Why Gandalf Was Given A Ring Of Power In Lord Of The Rings, But Not Saruman

by

Gandalf skillfully conceals it, but throughout The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, he possesses one of the three Elven Rings of Power. While it’s unclear exactly how he uses this ring – known as Narya, the Ring of Fire – it probably assists him in uniting Middle-earth’s armies and boosting their morale. Considering Gandalf is only the second of the Istari wizards, it’s surprising that Saruman wasn’t the one who carried Narya instead.

Gandalf is the only wizard in The Lord of the Rings to receive a Ring of Power, while Saruman was considered the leader and most powerful of the five. Considering Saruman’s betrayal wasn’t discovered for centuries, it would make more sense if he had been given the Ring of Fire instead of Gandalf.

The Elf That Sensed Gandalf’s Importance From The Very Beginning

Long before the wizards arrived in Middle-earth, the Elves held three Rings of Power: Elrond possessed Vilya, Galadriel held Nenya, and Círdan owned Narya. Círdan, a skilled shipbuilder, was the first Elf to welcome the wizards when they sailed from the west and reached Middle-earth. Saruman and Radagast were the first to arrive, and Gandalf followed later.

Círdan gave Gandalf his Ring of Power when they first met, which is especially interesting considering he didn’t offer it to Saruman. Círdan believed Gandalf deserved such a powerful gift, raising the question of how much Círdan understood about each wizard’s true goals.

Círdan didn’t give the ring Narya to Gandalf because he doubted Saruman, but because he recognized Gandalf’s inherent goodness and wisdom. As the oldest of the elves, Círdan had a special foresight, and he sensed that Gandalf would face many difficult challenges in the future. He offered the ring to help Gandalf overcome those obstacles.

Círdan didn’t initially suspect Saruman would become an enemy, but he wasn’t entirely convinced of the White Wizard’s worth. Although the Valar had placed Saruman as the leader of the magical emissaries, Círdan considered Gandalf to be more powerful – a belief Gandalf didn’t share himself. Other elves agreed, and Galadriel later supported Gandalf taking over leadership of the White Council from Saruman.

Círdan Giving Narya To Gandalf Created A Problem For Middle-earth

Gandalf’s ring, Narya, likely helped defeat Sauron, though the extent of its impact isn’t fully known. It’s possible the ring subtly encouraged the bravery shown by hobbits and men during the events of The Lord of the Rings.

However, Gandalf having the ring Narya also caused problems for the people of Middle-earth. Saruman began to resent Gandalf even before they left Valinor. This feeling started when the Valar chose Gandalf for the mission and placed him second in command, directly under Saruman’s authority.

Although Gandalf tried to keep it hidden, Tolkien revealed that Saruman discovered Gandalf had received the ring Narya from Círdan and felt envious. Saruman considered himself a more powerful wizard and was frustrated by the fact that many of his allies appeared to support Gandalf instead. Plus, Narya would have been incredibly useful for Saruman’s pursuit of knowledge – and eventually, power.

While it’s not accurate to say Saruman would have stayed good if Círdan hadn’t given Narya to Gandalf, Círdan trusting Saruman was definitely a contributing factor to his eventual downfall in The Lord of the Rings.

Read More

2025-11-20 16:58