---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: an old man with a staff. He had a tall…"
description: "\"“an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down”\" — J.R.R. Tolkien"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/j-r-r-tolkien-204_old-man_an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-po_2889435.jpg"
---

#  an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a…

![“an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down” quote by J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/j-r-r-tolkien-204_old-man_an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-po_2889435.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/j-r-r-tolkien-204_old-man_an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-po_2889435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/j-r-r-tolkien-204_old-man_an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-po_2889435.jpg)

> ““an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down””

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Describes a vivid, eccentric old man with distinctive attire and beard.

**In simple terms:** A colorful old man with unique clothing.

Key Takeaway

Notice details that reveal character.

Themes

character description fantasy

Mood

whimsical curious

Type

literary descriptive

When to use this quote

- storytelling
- role‑playing
- costume design
- visual arts

Key Concepts

imagery characterization

Questions to Reflect On

- How does attire shape perception?
- What does his staff symbolize?

A Different Perspective

May rely on stereotypes of wise elders.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/)

## Related quotes

> [“Good Morning!” said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/good-morning-said-bilbo-and-he-meant-it-the-sun-was-shining-and-the/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [A tall, thin old man waving a scorecard from the corner of his dugout. That's baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/a-tall-thin-old-man-waving-a-scorecard-from-the-corner-of-his-dugout/)

[Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/)

> [“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-don-t-get-to-choose-if-you-get-hurt-in-this-world-old-man-but-you/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. He was a grump-looking old man with a great deal of a long gray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-barman-sidled-toward-them-out-of-a-back-room-he-was-a-grump/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I’m 59 and people call me middle aged. How many 118 year old men do you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-cryer/i-m-59-and-people-call-me-middle-aged-how-many-118-year-old-men-do/)

[Barry Cryer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-cryer/)

> [The true love suddenly broken, not only but like the old man who has lost the stick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-true-love-suddenly-broken-not-only-but-like-the-old-man-who-has/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“He wants to dream like a young man with the wisdom of a old man, he wants his home and securities, he wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/he-wants-to-dream-like-a-young-man-with-the-wisdom-of-a-old-man-he/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [“IN the year 1888 Herr von Pasenow was seventy, and there were people who felt an extraordinary and inexplicable repulsion when they saw him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-broch/in-the-year-1888-herr-von-pasenow-was-seventy-and-there-were-people/)

[Hermann Broch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-broch/)

> [“You think people was meaner then than they are now? the deputy said. The old man was looking out at the flooded town. No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/you-think-people-was-meaner-then-than-they-are-now-the-deputy-said/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [There was an Old Man of Messina, Whose daughter was named Opsibeena; She wore a small wig, and rode out on a pig, To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lear/there-was-an-old-man-of-messina-whose-daughter-was-named-opsibeena/)

[Edward Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lear/)

> [My old man was ruthless. He terrorised us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hunt/my-old-man-was-ruthless-he-terrorised-us/)

[Mark Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hunt/)

> [Therefore, brethren, pray until God gives us revelation so that "knowing this" in our spirit we may truly confess "that our old man has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/therefore-brethren-pray-until-god-gives-us-revelation-so-that-knowing/)

[Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/)

[Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/)

> [“You’d better keep her tied.” “Why?” A yawn stretched Hunter’s dark face. “Because she’s looking skittish.” “She’s naked.” Sheathing his knife, Hunter flopped on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/you-d-better-keep-her-tied-why-a-yawn-stretched-hunter-s-dark-face/)

[Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/)

## More by J.R.R. Tolkien

> [“I will vouch for him before the seat of Denethor,' said Gandalf. 'And as for valour, that cannot be computed by stature. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/i-will-vouch-for-him-before-the-seat-of-denethor-said-gandalf-and-as/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“I have chosen Mr Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/i-have-chosen-mr-baggins-and-that-ought-to-be-enough-for-all-of-you/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“he can see through a brick wall in time (as they say in Bree). But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/he-can-see-through-a-brick-wall-in-time-as-they-say-in-bree-but/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“No todos los que vagan están perdidos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/no-todos-los-que-vagan-est-n-perdidos/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“The consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending; or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous "turn" (for there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/the-consolation-of-fairy-stories-the-joy-of-the-happy-ending-or-more/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“Sméagol won't grub for roots and carrotses and - taters. What's taters, precious, eh, what's taters?' 'Po-ta-toes,' said Sam. 'The Gaffer's delight, and rare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sm-agol-won-t-grub-for-roots-and-carrotses-and-taters-what-s-taters/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“But the Queen Arwen said: 'A gift I will give you. For I am the daughter of Elrond. I shall not go with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-the-queen-arwen-said-a-gift-i-will-give-you-for-i-am-the-daughter/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“If you lived near the edge of Mirkwood, you would take the word of no one that you did not know as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/if-you-lived-near-the-edge-of-mirkwood-you-would-take-the-word-of-no/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“He was dark-haired as his mother, and promised to be like her in mood also; for he was not merry, and spoke little, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/he-was-dark-haired-as-his-mother-and-promised-to-be-like-her-in-mood/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“Sam: Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sam-mordor-the-one-place-in-middle-earth-we-don-t-want-to-see-any/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/may-your-beer-be-laid-under-an-enchantment-of-surpassing-excellence/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“Though sword shall be rusted, And throne and crown perish With strength that men trusted And wealth that they cherish, Here grass is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/though-sword-shall-be-rusted-and-throne-and-crown-perish-with/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“Seguid si es vuestro deber —dijo—, yo me echaré aquí a dormir y a soñar con comida, ya que no puedo tenerla de otro…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/seguid-si-es-vuestro-deber-dijo-yo-me-echar-aqu-a-dormir-y-a-so-ar/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“Co to mělo v kapšiškách? Nechtělo to říct, ne, milášku. Podvodníšek mrňavá. Nefér otázka. Podvádělo to první. Poruššilo to pravidla. Měli šme to žmáčknout,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/co-to-m-lo-v-kap-i-k-ch-necht-lo-to-ct-ne-mil-ku-podvodn-ek-mr-av-nef/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

> [“it is horrible being all alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/it-is-horrible-being-all-alone/)

[J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

[Explore all 857 J.R.R. Tolkien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/)

## More Old man quotes

> [“You’d better keep her tied.” “Why?” A yawn stretched Hunter’s dark face. “Because she’s looking skittish.” “She’s naked.” Sheathing his knife, Hunter flopped on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/you-d-better-keep-her-tied-why-a-yawn-stretched-hunter-s-dark-face/)

[Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/)

> [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/)

[Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [Therefore, brethren, pray until God gives us revelation so that "knowing this" in our spirit we may truly confess "that our old man has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/therefore-brethren-pray-until-god-gives-us-revelation-so-that-knowing/)

[Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/)

> [My old man was ruthless. He terrorised us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hunt/my-old-man-was-ruthless-he-terrorised-us/)

[Mark Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hunt/)

> [There was an Old Man of Messina, Whose daughter was named Opsibeena; She wore a small wig, and rode out on a pig, To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lear/there-was-an-old-man-of-messina-whose-daughter-was-named-opsibeena/)

[Edward Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lear/)

> [“You think people was meaner then than they are now? the deputy said. The old man was looking out at the flooded town. No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/you-think-people-was-meaner-then-than-they-are-now-the-deputy-said/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [“IN the year 1888 Herr von Pasenow was seventy, and there were people who felt an extraordinary and inexplicable repulsion when they saw him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-broch/in-the-year-1888-herr-von-pasenow-was-seventy-and-there-were-people/)

[Hermann Broch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-broch/)

> [“He wants to dream like a young man with the wisdom of a old man, he wants his home and securities, he wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/he-wants-to-dream-like-a-young-man-with-the-wisdom-of-a-old-man-he/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [The true love suddenly broken, not only but like the old man who has lost the stick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-true-love-suddenly-broken-not-only-but-like-the-old-man-who-has/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I’m 59 and people call me middle aged. How many 118 year old men do you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-cryer/i-m-59-and-people-call-me-middle-aged-how-many-118-year-old-men-do/)

[Barry Cryer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-cryer/)

> [The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. He was a grump-looking old man with a great deal of a long gray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-barman-sidled-toward-them-out-of-a-back-room-he-was-a-grump/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-don-t-get-to-choose-if-you-get-hurt-in-this-world-old-man-but-you/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [A tall, thin old man waving a scorecard from the corner of his dugout. That's baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/a-tall-thin-old-man-waving-a-scorecard-from-the-corner-of-his-dugout/)

[Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/)

> [God has given this way of life to Israel: to abstain from everything which is contrary to nature, that is to say, anger, fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/god-has-given-this-way-of-life-to-israel-to-abstain-from-everything/)

[Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/)

[Browse all 2,184 Old man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "J.R.R. Tolkien"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-pointed-blue-hat-a-long-grey/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Old man"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-pointed-blue-hat-a-long-grey/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/j-r-r-tolkien-204_old-man_an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-po_2889435.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/j-r-r-tolkien-204_old-man_an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-po_2889435.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/j-r-r-tolkien-204_old-man_an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-po_2889435.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his…” — J.R.R. Tolkien",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "J.R.R. Tolkien",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“an old man with a staff....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-pointed-blue-hat-a-long-grey/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/an-old-man-with-a-staff-he-had-a-tall-pointed-blue-hat-a-long-grey/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
