Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we are talking about one of my favorite minor Tolkien characters:
Radagast the Brown.
I wanted to cover Radagast because I noticed several comments on my Gandalf video asking
why Gandalf is considered the only wizard to remain true to his mission, and what happened
to Radagast.
Well, today, we will answer those questions as we look at the life of Radagast the Brown.
Real quick - please hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss future videos here on
Nerd of the Rings.
Before coming to Middle-earth, Radagast is known as Aiwendil when he lives in Aman with
his fellow Maiar.
Aiwendil is an elvish word meaning “lover of birds”.
As a Maia, Aiwendil serves Yavanna, the Queen of the Earth, and one of the Valar.
Yavanna is responsible for all growing things and not only created the Ents, but also assisted
Manwe in bringing about the Great Eagles.
Knowing this relationship, it’s no surprise that Radagast himself shares a love and affinity
of plants and animals.
As we discussed in my Gandalf video, the Valar decide to send a group of maiar to Middle-earth
as emissaries to assist the elves and men in their struggle with the evil of Sauron.
In Unfninished Tales, we learn the that each of the Istari are associated with one or more
of the Valar.
Gandalf to Manwe and Varda Saruman to Aule
Alatar and Pallando - the blue wizards - to Orome
We also learn that it is only at the behest of Yavanna that Radagast is included in this
group.
Yavanna begs Curumo - or Saruman - to take Aiwendil with him.
Let’s just say Saruman accepted this much like you’d expect a kid who is ordered to
let their little brother tag along.
In 1000 of the Third Age, Aiwendil arrives in Middle-earth at the Grey Havens.
As the wizards come to their new dwelling place, they roam about Middle-earth.
Gandalf primarily spends time in the West, Saruman and the Blue Wizards travel to the
East, and Radagast?
Well, all we are really told is that Radagast isn’t much of a traveler.
At some point in the Third Age, he makes his home on the western borders of Mirkwood.
His home would come to be known as Rhosgobel.
There’s conflicting accounts as to where exactly Rhosgobel is located.
In The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, it is said that Rhosgobel is near the southern
borders of Mirkwood.
However, in Unfinished Tales, we are told it lies on the forest border between the Carrock
and the Old Forest Road.
While there’s is evidence to support either location, today, we will stick with the Rhosgobel
described in The Hobbit and LOTR.
As I mentioned, Radagast isn’t much of a traveler.
He becomes close to the animals and birds of the region, including a friendship with
the Great Eagles.
Beorn lives not too far from Rhosgobel, and would see Radagast from time to time, as we
find out when Gandalf, Bilbo and the dwarves meet Beorn on their journey to Erebor.
Beorn says Radagast is “not a bad fellow as wizards go.”
In 2851, the White Council holds its meeting in which Gandalf urges an attack on Dol Guldur,
but is overruled by Saruman.
Following this meeting, Saruman begins searching the Gladden Fields for the One Ring.
Radagast, unaware of Saruman’s true intentions, helps Saruman by enlisting birds and beasts.
Radagast believes the creatures would be helpful in watching and hindering Sauron, when in
reality Saruman seeks to use them to ensure he is able to search the area for himself.
The next we know of Radgast comes in 3018.
As Gandalf is putting the pieces together in discovering the true nature of Bilbo’s
ring, Radagast comes to Isengard, where he tells Saruman that he is willing to help Gandalf.
Saruman sends the brown wizard out to seek Gandalf and deliver a message.
Having not been much of a traveler, he isn’t very familiar with Eriador.
However, he sets out on his way, seeking for the land known as The Shire, where he would
likely find Gandalf nearby.
On Midsummer’s Day, Radagast is sitting on the side of the Greenway with his horse
near Bree when Gandalf finds him on his way to the village.
Gandalf tells everyone of the exchange during the Council of Elrond...
'"Gandalf!" he cried.
"I was seeking you.
But I am a stranger in these parts.
All I knew was that you might be found in a wild region with the uncouth name of Shire."
'"Your information was correct," I said.
"But do not put it that way, if you meet any of the inhabitants.
You are near the borders of the Shire now.
And what do you want with me?
It must be pressing.
You were never a traveller, unless driven by great need."
"I have an urgent errand," he said.
"My news is evil."
Then he looked about him, as if the hedges might have ears.
"Nazgul," he whispered.
"The Nine are abroad again.
They have crossed the River secretly and are moving westward.
They have taken the guise of riders in black."
'"The enemy must have some great need or purpose," said Radagast; "but what it is that makes
him look to these distant and desolate parts, I cannot guess."
'"What do you mean?" said I. '"I have been told that wherever they go the
Riders ask for news of a land called Shire."
'" The Shire," I said; but my heart sank.
For even the Wise might fear to withstand the Nine, when they are gathered together
under their fell chieftain.
A great king and sorcerer he was of old, and now he wields a deadly fear.
"Who told you, and who sent you?"
I asked.
'"Saruman the White," answered Radagast.
"And he told me to say that if you feel the need, he will help; but you must seek his
aid at once, or it will be too late."
'And that message brought me hope.
For Saruman the White is the greatest of my order.
Radagast is, of course, a worthy Wizard, a master of shapes and changes of hue; and he
has much lore of herbs and beasts, and birds are especially his friends.
But Saruman has long studied the arts of the Enemy himself, and thus we have often been
able to forestall him.
It was by the devices of Saruman that we drove him from Dol Guldur.
It might be that he had found some weapons that would drive back the Nine.
'"I will go to Saruman," I said.
'"Then you must go now," said Radagast; "for I have wasted time in looking for you, and
the days are running short.
I was told to find you before Midsummer, and that is now here.
Even if you set out from this spot, you will hardly reach him before the Nine discover
the land that they seek.
I myself shall turn back at once."
And with that he mounted and would have ridden straight off.
'"Stay a moment!"
I said.
"We shall need your help, and the help of all things that will give it.
Send out messages to all the beasts and birds that are your friends.
Tell them to bring news of anything that bears on this matter to Saruman and Gandalf.
Let messages be sent to Orthanc."
'"I will do that," he said, and rode off as if the Nine were after him.
---- Later, when Saruman’s treachery is revealed,
he makes his true feelings about Radagast known.
Saruman:'"Radagast the Brown!" laughed Saruman, and he no longer concealed his scorn.
"Radagast the Bird-tamer!
Radagast the Simple!
Radagast the Fool!
Yet he had just the wit to play the part that I set him.
For you have come, and that was all the purpose of my message.
And here you will stay, Gandalf the Grey, and rest from journeys.
For I am Saruman the Wise, Saruman Ring-maker, Saruman of Many Colours!"
So by sending Gandalf to Isengard, Radagast unwittingly helps in capturing him.
However, it is also thanks to Radagast that Gandalf escapes.
For Radagast had set to helping Gandalf by telling his animal friends to bring news to
Gandalf and Saruman at Isengard.
Because of this, Gwaihir finds Gandalf trapped atop Orthanc and carries him safely to Rohan.
In December of that year, the members of the fellowship are in Rivendell before setting
out on their quest.
Elrond’s scouts begin returning to Imladris and we find that some had come over the Gladden
Fields to Rhosgobel.
Radagast, however, was not there, so they left and returned to Rivendell.
This is the last reference to Radagast we are given in Tolkien’s works.
So, why is it that I said in my previous video that Gandalf was the only member of the Istari
to remain true to his mission?
Well, quite simply, it is the conclusion that Tolkien himself came to.
In an essay on the Istari, Tolkien wrote: Indeed, of all the Istari, one only remained
faithful [Gandalf], and he was the last-comer.
For Radagast, the fourth, became enamoured of the many beasts and birds that dwelt in
Middle-earth, and forsook Elves and Men, and spent his days among wild creatures.
He [Gandalf] differed from Radagast and Saruman in that he never turned aside from his appointed
mission ('I was the Enemy of Sauron') and was unsparing of himself.
Radagast was fond of beasts and birds, and found them easier to deal with; he did not
become proud and domineering, but neglectful and easygoing, and he had very little to do
with Elves or Men although obviously resistance to Sauron had to be sought chiefly in their
cooperation.
He even suggests that Gandalf is the only wizard to ever return to Aman in a poem:
Wilt thou learn the lore that was long secret of the Five that came from a far country?
One only returned.
Others never again
So where does this leave us with Radagast?
Well, Radagast’s ultimate fate is just one of those great Middle-earth Mysteries.
While we’ve seen Radagast pop up in non-canon games like LOTRO and War in the North - and
most notably - in the Hobbit Trilogy, it’s one of those things we can only wonder what
truly happened.
We know he didn’t sail west.
For my part, I don’t believe Radagast was killed, as some speculate due to the scouts
report at the Council of Elrond.
When the scouts return, notice they don’t say that Rhosgobel was destroyed, ransacked,
or even disturbed in any way - something I would expect to happen if orcs had been involved.
They simply state that they found Rhosgobel and Radagast wasn’t there.
More likely, as Gandalf mentioned, Radagast travelled because he had great need.
Perhaps this was to help thwart a scheme of Sauron’s in the north of middle-earth - perhaps
he needed to heal a hedgehog.
One thing we can safely assume is that while he neglected the company of elves and men,
he certainly never turned to evil.
As Gandalf tells the Council of Elrond: It would have been useless in any case to try
and win over the honest Radagast to treachery.
If he survived the War of the Ring, I think it likely that the honest Radagast continued
to serve and care for the birds and beasts of Middle-earth.
A special thanks to all my Patreon supporters, especially my wizard level patron, TomDaBombadil19.
Thanks so much for watching, please leave a like and subscribe and we’ll see you next
time on Nerd of the Rings!