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There has been debate concerning the death of
Gandalf.
While we all agree that Gandalf, being a Maia spirit, was not subject
to
the same “permanent” death as the Children of Iluvatar (passing beyond
the
circles of the world to be with Him, or remaining in Aman until the
Ending
of the World) we do not all agree as to whether he experienced a
physical
death. Some believe that Gandalf did indeed die a physical death
as
a result of his battle with the Balrog of Moria. Others, however,
believe
that Gandalf did not die, but merely passed into a coma. The
evidence
given in LotR, however, better supports the former point of view than
the
latter.
The first evidence of Gandalf’s death is in his
description of his battle.
“The darkness took me, and I
strayed
out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not
tell.”
“Naked I was sent back-for a brief time, until my
task
was done. And naked I lay upon the mountain-top.”
“I tarried there in the ageless time of that land
where
days bring healing not decay. Healing I found, and I was clothed
in
white.”
(Book 3, The Two Towers, "The White Rider")
These passages can be interpreted to support both
views.
According to the “coma” theory, Gandalf meant by the first quote that
he
passed into a coma. The other two then tell how in the battle,
Gandalf’s
clothing was burned by the Balrog, and how after he awoke on the peak
and
was taken to Lothlorien his body was healed and he was given new
clothing.
The “death” theory says Gandalf did indeed die after he threw down the
Balrog.
His Maia spirit left his body and went to Aman, where he probably stood
before
the Valar to receive counsel and orders. He was then sent back in
spirit
form (the purpose for the first use of “naked”) to re-inhabit his body
that
lay atop Zirakzigil without clothing (the purpose of the second
use).
Gwaihir found him and bore him to Lothlorien, where his body was healed
and
he was clothed anew. The dual interpretation ends here.
The second piece of evidence is what Gandalf says to
other
people. He tells Wormtongue at Theoden’s halls, “I have not
passed
through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a serving-man till
the
lightning falls.” ("The King of the Golden Hall") He then later tells
Saruman
at Orthanc, “Behold, I am not Gandalf the Grey, whom you
betrayed.
I am Gandalf the White, who has returned from death.” ("The Voice of
Saruman")
In both of these Gandalf specifically tells those listening that he has
been
through death.
The final evidence in favor of Gandalf’s death comes
from "Appendix B: The Tale of Years" at the end of The Return of
the King. I cite these excerpts:
January 25: He (Gandalf) casts down the
Balrog, and passes away. His body lies on the peak.
February 14: The Mirror of Galadriel.
Gandalf returns to life, and lies in a trance.
November 3: Battle of Bywater, and Passing of
Saruman. End of the War of the Ring.
In the second excerpt, it says Gandalf
“returns
to life,” which means that he had to have died. After returning,
he
“lies in a trance,” in which he sees and hears the goings-on of
Middle-Earth.
Also, the first and third excerpts both speak of “passing away.”
The
first concerns Gandalf, and the third concerns Saruman. At the
end
of Return of the King, Saruman dies.
Here has been shown that Gandalf did indeed die
after
his battle with the Balrog of Moria. He left his physical body,
which
constitutes death for those in Arda who cannot freely toss away this
body
(i.e. the Children of Iluvatar could not, and neither could the Istari,
being
bound by the Valar to those bodies). He specifically says twice
and
to two different people (one of them Saruman, who is also an Istar, and
thus
would not need things put in “words he can comprehend”) that he passed
through
death. Finally, the Tale of Years not only says that Gandalf
returns
to life, implying a return from somewhere, but also uses the same
description
for Gandalf’s death as it does for Saruman’s death at the hands of
Wormtongue.
It is clear by all these clues that Gandalf did die, and that Tolkien
intended
for his condition after his battle with the Balrog to be considered
death.
References:
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
For further information on the Istari, their fate and their nature, see
Unfinished Tales, "The Istari"
The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"
The Valar Guild's Tolkien Encyclopedia, section Maiar,
topic Istari
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