Research Notes: Gandalf: The God Pretending to Be a Wizard

Overview

Gandalf is one of the most beloved characters in fantasy literature, yet most readers never fully grasp the cosmic implications of who he truly is. Known to the peoples of Middle-earth as a wandering wizard, Gandalf is actually Olorin, a Maia spirit of immense power who existed before the creation of the world. He was sent to Middle-earth not as an independent agent but as an emissary of the Valar, the angelic powers who govern Arda under Eru Iluvatar (God). The most striking aspect of Gandalf's story is not his power but his deliberate concealment of it - he is essentially a god pretending to be a wizard, bound by divine restrictions that forbid him from using his true might to dominate or coerce.

Primary Sources

The Silmarillion (Valaquenta)

The key passage establishing Gandalf's origin:

> "Wisest of the Maiar was Olorin. He too dwelt in Lorien, but his ways took him often to the house of Nienna, and of her he learned pity and patience."

The passage continues with crucial detail about his nature:

> "But of Olorin that tale does not speak; for though he loved the Elves, he walked among them unseen, or in form as one of them, and they did not know whence came the fair visions or the promptings of wisdom that he put into their hearts."

> "In later days he was the friend of all the Children of Iluvatar, and took pity on their sorrows; and those who listened to him awoke from despair and put away the imaginations of darkness."

The Lord of the Rings

Unfinished Tales (Of the Istari)

The crucial passage on the Istari's restrictions:

> "For with the consent of Eru they sent members of their own high order, but clad in bodies as of Men, real and not feigned, but subject to the fears and pains and weariness of earth, able to hunger and thirst and be slain; though because of their noble spirits they did not die, and aged only by the cares and labours of many long years."

On the purpose and method of their mission:

> "Their emissaries were forbidden to reveal themselves in forms of majesty, or to seek to rule the wills of Men and Elves by open display of power, but coming in shapes weak and humble were bidden to advise and persuade Men and Elves to good."

The Valar's reasoning:

> "Desiring to amend the errors of old, especially that they had attempted to guard and seclude the Eldar by their own might and glory fully revealed."

This implies Varda elevated Gandalf's status, and Saruman (Curumo) never forgot or forgave this perceived slight.

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

On who sent Gandalf back: > "He was sent by a mere prudent plan of the angelic Valar or governors; but Authority had taken up this plan and enlarged it, at the moment of its failure. 'Naked I was sent back -- for a brief time, until my task is done.' Sent back by whom, and whence? Not by the 'gods' whose business is only with this embodied world and its time; for he passed 'out of thought and time.'"

The "Authority" here is Eru Iluvatar himself - God directly intervened to resurrect Gandalf.

On the meaning of "naked": > "Naked is alas! unclear. It was meant just literally, 'unclothed like a child' (not discarnate), and so ready to receive the white robes of the highest."

Key Facts and Timeline

Before Time

In Valinor (Before the Third Age)

Third Age

Fourth Age

Significant Characters

The Valar

Other Maiar

Geographic Locations

Valinor/Aman

Middle-earth

Themes and Symbolism

The Secret Fire and Flame of Anor

The Threefold Office of Christ

Tolkien once approved the interpretation that Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn embody Christ's three offices: - Gandalf as Prophet - Reveals hidden knowledge, works wonders, teaches the way - Frodo as Priest - Bears the burden, offers sacrifice - Aragorn as King - The returning sovereign, healer of nations

Gandalf's Death and Resurrection

The parallels to Christ are unmistakable (though Tolkien denied allegory): - Sacrifice on the bridge to save others - Descent into darkness (lowest dungeons) - Battle with evil - Death - Return in glory, "transfigured" in white - Enhanced power and authority - Completion of mission before ascension (departure to the West)

Fleming Rutledge and other scholars call this a "transfiguration" with clear Biblical echoes.

Power and Its Corruption

The central moral insight: power that dominates free will is inherently evil.

The Istari's restrictions were not arbitrary but fundamental to Tolkien's moral philosophy: - Power must persuade, not compel - Teaching rather than forcing - Strengthening others rather than replacing them - The temptation to "force good" leads inevitably to tyranny

Saruman's fall demonstrates this perfectly - he wanted to do good but fell into the trap of wanting to force it.

Pity as Weapon Against Evil

Gandalf learned from Nienna that pity is not weakness but power: - Bilbo's pity for Gollum spared him - Frodo's pity extended the mercy - This chain of pity ultimately destroyed the Ring - Sauron could not conceive of anyone refusing power or showing mercy - Pity operates outside Sauron's calculations

Eucatastrophe

The "sudden and miraculous grace" that turns disaster to victory: - The Ring's destruction came not from Frodo's strength but from the accumulated choices of mercy - Gollum's obsession plus Frodo's failure equals victory - Providence working through free choices - "Unforeseen" outcomes that even the wise cannot predict

Scholarly Perspectives

The Odin Connection

Gandalf's appearance deliberately evokes Odin: - Grey cloak and wide-brimmed hat - Long grey beard - Wandering nature - Staff - Association with wisdom and secret knowledge

Verlyn Flieger: Gandalf is "a kind of Odin-figure, mustering troops and bringing them to battle."

The Merlin Archetype

Gandalf fits the wizard-advisor archetype: - Guide to heroes - Counselor to kings - Mysterious knowledge - Arrives at crucial moments - But unlike Merlin, Gandalf's power is divinely constrained

Jungian Interpretation

From academic analysis: Gandalf's transformation from Grey to White exemplifies individuation: - Grey: navigating moral ambiguity - The Balrog: confrontation with the Shadow - Death: dissolution of ego - White: integration with the Self, full wisdom and authority

The "Incarnate Angel" Theology

Tolkien's innovation: angels who fully incarnate, subject to all mortal weaknesses: - Can feel pain, hunger, weariness - Can be killed - Can fall morally (Saruman) - Must sacrifice something of their nature to inhabit physical form - This prevents them from overwhelming the free peoples they're meant to help

Contradictions and Different Versions

The Number of Wizards

Early texts suggested only three Istari; later writings expanded to five (including two Blue Wizards) with suggestions there might have been more.

Who Sent Gandalf Back?

Two versions exist: 1. The Valar sent him back (earlier understanding) 2. Eru Iluvatar himself intervened (later, more developed view)

Letter 156 strongly suggests Eru: Gandalf passed "out of thought and time," beyond the Valar's jurisdiction.

The Manwe Theory

Tolkien wrote: "It was believed by many of the 'faithful' that Gandalf was the last appearance of Manwe himself... I do not (of course) know the truth of the matter."

This tantalizing comment suggests Tolkien left room for Gandalf to be something even more than a Maia.

Sauron's Relative Power

Some inconsistency in how much more powerful Sauron was: - Letter 183: "of a far higher order" - Yet Gandalf's restrictions imply he could potentially challenge Sauron directly if allowed - The restrictions may have been to prevent cosmic-scale destruction, not because the Istari couldn't compete

Cultural and Linguistic Context

Etymology of Names

The Meaning of "Istari"

Quenya for "those who know" - wizards in the sense of wise ones, not spell-casters

"Angelos"

Tolkien specifically uses the Greek word meaning "messenger" - emphasizing that Gandalf's role is communication, not domination.

Questions and Mysteries

Why Fear Sauron?

If Olorin was potentially powerful enough to challenge Sauron, why was he afraid? Possibilities: - Genuine humility about his abilities - Knowledge of what unrestricted conflict would cost - Understanding that Sauron's methods (domination) were forbidden to him - Fear of falling as Sauron did

What Did Gandalf Experience in Death?

"I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell."

This is deliberately mysterious. He met the Authority (Eru) but remembers little.

Could Gandalf Have Used More Power?

The restrictions seem to be moral/voluntary rather than imposed limitations. Gandalf could have revealed his full power but chose not to. After returning as the White, he was "allowed" more latitude, but the fundamental principle remained.

The Gardens of Irmo

What is Gandalf doing now in Valinor? Has he resumed his role as Olorin, walking among the Elves and putting fair visions in their hearts? Or does he rest in the gardens of Lorien?

Compelling Quotes for Narration

1. "Wisest of the Maiar was Olorin. He too dwelt in Lorien, but his ways took him often to the house of Nienna, and of her he learned pity and patience." - The Silmarillion

2. "He walked among them unseen, or in form as one of them, and they did not know whence came the fair visions or the promptings of wisdom that he put into their hearts." - The Silmarillion

3. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor." - The Two Towers

4. "Naked I was sent back - for a brief time, until my task is done." - The Two Towers

5. "He was an incarnate 'angel' - strictly an angelos... an emissary from the Lords of the West." - Letter 131

6. "Their emissaries were forbidden to reveal themselves in forms of majesty, or to seek to rule the wills of Men and Elves by open display of power." - Unfinished Tales

7. "The chief form this would take with them would be impatience, leading to the desire to force others to their own good ends." - Letter 237

8. "Do not tempt me! For I do not wish to become like the Dark Lord himself. Yet the way of the Ring to my heart is by pity, pity for weakness and the desire of strength to do good." - The Fellowship of the Ring

9. "Gandalf as Ring-Lord would have been far worse than Sauron. He would have remained 'righteous', but self-righteous." - Letter to Eileen Elgar

10. "When he speaks he commands attention; the old Gandalf could not have dealt so with Theoden, nor with Saruman." - Letters

Visual Elements to Highlight

1. Olorin in Valinor - Walking unseen among the Elves in ethereal form, putting visions into their hearts 2. The Gardens of Lorien - The fairest place in the world, filled with spirits and dreams 3. Nienna's Halls - The Lady of Mourning teaching the young Maia about pity 4. The Grey Havens arrival - Five old men stepping off a ship, Cirdan recognizing Gandalf's true nature 5. The Bridge of Khazad-dum - Two Maiar facing each other, one of fire and shadow, one of white light 6. The Battle on Zirakzigil - Two primordial spirits fighting atop the world 7. The Resurrection - Gandalf returning in white, transfigured 8. The Grey Havens departure - Gandalf wearing Narya openly at last, Shadowfax beside him 9. Contrasts - Saruman's fall into machinery vs. Gandalf's continued simplicity 10. The Secret Fire - Visual representation of Gandalf's connection to the divine creative force

Discrete Analytical Themes

Theme 1: The Divine Missionary Strategy

Theme 2: The Pedagogy of Nienna

Theme 3: The Theology of Incarnate Limitation

Theme 4: The Hierarchy of Maiar

Theme 5: The Paradox of Fearful Courage

Theme 6: The Saruman Contrast

Theme 7: The Return in Glory

Theme 8: Servant of the Secret Fire

Additional Notes

The Ring's Pathway to Gandalf's Heart

Gandalf's insight about how the Ring would tempt him is psychologically profound: "the way of the Ring to my heart is by pity." The very virtue Nienna taught him would be twisted. His desire to help the weak, to do good, would become the lever for corruption. This explains why he doesn't merely refuse the Ring but actively fears what he would become - he knows himself well enough to understand the specific shape his fall would take.

Why Gandalf Stayed True

All the Istari faced the same temptations. Why did only Gandalf succeed?

Several factors emerge from the sources: 1. His initial reluctance and fear showed self-knowledge rather than confidence 2. He learned from Nienna - pity and patience, not pride and power 3. He found "harmless and humble ways to experience the joys of physical form" (love of hobbits, pipe-weed, good food) 4. He never sought leadership of the White Council 5. He consistently strengthened others rather than replacing them

Connections to Other Episodes

This topic connects to: - Sauron's nature (fellow Maia, but "far higher order") - The Balrogs and their fall - The nature of the Valar and their relationship to Eru - The War of Wrath and why the Valar changed tactics - The Three Rings and their purpose - The eucatastrophe of the Ring's destruction