Gandalf's Staff

[Findegil]

If you read of Frodos dream in the house of Bombadil you will find that Gandalf had his staff still when he was imprisoned on the summit of Orthanc. So, I don't think he left it behind when he was carried away by Gwahir.

I have interpreted the braeking of Gandalf staff on the brige of Khazad-dûm as desperat act of Gandalf himself. He saw in the coming of the balrog and the already forseen result of the encounter with it (look at Aragorns words before they enter), the end of his quest come. He was defeated, and the breaking of the staff was symbol for that. But he did accept the rules set for the istari and laid the doom of the world in the hand of the fellowship and one ruler of all fate. Because of this humilation he did, he was in the result send back. Not to help Frodo in his quest, which he had brought on the way well enough to be successful. Gandalf was obviously sent back too save waht could be saved of the western culture.

Only a small aside: Did Glamdring fall from Gandalfs hand when he was draged into the chasam? I never get that impresion from the bock, especialy because he used it in the fight against the Balrog under the earth.


Respectfully
Findegil