Today’s topic is one I get asked about fairly
often. While in so many other cases, we are given insight into the wisdom of the wizard Gandalf,
this topic along with portrayals in adaptations has led many to wonder if his brilliance faltered
when it came to one of the greatest threats. Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we cover
Gandalf’s knowledge of Bilbo’s ring. I feel like today’s topic has been
a big one among fans for some time, and has been brought to the forefront ever since
the conclusion of The Hobbit trilogy nearly 10 years ago. I remember having to revisit the issue
of Gandalf’s knowledge of the ring all those years ago because it can be easy to interpret Gandalf’s
awareness being greater than it truly is. We’re going to look at the situation with
the ring, and Gandalf’s knowledge of it in as close to chronological order as I can
muster, in hopes this will bring into focus how this played out and why Gandalf
came to the realization when he did. We know that long before Bilbo entered the story,
Gandalf would have had some knowledge of the Rings of Power. Afterall, Cirdan the Shipwright gives
Gandalf his own ring - Narya, the ring of fire so that he may use it in his many adventures to
come as he works against Sauron. Gandalf, being a member of the White Council - which included the
greatest elves and wizards of Middle-earth, and possessing a ring of power himself, knew a great
deal more about the rings than the typical elf. While we don’t know the exact timeline for
Gandalf learning of the creation of the rings, we know that in 2850, Gandalf enters Dol Guldur, discovering the Necromancer is indeed Sauron -
who is gathering all rings he can while seeking for news about the One Ring and the Heir of
Isildur. Coincidentally, it’s during this trip to Dol Guldur when Gandalf discover’s
King Thrain and receives the key to Erebor. 91 years later, Gandalf sends Bilbo and the
dwarves on the Quest of Erebor, in hopes of solving the potential problem of Sauron
teaming up with the dragon Smaug. As we know, it is during their time in the Misty Mountains
that Bilbo discovers the ring and he initially leaves out any mention of the ring in recounting
his tale to the rest of the Company and Gandalf. While Gandalf would find Bilbo’s story
suspicious, Bilbo doesn’t reveal the ring’s existence to the wizard within the
pages of the Hobbit. Only the dwarves are with Bilbo when he reveals the ring in saving
them from the spiders of Mirkwood - by which time Gandalf has gone to Dol Guldur with the
White Council to drive Sauron from his fortress. Eventually, Bilbo would reveal he had a magic
ring, though when he says he “won” the ring, Gandalf does not believe him. As
Frodo later tells us, Gandalf pesters Bilbo until he gets the true account of
Gollum and Bilbo’s Riddles in the Dark, and his taking of the magic ring.
The earliest this could have happened would’ve likely been sometime in the Spring
of 2942 TA - either when Gandalf and Bilbo make their way back from their journey or
some other time Gandalf visits the Shire. Gandalf would of course check in on the hobbit
from time to time - for instance, we know that he came with Balin in the fall of 2949 - seven years
after their adventure together. This is when Bilbo learns of the new prosperity of the Kingdom of
Erebor and the restored mannish realm of Dale. Just four years later, in 2953 TA, the White
Council would hold their final meeting, for the Tower of Barad-dur had risen again. Then for the last time the Council met; for now we
learned that he was seeking ever more eagerly for the One. We feared then that he had some news of
it that we knew nothing of. But Saruman said nay, and repeated what he had said to us before:
that the One would never again be found in Middle-earth. ‘“At the worst,” said he, “our
Enemy knows that we have it not, and that it still is lost. But what was lost may yet be found, he
thinks. Fear not! His hope will cheat him. Have I not earnestly studied this matter? Into
Anduin the Great it fell; and long ago, while Sauron slept, it was rolled down the River
to the Sea. There let it lie until the End.” ’ When Gandalf recounts this portion of the story
at the Council of Elrond, he blames himself, saying he was lulled by the words of Saruman
the Wise. This is a very important point - one of Saruman’s greatest powers is his voice.
We find in The Two Towers that when Saruman focuses his power on a person or group of
people, he can sway their hearts, plant fears, and sow lies as he pleases. This spell, so to
speak, could last as long as the speech itself or it could take root within the person’s heart and
last forever. Indeed in The Two Towers chapter the Voice of Saruman, we find that even those who
are forewarned of this danger find themselves affected by his words. The way Gandalf describes
himself - “I was lulled by the words of Saruman the Wise” - leaves open the possibility that
it was not merely Saruman giving ill counsel, but actually working subtle magic
against those who saw him as a friend. And the fact that Saruman was still seen as a
complete ally at this time is crucially important not only for the effectiveness of his lie, but
also their natural trust in his expertise. Saruman had spent years in Minas Tirith during the time
period of 2500-2759 TA, studying in the archives. Saruman was unquestionably the expert when it
came to the Rings of Power and specifically, the one Isildur had carried for two years
before his death. If anyone remaining in the late third age could speak with conviction
on the One Ring itself, it was Saruman. Now, over the coming years, Gandalf would
certainly notice that Bilbo did not appear to age. While we as readers and viewers
know this to be a symptom of the one ring, Gandalf provides additional reasoning
why he wasn’t initially suspicious it could be the One. Looking at Bilbo’s
genealogy, we see that he comes from a long-lived family - his maternal grandfather is
remembered as the Old Took, and lived to be 130. Even with Bilbo being from a well-preserved
family and Saruman’s convincing argument that the ring was swept out to the Sea,
Gandalf had another reason to believe all was well - perhaps the greatest reason
of all. What isn’t as commonly known, and what is omitted from the films, is that
there were more than just the 19 Rings of Power created in Eregion during the Second Age.
Before any of the 19 were made, the smiths under Celebrimbor made the lesser rings. As Gandalf
later tells Frodo in the Fellowship of the Ring: ‘In Eregion long ago many Elven-rings were made,
magic rings as you call them, and they were, of course, of various kinds: some more potent and
some less. The lesser rings were only essays in the craft before it was full-grown, and to the
Elven-smiths they were but trifles – yet still to my mind dangerous for mortals. But the Great
Rings, the Rings of Power, they were perilous.” Gandalf essentially comes to the conclusion that
Bilbo has likely stumbled upon one of these lesser rings. We don’t even know how many were made, and
they certainly weren’t thought highly of by the elves. Gandalf also knew from his conversation
with Saruman at the final White Council that the Nine and Seven rings had jewels on them -
the three were accounted for between Galadriel, Elrond, and Gandalf himself. Only the
lesser rings and the One were unadorned by any jewel. But Gandalf notes that Bilbo seems
unharmed and unchanged by the ring - and surely the One Ring would have had a far worse
effect on Bilbo if he indeed possessed it. And now we come to the fateful evening in
Sept, 3001. Gandalf, once again in The Shire, sees that Bilbo still has hardly aged in the
60 years since gaining the ring. This gives Gandalf his first true warning that all is not
well. Bilbo has certainly passed beyond being “well-preserved”. That night, Bilbo takes a
great amount of convincing to follow through with leaving the ring for Frodo - going so
far as to imply Gandalf wants it for himself and placing his hand on the hilt of his small
sword while calling the ring ‘his Precious.’ As Gandalf later recounts to Frodo: “He said
and did things then that filled me with a fear that no words of Saruman could allay. I knew
at last that something dark and deadly was at work. And I have spent most of the years
since then in finding out the truth of it.” And indeed, this would be the moment Gandalf
would launch into his investigation after warning Frodo not to use the ring. Gandalf
would still periodically check in on Frodo to see how the ring was or wasn’t affecting
him. Gandalf begins to notice there are spies around the shire of many sorts -
even beasts and birds. At his request, the Dunedain double their watch on The Shire,
and Gandalf finally confides in Aragorn. Aragorn in turn counsels that they should hunt for
Gollum to find out what they could from him. Aragorn proclaims it is fitting that Isildur’s
heir should labour to repair Isildur’s fault. Aragorn and Gandalf searched
at great length for Gollum, but are not successful for a
long time. Nearing despair, Gandalf remembered the words of Saruman at
a previous meeting of the White Council… Gandalf: “The ring itself might tell if it were
the One. The memory of words at the Council came back to me: words of Saruman, half-heeded at
the time. I heard them now clearly in my heart.” ‘“The Nine, the Seven, and the Three,” he
said, “had each their proper gem. Not so the One. It was round and unadorned,
as it were one of the lesser rings; but its maker set marks upon it that the
skilled, maybe, could still see and read.” As Saruman had continued to say the ring was
swept out to sea, Gandalf decides to go to Minas Tirith himself. Arriving in 3017 TA, Gandalf
discovers the Scroll of Isildur, which states… Already the writing upon it, which
at first was as clear as red flame, fadeth and is now only barely to be read. It
is fashioned in an elven-script of Eregion, for they have no letters in Mordor for such
subtle work; but the language is unknown to me. I deem it to be a tongue of the Black
Land, since it is foul and uncouth. What evil it saith I do not know; but I trace here
a copy of it, lest it fade beyond recall. The Ring misseth, maybe, the heat of Sauron's
hand, which was black and yet burned like fire, and so Gil-galad was destroyed; and
maybe were the gold made hot again, the writing would be refreshed. But for
my part I will risk no hurt to this thing: of all the works of Sauron the only fair. It is
precious to me, though I buy it with great pain. In early 3018, Gandalf makes his way to
Mirkwood, where Aragorn has taken the captured Gollum after finding him at long last.
Gandalf interrogates the miserable creature, though by now, he is merely confirming
what he already believes to be true - that Gollum discovered the ring in the
very location where Isildur died. With a clear history of the One Ring, and a
fool-proof way to determine if Frodo’s ring is The One, Gandalf returns to the Shire
in secret the night of April 12, 3018. The next morning, Gandalf inspects the ring,
using fire to reveal its strange markings… 'I cannot read the fiery letters,'
said Frodo in a quavering voice. 'No,' said Gandalf, 'but I can. The letters are
Elvish, of an ancient mode, but the language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here. But
this in the Common Tongue is what is said...: One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them. It is only two lines of a
verse long known in Elven-lore: Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.' He paused, and then said slowly in a
deep voice: 'This is the Master-ring, the One Ring to rule them all. This is
the One Ring that he lost many ages ago, to the great weakening of his power. He
greatly desires it — but he must not get it.' Knowing beyond doubt that Frodo’s ring is the very
ring he has feared, he sends the halfling upon the quest that would lead him first to Rivendell, then
onward to Mount Doom. However, there is one last question to be answered. If this ring was indeed
the One Ring, why did it take so long for Bilbo to show such symptoms? How could he have seemed
unharmed for so long with such an evil object? The answer lies in a dialogue between Frodo and Gandalf shortly after the ring is
revealed, when Frodo says of Gollum: “What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that
vile creature, when he had a chance!’ ‘Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand.
Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need. And he has been well rewarded, Frodo. Be
sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began
his ownership of the Ring so. With Pity.’ In the end, it was Bilbo’s pity that would save
his own life, for the manner of receiving and giving the One Ring is vital. Smeagol murdered
Deagol to claim the ring, and he lost it to Bilbo in the caverns under the Misty Mountains. But
Bilbo began his ownership with an act of pity, and in the end, though it was with encouragement of
his friend Gandalf, Bilbo indeed gave up the ring of his own accord. If Gandalf had taken it from
him, it would have destroyed the poor halfling. Instead, the pity for Gollum by
both Bilbo and later Frodo and Sam, would not only save themselves,
but all of Middle-earth. as always I want to say a huge thank you to my
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The new „does he know?“ meme
What did the Wizard know and when did he know it?