Wormtongue - evil or misunderstood?

[Silk and Velvet]

What do people think of Grima Wormtongue? Was he evil or plain misunderstood?

I think he was misunderstood.

[Fluphidia]

Interesting thought, Silk and Velvet - and one which I have pondered often. I think he is misunderstood too.

I think he didn't have an easy life of it from the start and was picked on for his appearance - he didn't exactly fit the ideal picture of the tall, clear eyed Rider of Rohan, did he?
Any good intentions he started out with seem to have been knocked out of him at an early age and it seems he always had only his sharp wits to help him survive in what appears to have been a world ruled by horse-obsessed Jocks!

[SoulCatcher]

I believe he was also misunderstood.

To me he had no choice but to act the way he did in order to survive, if he hadnt done what he did he probably would have been killed or ended up living on the land all on his own running from others all his life, it was the way he was treated that made him the way he is

[Fluphidia]

I couldn't agree more, SoulCatcher!
I've often thought there were some similarities between Wormtongue and Smeagol. Grima was pale, a schemer and plotter, caught up in the sway of a greater power - in his case, Saruman, who in turn was corrupted by the power of Sauron and his own pride.