alike. Saruman’s alliance with Sauron bends his will to serve Sauron, albeit with his own scheming for personal power. Thus, Saruman gather spies who gather intelligence on the Free Peoples of Middle Earth.

One notable example is Wormtongue, who exercises great influence over Theoden’s court in The Fellowship of the Ring and tracks the movements of the Fellowship. Through Wormtongue’s manipulation and Saruman’s sorcery, Theoden is reduced to a shell of himself and Rohan is substantially weakened. Surveillance, again, is followed by the corruption of the mind and breaking of a character’s own agency to serve a totalitarian lord.

The Role of the Palantír: Surveillance and the Danger of Power

The Palantír in the hands of Saruman and later Pippin serves as an important narrative device that illustrates the dangers of losing one's agency when seduced by its power of foresight. Saruman, through his use of the Palantír, falls further under the influence of Sauron. He believes that by using the stone, he can gain an upper hand in the struggle for power, but he is instead ensnared by Sauron’s will. The Palantír becomes a tool of surveillance, not just for gaining knowledge, but for dominating the mind of the user.

For Pippin also, the Palantír proves to be a source of deep temptation. When he looks into the stone, he is exposed to Sauron’s Eye, experiencing firsthand the power and fear that come with being observed by a malevolent force. This mirrors the psychological impact of surveillance, where being under constant observation can warp one’s thoughts and perceptions.

The Road to Mount Doom: Autonomy in the Shadow of Darkness

Characters like Frodo, Sam, and Aragorn struggle against temptation towards freedom to fulfill their destinies. These destinies must be accomplished by their free will with their full agency. In choosing to destroy the Ring, the Fellowship undertakes the hardest yet humblest path.

Frodo and Sam’s journey to destroy the One Ring is a constant battle against being watched and controlled by Sauron. The Eye of Sauron seeks to discover their location so he may regain the Ring. Meanwhile, the Ring tempts them with its powers and false promises. Thus, their quest becomes not just one of physical danger, but also of psychological endurance, as they strive to maintain a sense of self and freedom while under constant surveillance.

Aragorn, too, represents the resistance to temptation and escapes Sauron's surveillance. His humility to surrender ever possessing the One Ring -- a deed that his heroic ancestor failed -- and courage to lure out the troops of Sauron with his identity as the true heir of Isildur in order that Frodo and Sam may gain safe passage to Mount Doom ultimately brings contributes to salvation for Middle Earth. By resisting Evil, he triumphs against it.

Temptation to power works literally and figuratively as an ever-present surveilling force in The Lord of the Rings. Surveillance becomes more than just a tool for gathering information; it is a manifestation of the tension between individual autonomy and the forces of Evil and corruption that seek to strip away privacy and personal freedom. The characters’ resistance to this surveillance is a metaphor for the enduring struggle to maintain privacy, individuality, and freedom in a world that is increasingly interconnected and observed.

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