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Gandalf
Tolkiencharacter
Detail of Gandalf (right) turning the trolls to stone in one ofJ.R.R. Tolkien's drawingsforThe Hobbit
First appearanceThe Hobbit(1937)
Last appearanceUnfinished Tales(1980)
In-universe information
AliasesSeeNames
RaceMaia
AffiliationCompany of the Ring
Weapon

Gandalfis a protagonist inJ. R. R. Tolkien's novelsThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Rings.He is awizard,one of the Istari order, and the leader of theFellowship of the Ring.Tolkien took the name "Gandalf" from theOld Norse"Catalogue of Dwarves" (Dvergatal)in theVöluspá.

As a wizard and the bearer of one of theThree Rings,Gandalf has great power, but works mostly by encouraging and persuading. He sets out as Gandalf the Grey, possessing great knowledge and travelling continually. Gandalf is focused on the mission to counter the Dark LordSauronby destroying theOne Ring.He is associated with fire; his ring of power isNarya,the Ring of Fire. As such, he delights infireworksto entertain thehobbitsofthe Shire,while in great need he uses fire as a weapon. As one of theMaiar,he is an immortal spirit fromValinor,but his physical body can be killed.

InThe Hobbit,Gandalf assists the 13 dwarves and the hobbitBilbo Bagginswiththeir questto retake theLonely MountainfromSmaugthe dragon, but leaves them to urge theWhite Councilto expel Sauron from his fortress ofDol Guldur.In the course of the quest, Bilbo finds a magical ring. The expulsion succeeds, but inThe Lord of the Rings,Gandalf reveals that Sauron's retreat was only a feint, as he soon reappeared inMordor.Gandalf further explains that, after years of investigation, he is sure that Bilbo's ring is the One Ring that Sauron needs to dominate the whole of Middle-earth. TheCouncil of Elrondcreates the Fellowship of the Ring, with Gandalf as its leader, to defeat Sauron by destroying the Ring. He takes them south through the Misty Mountains, but is killed fighting aBalrog,an evil spirit-being, in the underground realm ofMoria.After he dies, he is sent back to Middle-earth to complete his mission as Gandalf the White. He reappears to three of the Fellowship and helps to counter the enemy inRohan,then inGondor,and finally at theBlack Gateof Mordor, in each case largely by offering guidance. When victory is complete, he crowns Aragorn as King before leaving Middle-earth for ever to return to Valinor.

Tolkien once described Gandalf as anangelincarnate; later, both he and other scholars have likened Gandalf to theNorse godOdinin his "Wanderer" guise. Others have described Gandalf as a guide-figure who assists the protagonists, comparable to theCumaean Sibylwho assistedAeneasinVirgil'sThe Aeneid,or to the figure of Virgil inDante'sInferno.Scholars have likened his return in white to thetransfiguration of Christ;he is further described as aprophet,representing one element of Christ'sthreefold officeof prophet, priest, and king, where the other two roles are taken byFrodoandAragorn.

The Gandalf character has been featured in radio, television, stage, video game, music, and film adaptations, includingRalph Bakshi's1978 animated film.His best-known portrayal is byIan McKelleninPeter Jackson's 2001–2003The Lord of the Ringsfilm series, where the actor based his acclaimed performance on Tolkien himself. McKellen reprised the role in Jackson's 2012–2014 film seriesThe Hobbit.

Names

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Certhruneno. 19 "G", used by Gandalf as a personalsignorseal

Etymology

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Tolkien derived the nameGandalffrom Gandálfr, adwarfin theVöluspá'sDvergatal,a list of dwarf-names.[1]InOld Norse,the name meansstaff-elf.This is reflected in his nameTharkûn,which is "said to mean 'Staff-man'" inKhuzdul,thelanguage Tolkien inventedfor hisDwarves.[T 1]

In-universe names

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Gandalf is given several names and epithets in Tolkien's writings.Faramircalls him the Grey Pilgrim, and reports Gandalf as saying, "Many are my names in many countries.Mithrandir[a]among theElves,Tharkûn to theDwarves,Olórin I was in my youth in the Westthat is forgotten, in the South Incánus, in the NorthGandalf;tothe EastI go not. "[T 2]In an early draft ofThe Hobbit,he is calledBladorthin,while the name Gandalf is used by the dwarf who later becameThorin Oakenshield.[2]

EachWizardis distinguished by the colour of his cloak. For most of his manifestation as a wizard, Gandalf's cloak is grey, hence the names Gandalfthe Greyand Greyhame, from Old Englishhama,"cover, skin".Mithrandiris a name inSindarinmeaning "Grey Pilgrim" or "Grey Wanderer". Midway throughThe Lord of the Rings,Gandalf becomes the head of the order of Wizards, and is renamedGandalf the White.This change in status (and clothing) introduces another name for the wizard: the White Rider. However, characters who speak Elvish still refer to him asMithrandir.At times inThe Lord of the Rings,other characters address Gandalf by insulting nicknames: Stormcrow,Láthspell( "Ill-news" inOld English), and "Grey Fool".[T 1]

Characteristics

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Tolkien describes Gandalf as the last of the wizards to appear inMiddle-earth,one who "seemed the least, less tall than the others, and in looks more aged, grey-haired and grey-clad, and leaning on astaff".[T 1]Yet theElfCírdanwho met him on arrival nevertheless considered him "the greatest spirit and the wisest" and gave him the ElvenRing of PowercalledNarya,the Ring of Fire, containing a "red" stone for his aid and comfort. Tolkien explicitly links Gandalf to the elementfirelater in the same essay:[T 1]

Warm and eager was his spirit (and it was enhanced by the ring Narya), for he was the Enemy ofSauron,opposing the fire that devours and wastes with the fire that kindles, and succours in wanhope and distress; but his joy, and his swift wrath, were veiled in garments grey as ash, so that only those that knew him well glimpsed the flame that was within. Merry he could be, and kindly to the young and simple, yet quick at times to sharp speech and the rebuking of folly; but he was not proud, and sought neither power nor praise... Mostly he journeyed tirelessly on foot, leaning on a staff, and so he was called amongMenof the North Gandalf 'theElfof the Wand'. For they deemed him (though in error) to be of Elven-kind, since he would at times work wonders among them, loving especially the beauty of fire; and yet such marvels he wrought mostly for mirth and delight, and desired not that any should hold him in awe or take his counsels out of fear.... Yet it is said that in the ending of the task for which he came he suffered greatly, and was slain, and being sent back from death for a brief while was clothed then in white, and became a radiant flame (yet veiled still save in great need).[T 1]

Fictional biography

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Valinor

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InValinor,Gandalf was calledOlórin.[T 1]He was one of the Maiar of Valinor, specifically, one of the people of the ValaManwë;he was said to be the wisest of the Maiar. He was closely associated with two other Valar: Irmo, in whose gardens he lived, andNienna,the patron of mercy, who gave him tutelage. When the Valar decided to send the order of theWizards (Istari)across theGreat SeatoMiddle-earthto counsel and assist all those who opposedSauron,Olórin was proposed by Manwë. Olórin initially begged to be excused, declaring he was too weak and that he feared Sauron, but Manwë replied that that was all the more reason for him to go.[T 1]

As one of the Maiar, Gandalf was not a mortal Man but an angelic being who had taken human form. As one of those spirits, Olórin was in service to the Creator (Eru Ilúvatar) and the Creator's 'Secret Fire'. Along with the other Maiar who entered into Middle-earth as the five Wizards, he took on the specific form of an old man as a sign of hishumility.The role of the wizards was to advise and counsel but never to attempt to match Sauron's strength with their own. It might be, too, that the kings and lords of Middle-earth would be more receptive to the advice of a humble old man than a more glorious form giving them direct commands.[T 1]

Middle-earth

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The wizards arrived inMiddle-earthseparately, early in theThird Age;Gandalf was the last, landing in the Havens of Mithlond. He seemed the oldest and least in stature, butCírdanthe Shipwright felt that he was the greatest on their first meeting in the Havens, and gave himNarya,the Ring of Fire.Saruman,the chief Wizard, learned of the gift and resented it. Gandalf hid the ring well, and it was not widely known until he left with the otherring-bearersat the end of the Third Age that he, and not Círdan, was the holder of the third of theElven-rings.[T 1]

Gandalf's relationship with Saruman, the head of their Order, was strained. The Wizards were commanded to aidMen,Elves,andDwarves,but only through counsel; they were forbidden to use force to dominate them, though Saruman increasingly disregarded this.[T 1]

The White Council

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"White Council" redirects here. For the unreleased video game, seeThe Lord of the Rings: The White Council.For other uses, seeWhite Council (disambiguation).

Gandalf suspected early on that an evil presence, theNecromancer of Dol Guldur,was not aNazgûlbut Sauron himself. He went toDol Guldur[T 3]to discover the truth, but the Necromancer withdrew before him, only to return with greater force,[T 3]and the White Council was formed in response.[T 3]Galadrielhad hoped Gandalf would lead the council, but he refused, declining to be bound by any but the Valar who had sent him. Saruman was chosen instead, as the most knowledgeable about Sauron's work in theSecond Age.[T 4][T 1]

Gandalf returned to Dol Guldur "at great peril" and learned that the Necromancer was indeed Sauron. The following year a White Council was held, and Gandalf urged that Sauron be driven out.[T 3]Saruman, however, reassured the Council that Sauron's evident effort to find theOne Ringwould fail, as the Ring would long since have been carried by the riverAnduinto the Sea; and the matter was allowed to rest. But Saruman began actively seeking the Ring near theGladden FieldswhereIsildurhad been killed.[T 4][T 1]

The Quest of Erebor

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"The Quest of Erebor"inUnfinished Taleselaborates upon the story behindThe Hobbit.It tells of a chance meeting between Gandalf andThorin Oakenshield,aDwarf-king in exile, in thePrancing Ponyinn atBree.Gandalf had for some time foreseen the coming war withSauron,and knew that the North was especially vulnerable. IfRivendellwere to be attacked, thedragonSmaugcould cause great devastation. He persuaded Thorin that he could help him regain his lost territory ofEreborfrom Smaug, and so the quest was born.[T 5]

The Hobbit

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Gandalf meets withBilboin the opening ofThe Hobbit.He arranges for a tea party, to which he invites the thirteen dwarves, and thus arranges the travelling group central to the narrative. Gandalf contributes the map and key to Erebor to assist the quest.[T 6]On this quest Gandalf acquires the sword,Glamdring,from thetrolls'treasure hoard.[T 7]Elrondinforms them that the sword was made inGondolin,a city long ago destroyed, where Elrond's father lived as a child.[T 8]

After escaping from theMisty Mountainspursued by goblins andwargs,the party is carried to safety by theGreat Eagles.[T 9]Gandalf then persuadesBeornto house and provision the company for the trip throughMirkwood.Gandalf leaves the company before they enter Mirkwood, saying that he had pressing business to attend to.[T 10]

He turns up again before the walls of Erebor disguised as an old man, revealing himself when it seems the Men ofEsgarothand theMirkwood Elveswill fight Thorin and the dwarves over Smaug's treasure. The Battle of Five Armies ensues when hosts of goblins and wargs attack all three parties.[T 11]After the battle, Gandalf accompanies Bilbo back tothe Shire,revealing at Rivendell what his pressing business had been: Gandalf had once again urged the council to evict Sauron, since quite evidently Sauron did not require theOne Ringto continue to attract evil to Mirkwood.[T 12]Then the Council "put[s] forth its power" and drives Sauron fromDol Guldur.Sauron had anticipated this, and had feigned a withdrawal, only to reappear inMordor.[T 13]

The Lord of the Rings

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Gandalf the Grey

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Gwaihirthe Eagle rescues Gandalf fromOrthanc.Scraperboardillustration byAlexander Korotich,1981

Gandalf spent the years betweenThe HobbitandThe Lord of the RingstravellingMiddle-earthin search of information onSauron's resurgence andBilbo Baggins's mysteriousring,spurred particularly by Bilbo's initial misleading story of how he had obtained it as a "present" fromGollum.During this period, he befriendedAragornand became suspicious ofSaruman.He spent as much time as he could inthe Shire,strengthening his friendship with Bilbo andFrodo,Bilbo's orphaned cousin and adopted heir.[T 13]

Gandalf returns to the Shire for Bilbo's "eleventy-first" (111th) birthday party, bringing manyfireworksfor the occasion. After Bilbo, as a prank on his guests, puts on the ring and disappears, Gandalf urges his old friend to leave the ring to Frodo, as they had planned. Bilbo becomes hostile, accusing Gandalf of trying to steal the ring. Alarmed, Gandalf tells Bilbo that is foolish. Coming to his senses, Bilbo admits that the ring has been troubling him, and leaves it behind for Frodo as he departs forRivendell.[T 14]

Over the next 17 years, Gandalf travels extensively, searching for answers on the ring. He finds some answers in Isildur's scroll, in the archives ofMinas Tirith.Gandalf searches long and hard for Gollum, often assisted by Aragorn, who eventually succeeds in capturing Gollum. Gandalf questions Gollum, threatening him with fire when he proves unwilling to speak. Gandalf learns that Sauron had imprisoned Gollum in his fortress ofBarad-dûr,and tortured him to reveal what he knew of theRing.[T 13]

Returning tothe Shire,Gandalf confirms his suspicion by throwing the Ring into Frodo's hearth-fire and reading the writing that appears on its surface. He tells Frodo the history of the ring, and urges him to take it toRivendell,warning of grave danger if he stays in the Shire. Gandalf says he will attempt to return for Frodo's 50th birthday party, to accompany him on the road; and that meanwhile Frodo should arrange to leave quietly, as the servants of Sauron will be searching for him.[T 15]

Outside the Shire, Gandalf encounters the wizardRadagast the Brown,who brings the news that theNazgûlhave ridden out of Mordor—and a request fromSarumanthat Gandalf come toIsengard.Gandalf asks him to send out animals to observe the Nazgûl, and to report to him at Isengard. Gandalf leaves a letter to Frodo (urging his immediate departure) with Barliman Butterbur at thePrancing Pony,and heads towards Isengard. There, Saruman horrifies Gandalf by asking him to help him to obtain and use the Ring. Gandalf refuses, and Saruman imprisons him at the top ofhis tower.Gandalf is rescued byGwaihir the Eagle,who comes to him as requested via Radagast.[T 13]

InRohan,Gandalf appeals to KingThéodenfor a horse. Théoden, under the evil influence ofGríma Wormtongue,Saruman's spy and servant, tells Gandalf to take any horse he pleases, but to leave quickly. It is then that Gandalf meets the great horseShadowfax,who will be his mount and companion. Gandalf rides hard for the Shire, but does not reach it until after Frodo has set out. Knowing that Frodo and his companions will be heading for Rivendell, Gandalf makes his own way there. He learns at Bree that the Hobbits have fallen in with Aragorn. He faces the Nazgûl atWeathertop,but escapes after an all-night battle, drawing four of them northward.[T 13]Frodo, Aragorn and company face the remaining five on Weathertop a few nights later.[T 16]Gandalf reaches Rivendell just before Frodo's arrival.[T 13]

In Rivendell, Gandalf helpsElronddrive off the Nazgûl pursuing Frodo, and plays a leading role in theCouncil of Elrondas the only person who knows the full history of the ring. He reveals that Saruman has betrayed them and is in league with Sauron. When it is decided that the Ring has to be destroyed, Gandalf volunteers to accompany Frodo—now the Ring-bearer—in his quest. He persuades Elrond to let Frodo's cousinsMerryandPippinjoin theFellowship.[T 13]

The Balrog reached the bridge. Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning on the staff in his left hand, but in his other handGlamdringgleamed, cold and white. His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings. It raised the whip, and the thongs whined and cracked. Fire came from its nostrils. But Gandalf stood firm. "You cannot pass," he said. Theorcsstood still, and a dead silence fell. "I am a servant of theSecret Fire,wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame ofUdûn.Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass. "

J. R. R. Tolkien,The Fellowship of the Ring

Taking charge of the Fellowship (comprising nine representatives of the free peoples ofMiddle-earth,"set against the Nine Riders" ), Gandalf and Aragorn lead the Hobbits and their companions south.[T 17]After an unsuccessful attempt to cross MountCaradhrasin winter, they cross under the mountains through the Mines ofMoriaunder the Misty Mountains, though onlyGimlitheDwarfis enthusiastic about that route. In Moria, they discover that the dwarf colony established there byBalinhas been annihilated byorcs.The Fellowship fights with the orcs and trolls of Moria and escapes them.[T 18]

At theBridge of Khazad-dûm,they encounter "Durin's Bane," a fearsomeBalrogfrom ancient times. Gandalf faces the Balrog to enable the others to escape. After a brief exchange of blows, Gandalf breaks the bridge beneath the Balrog with hisstaff.As the Balrog falls, it wraps its whip around Gandalf's legs, dragging him over the edge. Gandalf falls into the abyss, crying "Fly, you fools!".[T 19]

Gandalf and the Balrog fall into a deep lake in Moria's underworld. Gandalf pursues the Balrog through the tunnels for eight days until they climb to the peak ofZirakzigil.Here they fight for two days and nights. The Balrog is defeated and cast down onto the mountainside. Gandalf also dies, and his body lies on the peak while his spirit travels "out of thought and time".[T 20]

Gandalf the White

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Gandalf is "sent back"[b]as Gandalf the White, and returns to life on the mountain top. Gwaihir carries him toLothlórien,where he is healed of his injuries and re-clothed in white robes byGaladriel.He travels toFangornForest, where he encountersAragorn,Gimli,andLegolas(who are trackingMerryandPippin). They mistake him forSaruman,but he stops their attacks and reveals himself.[T 20]

They travel toRohan,where Gandalf finds that Théoden has been further weakened by Wormtongue's influence. He breaks Wormtongue's hold over Théoden, and convinces the king to join in the fight against Sauron.[T 21]Gandalf sets off to gather warriors of the Westfold to assist Théoden in the coming battle with Saruman. Gandalf arrives just in time to defeat Saruman's army in thebattle of Helm's Deep.[T 22]Gandalf and the King ride toIsengard,which has just been destroyed byTreebeardand hisEnts,who are accompanied by Merry and Pippin.[T 23]Gandalf breaks Saruman's staff and expels him from the White Council and the Order ofWizards;Gandalf takes Saruman's place as head of both. Wormtongue tries to kill Gandalf or Saruman with thepalantírof Orthanc, but misses both. Pippin retrieves thepalantír,but Gandalf quickly takes it.[T 24]After the group leaves Isengard, Pippin takes thepalantírfrom a sleeping Gandalf, looks into it, and comes face to face with Sauron himself. Gandalf gives thepalantírto Aragorn and takes the chastened Pippin with him toMinas Tirithto keep the young Hobbit out of further trouble.[T 25]

Gandalf arrives in time to help to arrange the defences of Minas Tirith. His presence is resented byDenethor,theSteward of Gondor;but when his sonFaramiris gravely wounded in battle, Denethor sinks into despair and madness. Together with Prince Imrahil, Gandalf leads the defenders during the siege of the city. When the forces ofMordorbreak the main gate, Gandalf, alone on Shadowfax, confronts the Lord of the Nazgûl. At that moment the Rohirrim arrive, causing the Nazgûl to withdraw. Gandalf is about to pursue, but is stopped by Pippin, who requests his intervention to save Faramir – Denethor in desperation was seeking to burn himself and his son on a funeral pyre.[T 26]Gandalf saves Faramir (but not Denethor, who immolates himself), and plays no further part in the unfoldingBattle of the Pelennor Fields.

"This, then, is my counsel," [said Gandalf.] "We have not the Ring. In wisdom or great folly it has been sent away to be destroyed, lest it destroy us. Without it we cannot by force defeat [Sauron's] force. But we must at all costs keep his Eye from his true peril... We must call out his hidden strength, so that he shall empty his land... We must make ourselves the bait, though his jaws should close on us... We must walk open-eyed into that trap, with courage, but small hope for ourselves. For, my lords, it may well prove that we ourselves shall perish utterly in a black battle far from the living lands; so that even ifBarad-dûrbe thrown down, we shall not live to see a new age. But this, I deem, is our duty. "

J. R. R. Tolkien,The Return of the King

After the battle, Gandalf counsels an attack against Sauron's forces at theBlack Gate,in an effort to distract the Dark Lord's attention fromFrodoandSam;they are at that moment scalingMount Doomto destroy the Ring. Gandalf, Aragorn and the other leaders of the West lead an army to the Black Gate, meeting thenameless lieutenant of Mordor,who shows them Frodo'smithrilshirt and other items from the Hobbits' equipment. Gandalf rejects Mordor's terms of surrender, starting theBattle of the Morannon.The forces of the West face the full might of Sauron's armies, until the Ring is destroyed in Mount Doom.[T 27]Gandalf leads the Eagles to rescue Frodo and Sam from the erupting mountain.[T 28]

After the war, Gandalf crowns Aragorn as King Elessar, and helps him find a sapling of theWhite Tree of Gondor.[T 29]He accompanies the Hobbits back to the borders ofthe Shire,before leaving to visitTom Bombadil.[T 30]

Two years later, Gandalf departsMiddle-earthforever. He boards the Ringbearers' ship in the Grey Havens and sets sail to return acrossthe seato theUndying Lands;with him are his horse Shadowfax and his friends Frodo,Bilbo,Galadriel,andElrond.[T 31]

Concept and creation

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Appearance

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Der BerggeistbyJosef Madlener
Väinämöinenas depicted byAkseli Gallen-KallelainThe Defense of the Sampo(1896)

Tolkien's biographerHumphrey Carpenterrelates that Tolkien owned a postcard entitledDer Berggeist( "the mountain spirit" ), which he labelled "the origin of Gandalf".[3]It shows a white-bearded man in a large hat and cloak seated among boulders in a mountain forest. Carpenter said that Tolkien recalled buying the postcard during his holiday inSwitzerlandin 1911. Manfred Zimmerman, however, discovered that the painting was by theGermanartistJosef Madlenerand dates from the mid-1920s. Carpenter acknowledged that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard.[4]

An additional influencemay have beenVäinämöinen,ademigodand the central character inFinnishfolkloreand thenational epicKalevalabyElias Lönnrot.[5]Väinämöinen was described as an old and wise man, and he possessed a potent, magical singing voice.[6]

Throughout the early drafts, and through to the first edition ofThe Hobbit,Bladorthin/Gandalf is described as being a "little old man", distinct from a dwarf, but not of the full human stature that would later be described inThe Lord of the Rings.Even inThe Lord of the Rings,Gandalf was not tall; shorter, for example, thanElrond[T 32]or the other wizards.[T 1]

Name

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When writingThe Hobbitin the early 1930s Tolkien gave the nameGandalfto the leader of theDwarves,the character later calledThorin Oakenshield.The name is taken from the same source as all the other Dwarf names (saveBalin) inThe Hobbit:the "Catalogue of Dwarves"in theVöluspá.[7]TheOld NorsenameGandalfrincorporates the wordsgandrmeaning "wand", "staff" or (especially in compounds) "magic"andálfr"elf".The nameGandalfis found in at least one more place in Norse myth, in the semi-historicalHeimskringla,which briefly describesGandalf Alfgeirsson,a legendary Norse king from eastern Norway and rival ofHalfdan the Black.[8]Gandalf is also the name of a Norse sea-king inHenrik Ibsen's second play,The Burial Mound.The name "Gandolf" occurs as a character inWilliam Morris' 1896 fantasy novelThe Well at the World's End,along with the horse "Silverfax", adapted by Tolkien as Gandalf's horse "Shadowfax". Morris' book, inspired by Norse myth, is set in a pseudo-medievallandscape; it deeply influenced Tolkien. The wizard that became Gandalf was originally namedBladorthin.[T 33]

Tolkien came to regret hisad hocuse ofOld Norsenames, referring to a "rabble ofeddaic-named dwarves,... invented in an idle hour "in 1937.[T 34]But the decision to use Old Norse names came to have far-reaching consequences in the composition ofThe Lord of the Rings;in 1942, Tolkien decided that the work was to be a purported translation from thefictional languageofWestron,and in the English translationOld Norsenames were taken to represent names in the language ofDale.[9]Gandalf,in this setting, is thus a representation in English (anglicised from Old Norse) of the name the Dwarves of Erebor had given to Olórin in the language they used "externally" in their daily affairs, whileTharkûnis the (untranslated) name, presumably of the same meaning, that the Dwarves gave him in their nativeKhuzdullanguage.[T 35]

Guide

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Gandalf's role and importance was substantially increased in the conception ofThe Lord of the Rings,and in a letter of 1954, Tolkien refers to Gandalf as an "angelincarnate ".[T 36]In the same letter Tolkien states he was given the form of an old man in order to limit his powers on Earth. Both in 1965 and 1971 Tolkien again refers to Gandalf as an angelic being.[T 37][T 38]

In a 1946 letter, Tolkien stated that he thought of Gandalf as an "Odinic wanderer".[T 39]Other commentators have similarly compared Gandalf to theNorse godOdinin his "Wanderer" guise—an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff,[10][11]or likened him toMerlinofArthurian legendor theJungian archetypeof the "wise old man".[12]

Marjorie Burns's comparison of Gandalf and the Norse god Odin[11]
Attribute Gandalf Odin
Accoutrements "battered hat"
cloak
"thorny staff"		 Epithet: "Long-hood"
blue cloak
a staff
Beard "the grey", "old man" Epithet: "Greybeard"
Appearance the Istari (Wizards) "in simple guise,
as it were of Men already old
in years but hale in body,
travellers and wanderers "
as Tolkien wrote "a figure of
'the Odinic wanderer' "[T 40]		 Epithets: "Wayweary",
"Wayfarer", "Wanderer"
Power with his staff Epithet: "Bearer of the [Magic] Wand"
Eagles rescued repeatedly
by eagles inThe Hobbit
andLord of the Rings		 Associated with eagles;
escapes fromJotunheim
back toAsgardas an eagle

InThe Annotated Hobbit,Douglas Andersonlikens Gandalf's role to theRübezahlmountain spirit of German folktales. He states that the figure can appear as "a guide, a messenger, or a farmer", often depicted as "a bearded man with a staff".[13]

The Tolkien scholar Charles W. Nelson described Gandalf as a "guide who.. assists a major character on a journey or quest.. to unusual and distant places". He noted that in bothThe Fellowship of the RingandThe Hobbit,Tolkien presents Gandalf in these terms. Immediately after theCouncil of Elrond,Gandalf tells theFellowship:[14]

Someone said that intelligence would be needed in the party. He was right. I think I shall come with you.[14]

Nelson notes the similarity between this andThorin's statement inThe Hobbit:[14]

We shall soon.. start on our long journey, a journey from which some of us, or perhaps all of us (except our friend and counsellor, the ingenious wizard Gandalf) may never return.[14]

Earlier guide figure:VirgilguidesDantearound the lowest circle of hell inDante'sInferno.[14]Painting byGustave Doré

Nelson gives as examples of the guide figure theCumaean Sibylwho assistedAeneason his journey through the underworld inVirgil's taleThe Aeneid,and then the figure of Virgil inDante'sInferno,directing, encouraging, and physically assisting Dante as he travels through hell. In English literature, Nelson notes,Thomas Malory'sLe Morte d'Arthurhas the wizard Merlin teaching and directingArthurto begin his journeys. Given these precedents, Nelson remarks, it was unsurprising that Tolkien should make use of a guide figure, endowing him, like these predecessors, with power, wisdom, experience, and practical knowledge, and "aware[ness] of [his] own limitations and [his] ranking in the order of the great".[14]Other characters who act as wise and good guides includeTom Bombadil,Elrond,Aragorn,Galadriel—who he calls perhaps the most powerful of the guide figures—and briefly alsoFaramir.[14]

Nelson writes that there is equally historical precedent for wicked guides, such asEdmund Spenser's "evil palmers" inThe Faerie Queene,and suggests thatGollumfunctions as an evil guide, contrasted with Gandalf, inLord of the Rings.He notes that both Gollum and Gandalf are servants of The One,Eru Ilúvatar,in the struggle against the forces of darkness, and "ironically" all of them, good and bad, are necessary to the success of the quest. He comments, too, that despite Gandalf's evident power, and the moment when he faces theLord of the Nazgûl,he stays in the role of guide throughout, "never directly confront[ing] his enemies with his raw power."[14]

Christ-figure

[edit]
Further information:Christianity in Middle-earth

The critic Anne C. Petty, writing about "Allegory"in theJ.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia,discusses Gandalf's death and reappearance inChristianterms. She cites Michael W. Maher,S.J.:"who could not think of Gandalf's descent into the pits of Moria and his return clothed in white as a death-resurrectionmotif? "[15][16]She at once notes, however, that "such a narrow [allegorical] interpretation" limits the reader's imagination by demanding a single meaning for each character and event.[15]Other scholars and theologians have likened Gandalf's return as a "gleaming white" figure to thetransfiguration of Christ.[17][18][19]

The philosopherPeter Kreeft,like Tolkien aRoman Catholic,observes that there is no one complete, concrete, visibleChristfigure inThe Lord of the Ringscomparable toAslaninC. S. Lewis'sChronicles of Narniaseries. However, Kreeft and Jean Chausse have identified reflections of the figure of Jesus Christ in threeprotagonistsofThe Lord of the Rings:Gandalf, Frodo and Aragorn. While Chausse found "facets of the personality of Jesus" in them, Kreeft wrote that "they exemplify the Old Testamentthreefold Messianic symbolismofprophet(Gandalf),priest(Frodo), andking(Aragorn). "[20][21][22]

Peter Kreeft's analysis of Christ-figures inLord of the Rings[20]
Christ-like attribute Gandalf Frodo Aragorn
Sacrificialdeath,
resurrection 		Dies inMoria,
reborn as Gandalf the White[c] 		Symbolically dies under Morgul-knife,
healed byElrond[24] 		TakesPaths of the Dead,
reappears inGondor
Saviour All three help to saveMiddle-earthfromSauron
ThreefoldMessianicsymbolism Prophet Priest King

Adaptations

[edit]
Gandalf as depicted inRalph Bakshi's1978 animated film

In theBBC Radiodramatisations, Gandalf has been voiced byNorman ShelleyinThe Lord of the Rings(1955–1956),[25]Heron CarvicinThe Hobbit(1968),Bernard MayesinThe Lord of the Rings(1979),[26]and SirMichael HorderninThe Lord of the Rings(1981).[27]

John Hustonvoiced Gandalf in the animated filmsThe Hobbit(1977) andThe Return of the King(1980) produced byRankin/Bass.William Squirevoiced Gandalf in the animated filmThe Lord of the Rings(1978) directed byRalph Bakshi.Ivan Kraskoplayed Gandalf in the Soviet film adaptationThe Hobbit(1985).[28]Gandalf was portrayed byVesa Vierikkoin the Finnish televisionminiseriesHobitit(1993).[29]

Ian McKellenas Gandalf the White inPeter Jackson'sThe Two Towers(2002)

Ian McKellenportrayed Gandalf inThe Lord of the Ringsfilm series (2001–2003), directed byPeter Jackson,afterSean ConneryandPatrick Stewartboth turned down the role.[30][31]According to Jackson, McKellen based his performance as Gandalf on Tolkien himself:

We listened to audio recordings of Tolkien reading excerpts fromLord of the Rings.We watched some BBC interviews with him—there's a few interviews with Tolkien—and Ian based his performance on an impersonation of Tolkien. He's literally basing Gandalf on Tolkien. He sounds the same, he uses the speech patterns and his mannerisms are born out of the same roughness from the footage of Tolkien. So, Tolkien would recognize himself in Ian's performance.[32]

McKellen received widespread acclaim[33]for his portrayal of Gandalf, particularly inThe Fellowship of the Ring,for which he received aScreen Actors Guild Award[34]and anAcademy Award nomination, both for best supporting actor.[35]Empirenamed Gandalf, as portrayed by McKellen, the 30th greatest film character of all time.[36]He reprised the role inThe Hobbitfilm series (2012–2014), claiming that he enjoyed playing Gandalf the Grey more than Gandalf the White.[37][38]He voiced Gandalf for several video games based on the films, includingThe Two Towers,[39]The Return of the King,[40]andThe Third Age.[41]

Charles Picard portrayed Gandalf in the 1999 stage production ofThe Two TowersatChicago'sLifeline Theatre.[42][43]Brent Carverportrayed Gandalf in the 2006 musical productionThe Lord of the Rings,which opened inToronto.[44]

Gandalf appears inThe Lego Movie,voiced byTodd Hanson.[45]Gandalf is a main character in the video gameLego Dimensionsand is voiced byTom Kane.[46]

Gandalf has his own movement inJohan de Meij'sSymphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings",which was written forconcert bandand premiered in 1988.[47] InAulis Sallinen'sSymphony No. 7, Op. 71 'The Dreams of Gandalf',the Gandalf theme has the note sequence G-A-D-A-F, "Gandalf" as far as can be formed with the notes A to G. The result is a "striving, rising theme".[48]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^Meaning "Grey Pilgrim"
  2. ^InLetters,#156, Tolkien clearly implies that the "Authority" that sent Gandalf back was above theValar(who are bound byArda's space and time, while Gandalf went beyond time). He clearly intends this as an example ofEruintervening to change the course of the world.
  3. ^Other commentators such asJane Chancehave compared this transformed reappearance to theTransfiguration of Jesus.[23]

References

[edit]

Primary

[edit]
  1. ^abcdefghijklmTolkien 1980,part 4, ch. 2, "The Istari"
  2. ^Tolkien 1954,book 4, ch. 5, "The Window on the West"
  3. ^abcdTolkien 1955,Appendix B
  4. ^abTolkien 1977,"Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"
  5. ^Tolkien 1980,part 3, 3, "The Quest of Erebor"
  6. ^Tolkien 1937,ch. 1, "An Unexpected Party"
  7. ^Tolkien 1937,ch. 2, "Roast Mutton"
  8. ^Tolkien 1937,ch. 3, "A Short Rest"
  9. ^Tolkien 1937,"Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire"
  10. ^Tolkien 1937,ch. 7, "Queer Lodgings"
  11. ^Tolkien 1937,ch. 17, "The Clouds Burst"
  12. ^Tolkien 1937,"The Last Stage"
  13. ^abcdefgTolkien 1954a,book 2, ch. 2, "The Council of Elrond"
  14. ^Tolkien 1954a,book 1, ch. 1, "A Long-Expected Party"
  15. ^Tolkien 1954a,book 1, ch. 2, "The Shadow of the Past"
  16. ^Tolkien 1954a,book 1, ch. 11, "A Knife in the Dark"
  17. ^Tolkien 1954a,book 2, ch.3, "The Ring Goes South"
  18. ^Tolkien 1954a,book 2, ch. 4, "A Journey in the Dark"
  19. ^Tolkien 1954a,book 2, ch. 5, "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum"
  20. ^abTolkien 1954,book 3, ch. 5, "The White Rider"
  21. ^Tolkien 1954,book 3, ch. 6, "The King of the Golden Hall"
  22. ^Tolkien 1954,book 3, ch. 7, "Helm's Deep"
  23. ^Tolkien 1954,book 3, ch. 8, "The Road to Isengard"
  24. ^Tolkien 1954,book 3, ch. 10, "The Voice of Saruman"
  25. ^Tolkien 1954,book 3, ch. 11, "The Palantír"
  26. ^Tolkien 1955,book 5, ch. 1, "Minas Tirith"
  27. ^Tolkien 1955,book 5, ch. 10, "The Black Gate Opens"
  28. ^Tolkien 1955,book 6, ch. 4, "The Field of Cormallen"
  29. ^Tolkien 1955,book 6, ch. 5, "The Steward and the King"
  30. ^Tolkien 1955,book 6, ch. 7, "Homeward Bound"
  31. ^Tolkien 1955,book 6, ch. 9, "The Grey Havens"
  32. ^Tolkien 1954a,book 2, ch. 1, "Many Meetings".
  33. ^Tolkien 1988,p. ix
  34. ^Tolkien 1988,p. 452
  35. ^Tolkien, J. R. R.(1967)Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings
  36. ^Carpenter 2023,#156 to R. Murray, SJ, November 1954
  37. ^Carpenter 2023,#268 to Miss A.P. Northey, January 1965
  38. ^Carpenter 2023,#325 to R. Green, July 1971
  39. ^Carpenter 2023,#107 toAllen & Unwin,December 1946
  40. ^Carpenter 2023,#119 to Allen & Unwin, February 1949

Secondary

[edit]
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  2. ^Rateliff, John D.(2007).Mr. Baggins.The History of The Hobbit.Vol. 1.HarperCollins.Chapter I(b).ISBN978-0-00-725066-0.
  3. ^Carpenter, Humphrey(1977).J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography.London, England:Allen & Unwin.p. 51.ISBN978-0-0492-8037-3.
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  5. ^Snodgrass, Ellen (2009)."Kalevala (Elias Lönnrot) (1836)".Encyclopedia of the Literature of Empire.East Lansing, Michigan:Infobase Publishing.pp. 161–162.ISBN978-1438119069.
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  8. ^"Halfdan the Black Saga (Ch. 1. Halfdan Fights Gandalf and Sigtryg) in Snorri Sturluson,Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings,transl. Samuel Laing (Norroena Society, London, 1907) ".mcllibrary.org.Archivedfrom the original on 6 April 2011.Retrieved22 March2018.The same autumn he went with an army to Vingulmark against King Gandalf. They had many battles, and sometimes one, sometimes the other gained the victory; but at last they agreed that Halfdan should have half of Vingulmark, as his father Gudrod had had it before.
  9. ^Shippey, Tom."Tolkien and Iceland: The Philology of Envy".Nordals.hi.is. Archived fromthe originalon 30 August 2005.Retrieved11 November2012.We know that Tolkien had great difficulty in getting his story going. In my opinion, he did not break through until, on February 9, 1942, he settled the issue of languages
  10. ^abJøn, A. Asbjørn (1997).An investigation of the Teutonic god Óðinn; and a study of his relationship to J. R.R. Tolkien's character, Gandalf(Thesis).University of New England.
  11. ^abBurns, Marjorie(2005).Perilous Realms: Celtic and Norse in Tolkien's Middle-earth.University of Toronto Press.pp. 95–101.ISBN0-8020-3806-9.
  12. ^Lobdell, Jared(1975).A Tolkien Compass.Open Court Publishing.p.33.ISBN0-87548-303-8.
  13. ^abTolkien 1937,pp. 148–149.
  14. ^abcdefghNelson, Charles W. (2002). "From Gollum to Gandalf: The Guide Figures in J. R. R. Tolkien's" Lord of the Rings "".Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts.13(1): 47–61.JSTOR43308562.
  15. ^abPetty, Anne C. (2013) [2007]. "Allegory". InDrout, Michael D. C.(ed.).J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment.Routledge.pp. 6–7.ISBN978-0-415-86511-1.
  16. ^Maher, Michael W. (2003). "'A land without stain': medieval images of Mary and their use in the characterization of Galadriel ". InChance, Jane(ed.).Tolkien the Medievalist.Routledge.p. 225.ISBN9780415289443.
  17. ^Chance, Jane(1980) [1979].Tolkien's Art.Papermac.p. 42.ISBN978-0-333-29034-7.
  18. ^Rutledge, Fleming(2004).The Battle for Middle-earth: Tolkien's Divine Design in The Lord of the Rings.William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.pp. 157–159.ISBN978-0-80282-497-4.Archivedfrom the original on 20 August 2023.Retrieved23 May2022.
  19. ^Stucky, Mark (2006)."Middle Earth's Messianic Mythology Remixed: Gandalf's Death and Resurrection in Novel and Film"(PDF).Journal of Religion and Popular Culture.13(Summer): 3.doi:10.3138/jrpc.13.1.003.Archived(PDF)from the original on 16 June 2022.Retrieved10 June2022.
  20. ^abKreeft, Peter J.(November 2005)."The Presence of Christ in The Lord of the Rings".Ignatius Insight.Archived fromthe originalon 24 November 2005.Retrieved1 April2020.
  21. ^Kerry, Paul E. (2010). Kerry, Paul E. (ed.).The Ring and the Cross: Christianity and the Lord of the Rings.Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.pp. 32–34.ISBN978-1-61147-065-9.Archivedfrom the original on 20 August 2023.Retrieved31 October2020.
  22. ^Schultz, Forrest W. (1 December 2002)."Christian Typologies in The Lord of the Rings".Chalcedon.Archivedfrom the original on 26 March 2020.Retrieved26 March2020.
  23. ^Nitzsche, Jane Chance(1980) [1979].Tolkien's Art.Papermac.p. 42.ISBN0-333-29034-8.
  24. ^Also by other commentators, such asMathews, Richard (2016).Fantasy: The Liberation of Imagination.Routledge.p. 69.ISBN978-1-136-78554-2.Archivedfrom the original on 20 August 2023.Retrieved1 April2020.
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  29. ^Kajava, Jukka (29 March 1993)."Tolkienin taruista on tehty tv-sarja: Hobitien ilme syntyi jo Ryhmäteatterin Suomenlinnan tulkinnassa"[Tolkien's tales have been turned into a TV series: The Hobbits have been brought to live in the Ryhmäteatteri theatre].Helsingin Sanomat(in Finnish).Archivedfrom the original on 14 September 2016.Retrieved5 April2020.(subscription required)
  30. ^Saney, Daniel (1 August 2005)."'Idiots' force Connery to quit acting ".Digital Spy.Hearst Magazines UK.Archived fromthe originalon 16 October 2015.Retrieved2 February2011.
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  37. ^Sibley, Brian(2006). "Ring-Master".Peter Jackson: A Film-maker's Journey.HarperCollins.pp. 445–519.ISBN0-00-717558-2.
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  43. ^Wren, Celia (October 2001). "The Mordor the Merrier".American Theatre.18:13–15.
  44. ^Jones, Kenneth (25 July 2005)."Precious News! Tony Award Winner Will Play Gandalf in Lord of the Rings Musical; Cast Announced".Playbill.Playbill.Archivedfrom the original on 9 April 2016.Retrieved28 March2013.
  45. ^"Gandalf".Behind the Voice Actors.Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2021.Retrieved19 April2020.Todd Hansen is the voice of Gandalf in The LEGO Movie.
  46. ^Lang, Derrick (9 April 2015)."Awesome! 'Lego Dimensions' combining bricks and franchises".The Denver Post.Denver, Colorado:Digital First Media.Archived fromthe originalon 4 September 2015.Retrieved9 April2015.
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Sources

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gandalf&oldid=1239065872#The_White_Council"