As it is said in The Silmarillion, on the Third Age of Arda ‘there appeared in the west of Middle-earth the Istari, whom the Men called the Wizards’. In the hierarchy of power they were a separate race occupying the highest position and possessing supernatural powers. Their chiefs were Mithrandir and CurunÃr, or Gandalf and Saruman. CurunÃr was the eldest among the Istari and came first. Then came Mithrandir and Radagast. The latter was the friend of all birds and beasts, and spent his time guarding the forest realms of Middle-earth. CurunÃr journeyed far East and on his return he dwelt at Orthanc, the Tower built by the Númenoreans in the days of their power. Mithrandir devoted many long years to studying ancient scripts seeking to reveal the secret of the Rings. Knowledge was his power, which helped him to guide his companions rather than direct their wills. Saruman had also begun to study the lore of the Rings of Power and soon he turned to dark thoughts desiring to find the Great Ring and subdue the world to his own will. Gandalf seemed uncorrupted by his magical power and used it for good purposes. In this sense Gandalf, as Tolkien described him, is indeed an ‘angel’ come down among men. And as Gandalf is a wizard or ‘wise man’, his knowledge of the power of words suggests that he represents something of the author himself.
For communications with other peoples of Middle-earth Gandalf used their own tongues or the Common Speech, but yet preferred the Eldarian tongues to the others. Thus for setting a tree on fire he pronounced “Naur en edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngaurhoth!”, a phrase left by Tolkien untranslated, but which can be undoubtedly referred as an Elvish one. Then trying to open the gates of Moria Gandalf again cries out in this language, “Annon edhellin, edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!” for he was certain the inscription was made in Elvish like the writing on the arch. Owning to his great knowledge Gandalf was able to read even the inscription on the Ring which was in the Old Black Speech. With the end of the Third Age of Middle-earth he departed from it with the Elven-lords who had been dwelling there, for ‘magic has departed forever from this world and now remains only in ancient songs and Men’s memories’. [4]
Like the Ents, Tom Bombadil stands apart from all races of Middle-earth. He lives with Goldberry, his lady, in the heart of the Old Forest and is presented as a kind of spirit of nature who is untouched by the Dark Lord’s will.”Eldest,that is what I am. Tom was here before the rain and the trees. Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn”, says Bombadil of himself. [2]
He is purely natural and Nature’s power is an issue for him. As Goldberry explains, he is a ‘Master of Wood’, but he does not own it. He had lived before history. Tom can live with the trees because he is a spirit of Joy, beyond good and evil, taking Nature as it is. He is totally unaffected by the power of the Ring, he can even make it disappear. He possesses that holly Joy which lies at the basis of life. Bombadil is the power to the help of which the hobbits resort in need and fear, whose might can break the spell of the Barrow-wight. He is undoubtedly the soul of Middle-earth: simple-looking, light-minded but yet mysterious and strong.
Next: The relationship of the Westron to the other peoples in The lord of the rings.