The Wizards

[Iargwath]

I was just wondering...are wizards men? Also is there a meaning in the different kinds of wizards ie Grey, White.
Thanks [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Guildo]

Wizards are Maiar (lesser angels) if you will, they only take the form of man, as for if their colors where their ranks im not sure, it probably has more to do with their chosen path, or chosen duties

[Iargwath]

Thanks very much. It helped a lot [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Davin]

all i know is that 'the white' is the leader basically....they others are just wizards

[Gayalondiel]

The Istari were all originally Maiar in service of the Valar. Manwe sent them to middle-earth to

amend the errors of old, especially that they had attempted to guard and seclude the Eldar by their own might and glory fully revealed...
~ Unfinished Tales part IV/II (the Istari)

In essence, they were a means of subtle divine intervention. Their bodies were real, could grow and be damaged and killed, whereas before all the Maiar and Valar had assumed bodies as and when they chose. The Istari were in form like men but had far greater power, and grew old only very slowly.
As for the colours, there isn't any passage (or I've never found it [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]) that states The blue wizard is stronger than the brown wizard etc. The only time this comes into play is where Saruman the White was the greatest of the council, until he had left that role to become Saruman of Many Colours, and Gandalf subsequently stepped into the role of White.

[Iargwath]

Thanks a lot guys, you've helped out heaps [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Legolas]

The Valar [gods of Middle-earth] sent the Istari in approximately 1000 of the Third Age to aid the people of Middle-earth. They originally only intended on sending three (Olorin, Curumo, and Alatar). Yavanna insists on Radagast going, and Alatar requests that Pallando comes along 'as a friend.' They are all 5 Maiar...servants of the Valar.

Your question did not ask anything about the particular wizards, but since I dug up a post of mine, I figured I might as well include since you didn't know the Istari were immortal beings sent on a mission and my explanation already included how the wizards faired in their mission.

Gandalf was given Narya by Cirdan upon his arrival to aid him in his quest. Cirdan immediately percieved that Gandalf, though shorter in stature, was greatest (in spirit, I believe the quote goes...no books handy!)Gandalf was also the only one to stick to his mission.

Radagast strayed from his mission in favour of taking care of animals (especially birds) in his home of Rhosgobel along the outskirts of Mirkwood. He was obviously lesser in strength/wisdom and younger than the other Istari, as we see him tricked into summoning Gandalf to Orthanc and Saruman calling him a fool, among other things. His affiliation with the birds helped Gandalf, however, as he sent the Eagles to retrieve him (and it may be safe to assume Radagast is responsible for a couple of other instances when the eagles conveniently show up in the nick of time). He's also mentioned when Gandalf takes the dwarves and Bilbo (in The Hobbit) to Beorn...Beorn hasn't heard of Gandalf, but Gandalf mentions his 'cousin Radagast' whom Beorn is familiar with.

Saruman obviously strays from his mission too. Soon after their arrival to Middle-earth, Saruman accompanies Alatar and Pallando into the east of what we know as Middle-earth (only the northwest corner). Saruman returns after a thousand years (or is it two thousand?), but without the other two. Tolkien never specifies what became of them, but we're assured they fell to evil because he states Gandalf is the only one to stick to his mission.

The wizards wouldn't appear to age as much as men, they're immortal.

White was the colour chosen by Saruman, and because he was held as the chief of the order, Gandalf took over that colour when he returned and Saruman's direction had gone ill. The other colours are not related to the stature of the corresponding wizard. They do seem to say a bit about that wizard's character, however. Brown is associated with the earth - Radagast was in love with nature, as 'his' Vala was (Yavanna). Grey is generally considered not so appealing to the eye, much like the rest of Gandalf's appearance. The grey only furthered the masking of his great power inside and was a reflection of his humble spirit. Not as much can be said about the light blue that Alatar and Pallando wore, except for that it suggests that they were definitely different...throughout the rest of the story, we just see characters wearing green, brown, grey, etc. - nothing particularly eye-catching.

[ August 18, 2002: Message edited by: Legalos ]

[Iargwath]

Thanks a lot Legalos, your reply was great. It furthered my knowledge. Its much appreciated [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Mister Underhill]

This is the sort of basic info thread that we'd like to see start generating real discussion in Novices and Newcomers. I'm moving it over there.