Gandalf

Gandalf is the wandering wizard whose arrival at Bilbo Baggins's hobbit-hole one morning long ago sets the entire adventure in motion, and who serves throughout as the expedition's strategist, protector, and moral compass, repeatedly rescuing the company from disaster and shaping the quest's outcome through his foresight and magical power. He is a figure of immense age and knowledge, known for his tall pointed blue hat, long grey cloak, silver scarf, immense black boots, and a long white beard that hangs below his waist. His presence is the catalyst that transforms a quiet, respectable hobbit into a burglar and adventurer, and his interventions—from the trolls' camp to the Battle of Five Armies—are decisive at every critical turn.

Identity and Background

Gandalf is introduced as an old man with a staff, but he is far more than he appears: a wizard of great power and a master of lore and good magic. He is remembered by the hobbits for his magnificent fireworks, which he used to provide for Old Took on Midsummer's Eve, and for the wonderful tales he told at parties about dragons, goblins, giants, and the rescue of princesses. He is also known for sending quiet lads and lasses off into the Blue for mad adventures. His friendship with the Took family is long-standing; he had not been down under The Hill for ages, not since his friend the Old Took died. He is a member of the White Council, a great council of white wizards, and it is revealed that he had been to a council that drove the Necromancer from his dark hold in the south of Mirkwood. He is also acquainted with the Lord of the Eagles, having once rendered a service to the eagles and healed their lord from an arrow-wound.

Role in the Quest

Gandalf is the architect of the quest to reclaim the dwarves' treasure from the dragon Smaug. He chooses Bilbo Baggins as the fourteenth member of Thorin and Company, insisting that the hobbit is a burglar and that there is a lot more in him than anyone guesses. He arranges the meeting at Bag-End, scratches a secret mark on Bilbo's green front-door, and provides the map of the Mountain and the key to the secret entrance. He guides the company through the early stages of the journey, leading them to the Last Homely House of Elrond, where the moon-letters on the map are read and the swords from the trolls' lair are identified. He is a wise enough wizard to know that even good plans can go astray when off on dangerous adventures over the Edge of the Wild.

Key Actions and Interventions

Gandalf's magical power and quick thinking save the company repeatedly. In the trolls' camp, he keeps the three trolls bickering and quarrelling with a disguised voice until dawn turns them to stone. In the goblin tunnels, he kills several goblins with a flash of light, follows the prisoners to the edge of the great hall, and works up the best magic he could in the shadows. He kills the Great Goblin with his sword Glamdring, which the goblins call Beater, and cuts the chains of the prisoners. When the company is trapped in trees by Wargs and goblins, he sets pine-cones alight with blue, red, and green fire and throws them among the wolves, causing chaos. He is rescued from the burning tree by the Lord of the Eagles just as he is about to leap down among the goblins. He also negotiates with Beorn, telling the story of their adventures in a way that makes the skin-changer interested and ultimately friendly, securing ponies, food, and advice for the journey through Mirkwood.

Relationships and Conflict

Gandalf's relationship with Thorin Oakenshield is one of mutual respect but also tension. He is the counsellor and friend of the dwarves, but he also holds his own counsel and leaves the company at the edge of Mirkwood to attend to pressing business, despite their protests. He has a deep friendship with Elrond, who provides the company with rest and advice. He is also on friendly terms with Beorn, whom he knows from previous encounters. His most significant relationship is with Bilbo Baggins, whom he chooses, protects, and ultimately praises as a very fine person. He is the one who reveals himself at the parley before the Gate, telling Thorin, "If you don't like my Burglar, please don't damage him." He also appears suddenly at the Battle of Five Armies, calling for a halt and warning of the goblin army's approach.

Change and Ending

Gandalf does not undergo a personal transformation in the same way Bilbo does, but his role shifts from active guide to a more distant overseer as the quest progresses. He leaves the company at the edge of Mirkwood, telling them that their luck and courage must carry them through. He reappears at the critical moment of the parley and again at the battle, where he is wounded in the arm. After the battle, he accompanies Bilbo on the return journey, riding behind the Elvenking and beside Beorn. He stays with Bilbo at Beorn's house over Yule-tide and finally brings him back to Bag-End, where he reveals that he had been to the White Council. In the end, he tells Bilbo that his adventures were not managed by mere luck, but that he is a very fine person, though only a little fellow in a wide world.

Narrative Role and Evaluation

Gandalf functions as the classic mentor figure in the hero's journey, but he is also a character of independent agency and power. He is the catalyst for the adventure, the source of crucial information and magical aid, and the one who ensures that the company survives its most desperate moments. His wisdom and foresight are contrasted with the dwarves' more straightforward and often greedy motivations. He is a figure of mystery and authority, whose presence lends the tale a sense of deeper history and cosmic significance. His final words to Bilbo, that the prophecies of the old songs have turned out to be true because Bilbo himself had a hand in bringing them about, underscore the theme that even the smallest person can shape the course of events.