Magic (Middle-earth)
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The concept of Magic in Middle-earth is hard to define: one definition is that it is the defining property that sets J. R. R. Tolkien's imaginary or secondary world (Arda) apart from the real or primary world.
Natural beings, landscapes, and objects appear in Middle-earth as they do in the primary world, but they are changed or enhanced by a magical influence, for lack of a better word.
Additionally, there are different kinds of magic apparent from the stories, and besides magic there are also divine powers as used by the Valar and Maiar.
One kind of magic is the fundamental difference of the world: in Middle-earth there is a real Unseen World or shadow realm besides the normal world, where the Ringwraiths reside, and where part of the power of the High Elves lies. This can mostly be seen in the descriptions of Frodo Baggins while wearing the One Ring of the appearance of both the Ringwraiths and the High Elf Glorfindel in that World. Related to this are the ghosts and Barrow-wights under the Necromancer (Sauron)'s control: the ghost of a dead wife dooms Barahir's party, and the hobbits are nearly killed by wights in the Barrow-downs. Similarly, prophecy is real in Middle-earth: Boromir and Faramir have "true dreams" about the One Ring and the Halfling, and Glorfindel prophecies the nature of the Witch-king's doom.
Magic can also be seen having an effect on the world itself: in Eregion the stones speak about the Elves who once lived there.
And of course in Middle-earth creatures such as Dragons, Orcs, Dwarves and Elves are real.
Another kind of magic can be seen in objects. Durin's Door of Khazad-dûm is a prime example of this: the door itself is physical and could also exist in the primary world, but the moon-runes and its response to a password are supernatural and thereby magical. Likewise Elven and Númenórean swords are not just masterfully created weapons, but they also possess the magical property of glowing when Orcs are present. Saruman's voice could also fit this category, as his enchanting voice is similar to hypnosis but goes beyond it. The palantíri are similar to modern videophones, but are in Middle-earth clearly magical and more similar to divining spheres used by soothsayers. Not least of all are the Rings of Power themselves.
A third group is the "actual" magic, which is perhaps surprisingly rare outside of The Hobbit, which has been written in a more childish style than the other stories concerned. Here we find speaking purses, magical firework, shapeshifting, and speaking animals. While this lighthanded use of magic occurs less in the other works, in The Lord of the Rings we still read how Gandalf uses spells to conjure fire and hold the door in the Chamber of Mazarbul, and Galadriel uses her mirror to show scenes from past, future, and present. Likewise in the stories of The Silmarillion Lúthien and Beren change shape in order to infiltrate Angband, and Finrod sings spells to hide his identity from Sauron. Melian uses magic to create a barrier around her land of Doriath which is for a time seemingly impenetrable to all.
Of these three categories, the first is intrinsic to Middle-earth and is therefore not specifically recognized as magic in the stories themselves. The second and third groups are hard to combine in a satisfying fashion: while it is clear that they are magical, this magic does not come from a single source and is very dissimilar. This difference is voiced in The Lord of the Rings by Galadriel:
| "And you?" she said, turning to Sam. "For this is what you folk would call magic, I believe; though I do not understand clearly what they mean; and they seem to use the same word for the deceits of the Enemy. But this, if you will, is the magic of Galadriel. Did you not say that you wished to see Elf-magic?" |
Besides these examples of magic there is also the power of the Valar to consider. Not only are these Angelic beings responsible as co-creators with Eru Ilúvatar for creating the world, they also played an active part in further shaping it. Even the Sun and Moon are directly created by their deeds. It is due to these divine powers that the Morgoth turns Dor Daedeloth into a region of everlasting cold, bypassing natural laws, and he raises immense mountain chains such as the Hithaeglir. The Morgoth is even said to have tainted all of the world (except for Aman in some matter. Likewise the Vala Oromë uses an island as a ferry to ship the Eldar to Aman, and the Valar erect dangerous island and reef chains to make navigation to their realm nearly impossible. While these actions are clearly supernatural they are likely not magic as used elsewhere in Middle-earth, as these powers are reserved to the Valar themselves, who are represented as beings of an entirely different class than Elves and Men.
In conclusion it can be said that magic is inherent to Middle-earth: the entire world is in a sense magical. Magic in the more classical sense is most apparent in objects as discussed above, and 'active magic' in the form of spells etc. is quite rare, used by only a few characters in very specific situations.
[edit] External links
- Magic in Middle-earth by Steuard Jensen
- Principles of Tolkien's Magic by John H. Kim
- [1], [2] - other webpages that address the issue
