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CuriousG
Half-elven
Dec 21 2012, 2:51am
Views: 1394
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Gandalf's magic: a wizard's must
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It's probably telling that the most willing and ostentatious display of magic is in the early chapters in the Shire, where Tolkien was initially writing a more Hobbit-like book, and things are similarly light-hearted, so Gandalf can do all the tricks he wants. Later on he's much more reluctant, as you point out. I personally want to shake him by the collar when they're freezing to death on Caradhras and he fusses about revealing himself--that's worse than being buried in snow?
He shows no reservation in barbecuing the Wargs that attack later, I suppose because he figures they know who he is and concealing his magic is no longer of any use. That's one of the rare treats we get. Others are a tease, such as viewing the Weathertop battle with the Nazgul from afar and in just a few words. In Minas Tirith, Denethor taunts Gandalf about confronting the chief Nazgul, but Gandalf temporizes and says the time hasn't come yet, and we're forever left wondering how their duel at the gate of Minas Tirith would have turned out if only the Rohirrim had arrived a little later.
I think Tolkien knew that readers would expect magic, not just wisdom, from anything he called a wizard, so that's probably why we see the most from him. He shows a lot more than the Elves do, as your great list of examples indicates. But as for being a guide of others' deeds, that's the role Gandalf sticks to whenever possible, including at the very end of the trilogy, when Merry and Pippin show up at the last minute, tipped off by Gandalf both to say goodbye to Frodo and to give Sam company on the way home. No magic there, just guidance (or manipulation), and that's the role he played at the very beginning as well.
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Time
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'The problem of magic' in Tolkien
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noWizardme
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Dec 18 2012, 11:53am
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A thought about games
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noWizardme
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Dec 18 2012, 1:33pm
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Galadriel and semantics
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CuriousG
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Dec 20 2012, 7:37pm
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Magic vs Blessed
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Cyberia
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Dec 21 2012, 12:22am
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Elvish magic (a helpful/distracting thought from "On Fairy Stories"
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noWizardme
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Dec 21 2012, 4:12pm
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Palantiri vs Skype
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CuriousG
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Dec 20 2012, 10:14pm
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Or the palantir as YouTube?
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noWizardme
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Dec 21 2012, 6:59pm
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Gandalf's magic: a wizard's must
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CuriousG
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Dec 21 2012, 2:51am
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Compare & Contrast: Terry Pratchett's witches
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noWizardme
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Dec 27 2012, 12:55pm
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Magic and knowledge to Medieval witch hunters
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CuriousG
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Dec 28 2012, 2:06am
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A problem of terminology
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Mim
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Dec 23 2012, 6:41pm
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Magic & Grace of Valar/Aman/Undying Lands
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Nolofinwe
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Dec 24 2012, 3:38pm
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You can add to that
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sador
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Dec 24 2012, 4:33pm
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The dark side of magic: Nazgul
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CuriousG
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Dec 24 2012, 7:56pm
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passive elven magic
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Cyberia
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Dec 24 2012, 10:10pm
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Light vs. Dark..
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Nolofinwe
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Dec 25 2012, 4:56am
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Perception of Lorien (and Imladris for that matter)
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Nolofinwe
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Dec 25 2012, 4:09pm
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Good comparisons
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CuriousG
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Dec 25 2012, 4:24pm
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Yes
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Nolofinwe
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Dec 25 2012, 4:31pm
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Evidence of anger?
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Otaku-sempai
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Dec 26 2012, 2:37pm
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Read Gandalf's explanation to Frodo
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CuriousG
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Dec 28 2012, 1:55am
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Well, to be fair...
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Otaku-sempai
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Dec 28 2012, 9:26pm
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Please do!
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noWizardme
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Dec 27 2012, 12:45pm
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Hobbit magic (to add to the pot!)
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noWizardme
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Dec 27 2012, 6:21pm
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Elves/Rivendell
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Nolofinwe
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Dec 31 2012, 3:05pm
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