Music and Magic in Middle Earth - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Boromir88 · 10-15-2004, 01:50 PM

Very nice post Davem (as usual) and some really interesting points. It's going to take some time for me to get my thoughts together and some more answers but I will say I agree with you on the "wizard's staff." The breaking of the staff does seem important, now I don't think the "staff" is the Istari's power, the Istari's power is within himself. The Staff is just the necessary weapon to, as you say, "channel" their powers, or to "use" their powers. We see Gandalf has to go to Galadriel and get a new staff and again with Saruman, Gandalf breaks his staff. Even with Saruman's staff broken though, he can still be dangerous, he still has that persuasive, powerful voice, so he still has his powers, but he can't perform the "magic of command or spell casting" without his staff. Those are my thoughts for now.

10-15-2004, 01:50 PM	#13
Boromir88 Laconic Loreman Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: USA Posts: 7,522	Very nice post Davem (as usual) and some really interesting points. It's going to take some time for me to get my thoughts together and some more answers but I will say I agree with you on the "wizard's staff." The breaking of the staff does seem important, now I don't think the "staff" is the Istari's power, the Istari's power is within himself. The Staff is just the necessary weapon to, as you say, "channel" their powers, or to "use" their powers. We see Gandalf has to go to Galadriel and get a new staff and again with Saruman, Gandalf breaks his staff. Even with Saruman's staff broken though, he can still be dangerous, he still has that persuasive, powerful voice, so he still has his powers, but he can't perform the "magic of command or spell casting" without his staff. Those are my thoughts for now.