Middle-earth Journeys
Tolkien Studies
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January 25, TA 3019
25 January 2006 07:54:57Categories: Tolkien Calendar
Gandalf casts down the Balrog, and passes away. His body lies on the peak.
In many ways this is Gandalf's defining moment, almost one might say his graduation day. Until now he has been known as Gandalf the Grey, of lesser power than his fellow Wizard gone amuck, Saruman. Well, today he catches up in the power department. It takes the defeat and casting down of the Balrog...Gandalf's trial by fire...to accomplish this, and Tolkien describes it is his hallmark brilliant fashion.
Quote:
Those that looked up from afar thought that the mountain was crowned with storm. Thunder they heard, and lightening, they said, smote upon Celebdil, and leaped back broken into tongues of fire. Is not that enough? A great smoke rose about us, vapour and steam. Ice fell like rain...
...And naked I lay upon the mountain-top. The tower behind was crumbled into dust, the window gone; the ruined stair was choked with burned and broken stone. I was alone, forgotten, without escape upon the hard horn of the world. There I lay staring upward, while the stars wheeled over, and each day was along as a life-age of the earth. Faint to my ears came the gathered rumour of all lands: the springing and the dying, the song and the weeping, and the slow everlasting groan of overburdened stone. And so at the last Gwaihir the Windlord found me again, and he took me up and bore me away.
...And naked I lay upon the mountain-top. The tower behind was crumbled into dust, the window gone; the ruined stair was choked with burned and broken stone. I was alone, forgotten, without escape upon the hard horn of the world. There I lay staring upward, while the stars wheeled over, and each day was along as a life-age of the earth. Faint to my ears came the gathered rumour of all lands: the springing and the dying, the song and the weeping, and the slow everlasting groan of overburdened stone. And so at the last Gwaihir the Windlord found me again, and he took me up and bore me away.
That he lay naked on the peak has always brought to me a vision of rebirth. This born-again Gandalf would be tested, but ultimately would become the key instrument in the shaping of the future of Middle-earth...with a little help from his friends.
Images © "Gandalf" by Alan Lee.