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sador
Half-elven
Apr 8 2014, 7:36am
Post #26 of 27
(406 views)
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An Istari is never late, bit I invariably am.
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What is the significance of the colors? Why those particular ones? Do they even matter?
Radagast is brown - he blongs to the earth. All the others refer to the sky or sea.
Saruman is white, which can be broken into many colours, as it includes all of them. However, this breaking is not wise, as Gandalf says.
Gandalf is grey - probably because at first he was just a wizard, not anything special. Then he bacame a Franciscan.
And the two last wizards simply disappeared into the blue.
The 1954 piece is the fullest account we have of The Istari. Do you find it satisfying in anyway (as in, does it answer any of your questions), or does it
add fuel to the fires of speculation?
No, I do ot find it satisfying - but i did not really expect it, so I'm good.
What do you think of the Valar council piece? It certainly expands a little on the origins of the Istari and their relationship with the Valar. And for the first time the blue wizards are given names.
The names are nice. But I dislike this trumpeting of Gandalf's greatness. It turns out that he did not rise to the occasion, when all other hope was gone, but was greatest all along, just played it humble at first, to entrap Saruman with hubris. Another case of background filling which actually lessens the main story.
There is then a small piece about the origins of the name Gandalf and the many different names he is given by the various peoples of Middle-earth. Tolkien went to great pains to explain that Gandalf never traveled into Harad or far south, which I find very curious. Any thoughts on this?
Well, had he travelled there, he might have had a broader view; but then, he might have known Sauron's slaves on the first hand, and would have pitied from afar (as he says to Denethor) rather less. Knowledge is indeed dangerous to morality.
So Aragorn beats him twice - as he has been in both Rhun and Harad. And Saruman too. And Gandalf dares to speak on who sees the great plan?!?
So I am less than happy with this piece of information. But whatever gandalf loses in humanity in this piece, he gains in power. Is this exchange for the better?
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mawguy
The Shire
Apr 9 2014, 10:24pm
Post #27 of 27
(408 views)
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What is the significance of the colors? Why those particular ones? Do they even matter?
reading all the brilliant and insightful responses regarding Gandalf and the colour grey gave me a lightbulb moment--and i plead your indulgence for stating the obvious: the non-descript grey, the disappear-into-the-background, the overlooked, the "common" one (like the littlest hobbits)... the one who later became the true white wizard... what a similar description to The One Ring, described as a little ring, the least of rings, a trifle, completely belying its true power. :)
"Alas for us all! And for all that walk the world in these after-days. For such is the way of it: to find and lose, as it seems to those whose boat is on the running stream. But I count you blessed, Gimli son of Glóin: for your loss you suffer of your own free will, and you might have chosen otherwise. But you have not forsaken your companions, and the least reward that you shall have is that the memory of Lothlórien shall remain ever clear and unstained in your heart, and shall neither fade nor grow stale."
(This post was edited by mawguy on Apr 9 2014, 10:25pm)
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