The figure of the wizard can be considered as one of the most interesting characters in modern fantasy literature. Normally, wizards are seen as old, wise men, with long beards, robes and staffs who have great knowledge about the world and its history due to long studies and books. However, there are a few ancestors of the wizard as he is seen today: in Arthurian legends you can find Merlin and in Shakespeare’s plays Prospero is the great wizard. In creating Prospero Shakespeare conjured an image of the wizard, traces of which can still be found in modern literary figures. As Prospero can be seen as “providing one of the basic templates for the figure of the wizard” it is interesting to the similarities between wizards like him and wizards in modern fiction.
In the novel The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien describes two wizards who settled the image of the modern wizard in the reader’s mind: Gandalf and Saruman. As “Gandalf became a cult figure in the late 1960s” his opponent Saruman cannot reach his popularity. However, the two wizards show the two sides of magic between which a wizard can choose: good versus evil. In the novel the wizard plays “a crucial, super-heroic role” and thus the wizard is manifested as a basic of fantasy literature.
Taking into account that Prospero’s character has good and bad attitudes in Shakespeare’s The Tempest it is interesting to examine the relationship between him and his descendants Gandalf and Saruman as the embodiments of good and evil. Three main aspects will be analysed: the sources of the three wizards’ magic, where their power is situated; how to evaluate the use of magic, whether it is good or bad; and in which way the magic is manifested in the outer world. Some abstractions should be considered in analysing Prospero, Gandalf and Saruman: Gandalf and Saruman are known by many names; however, I use Gandalf and Saruman as the most famous and most used names, too. Moreover, the three wizards represent one prototype of wizard: the one who is educated and who uses magical powers. However, in today’s fiction there still exist other kinds of wizards who draw their power from other sources, for example, the Wizard of Oz who “is a charlatan who has arrived in the magical country of Oz by balloon”.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The sources of magic
2.1. Wisdom
2.2. Power from the heavens
2.3. Magical equipment
3. Black vs. White Magic
3.1. The two sides of Prospero
3.2. Saruman vs. Gandalf
3.3. Gandalf and Saruman in the tradition of Prospero
4. Effects of magic
4.1. Nature
4.2. People
4.3. History
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic work explores the literary connection between the archetype of the wizard in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. It examines how the characters of Gandalf and Saruman act as manifestations of the dual nature of Prospero, focusing on the sources of their magical power, the ethical implications of its use, and its ultimate influence on their respective narrative worlds.
- Analysis of magical sources (wisdom, divine power, and equipment).
- Examination of the dichotomy between white and black magic.
- Comparison of moral development and character archetypes.
- Investigation into the influence of magic on nature, individuals, and historical trajectories.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3. Magical equipment
Another source for Prospero’s magical powers is his equipment as they are the symbols of his wisdom: in act 5 he claims that he will break his “staff” (5.1.54) and he will drown his “books” (5.1.57) and he casts magic in his “magic robes” (5.1.). The robes can also be seen as a symbol of Prospero’s nobility.
As wizards in Shakespeare’s time are to be seen as wise old men, the staff may seem to show Prospero’s age, because a young man does not need a staff. Another aspect of the staff is the idea of a sceptre which adds to the idea of the noble wizard. The books are the basis of every study which Prospero did in his younger years, as he claims that “in dignity, and for the liberal arts / without parallel; those being all my study” (1.2.73). He stops to do magic by dropping these instruments of power. Prospero needs his instruments to do magic and thus the magic is somewhat given to him by worldly entities, too.
Gandalf appears in robes, too, as it is described when he arrives at the Shire: An old man was driving it all alone. He wore a tall pointed hat, a long grey cloak and a silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck out beyond the brim of his hat.16 This small passage describes Gandalf as an old man in robes as one can imagine Prospero may appear, too.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the wizard archetype in fantasy literature and outlines the comparative analysis between Prospero, Gandalf, and Saruman.
2. The sources of magic: Investigates the origins of magical ability through wisdom, cosmological alignment, and physical artifacts like staffs and rings.
3. Black vs. White Magic: Explores the moral duality of magic, contrasting Prospero's internal conflicts with the clear moral divergence seen in Gandalf and Saruman.
4. Effects of magic: Details how the exercise of magic directly impacts the natural world, individual behavior, and the historical progression of realms.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, positing that Gandalf and Saruman serve as a modern, bifurcated evolution of Prospero's original character design.
Keywords
Wizard, Prospero, Gandalf, Saruman, The Tempest, The Lord of the Rings, Magic, Renaissance, Fantasy, Istari, Mythology, Literature, Morality, Symbolism, Power
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this study?
The study focuses on comparing the characterization and magical functions of wizards in Shakespeare's The Tempest and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Central themes include the nature of power, the moral ambiguity of magic, the relationship between masters and servants, and the influence of magic on historical events.
What is the research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate how Gandalf and Saruman represent the dual sides of Prospero, embodying both the positive and negative potential of the "Renaissance wizard" archetype.
Which methodology is employed?
The work utilizes a comparative literary analysis, evaluating primary texts against relevant secondary literature on fantasy tropes and Renaissance philosophy.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the sources of magic (wisdom, heavens, equipment), the moral contrast between black and white magic, and the practical effects of magic on nature and society.
Which keywords define this work?
The primary keywords include: Wizard, Prospero, Gandalf, Saruman, Magic, Renaissance, and Fantasy.
How does the author characterize Prospero’s failures?
Prospero’s failures are linked to his neglect of political duties in favor of solitary study, leading to his exile and a subsequent, often ego-driven, use of power on his island.
Why does the author associate the staff with the name 'Gandalf'?
The author highlights the Norse etymology of 'Gandalf,' which connects the name to 'gandr' (a magical staff), reinforcing the staff as a symbol of the wizard's identity and authority.
- Quote paper
- Magister Artium Christoph Höbel (Author), 2005, J.R.R. Tolkien's Gandalf and Saruman in the tradition of Shakespeare's Prospero, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/143838
