The White Council

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 Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien took the name "Gandalf" from the Old Norse "Catalogue of Dwarves" (''Dvergatal'') in the ''Völuspá''.

As a wizard and the bearer of one of the Three 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 Lord Sauron by destroying the One Ring. He is associated with fire; his ring of power is Narya, the Ring of Fire. As such, he delights in fireworks to entertain the hobbits of the Shire, while in great need he uses fire as a weapon. As one of the Maiar, he is an immortal spirit from Valinor, but his physical body can be killed.

In ''The Hobbit'', Gandalf assists the 13 dwarves and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins with their quest to retake the Lonely Mountain from Smaug the dragon, but leaves them to urge the White Council to expel Sauron from his fortress of Dol Guldur. In the course of the quest, Bilbo finds a magical ring. The expulsion succeeds, but in ''The Lord of the Rings'', Gandalf reveals that Sauron's retreat was only a feint, as he soon reappeared in Mordor. 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. The Council of Elrond creates 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 a Balrog, an evil spirit-being, in the underground realm of Moria (Middle-earth), Moria. After he dies, he is sent back from Valinor to Middle-earth to complete his mission as Gandalf the White. He reappears in dazzling light to three of the Fellowship and helps to counter the enemy in Rohan (Middle-earth), Rohan, then in Gondor, and finally at the Black Gate (Middle-earth), Black Gate of 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 an angel incarnate; later, both he and other scholars have likened Gandalf to the Norse mythology, Norse god Odin in his "Wanderer" guise. Others have described Gandalf as a guide-figure who assists the protagonists, comparable to the Cumaean Sibyl who assisted Aeneas in Virgil's ''The Aeneid'', or to Virgil himself in Dante's ''Inferno (Dante), Inferno''. Scholars have likened his return in white to the Transfiguration of Jesus, transfiguration of Christ; he is further described as a prophet, representing one element of Christ's threefold office of prophet, priest, and king, where the other two roles are taken by Frodo Baggins, Frodo and Aragorn.

The Gandalf character has been featured in radio, television, stage, video game, music, and film adaptations, including Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings (1978 film), 1978 animated film. His best-known portrayal is by Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson's 2001–2003 ''The Lord of the Rings (film series), The Lord of the Rings'' film series, where the actor based his acclaimed performance on Tolkien himself. McKellen reprised the role in Jackson's 2012–2014 film series ''The Hobbit (film series), The Hobbit''.

Names

Etymology

Tolkien derived the name ''Gandalf'' from ''Gandalf (mythology), Gandálfr'', a Norse dwarf, dwarf in the Völuspá's ''Dvergatal'', a list of dwarf-names. In Old Norse, the name means ''staff-elf''. This is reflected in his name ''Tharkûn'', which is "said to mean 'Staff-man'" in Khuzdul, one of Languages constructed by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tolkien's invented languages.

In-universe names

Gandalf is given several names and nicknames in Tolkien's writings. Faramir calls him the Grey Pilgrim, and reports Gandalf as saying, "Many are my names in many countries. ''Mithrandir'' among the Elf (Middle-earth), Elves, Tharkûn to the Dwarf (Middle-earth), Dwarves, #Valinor, Olórin I was in my youth in the West that is forgotten, in the South Incánus, in the North ''Gandalf''; to Rhûn, the East I go not." In an early draft of ''The Hobbit'', he is called ''Bladorthin'', while the name Gandalf is used by the dwarf who later became Thorin Oakenshield.

Each Wizard (Middle-earth), Wizard is distinguished by the colour of his cloak. For most of his manifestation as a wizard, Gandalf's cloak is grey, hence the names Gandalf ''the Grey'' and Greyhame, from Old English wikt:hame, hame, "cover, skin". ''Mithrandir'' is a name in Sindarin meaning "the Grey Pilgrim" or "the Grey Wanderer". Midway through ''The Lord of the Rings'', Gandalf becomes the head of the order of Wizards, and is renamed #Gandalf the White, Gandalf 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 as ''Mithrandir''. At times in ''The Lord of the Rings'', other characters address Gandalf by insulting nicknames: Stormcrow, ''Láthspell'' ("Ill-news" in Old English), and "Grey Fool".

Characteristics

Tolkien describes Gandalf as the last of the wizards to appear in Middle-earth, one who "seemed the least, less tall than the others, and in looks more aged, grey-haired and grey-clad, and leaning on a Magic (Middle-earth)#Magic items, staff". Yet the Elf (Middle-earth), Elf Círdan who met him on arrival nevertheless considered him "the greatest spirit and the wisest" and gave him the Elven Three Rings, Ring of Power called Narya, the Ring of Fire, containing a "red" stone for his aid and comfort. Tolkien explicitly links Gandalf to the element Fire (classical element), fire later in the same essay:

Fictional biography

Valinor

In Valinor, Gandalf was called ''Olórin''. He was one of the Maiar of Valinor, specifically, one of the people of the Vala Manwë (Middle-earth), Manwë; he was said to be the wisest of the Maiar. He was closely associated with two other Valar: Irmo, in whose gardens he lived, and Nienna, the patron of mercy, who gave him tutelage. When the Valar decided to send the order of the Wizard (Middle-earth), Wizards (Istari) across the Belegaer, Great Sea to Middle-earth to counsel and assist all those who opposed Sauron, 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.

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 his humility. 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.

Middle-earth

The wizards arrived in Middle-earth separately, early in the Third Age; Gandalf was the last, landing in the Havens of Mithlond. He seemed the oldest and least in stature, but Círdan the Shipwright felt that he was the greatest on their first meeting in the Havens, and gave him Narya, 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 other ring-bearers at the end of the Third Age that he, and not Círdan, was the holder of the third of the Three Rings, Elven-rings.

Gandalf's relationship with Saruman, the head of their Order, was strained. The Wizards were commanded to aid Man (Middle-earth), Men, Elf (Middle-earth), Elves, and Dwarf (Middle-earth), Dwarves, but only through counsel; they were forbidden to use force to dominate them, though Saruman increasingly disregarded this.

The White Council

Gandalf suspected early on that an evil presence, the Sauron#The Necromancer of Dol Guldur, Necromancer of Dol Guldur, was not a Nazgûl but Sauron himself. He went to Dol Guldur to discover the truth, but the Necromancer withdrew before him, only to return with greater force, and the White Council was formed in response. Galadriel had 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 the Second Age.

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. Saruman, however, reassured the Council that Sauron's evident effort to find the One Ring would fail, as the Ring would long since have been carried by the river Anduin to the Sea; and the matter was allowed to rest. But Saruman began actively seeking the Ring near the Gladden Fields where Isildur had been killed.

The Quest of Erebor

"The Quest of Erebor" in ''Unfinished Tales'' elaborates upon the story behind ''The Hobbit''. It tells of a chance meeting between Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield, a Dwarf (Middle-earth), Dwarf-king in exile, in the ''Prancing Pony'' inn at Bree (Middle-earth), Bree. Gandalf had for some time foreseen the coming war with Sauron, and knew that the North was especially vulnerable. If Rivendell were to be attacked, the Dragon (Middle-earth), dragon Smaug could cause great devastation. He persuaded Thorin that he could help him regain his lost territory of Erebor from Smaug, and so the quest was born.

''The Hobbit''

Gandalf meets with Bilbo Baggins, Bilbo in the opening of ''The 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. On this quest Gandalf acquires the sword, ''List of Middle-earth weapons and armour#Glamdring, Glamdring'', from the Troll (Middle-earth), trolls' treasure hoard. Elrond informs them that the sword was made in Gondolin, a city long ago destroyed, where Elrond's father lived as a child.

After escaping from the Misty Mountains pursued by goblins and Warg (Middle-earth), wargs, the party is carried to safety by the Eagle (Middle-earth), Great Eagles. Gandalf then persuades Beorn to house and provision the company for the trip through Mirkwood. Gandalf leaves the company before they enter Mirkwood, saying that he had pressing business to attend to.

He turns up again before the walls of Erebor disguised as an old man, revealing himself when it seems the Men of Esgaroth and the Mirkwood Elves will 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. After the battle, Gandalf accompanies Bilbo back to the 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 the One Ring to continue to attract evil to Mirkwood. Then the Council "put[s] forth its power" and drives Sauron from Dol Guldur. Sauron had anticipated this, and had feigned a withdrawal, only to reappear in Mordor.

''The Lord of the Rings''

Gandalf the Grey

Gandalf spent the years between ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings'' travelling Middle-earth in search of information on Sauron's resurgence and Bilbo Baggins's mysterious One Ring, ring, spurred particularly by Bilbo's initial misleading story of how he had obtained it as a "present" from Gollum. During this period, he befriended Aragorn and became suspicious of Saruman. He spent as much time as he could in the Shire, strengthening his friendship with Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, Frodo, Bilbo's orphaned cousin and adopted heir.

Gandalf returns to the Shire for Bilbo's "eleventy-first" (111th) birthday party, bringing many fireworks for the occasion. After Bilbo, as a prank on his guests, puts on the ring and disappears, Gandalf strongly encourages his old friend to leave the ring to Frodo, as they had planned. Bilbo becomes hostile and accuses Gandalf of trying to steal the ring. Alarmed, Gandalf impresses on Bilbo the foolishness of this accusation. Coming to his senses, Bilbo admits that the ring has been troubling him, and leaves it behind for Frodo as he departs for Rivendell.

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 of Minas Tirith. He also wants to question Gollum, who had borne the ring for many years. Gandalf searches long and hard for Gollum, often assisted by Aragorn. Aragorn eventually succeeds in capturing Gollum. Gandalf questions Gollum, threatening him with fire when he proves unwilling to speak. Gandalf learns that Sauron has forced Gollum under torture in his fortress, Barad-dûr, to tell what he knows of the ring. This reinforces Gandalf's growing suspicion that Bilbo's ring is the One Ring.

Returning to the Shire, Gandalf confirms his suspicion by throwing the Ring into Frodo Baggins, Frodo's hearth-fire and reading the writing that appears on the Ring's surface. He tells Frodo the history of the Ring, and urges him to take it to Rivendell, saying that he would be in grave danger if he stayed 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.

Outside the Shire, Gandalf encounters the wizard Radagast the Brown, who brings the news that the Nazgûl have ridden out of Mordor—and a request from Saruman that Gandalf come to Isengard. Gandalf leaves a letter to Frodo (urging his immediate departure) with Barliman Butterbur at the Prancing Pony, and heads towards Isengard. There Saruman reveals his true intentions, urging Gandalf to help him obtain the Ring for his own use. Gandalf refuses, and Saruman imprisons him at the top of his tower. Eventually Gandalf is rescued by Gwaihir the Eagle.

Gwaihir sets Gandalf down in Rohan (Middle-earth), Rohan, where Gandalf appeals to King Théoden for a horse. Théoden, under the evil influence of Gríma 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 horse Middle-earth#Sapient animals, Shadowfax 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 at Weathertop but escapes after an all-night battle, drawing four of them northward. Frodo, Aragorn and company face the remaining five on Weathertop a few nights later. Gandalf reaches Rivendell just before Frodo's arrival.

In Rivendell, Gandalf helps Elrond drive off the Nazgûl pursuing Frodo, and plays a leading role in the Council of Elrond as 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 cousins Meriadoc Brandybuck, Merry and Peregrin Took, Pippin join the Fellowship of the Ring (characters), Fellowship.

Taking charge of the Fellowship (comprising nine representatives of the free peoples of Middle-earth, "set against the Nine Riders"), Gandalf and Aragorn lead the Hobbits and their companions south. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross Mount Caradhras in winter, they cross under the mountains through the Mines of Moria (Middle-earth), Moria under the Misty Mountains, though only Gimli (Middle-earth), Gimli the Dwarf (Middle-earth), Dwarf is enthusiastic about that route. In Moria, they discover that the dwarf colony established there by Balin (Middle-earth), Balin has been annihilated by Orc (Middle-earth), orcs. The Fellowship fights with the orcs and trolls of Moria and escapes them.

At the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, they encounter "Durin's Bane", a fearsome Balrog from 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 his Magic (Middle-earth)#Magic items, staff. 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!".

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 of Minor places in Middle-earth#Celebdil, Zirakzigil. Here they fight for two days and nights. The Balrog is defeated and cast down onto the mountainside. Gandalf too dies, and his body lies on the peak while his spirit travels "out of thought and time".

Gandalf the White

Gandalf is "sent back" as Gandalf the White, and returns to life on the mountain top. Gwaihir carries him to Lothlórien, where he is healed of his injuries and re-clothed in white robes by Galadriel. He travels to Fangorn Forest, where he encounters Aragorn, Gimli (Middle-earth), Gimli, and Legolas (who are tracking Meriadoc Brandybuck, Merry and Peregrin Took, Pippin). They mistake him for Saruman, but he stops their attacks and reveals himself.

They travel to Rohan (Middle-earth), Rohan, where Gandalf finds that king 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. 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 the battle of Helm's Deep. Gandalf and the King ride to Isengard, which has just been destroyed by Treebeard and his Ents, who are accompanied by Merry and Pippin. Gandalf breaks Saruman's staff and expels him from the White Council and the Order of Wizard (Middle-earth), Wizards; Gandalf takes Saruman's place as head of both. Wormtongue makes an attempt to kill Gandalf or Saruman with the ''palantír'' of Orthanc, but misses both. Pippin retrieves the ''palantír'', but Gandalf quickly takes it, passing it to Aragorn. After the group leaves Isengard, Pippin takes the palantír from a sleeping Gandalf, looks into it, and comes face to face with Sauron himself. Gandalf takes the chastened Pippin with him to Minas Tirith to keep the young hobbit out of further trouble.

Gandalf arrives in time to help to arrange the defences of Minas Tirith. His presence is resented by Denethor, the Steward of Gondor; but when his son Faramir is 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 of Mordor break the main gate, Gandalf, alone on Shadowfax, confronts the Lord of the Nazgûl. At that moment the Rohirrim arrive, compelling the Nazgûl to withdraw to fight. Gandalf is required to save Faramir from Denethor, who seeks in desperation to burn himself and his son on a funeral pyre.

Aragorn and Gandalf lead the final campaign against Sauron's forces at the Black Gate (Middle-earth), Black Gate, in an effort to distract the Dark Lord's attention from Frodo Baggins, Frodo and Sam Gamgee, Sam; they are at that moment scaling Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring. In a parley before the battle, Gandalf and the other leaders of the West meet the nameless lieutenant of Mordor, who shows them Frodo's ''mithril'' shirt and other items from the Hobbits' equipment. Gandalf rejects Mordor's terms of surrender, and the forces of the West face the full might of Sauron's armies, until the Ring is destroyed in Mount Doom. Gandalf leads the Eagles to rescue Frodo and Sam from the erupting mountain.

After the war, Gandalf crowns Aragorn as King Elessar, and helps him find a sapling of the White Tree of Gondor. He accompanies the Hobbits back to the borders of the Shire, before leaving to visit Tom Bombadil.

Two years later, Gandalf departs Middle-earth for ever. He boards the Ringbearers' ship in the Grey Havens and sets sail to return across Belegaer, the sea to the Undying Lands; with him are his friends Frodo, Bilbo Baggins, Bilbo, Galadriel, and Elrond, and his horse Shadowfax.

Concept and creation

Appearance

Tolkien's biographer Humphrey Carpenter relates that Tolkien owned a postcard entitled ''Der Berggeist'' ("the mountain spirit"), which he labelled "the origin of Gandalf". 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 in Switzerland in 1911. Manfred Zimmerman, however, discovered that the painting was by the Germans, German artist Josef Madlener and dates from the mid-1920s. Carpenter acknowledged that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard. An additional influence may have been Väinämöinen, an old and wise demigod and the central character in Finland, Finnish folklore and the national epic ''Kalevala'' by Elias Lönnrot.

Throughout the early drafts, and through to the first edition of ''The 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 in ''The Lord of the Rings''. Even in ''The Lord of the Rings'', Gandalf was not tall; shorter, for example, than Elrond or the other wizards.

Name

When writing ''The Hobbit'' in the early 1930s Tolkien gave the name ''Gandalf'' to the leader of the Dwarf (Middle-earth), Dwarves, the character later called Thorin Oakenshield. The name is taken from the same source as all the other Dwarf names (save Balin (Middle-earth), Balin) in ''The Hobbit'': the "Norse dwarves#Dvergatal: the list of the Dvergar, Catalogue of Dwarves" in the ''Völuspá''. The Old Norse name ' incorporates the words ' meaning "wand", "staff" or (especially in compounds) "magic (paranormal), magic" and ' "elf". The name ''Gandalf (Norse mythology), Gandalf'' is found in at least one more place in Norse myth, in the semi-historical Heimskringla, which briefly describes Gandalf Alfgeirsson, a legendary Norse king from eastern Norway and rival of Halfdan the Black. Gandalf is also the name of a Norse sea-king in Henrik Ibsen's second play, ''The Burial Mound''. The name "Gandolf" occurs as a character in William Morris' 1896 fantasy novel ''The 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-medieval landscape; it deeply influenced Tolkien. The wizard that became Gandalf was originally named ''Bladorthin''.

Tolkien came to regret his ''ad hoc'' use of Old Norse names, referring to a "rabble of eddaic-named dwarves, ... invented in an idle hour" in 1937. But the decision to use Old Norse names came to have far-reaching consequences in the composition of ''The Lord of the Rings''; in 1942, Tolkien decided that the work was to be a purported translation from the fictional language of Westron, and in the English translation Old Norse names were taken to represent names in the language of Dale (Middle-earth), Dale. ''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, while ''Tharkûn'' is the (untranslated) name, presumably of the same meaning, that the Dwarves gave him in their native Khuzdul language.J. R. R. Tolkien, Tolkien, J. R. R. (1967) ''Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings''

Guide

Gandalf's role and importance was substantially increased in the conception of ''The Lord of the Rings'', and in a letter of 1954, Tolkien refers to Gandalf as an "angel incarnate". 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.

In a 1946 letter, Tolkien stated that he thought of Gandalf as an "Odinic wanderer". Other commentators have similarly compared Gandalf to the Norse mythology, Norse god Odin in his "Wanderer" guise—an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff, or likened him to Merlin of Matter of Britain#Arthurian cycle, Arthurian legend or the Jungian archetypes, Jungian archetype of the "wise old man".

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 both ''The Fellowship of the Ring'' and ''The Hobbit'', Tolkien presents Gandalf in these terms. Immediately after the Council of Elrond, Gandalf tells the Fellowship of the Ring (characters), Fellowship:

Nelson notes the similarity between this and Thorin Oakenshield, Thorin's statement in ''The Hobbit'':

Nelson gives as examples of the guide figure the Cumaean Sibyl who assisted Aeneas on his journey through the underworld in Virgil's tale ''The Aeneid'', and then Virgil himself in Dante's ''Inferno (Dante), Inferno'', directing, encouraging, and physically assisting Dante as he travels through hell. In English literature, Nelson notes, Thomas Malory's ''Le Morte d'Arthur'' has the wizard Merlin teaching and directing King Arthur, Arthur to 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". Other characters who act as wise and good guides include Tom Bombadil, Elrond, Aragorn, Galadriel—who he calls perhaps the most powerful of the guide figures—and briefly also Faramir.

Nelson writes that there is equally historical precedent for wicked guides, such as Edmund Spenser's "evil palmers" in ''The Faerie Queene'', and suggests that Gollum functions as an evil guide, contrasted with Gandalf, in ''Lord 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 the Nazgûl, Lord of the Nazgûl, he stays in the role of guide throughout, "never directly confront[ing] his enemies with his raw power."

Christ-figure

The critic Anne C. Petty, writing about "Allegory" in the ''J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia'', discusses Gandalf's death and reappearance in Christianity, Christian terms. She cites Michael W. Maher, Society of Jesus, S.J.: "who could not think of Gandalf's descent into the pits of Moria and his return clothed in white as a death-resurrection motif?" 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. Other scholars and theologians have likened Gandalf's return as a "gleaming white" figure to the Transfiguration of Jesus, transfiguration of Christ.

The philosopher Peter Kreeft, like Tolkien a Roman Catholic, observes that there is no one complete, concrete, visible Christ figure in ''The Lord of the Rings'' comparable to Aslan in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series. However, Kreeft and Jean Chausse have identified reflections of the figure of Jesus Christ in three protagonists of ''The 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 Testament threefold office, threefold Messianic symbolism of prophet (Gandalf), priest (Frodo), and king (Aragorn)."

Adaptations

In the BBC Radio dramatisations, Gandalf has been voiced by Norman Shelley in ''The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series), The Lord of the Rings'' (1955–1956), Heron Carvic in ''The Hobbit'' (1968), Bernard Mayes in ''The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series), The Lord of the Rings'' (1979), and Sir Michael Hordern in ''The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series), The Lord of the Rings'' (1981).

John Huston voiced Gandalf in the animated films ''The Hobbit (1977 film), The Hobbit'' (1977) and ''The Return of the King (1980 film), The Return of the King'' (1980) produced by Rankin/Bass. William Squire voiced Gandalf in the animated film ''The Lord of the Rings (1978 film), The Lord of the Rings'' (1978) directed by Ralph Bakshi. Ivan Krasko (actor), Ivan Krasko played Gandalf in the Soviet film adaptation ''The Hobbit (1985 film), The Hobbit'' (1985). Gandalf was portrayed by Vesa Vierikko in the Finnish television miniseries ''Hobitit'' (1993).

Ian McKellen portrayed Gandalf in ''The Lord of the Rings (film series), The Lord of the Rings'' film series (2001–2003), directed by Peter Jackson, after Sean Connery and Patrick Stewart both turned down the role. According to Jackson, McKellen based his performance as Gandalf on Tolkien himself:

McKellen received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of Gandalf, particularly in ''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Fellowship of the Ring'', for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award nomination, both for best supporting actor. ''Empire (film magazine), Empire'' named Gandalf, as portrayed by McKellen, the 30th greatest film character of all time. He reprised the role in ''The Hobbit (film series), The Hobbit'' film series (2012–2014), claiming that he enjoyed playing Gandalf the Grey more than Gandalf the White. He voiced Gandalf for several video games based on the films, including ''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game), The Two Towers'', ''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game), The Return of the King'', and ''The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, The Third Age''.

Charles Picard portrayed Gandalf in the 1999 stage production of ''The Two Towers'' at Chicago's Lifeline Theatre. Brent Carver portrayed Gandalf in the 2006 musical production ''Lord of the Rings (musical), The Lord of the Rings'', which opened in Toronto.

Gandalf appears in ''The Lego Movie'', voiced by Todd Hanson. Gandalf is a main character in the video game ''Lego Dimensions'' and is voiced by Tom Kane.

Gandalf has his own movement in Johan de Meij, Johan de Meij's Symphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings", which was written for concert band and premiered in 1988.

See also

* Secret Fire
*

Notes

References

Primary

::''This list identifies each item's location in Tolkien's writings.''

Secondary

Sources

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{{good article

Adventure film characters
Characters in The Hobbit
Characters in The Silmarillion
Christ figures in fiction
Fictional characters with fire or heat abilities
Fictional wizards
Literary characters introduced in 1937
The Lord of the Rings characters
Ring-bearers
Middle-earth wizards