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- Gandalf, fictional character, a wise wizard who guides and advises the hobbits Bilbo and Frodo Baggins throughout their many adventures in J.R.R. Tolkien ’s The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954–55).
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I assume that Gandalf, probably the most well-known traveler in Middle Earth (and an incredibly sociable person) would have spent a lot of his time being called to various dinners and social events around the realms of men.
Gandalf is a protagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He is a wizard, one of the Istari order, and the leader of the Company of the Ring. Tolkien took the name "Gandalf" from the Old Norse "Catalogue of Dwarves" in the Völuspá.
Apr 25, 2020 · Although it wasn't explicit in The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf is an angel in Middle-earth lore. Even before the release of Peter Jackson 's movie trilogy, Gandalf was one of the most famous characters in fiction.
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"He wore a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, and a silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck out beyond the brim of his hat."
—The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Long-expected Party"
Years of the Lamps
Originally called Olórin, he was accounted as the wisest of the Maiar. He was created by Ilúvatar before the Music of the Ainur, and was at the beginning of Time amongst the Ainur who entered into Eä. In his "youth" he became one of the Maiar who served Manwë, Varda, Irmo, and Nienna. He was associated with light and fire, much like Varda, yet his ways often took him to Nienna, from whom he learned pity and patience. He loved the Elves, but walked unseen among them, or wore the guise of an Elf, and sent them fair visions in their hearts that made them wiser. Throughout his life he followed the example of Nienna, talking pity on the sorrows of the Children of Ilúvatar and drawing those who listened to him out of despair. When the Valar decided to send the Istari (also called Wizards) to Middle-earth to counsel and assist all those who opposed the Dark Lord Sauron, Manwë and Varda included Olórin among the five to be sent. At first, Olórin was nervous and described himself as too weak and afraid of Sauron. Manwë understood, and told Olórin that such was a reason why he should go, to overcome that fear. Furthermore, the One Ring, containing much of Sauron's power, presumably still existed somewhere. Thus, Manwë insisted that Olórin should go as the third, but Varda convinced him to send Olórin as the second instead. He agreed, and prepared for Olórin's departure from the Undying Lands with the other four, arriving about the same time that the Necromancer appeared in Mirkwood.
Final deeds
In Minas Tirith, Gandalf and the remaining members of the Fellowship reunited. At the coronation of King Elessar, Gandalf (at Aragorn’s request) set the crown upon the King’s head, and declared "Now come the days of the King, and may they be blessed while the thrones of the Valar endure!". Thus Gandalf ushered in the new age of Men. Not long after Gandalf led Aragorn to a high hallow on the upper slopes of Mindolluin and there they found a sapling of the White Tree of Gondor, a sign of the renewal that was to come. After the coronation and wedding of Aragorn to Arwen, Gandalf left with the rest of the remaining Fellowship on the journey home. For Gandalf, it was his last long journey in Middle-earth. His errand had been fulfilled; Sauron had been defeated. He said farewell to his friends one by one until at last only the four Hobbits remained at his side. At the borders of the Shire he, too, turned away. He left the Hobbits to settle with the Shire, for the shattered pieces of evil still remaining in the world were no longer his concern, and went to talk to "moss gatherer" Tom Bombadil. What Gandalf did during the next two years is unknown; it is possible that his "long talk" with Bombadil was just that. At any rate, on September 29 3021, he met Frodo at the Grey Havens ready to take a White Ship over the sea to Aman. He wore Narya openly on his finger, and Shadowfax was beside him (perhaps even to take ship with him). His mission was over, and his homecoming after more than 2000 years was nigh. He bade farewell to Samwise, Merry, and Pippin (the latter two of whom he had forewarned of the passage), then boarded the ship beside Frodo, Bilbo, Elrond, and was never seen again in Middle-earth. The ship passed west upon the sea, and then took the hidden straight path to Valinor: Gandalf became Olórin once more. There, presumably, he dwells still in the gardens of Irmo. Olórin, the wisest of the Maiar and the sole Istar to remain true to his mission, had successfully kindled the hearts of the free people in Middle-earth to overcome the evil of their time. In a large way, it was his victory.
The name Gandalf means "Elf of the wand" or "Wand-elf", from the Northern language of Dale.
Within Tolkien's legendarium, "Gandalf" is a mysterious name of the meaning "Wand-Elf" (alternatively cane/staff) in old northern Mannish. Most denizens of Middle-earth incorrectly assumed Gandalf was a Man (human), although he was really a Maia spirit (equivalent to an angel).
Mythical roots
The Old Norse name "Gandalfr" appears in the list of Dwarves in the Völuspá of the Elder Edda; the name means "cane-elf," or "wand-elf." J.R.R. Tolkien took the name along with the Dwarves' names when he wrote The Hobbit in the 1930s. He came to regret the creation of this "rabble of eddaic-named Dwarves, [...] invented in an idle hour" (The Return of the Shadow, pg. 452), since it forced him to come up with an explanation of why Old Norse names should be used in Third Age of Middle-earth. He solved the dilemma in 1942 by the explanation that Old Norse was a translation of the Northern language of Dale. The figure of Gandalf has other influences from Germanic mythology, particularly Odin in his incarnation as "the Wanderer", an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff. Tolkien states that he thinks of Gandalf as an "Odinic wanderer" in a letter of 1946. Gandalf is also similar to Väinämöinen, a Bard in Finnish mythology. Gandalf's equivalence to Merlin the Magician, of English Mythology, is discussed in episode two of the 2014 documentary Looking for the Hobbit,featuring French Arthurian expert Nicholas Mezzalira and Medieval specialist Leo Carruthers.
Der Berggeist
Tolkien had a postcard labelled Der Berggeist ("the mountain spirit"), and on the paper cover in which he kept it, he wrote "origin of Gandalf" at some point. The postcard reproduces a painting of a bearded figure, sitting on a rock under a pine tree in a mountainous setting. He wears a wide-brimmed round hat, and a long cloak and a white fawn is nuzzling his upturned hands. Humphrey Carpenter in his Biography said that Tolkien had bought the postcard during his 1911 holiday in Switzerland. However, Manfred Zimmerman (1983) discovered that the painting was by German artist Josef Madlener and dates to the late 1920s. Carpenter concluded that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard. Tolkien must have acquired the card at some time in the early 1930s, at a time when The Hobbit had already begun to take shape. The original painting was auctioned at Sotheby's in London on July 12, 2005 for 84,000. The previous owner had been given the painting by Madlener in the 1940s and recalled that he had stated the mountains in the painting's background were the Dolomites.
Gandalf is often described in The Lord of the Rings as quick to anger, and equally quick to laugh. His deep wisdom and compassion clearly derived from the patience he learned in Valinor, just as his care for all creatures of good will must have come from his strong sense of compassion for the weak. Both his patience and sense of kindness were revealed again and again, extending even to the servants of his enemies.
Keen observers of Gandalf often detected a veiled power, usually revealed in his eyes, which appeared deep and wise. He was alternately affectionate and brusque; he often surprised others with his bluntness when time was of the essence. Gandalf consistently upbraided foolish behaviour, but also richly rewarded those who acted with good intentions.
Gandalf is described as an old man with a pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, and a silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck out beyond the brim of the hat.
After he is resurrected, the change of his signature colour from grey to white is significant, for he was sent back to replace the corrupted head of the Order of Wizards and leader of the White Council Saruman as the Chief of the Order of Wizards. In the book, he says that he has himself become what Saruman should have been.
Gandalf was one of the wisest and most knowledgeable beings in Middle-earth, believed by Galadriel to be more worthy than Saruman in leading the White Council, though he was less mighty in magic, until his resurrection. He had extensive knowledge of many languages and writing systems used in Middle-earth, as well as in the history and customs of several of its peoples. He considered himself the greatest scholar of Hobbit traditions. His long journeys allowed him to meet many influential and powerful individuals and form lasting bonds with them. The Hobbits knew him as a masterful crafter of firecrackers.
Outside of the Shire, however, Gandalf the Grey was revered as one of the most powerful and wisest beings to tread Middle-earth, although he was wary of confronting Saruman and Sauron directly as Gandalf the Grey, and admitted the latter was still more powerful after his rebirth. He was considered the most powerful member of the Fellowship of the Ring, as well as, according to Aragorn, its leader, not in small part thanks to his encyclopedic knowledge. His great intelligence allowed him to accurately guess the thoughts of others and made him perhaps the preeminent architect of Sauron's defeat. Moreover, Gandalf was skilled at telling men things that were true from a certain point of view, such as when he scammed Háma into allowing him to bring his staff before the king.
Armed with an Elven blade, Gandalf was as valiant a fighter as the other swordsmen in the Fellowship, in no way hindered by his elderly appearance when fighting or riding. Gandalf reaped Orcs and other servants of evil with his blade, and slew the Balrog in a duel, though he perished as well. He is rendered even more formidable by his magic. Gandalf killed a squad of Goblins with lightning during the quest to slay Smaug, then hurled lightning and fire at the Nazgûl when he was attacked on Weathertop—something noticed for miles around and that seared the battlefield. Gandalf described himself as "a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor". Coincidentally, many of his spells were based on light and fire. He was able to ignite some wet wood with a touch of his staff, which he considered distinctive enough that any onlooker would recognize his handiwork. Gandalf purged the room of the Great Goblin with blue glowing smoke which scattered piercing white sparks to kill the Orcs. He could cause the tip of his staff to glow with bright white light so as to see in the dark and increase the radiance at will, as demonstrated in Moria. Gandalf could conjure sparks, such as to light pinecones on fire, and could choose any color for his flames. When fighting a pack of wolves, he set fire to all treetops on a hill with a single blazing branch, and the air became so hot that an arrow burned mid-flight. At the cost of shattering his staff, he was able to conjure a sea of white flames that caused the bridge under the feet of Durin's Bane to crumble.
Gandalf the Grey has command over a great array of spells for all situations, such as magically healing wounds (though he stated Elrond was a better healer), being able to enhance Elrond's flood spell by giving the water the appearance of galloping knights, and seal doors shut or open them, although it should be noted that he was unable to open the Doors of Durin prior to remembering the password. During the Battle of Five Armies, Gandalf amplified his voice to be heard by the armies of Men, Elves, and Dwarves. Gandalf could control the color and shape of smoke, such as to make a cloud of smoke float around himself. Moreover, Gandalf could manipulate the taste of beer, and he stated that Durin's Bane nearly overpowered him with its counterspell, forcing him to rely on a word of Command that resulted in a blast which caused the ceiling of the room beyond the door to collapse. Gandalf also could make illusions such as when he covered Bilbo's use of the One Ring at his party. Gandalf once had a comprehensive knowledge of Orc, Elf, and Manish magic, at least for the defending and locking of places, and while he had forgotten many of these spells by the time of the Great War of the Ring, he still had a firm grasp of many.
Gandalf the White displayed these same powers, but more advanced and with a few more spells. When he first met Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas in his new form, he shocked and quickly overpowered them with his agility and magic: he effortlessly disarmed the former two, one by causing his sword to burst into flames, the other by pulling the axe from his hands with a wave of his staff, and burnt the Elf's arrow into nothing when the latter loosed it. Shortly afterwards, he said that he had recently battled the Eye of Sauron to prevent him from locating Frodo, and although successful, the confrontation left him spent. Gandalf's mere presence was frightening to those who were about him if the White Wizard willed it and his voice could stun weaker beings or cause them to hesitate. Gandalf the White could force others to obey his orders, as he demonstrated against Gimli and Saruman. He also displayed the ability to communicate with horses and was able to reach Shadowfax with his mind. Gandalf's control over lighting and shadows increased after his return, as he was able to strike down Gríma Wormtongue without really harming the man, just after controlling the darkness in a whole room to remove the light as a show of power. He later displayed the ability to focus raw light (called the "white fire") into beams and blasts to drive off the Ringwraiths and these attacks were so powerful that only the Witch-king dared to duel Gandalf, using this spell caused Gandalf's eyes to glow. Gandalf also telekinetically disarmed Denethor and was able to increase his physical strength, without needing to speak spells. Finally, he also shattered Saruman’s staff, and thus stripped the rogue wizard of his divine/magical power, save the power of Saruman's voice.
For all his power as Gandalf the White, he admitted that Sauron was far stronger and would win if they ever dueled and was unsure if he could defeat the Witch-king, once the latter had been empowered for the assault on Gondor.
Staff
Gandalf utilized his staff for various spells and abilities. He used it not just as a weapon, but a walking stick. He initially had an old wooden staff which he lost in the Mines of Moria while fighting the Balrog. He used a new one upon becoming Gandalf the White.
Glamdring
This was an Elven sword Gandalf found in a troll cave. From that point until the resolution of the War of the Ring, he used this as a weapon to complement his staff, wielding them with equal skill. In many cases, he fought with both weapons at once.
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings film trilogies
Sir Ian McKellen portrayed Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. Sean Connery was originally considered for the role of Gandalf, but turned it down because he didn't want to spend so long in New Zealand, where the film was shot; Tom Baker of Doctor Who fame, Patrick Stewart, Christopher Plummer, and David Bowie were also considered or approached. McKellen's interpretation of the role was widely praised. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, making him the only individual cast member to be nominated for his performance. Christopher Lee, a lifelong fan of Tolkien's works, had hoped to be cast as Gandalf, but due to his advancing age instead opted for the role of Saruman, as Gandalf would require horse riding and more swordsmanship. Gandalf's staff in The Fellowship of the Ring film was sculpted by Brigitte Wuest, after a drawing by Alan Lee. Ian McKellen reprised his role of Gandalf the Grey for The Hobbit film trilogy, noting in early interviews that he preferred portraying Gandalf the Grey to Gandalf the White, as Gandalf the Grey required a more nuanced performance. He maintains, however, that he enjoyed playing both Gandalf's, but felt Gandalf the Grey was easier and calmer to portray.
Rankin/Bass films
John Huston provided the voice of Gandalf in two animated television features by Rankin/Bass (The Hobbit and The Return of the King).
Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings
In the 1978 animated film of The Lord of the Rings by Ralph Bakshi, Gandalf was voiced by William Squire with John A. Neris doing the modeling. (It is not known whether Squire played him in the live-action recordings used for rotoscoping.)
Feb 6, 2020 · Gandalf the Gray and Gandalf the White are what movie viewers will most recognize but, as we've already mentioned about Gandalf earlier existence as a maiar and his extended lifetime, those are only two of a dozen names Gandalf has or does actually go by.
Sep 18, 2023 · Throughout "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit," Gandalf has gone by many names. What is his real name, and what other names has he used?
5 days ago · One of the most powerful Wizards in all Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire-breating dragon, Smaug the Terrible.
