All That is Gold Does Not Glitter

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes, a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

– J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

First off, I am a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings. I appreciate the books and the movies. This poem is from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I am going to concentrate on the first half of this poem. This my favorite quote because I love how powerful each line is on its own. Even completely out of context, the quote can still have a significant meaning for people. In this article I will be focusing on the out of context meaning, therefore, people who have never read the books or watched the movies can enjoy it too.

All that is Gold Does Not Glitter

The first line, “All that is gold does not glitter,” is stating the most important and precious things in life are not treasure or sparkly coins, but things that are too valuable to put a price on. All the glittery gold nuggets in the world cannot bring life, peace, time, or contentment. Some may argue that money will solve all your problems, but I’m a firm believer that money alone won’t buy happiness. What is considered to be “gold” by some and what others treasure can be entirely different, depending on what is most valued in their life. “Gold” in my life is love and happiness with my closest friends and family.

Not All Those Who Wander are Lost

I most enjoy the second line of the above quote, “Not all those who wander are lost”. It’s so well-known, that some people don’t even realize it originates from The Lord of the Rings. This proves how powerful the quote is on its own. I take the meaning of this line to be, it might not be the most direct route, but it doesn’t mean you don’t know where you are going. The exploration and experiences you have along the way, which you might not have otherwise, are guiding and molding you into the person you will eventually become. You may not even realize these important experiences had an effect on you until much later.

The Old That is Strong Does Not Wither

The third line in the poem is, “The old that is strong does not wither.” Strong can be interpreted to mean a variety of things, it doesn’t only mean to be physically superior. It’s possible to be strong mentally and emotionally too, which is sometimes more important. Losing a step as you age doesn’t mean you are not tough, durable, or resilient anymore.  Recognizing your limitations and changing is one of the braver and stronger things a person can do. If you continue to understand and believe in your abilities, then age is only a number.

Deep Roots are Not Reached by the Frost

Lastly, “Deep roots are not reached by the frost”. Trees take a long time to grow and the taller they grow the deeper the roots have to become. They create a sound foundation to be able to provide enough water and nutrients to the farthest limbs. It may take a while to grow and get where you want or need to be, but the time is worth it. The slow growth is to ensure you have everything you need to stand up on your own.  All of that skill, growth, and experience ensures a storm or an adversary won’t knock you down.

I enjoy the second half of the poem as well. The remainder of the poem focuses more on Aragorn II, son of Arathorn. In a future article, I will discuss the whole poem and how it applies to Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings. Otherwise, I could babble for days about him in all three books.

If you’re interested in reading The Lord of the Rings, check out Kindle Unlimited. As of this writing, the entire trilogy plus The Hobbit are available as part of the subscription, both e-book and audiobook versions!

Does this poem make you feel the same way? What are your thoughts about the quote?