How Powerful was Gandalf the Grey?

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by R.R.J Tolkien

I view his enhanced power as a gift from eru, not something that derived from his personality, experiences or being in any way.

Yeah, that I can get behind wholeheartedly.

Originally Posted by Zigûr

I would say Eru, because it was Eru who made the decision and had the power to send him back.

As R.R.J. has pointed out, in Letter 156, Professor Tolkien does indeed write that Gandalf was "enhanced in power", although the professor qualifies that this means "in sanctity": he was more holy as a result of his experience, perhaps more "pure". I think that might be the difference; as Gandalf the Grey, he was the representative of the Valar. As Gandalf the White, he was the representative of Eru Himself. This is an enhancement because it is an elevation of role and responsibility. It's also a message to Sauron, who since the end of the Second Age had convinced himself that Eru had given up on Arda and no longer cared what happened there.

No argument there. You make an interesting point about Eru's involvement being a message to Sauron. I wonder if he ever received or understood the message. How much did he know about what happened to Gandalf? How much did he sense the difference?

To push my earlier thought further, I wonder if the message was meant as much for Saruman as for Sauron. A reminder that your parents still own the room in the house where the teenager lives, so to speak, so you cannot wreck the place as you want. Since Saruman followed Sauron in much of his philosophy, it's not unreasonable to assume he also swallowed his ideas of Eru's and the Valar's level of involvement; being himself an emissary of the Valar he would have had to in order to act the way he did.

The main idea I have in support for this claim is that aside from Gandalf's confrontation with Saruman he does not seem that much different from the old Gandalf - except generally more radiant and more motivating and invigorated compared to his tired self at the end of Moria. He does what he always did, and while you can argue that the power shines out of him all the time the only extraordinary thing he does is cast Saruman from the order of the Istari.

That also makes me wonder about Gandalf in the year after the victory. He laughs more, he is less gloomy - understandably so given his role. He does not lose any of his wisdom. But he retires from the world, and he explains that his part is done, the rest is the new generation's mission. Is he still endowed with the power or authority? Or was that only lent to him for the duration of his task? What happens to him after he is done - whether when Sauron falls, or when he is completely done and returns to the West? I vote on him "returning" what was granted to him and Eru "rescinding" it, as it goes with Olorin's wise and humble nature.

Yet another thought - that this gift of power was like a Ring without the element of corruption, a Ring that could be used for truly unselfish reasons. Gandalf tells us how he believes the Ring would find its way to his heart - and now he can do all of it, without the evil whisper in his ear.

That was quite a lot more than I intended to write initially. I better get to bed now before any more midnight thoughts come creeping into my head. But it's a great discussion, and good thread!