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radagastly · 08-30-2012, 11:17 AM

It occurs to me that this comparison between Radagast and Saruman could be applied just as easily to the Bree chapters and a comparison between Barliman Butterbur and Bill Ferny. Butterbur did the best he could within the circumstances that descended upon him, though he did not seek battle with the enemy. He lent what assistance he could, though in his ignorance, he did try to prevent Aragorn from meeting with the hobbits, just as Radagast delivered the message to Gandalf from Saruman despite not wanting to travel, and probably not trusting the situation. While Butterbur had a mistrust, perhaps even disdain, for Bill Ferny, he would not likely have ever considered that Ferny would actually consort with the enemy, yet there he was with his squint-eyed companion (who Unfinished Tales tells us, I believe, was a half-orc sent up the Greenway by Saruman to spy out the Shire in his search for the Ring and to negotiate for a trade of pipe-weed and other Shire goods.) If that's not "consorting," I don't know what is.

What I like about this is that it brings the epic, mythic tale of ancient wizards home to a human level, where an average-joe reader can relate it to their own lives.

08-30-2012, 11:17 AM	#36
radagastly Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Washington, D. C., USA Posts: 299	It occurs to me that this comparison between Radagast and Saruman could be applied just as easily to the Bree chapters and a comparison between Barliman Butterbur and Bill Ferny. Butterbur did the best he could within the circumstances that descended upon him, though he did not seek battle with the enemy. He lent what assistance he could, though in his ignorance, he did try to prevent Aragorn from meeting with the hobbits, just as Radagast delivered the message to Gandalf from Saruman despite not wanting to travel, and probably not trusting the situation. While Butterbur had a mistrust, perhaps even disdain, for Bill Ferny, he would not likely have ever considered that Ferny would actually consort with the enemy, yet there he was with his squint-eyed companion (who Unfinished Tales tells us, I believe, was a half-orc sent up the Greenway by Saruman to spy out the Shire in his search for the Ring and to negotiate for a trade of pipe-weed and other Shire goods.) If that's not "consorting," I don't know what is. What I like about this is that it brings the epic, mythic tale of ancient wizards home to a human level, where an average-joe reader can relate it to their own lives. __________________ But all the while I sit and think of times there were before, I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.