Orthanc

Orthanc is the central tower of Isengard, a pinnacle of ancient Númenórean stonework that later became the stronghold of the wizard Saruman. It is described as a peak and isle of rock, black and gleaming hard, formed of four mighty piers of many-sided stone welded into one, which near the summit open into gaping horns with pinnacles sharp as spears. The tower rises five hundred feet above the plain, and upon its polished stone floor, written with strange signs, a man might stand. Its name has a twofold meaning: in the Elvish speech, orthanc signifies Mount Fang, but in the language of the Mark of old, it means the Cunning Mind.

History and Construction

Orthanc was not made by Saruman but by the Men of Númenor long ago, in the days of the great kings of Gondor. It was built as a strong place and a watchtower, and wise men that watched the stars once dwelt there. The tower is tall and has many secrets, yet it looks not to be a work of craft, but rather riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills. It is a single tower of stone, unbreakable by any force that the Ents could bring against it, and it withstood the fury of their assault without a crack, save for a few scorings and small flake-like splinters near the base.

Saruman's Occupation and Corruption

Saruman slowly shaped Isengard to his shifting purposes, making it better, as he thought, being deceived—for all those arts and subtle devices for which he forsook his former wisdom came but from Mordor. What he made was naught, only a little copy, a child's model or a slave's flattery, of Barad-dûr, the Dark Tower. He filled the ring of Isengard with pits and forges, and housed wolves and orcs there, mustering a great force on his own account, in rivalry of Sauron and not in his service, yet. Over all his works a dark smoke hung and wrapped itself about the sides of Orthanc. Saruman wore a ring on his finger, and his robes, which had seemed white, were woven of all colours, shimmering and changing hue as he moved.

Key Events: The Imprisonment of Gandalf and the Fall

Gandalf was lured to Orthanc by Saruman's messenger Radagast and was imprisoned on the pinnacle of the tower, where he stood alone on an island in the clouds, with no chance of escape. He was pierced with cold and had but little room in which to pace to and fro, brooding on the coming of the Riders to the North. He was rescued by Gwaihir the Windlord, swiftest of the Great Eagles, who bore him away before Saruman was aware. During the War of the Ring, the Ents, led by Treebeard, marched on Isengard and destroyed the ring-wall, flooding the valley and drowning the forges, but they could not harm Orthanc itself. The tower remained standing, dark and tall, unbroken by the storm, with pale waters lapping about its feet. After Saruman's defeat, the Ents kept watch over him, and the key of Orthanc was given to Aragorn. The tower was later locked, and Quickbeam held the keys. Saruman was allowed to leave, but he was not permitted to set foot beyond the rock without the Ents' leave.

Narrative Significance

Orthanc is a symbol of corrupted power and ancient craft turned to evil. It is the place where Saruman's treachery is fully revealed, where Gandalf is held captive, and where the palantír is kept, leading to Saruman's downfall and Pippin's dangerous encounter with Sauron. The tower's unbreakable nature contrasts with the vulnerability of its master, and its survival after the destruction of Isengard underscores the enduring power of Númenórean works, even in the hands of a traitor. It stands as a dark mirror to Barad-dûr, a fortress of pride and cunning that ultimately serves the Enemy's purposes, even as its master believes himself to be acting independently.