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In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien , the Wizards of Middle-earth are a small group of beings outwardly resembling Men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. They are also called the '''Istari''' ("Wise Ones") by the Elves . The Sindarin word is ''Ithryn'' (sing. ''Ithron''). They were of the Maiar , spirits of the same order of the Valar , but lesser in power ( Sauron himself was one of the most powerful of the Maiar), sent by the Valar to help and assist the peoples of Middle-earth to contest Sauron. Their Quenya names were Curunír (Saruman), meaning ''Man of Skill''; Olórin (Gandalf); Aiwendil (Radagast), meaning ''Bird Lover''; Morinehtar (Alatar), meaning ''Darknes-Slayer'' and Romestamo (Pallando), meaning ''East Helper''. They came to Middle-earth roughly around the year 1000 of the Third Age . It seems that each was assigned with a colour for his clothes, white perhaps being indicative of the chief: Saruman. Gandalf was grey, Radagast was brown, and two of them, Alatar and Pallando, were blue. It is not known if the colour had a special meaning concerning their rank, abilities or nature. The Wizard s already appeared old when they entered Middle-earth. They were deliberately "clothed" in the bodies of old Men, as the Valar wished them to guide the inhabitants of Middle-earth by persuasion and encouragement, not by force or fear. However, they aged very slowly and were in fact immortal. Thus, they were, physically speaking, "real" Men, and felt all the urges, pleasures and fears of flesh and blood. While in this form, although immortals by age, their physical form could be destroyed by violence—thus, Gandalf truly died in the fight with the Balrog , but is "reborn" for his mission was not yet complete. The Istari also carried staves, which seem to be tied to their ability to wield magic; when Saruman is defeated at Isengard , Gandalf in the same breath casts him from the White Council and broke his staff. Very few of Middle-earth's inhabitants knew who the Wizards really were; the Wizards did not share their idenities and purposes except to national rulers. Most thought they were Elves or wise Men (the name ''Gandalf'' represents this intepretation, meaning ''Wand-elf'', because the Men who gave him the nickname believed he was an Elf). They attracted few questions due to their gentle nature and dislike of direct interference with other people's internal affairs and policies. In spite of their specific and unambiguous goal, the Wizards were nevertheless capable of human feelings; thus Gandalf felt great affection for the Hobbit s. On the flip side, they could feel negative human emotions like greed, jealousy, and lust for power. It is hinted in the essay in '' Unfinished Tales '' that the Blue Wizards (see below) may have fallen prey to these temptations. The Blue Wizards went into the East and do not enter into the stories of Middle-earth. Their Quenya names were Morinehtar, ''Darkness-slayer'' and Romestamo, ''East-helper'', respectively (in '' Unfinished Tales '' their names were Alatar and Pallando ). The other three were called Saruman , also known as Curunír; Gandalf , or Mithrandir ; and Radagast or Aiwendil. Saruman originally had the greatest power of the five Istari and was appointed the head of the White Council. In the year 2759 of the Third Age, he was invited by the rulers of Gondor and Rohan to settle in Isengard . Saruman was learned in the lore of the Rings Of Power , gradually becoming corrupted by the desire for the Rings and by Sauron's direct influence on him through the '' Palantír '' of Orthanc . Eventually he became ensnared in Sauron's power, and assisted him in the War of the Ring until he was defeated by the Ent s and Gandalf, who broke his staff and cast him out of the White Council. Saruman's death came at the hands of his servant Wormtongue in the Shire , after the destruction of the One Ring . During the War Of The Ring , it was Gandalf who led the Free Peoples to victory over Sauron. He also defeated the traitorious Saruman. After the destruction of Sauron's forces at the Black Gate at the mountanious borders of Mordor, Gandalf left Middle-earth and went over the Sea, along with the Ring-bearer s and many of the Elves. In the course of '' The Lord Of The Rings '', it is never made clear what exactly Gandalf and Saruman are (though Treebeard informs Merry and Pippin that they landed in the Grey Havens from across the Great Sea 2,000 years ago, little else is revealed in the narrative). In a certain point, Pippin seems to wonder what his friend Gandalf really was, and notices that it was the first time in his life he did so. The essay given in ''Unfinished Tales'' was originally begun in order to be included in the appendices of ''The Lord of the Rings'', but was not completed in time. LIST OF MIDDLE-EARTH WIZARDS YOUR STAFF IS BROKEN Gandalf banishes Saruman from the Order of Wizards in '' The Two Towers '' by saying, "Saruman, your staff is broken." This remains one of the more mysterious elements of Tolken's mythology, second perhaps only to Tom Bombadil . It is not clear exactly what enables Gandalf to do this or what the wider significance of that line is. Undoubtedly, it has something to do with Gandalf's transformation into Gandalf the White. In '', this uncertainty was included in the controversial deleted scene (added in the Extended edition) of the Witch-king's breaking of Gandalf's staff. The scene is based loosely upon the book, where Gandalf briefly confronts the Witch-king at the gate only to be interrupted by the arrival of the Rohirrim . In the book, his staff does ''not'' break. Some have criticized it as making the Witch-king — still a mere Man though one of the Nagzûl and a sorcerer of great power — stronger than an angelic Maia who existed before the '' Very World '' was created (and probably helped create it; see Ainulindale ) . |
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