Invisibility

[Cirdan]

Originally posted by Christiana
Tom's Elvish name was Iarwain Ben-adar, occuring to Elrond.
And in Apendix B it states clearly that Gandalf died and returned 2 life.

Quite right on both counts. It's interesting that in the text he only experiences it as being taken away and returned. Also, if he is brought back to life, why use the wasted body and spend the time to heal in Lothlorien? It seems an afterthought to put in the appendix that he died. (I must admit I read it the first time I read the book, but not in subsequent readings). I wonder if the ambiguity in the text was Tolkien trying to avoid the allegorical form (as some have written than he abhorred), but the death fit his faith's concept of sacrifice as opposed to the eastern concept of a re-incarnation. Either way it seems he was coscious during the whole period.

Who is Tom. B? I'm still looking. Any ideas?

Why was gandalf so eager to see Tom after the RotK? What business was more urgent that the "shadow in the shire"?