By Thomas Bentley, 2002
Some critics of The Lord of the Rings choose
to reject the story because they are turned off by what they perceive as magic
and sorcery. However, after careful
consideration of the novel*, it becomes clear that neither Gandalf nor the
forces of good use sorcery, witchcraft or dark magic.
Since it’s initial
publication, The Lord of the Rings has
captured the interest of diverse fan groups.
Several groups latched onto the elements of fantasy and created their
own derivative fantasy built around magic, wizardry and spells. Tolkien fans constructed their own elaborate
imaginary worlds of magic to serve as the settings for role-playing adventures
and fantasy stories. While The
Lord of the Rings served as the inspiration
for modern magic based fantasy, in The Lord of the Rings itself, the forces of good do not use magic at all!
Tolkien's view of magic
did not include the use of spells or rituals as used in modern fantasy stories
(Dungeons and Dragons or Harry Potter).
Some events were mysterious in operation to those who witnessed them and
as a result, not necessarily understood.
The Lord of the Rings is told from the perspective of simple Hobbits and
anything out of the ordinary is magic to them.
When Pippin asks if the Elvin cloaks they receive are magical, the
leader of the Elves says that he does not know what Pippin means by that
because for Elves, what mortals call magic is simply how the world works. (Page
479, Fellowship)
Arthur C. Clarke (author
of 2001 & 2010) described this concept of magic being something as yet
unexplained, or too complicated to explain in what he calls his Third Law; “Any sufficiently advanced technology
is indistinguishable from magic.”
Now, take a moment to consider
the three basic definitions of the word MAGIC…
#1) The exercise of sleight of hand for entertainment or diversion.
#2) The practice of using charms, spells, or rituals to attempt to produce supernatural effects or control events in nature.
#3) An
event or object possessing distinctive qualities that produce unaccountable or
baffling effects for the observer.
Definition one encompasses harmless magic tricks that we have all participated in. Card tricks, coin tricks and even playing Peek-a-boo.
The second includes witchcraft, sorcery and the conjuring of spirits. We are warned by the scriptures to avoid this magic at all costs.
The last definition encompasses the “magic” used by the forces of good including the Elves, Dwarves, and Gandalf. Real life objects that fit this definition include the Urim and Thummim and the Ark of the Covenant that are described in the Bible. These operate outside of our current understanding, but that does not mean that they are “magical” in the negative sense of the word.
This brings us to the Gandalf the wizard. The word wizard is automatically associated with the negative definition of magic but this was not what Tolkien had in mind when he created the character. The following definition describes the type of wizard that Gandalf is.
\Wiz"ard\, n. 1. A
wise man; a sage. [Obs.] 2: someone who is very highly skilled.
The word was probably derived
by combining wise + -ard. The suffix[ -ard]
is defined as; one that commands; he that descends…
It usually has the sense of one who has a high degree of the quality expressed by the root; such as, braggart.
Notice how Milton uses the word “wizard” when describing the wise men in search of the Christ child; “…see how from far upon the eastern road the star-led wizards haste with odors sweet!” The Latin equivalent of “wise men” is “magi”, which means “magicians”. Were the Magi of the Bible mere performers of tricks? Were they sorcerers and witches? Of course not! They fall under definition #3 in that they were well versed in the knowledge of astronomy (not astrology), science and the power of God. Gandalf also fits in this same class of magician.
As explained in the Guide to Middle Earth, Gandalf is an emissary from the Valar, who in turn, report to the God of Tolkien’s mythology. Each of the Valar and their emissaries are endowed with a portion of the creative power of the head God. It is through that delegated power that they perform their responsibilities. To the casual reader or to simple hobbits, the use of such power would appear “magical” because it is far too advanced for them to understand. Gandalf uses his knowledge of science to create fireworks but from the simple point of view of the Hobbits, he is producing magic. In other situations, Gandalf uses his divinely bestowed power to perform other fantastic feats. In the mines of Moria, he declares his possession of such power to the Balrog in an attempt to discourage the creature. “I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. You cannot pass.” The Balrog ignores the warning but he is unable to overcome the authoritative power that Gandalf wields.
In summary, the imaginary world of J.R.R. Tolkien is not one where the forces of good use of magical spells and incantations. As a strong religious man, he knew that magic is not only something to be avoided, but something unnecessary for a good fantasy story.
*The movie does embellish some parts of the story such as when the two wizards are fighting. The book does not mention magic during their encounter.
