Highlights
- Radagast’s role as a wizard in Middle-Earth was to aid the free peoples against Sauron, but his focus on animals and nature made him less effective in this mission.
- Tolkien’s opinion on Radagast shifted over time, and while he considered him a failure, there’s an argument that Radagast had a specific role to play as Yavanna’s emissary.
- Despite his shortcomings, Radagast was trusted by Gandalf and played a part in defending Yavanna’s creations in Middle-Earth.
Of the five wizards sworn to protect Middle-Earth, Radagast the Brown might be the most interesting. Best remembered for his charming and comedic portrayal by Sylvester McCoy in Peter Jackson’s films, Radagast is a figure that remains on the fringes of the main story in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Because of this, very little is known about the Brown Wizard. However, J.R.R. Tolkien once made a statement to shock Radagast fans everywhere: he claimed that Radagast was a failure.
The original quote is admittedly a bit less harsh, but the general message admonishes Radagast’s handling of his duties as a wizard. In an index written for The Lord of the Rings in 1954, Tolkien described Radagast as such:
Indeed, of all the Istari, [Gandalf] only remained faithful … 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.
Why would Tolkien call one of his most lovable characters a failure? More importantly, was he correct? The answer lies in understanding both Radagast’s character and the purpose of the Wizards within Middle-Earth. Finding it requires poring over the bread crumbs of evidence scattered throughout Tolkien’s legendary mythology.
What Is the Role of the Wizards?
The role of wizards in Middle-Earth can be difficult to understand. Their powers and purposes are totally different from the archetypal wizards that fantasy fans have become accustomed to in video games and TV. In the world of The Lord of the Rings, there are only five wizards total, all of whom belong to an order known as the Istari. These wizards are unlike mortals in the typical sense. Instead, they are angelic beings who have been sent to Middle-Earth on behalf of the god-like Valar who dwell far in the West. Because of this, they possess powers and knowledge far beyond Elves and Men, but their spirits are still bound within the confines of a human body.
At the beginning of the Third Age (roughly 3,000 years before the events of LOTR), the Valar became concerned that the power of the Dark Lord Sauron would return to once again threaten Middle-Earth. To prepare the free peoples for such a great evil, the Valar chose five of their most loyal followers and sent them to Middle-Earth to aid in the destruction of Sauron. Radagast was sent on behalf of Yavanna, the Vala Queen of all things that grow, which explains his deep-seated affinity for the natural world. Upon arriving in Middle-Earth, Radagast took a liking to the dense forests of Greenwood (later called Mirkwood). It was here that he would spend the majority of his time over the following millennia.
Why Would Radagast Be Considered a Failure?
It can be disappointing to think of a character as charming as Radagast as a failure. However, understanding the role of the Istari sheds some light on why Tolkien would label him as such. The role of the Wizards in Middle-Earth was to aid the free peoples against the powers of Sauron. This was supposed to be the primary mission shared by all five of them.
As fans of the series will know, Gandalf remained the truest to his mission, leading the Fellowship and later returning as the White Wizard to inspire both the forces of Rohan and Gondor to battle. Saruman, of course, failed the worst of all the Istari, betraying his order and aligning himself with the powers of Sauron. While Radagast never stooped to such treacherous levels, one can argue that he did lose sight of his role.
Radagast cared deeply for the plants and animals of Middle-Earth, and concerned himself little with the doings of Men and Elves. While he was far from a traitor, his lack of involvement made him a somewhat useless ally to Gandalf and the rest of the free peoples. Radagast spent his days conversing with birds and wandering through the forest of Mirkwood, and ended up offering very little aid in the fight against Sauron. In fact, when Sauron first returned after his defeat at the Battle of the Last Alliance, he took up refuge in the fortress of Dol Guldur, located in Mirkwood. Even with the enemy right on his doorstep, Radagast was unaware of the coming danger. Instead, it was Gandalf who deduced that the Dark Lord had returned.
Another strike against Radagast comes from his brief appearance in The Lord of the Rings novels. At the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, as Gandalf is riding to tell Frodo to depart the Shire, Radagast intercepts him. Radagast warns Gandalf that the Ringwraiths are en route to the Shire, and that Saruman has requested to see him at once. When Gandalf does arrive at Isengard, he discovers Saruman’s treachery and is held prisoner until being rescued by the Great Eagles. Gandalf later says that he believes Radagast had no knowledge of Saruman’s betrayal, and was merely relaying a message. Still, it’s true that some of the blame for Gandalf’s capture falls on the Brown Wizard.
Is Radagast Actually a Failure?
Considering that he spent his time managing birds and beasts rather than fighting the good fight against Sauron, it would seem as if Tolkien’s assertion about Radagast being a failure might be true. Fortunately, however, things in Middle-Earth are rarely so simple. There’s a solid argument to be made that re-evaluates Radagast and views him in a more positive light.
For one thing, Tolkien’s opinions on the Istari shifted drastically over the course of his life. His letters and indexes indicate an overall change in their characterization. Of the five Wizards, Tolkien stated that only Gandalf was truly successful, and the rest either betrayed the mission or lost sight of their goal. He later altered this statement, however, claiming that the two Blue Wizards, who went into the East, were instrumental in ensuring that Sauron’s powers didn’t grow too strong. While he never rescinded his statement on Radagast, it can be inferred that by the end of his life, Tolkien saw the Wizards as each having a specific role to play. They weren’t all assigned to one singular mission.
It’s somewhat true that Radagast fell short when it came to preparing Middle-Earth for its fight against Sauron, and this was indeed one of his duties as a Wizard. However, it’s important to remember that Radagast is an emissary of the Vala Yayanna, who created all the plants and animals that dwell within Middle-Earth. Readers will never know exactly what Yavanna tasked Radagast with doing. But keeping her role in mind, it seems that Radagast defended her kingdoms more than any other in Middle-Earth.
Radagast the Brown was a trusted ally of Gandalf. While he may not have called on him often, the trust of Gandalf goes a long way in advocating for Radagast’s character. Radagast may be many things, and while his mysterious role in the story might lack plenty of answers, Tolkien fans can hopefully agree that there’s one thing he’s not: a failure.
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