What's in a Staff?

[Formendacil]

In addition to being a prop form a wizard's age, it occurs to me that a staff in the hands of a wizard might also be a prop in a more dramatic sense--that is, it's part of the visual equipment dealt the Istari for their role in Middle-earth as wizards.

The idea being, that, because the Istari are Maia in their nature, their power will certainly come from their own being, rather than from some stick they carry--but perhaps they carry the stick as a prop--the people of Middle-earth wouldn't know the difference, and it might make the power appear less inherent in the wizard.

On the other hand, however, it's clear that some sort of power must reside in the staff, since when Gandalf the White breaks Saruman's staff, this is not merely a ceremonial act--it actually deprives Saruman of some/most of his power (it is said that his voice is pretty much all that is left thereafter).

So...

Gandalf fights the Balrog without his staff, with no apparent problems.

Saruman has his staff broken and loses his power.

How to reconcile these points?

Perhaps it is not that the staff, itself, has any power, but rather that it houses a wizard's authority. The distinction between the two is subtle, but I think there is one. A staff broken for a wizard will not cripple his power, because his power does not reside there. However, a staff broken by a higher authority (as the returning Gandalf is to Saruman--whether in his own right or on behalf of Manwë--or Eru--is another matter), robs a wizard of his ability (or authority) to exercise his power.

Does that make sense?

Until and unless broken by a competent authority, a wizard's staff could be any old stick--but he would typically have to have one as the badge of his office. If broken by a competent authority, however, no matter that it was just some old stick, his ability to exercise his power was gone.

Which leads to an interesting question... was Saruman a competent authority to break Gandalf's staff--thereby rendering his power inert? One assumes not, since he did not do any such thing when he had Gandalf prisoner in Isengard... but it's hardly conclusive. Was it because he didn't see the need? Because such an action would have involved the Valar?

Or I am overcomplicating it, and it was merely that Saruman, though head of the order, did not have that authority? In which case, Gandalf returning as the White would be a separate matter from Gandalf returning empowered to divest Saruman of his authority.

EDIT: Crossposted with Ibrîn, who seems to be taking a similar line.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

The breaking of Saruman's staff would thus be akin to the breaking of a king's scepter, or Denethor's deliberate breaking of the Steward's staff: a sign that the office was at end, that the reign was over. Saruman's tenure as head of the Istari ended, and his staff was broken.

I can certainly see symbolism in the staffs, as well. When Saruman's staff is broken, the head of it falls at Gandalf's feet. This would seem a clear indication that Gandalf was then the 'head' of the Order.

All the same, the staff seems to have some quality of magic of its own, or at least the ability to channel it. Consider the Fellowship at Moria.

As the wizard passed on ahead up the great steps, he held his staff aloft, and from its tip there came a faint radiance.

A Journey In the Dark

And earlier, when Gandalf, Bilbo, and the Dwarves were caught in the trees in The Hobbit:

Then Gandalf climbed to the top of his tree. The sudden splendour flashed from his wand like lightning..

Out of the Frying-Pan Into the Fire

'Wand' there, should surely be read for 'staff'.
I think the staffs are both instruments of power, and, as Ibrin said, symbols of office.

[Rumil]

Well all I know for sure is that Terry Pratchett claimed that a Wizard's Staff has a knob on the end .

I am temped to agree with Formy regarding the authority to 'practice magic' maybe resided in the staff, as I read it Saruman was deprived of his magical power, apart from his hypnotic voice, when Gandalf broke his staff.

I wonder if a proportion, maybe even a majority, of an Istari's power did reside in their staff, or require the staff to allow its use? Could this have been one of the limitations that was imposed by the Valar when the Wizards were sent?

[Ancalagon'sFire]

The staff in the hand of a wizard may be more than a prop for age' said Háma. He looked hard at the ash-staff on which Gandalf leaned.

It is an interesting choice of words Háma uses and probably the most adept observation he could make. The term ash-staff also intrigues, for one wonders where the staff originates from, was it brought with him across the sea, if so it is ash from Valinor and made from the song of Yavanna herself. If not, it originates then in Middle-Earth and is but a stick until it finds itself in the hands of a Wizard. The two seem intertwined, made for one another but by whom? Is it carven by Elves or by Aule himself? There is clear reference in Unfinished Tales describing Gandalf's arrival:

Others there were also: two clad in sea-blue, and one in earthen brown; and the last came one who seemed the least, less tall than the others, and in looks more aged, grey-haired and grey-clad, and leaning on a staff.

It may be safe to assume he brought it with him, unless someone other than Cirdan brought it to him for the journey across the sea, having first been carved in Middle-Earth. I suspect however he has brought it with him, as did they all. Yet, when Gandalf strayed out of thought and time, and wandered far on roads that he would not tell, he is returned naked and conveyed to Lothlórien where he is clothed in white. Where does he regain his staff on this occasion? Gandalf is most associated with the staff, by Men, Elves and Dwarves alike, but that is most likely due to his constant relationship building among each race.

He raised his staff. There was a roll of thunder. The sunlight was blotted out from the eastern windows; the whole hall became suddenly dark as night. The fire faded to sullen embers. Only Gandalf could be seen, standing white and tall before the blackened hearth. In the gloom they heard the hiss of Wormtongue's voice: 'Did I not counsel you, lord, to forbid his staff? That fool, Háma, has betrayed us!' There was a flash as if lightning had cloven the roof. Then all was silent. Wormtongue sprawled on his face.

Wormtongue's comment is clearly the counsel of Saruman who knows such things. The staff is a conduit for Gandalf's power, without which he is but an impotent fool. There is an intriguing insight into Tolkien's deliberations about Gandalf's staff taken from Book of Lost Tales 2 in which he makes several varying references to the power of the staff.

'Well, that's that,' he said. 'It was all I could do. I expect I
have buried Balin. But alas for my staff: we shall have to go by
guess in the dark. Gimli and I will lead.'
They followed in amazement, and as they stumbled behind he
gasped out some information. 'I have lost my staff, part of my
beard, and an inch of eyebrows,' he said. 'But I have blasted the
door and felled the roof against it, and if the Chamber of
Mazarbul is not a heap of ruins behind it, then I am no wizard.
All the power of my staff was expended [?in a flash]: it was
shattered to bits.'

Of course, this is not the finished product and doesn't make the final version which we see in Fellowship of the Ring;

Suddenly at the top of the stair there was a stab of white light. Then there was a dull rumble and a heavy thud. The drum-beats broke out wildly: doom-boom, doom-boom, and then stopped. Gandalf came flying down the steps and fell to the ground in the midst of the Company.
`Well, well! That's over! ' said the wizard struggling to his feet. `I have done all that I could. But I have met my match, and have nearly been destroyed. But don't stand here! Go on! You will have to do without light for a while: I am rather shaken.'

It is clear however that the staff has been employed in the destruction of the chamber and as such the light has been lost. These references seem to give some indication as to the power within the staff. I would suggest that the staff itself is made for each Wizard, possibly corresponding with their respective colours/skills and each ordained with specific powers exclusive to the nature of that Wizards colour/skill. It begs the question; Does a Blue Wizard have a Staff that harnesses 'water' and if so were they choices of Ulmo? The Brown Wizard, Radagast, does his staff induce growth, control over the flora and fauna of the Land? Saruman, it would indicate his seems more inclined towards vision, of revealing secrets and thus controlling (at least attempting to) the minds of others? Although there is clearly much more to his make-up than that, not the least his control of the weather while the fellowship attempted the crossing of the Misty Mountains. As for Gandalf he says himself: `I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass.' Most references to Gandalf's Wizardry seem to point to fire, flame or light. There is no doubt each Wizard has some innate ability to control or manipulate the elements which one would suspect is the gift of all Maiar since they had a part in the 'song' and their creation. The significance of a 'wood' staff and how power is divined through it, I am not so certain.
As always, these are mere observations and speculations on my part and open to the utmost scrutiny

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Interesting. I don't have my copy of the letters at hand, so I can't quote directly, but I do know that Tolkien said that Gandalf's wanderings "out of thought and time" meant that he left the Circles of the World, and was sent back by "the Authority," aka Eru. Whether or not his journey from life and back included any time spent in Valinor, he does not say. But he was returned directly to the top of Zirak-zigil, literally naked, and was reclothed by Galadriel and the Elves of Lothlorien. One can presume that either Gandalf took Glamdring with him, or Gwaihir picked it up for him, but no mention of him having a staff with him is made. Therefore, it would appear to follow that the staff he had as Gandalf the White came from the Elves of Lothlorien. If it had any special "power," I would think it either came from Galadriel, or from Gandalf himself.

I have speculated in other writings that in the fashioning of these "signets of office," each of the wizards might have been required to place something of their own power into them, not to imbue them with mundane magical ability, but as a pledge to their position as Stewards. Others would not be able to use it to make magic, but it would give the wizards a taste of what they would be dealing with in the matter of the Rings, and perhaps make them more inclined to stick to their purpose, as the power would (by plan) be returned to them only when they returned to Valinor, and were able to resume their natural forms. This is wholly speculation, mind you; there's absolutely no proof to support it, except perhaps in Saruman's statement about Gandalf wanting the staffs of all the Five Wizards, which indicates some degree of more than symbolic importance to the items (this thought, of course, is contradicted by the puzzling fact that when Gandalf was a prisoner in Orthanc, Saruman let him keep his staff. We know this because he had it and used it, if I recall correctly, when Gwaihir plucked him off the top of the tower).

Ah, so much speculation, so little proof....

[Andsigil]

Perhaps Saruman invested much of his own power into his staff in order to increase his strength, much like Sauron did with the One Ring. Both beings were Maiar, after all.

Gandalf, always wary of worldly trappings and vigilantly keeping his eyes on his mission, chose to keep most of his own power inside of himself. This is why he was able to fight the Balrog without it.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Andsigil

Perhaps Saruman invested much of his own power into his staff in order to increase his strength, much like Sauron did with the One Ring. Both beings were Maiar, after all.

Sauron's motives for endowing the Ring with much his native power were fairly singular though: he had to make it exceptionally strong, so that it could control the other Rings of Power.
I don't see Saruman having any incentive to follow suit, especially since he was so well versed in ring-lore that he likely knew just how vulnerable Sauron had made himself by dividing his power.