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Not the author, and I did read the Silmarillion a long time ago, but I had assumed until now that Gandalf was an elf because he carried one of the elven rings.
by microtherion 7y ago
Not the author, and I did read the Silmarillion a long time ago, but I had assumed until now that Gandalf was an elf because he carried one of the elven rings.
- munk-a 7y agoGandalf's existence is actually quite interesting, he's certainly at least a Maia but may in fact be a bit more. There are some murky points about whether he's a devoted servant of Manwe and one of the eldest Maiar - or whether he is actually just an avatar of Manwe.
- feanaro 7y agoDo you have a source on which you are basing this conclusion? From my perspective, it is pretty well established that Gandalf is Olorin, a Maia distinct from Manwe. The non-interference of the Valar in the Third Age is also well known so it is doubtful Manwe himself would appear physically in Middle-Earth. Also, all Maiar (or rather, Ainur) are the same age or, more accurately, ageless, since they existed before the world.
- tephra 7y agoIIRC he was given the ring by Cirdan, who was an elven lord.
- Diederich 7y agoThat's correct. Cirdan gave Narya, the ring of fire, to Mithrandir when he arrived. "Take this ring, Master," he said, "for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you."