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In [[The Lord of the Rings]], in his fight with the [[Balrog]], [[Gandalf]] says of himself that he is the wielder of the [[Flame of Anor]]. It is nowhere else referred to, so its particular meaning remains unclear. Anor is the [[Elvish]] word for the Sun, so literally the ''flame of Anor'' would be the light of the Sun, which originated in the fiery fruit of [[Laurelin]], one of the Two Trees of [[Valinor]]. Thus, Gandalf may be referring to the power he gains as a servant of the Lords of the West, in defiance to the corrupted darkness of the Balrog.<ref name="EoA_FoA">''[http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/f/flameofanor.html Flame of Anor],'' [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.asp The Encyclopedia of Arda]</ref> |
In [[The Lord of the Rings]], in his fight with the [[Balrog]], [[Gandalf]] says of himself that he is the wielder of the [[Flame of Anor]]. It is nowhere else referred to, so its particular meaning remains unclear. Anor is the [[Elvish]] word for the Sun, so literally the ''flame of Anor'' would be the light of the Sun, which originated in the fiery fruit of [[Laurelin]], one of the Two Trees of [[Valinor]]. Thus, Gandalf may be referring to the power he gains as a servant of the Lords of the West, in defiance to the corrupted darkness of the Balrog.<ref name="EoA_FoA">''[http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/f/flameofanor.html Flame of Anor],'' [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.asp The Encyclopedia of Arda]</ref> |
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| − | Alternatively, Gandalf may be referring here to[[Narya| Narya, the Ring of Fire]] . He is certainly the "wielder" of that ring, and therefore of that fire, but it seems highly unlikely that Gandalf would want to reveal his ownership of a [[Rings of Power|Ring of Power]] —a matter of utmost secrecy—to one of his greatest enemies.<ref name="EoA_FoA"/> |
+ | Alternatively, Gandalf may be referring here to[[Narya| Narya, the Ring of Fire]] . He is certainly the "wielder" of that ring, and therefore of that fire, but it seems highly unlikely that Gandalf would want to reveal his ownership of a [[Rings of Power|Ring of Power]] —a matter of utmost secrecy—to one of his greatest enemies.<ref name="EoA_FoA"/> Howsoever, taken in mind that the Balrog owes no allegiance to Sauron at that time, Gandalf may have revealed as an attempt it to scare the Balrog away. |
In Tolkien's earliest drafts, forms of this passage were variations on: "I am the master of White Flame. The Red Fire cannot come this way" (and one variation mixes in the idea of Black Shadow, too). These terms seem to be symbolic - ''white'' for the powers of good, but ''red'' or ''black'' for Sauron and his servants. As the text developed, the ''Red Fire'' and ''Black Shadow'' were lost. The ''White Flame'' remained, but developed into the more poetic ''flame of Anor.'' On this reading, then, the 'flame of Anor' doesn't refer to a specific thing, but is Gandalf's way of announcing what he stands for, or perhaps his power as a servant of the Valar.<ref>''The History of Middle-earth Vol. 7,'' "The Mines of Moria (2): The Bridge"</ref> |
In Tolkien's earliest drafts, forms of this passage were variations on: "I am the master of White Flame. The Red Fire cannot come this way" (and one variation mixes in the idea of Black Shadow, too). These terms seem to be symbolic - ''white'' for the powers of good, but ''red'' or ''black'' for Sauron and his servants. As the text developed, the ''Red Fire'' and ''Black Shadow'' were lost. The ''White Flame'' remained, but developed into the more poetic ''flame of Anor.'' On this reading, then, the 'flame of Anor' doesn't refer to a specific thing, but is Gandalf's way of announcing what he stands for, or perhaps his power as a servant of the Valar.<ref>''The History of Middle-earth Vol. 7,'' "The Mines of Moria (2): The Bridge"</ref> |
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Revision as of 15:25, 30 June 2017
- "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor."
- —Gandalf, to the Balrog of Moria
In The Lord of the Rings, in his fight with the Balrog, Gandalf says of himself that he is the wielder of the Flame of Anor. It is nowhere else referred to, so its particular meaning remains unclear. Anor is the Elvish word for the Sun, so literally the flame of Anor would be the light of the Sun, which originated in the fiery fruit of Laurelin, one of the Two Trees of Valinor. Thus, Gandalf may be referring to the power he gains as a servant of the Lords of the West, in defiance to the corrupted darkness of the Balrog.[1]
Alternatively, Gandalf may be referring here to Narya, the Ring of Fire . He is certainly the "wielder" of that ring, and therefore of that fire, but it seems highly unlikely that Gandalf would want to reveal his ownership of a Ring of Power —a matter of utmost secrecy—to one of his greatest enemies.[1] Howsoever, taken in mind that the Balrog owes no allegiance to Sauron at that time, Gandalf may have revealed as an attempt it to scare the Balrog away.
In Tolkien's earliest drafts, forms of this passage were variations on: "I am the master of White Flame. The Red Fire cannot come this way" (and one variation mixes in the idea of Black Shadow, too). These terms seem to be symbolic - white for the powers of good, but red or black for Sauron and his servants. As the text developed, the Red Fire and Black Shadow were lost. The White Flame remained, but developed into the more poetic flame of Anor. On this reading, then, the 'flame of Anor' doesn't refer to a specific thing, but is Gandalf's way of announcing what he stands for, or perhaps his power as a servant of the Valar.[2]
- "Only one thing I have added, the fire that giveth Life and Reality, and behold, the secret fire burnt at the heart of the world."
- —Ilúvatar [3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Flame of Anor, The Encyclopedia of Arda
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth Vol. 7, "The Mines of Moria (2): The Bridge"
- ↑ The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 1, p. 53 (Christopher Tolkien, editor. 1992)
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