[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

And what trees? Of course there is Yggdrasil, the world tree.

There is the tree in the Volsunga Saga into which Odin thrusts the sword. Tolkien drew profusely from that saga as discussed on Rune's Tolkien and Norse Mythology.

Originally Posted by Raynor

Well, personally, I find the idea a bit of a stretch, that Odin would be the source of both Gandalf and Sauron

Not necessarily. As mentioned, Tolkien borrowed ideas, themes, even blatantly obvious situations (Glaurung and Fafnir, anyone?). Why should it be particularly harder to think he might have borrowed a character or a character type? That was my original argument in favor of Christ figures. If a writer can 'steal' a theme, why can't he 'steal' a character type?

I don't remember enough about Odin off of the top of my head to draw legitimate parallels, or I would. If nobody else beats me to it, I might try for it later tonight.