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BlackFox
Half-elven
Jun 19 2014, 6:44pm
Post #1 of 9
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"A master of shapes and changes of hue"?
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Gandalf calls Radagast "a master of shapes and changes of hue" at the Council of Elrond. What could he mean by that? How do you interpret his words? What do you make of the theory of Radagast being able to change his form, him being a skin-changer of sorts?
“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” - Henry David Thoreau
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Rembrethil
Tol Eressea
Jun 19 2014, 6:57pm
Post #2 of 9
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Tanagrams, putting the shapes in the holes on that toddler toy, and a crayon colouring master! Seriously, I thought it mean he was able to create illusions and transmogrification similar to Luthien when she and Beren took on shapes of wolf and vampire, and Finrod when he disguised himself and Beren's party.
Call me Rem, and remember, not all who ramble are lost...Uh...where was I?
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Darkstone
Immortal
Jun 19 2014, 7:08pm
Post #3 of 9
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I figure the Istari are locked into the shape of old men: "clad in bodies of as of Men, real and not feigned, but subject to the fears and pains and weariness of earth, able to hunger and thirst and be slain" so they can't change into bears, wolves, or buff 25 year-old weightlifters. That would be cheating. However, consider something Gandalf said: He looked at Frodo and smiled. 'Very well,' he said. 'I think that will do – but it must not be any later. I am getting very anxious. In the mean-while, do take care, and don't let out any hint of where you are going! And see that Sam Gamgee does not talk. If he does, I really shall turn him into a toad.' -Three is Company So maybe Radagast is just really really good at turning *other* people into toads, bears, wolves, and buff 25 year old weightlifters.
****************************************** The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
(This post was edited by Darkstone on Jun 19 2014, 7:09pm)
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Bracegirdle
Valinor
Jun 19 2014, 7:45pm
Post #4 of 9
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A master of shapes and changes of hue – very enigmatic. Perhaps Gandalf was just being Gandalf when using the word “hue”. Perhaps Radagast the Brown had many changes of wizardly-robes: some dark-chocolate brown, some coffee-brown, some sepia etc. But all shades or “hues” of brown. And perhaps “master of shapes” simply was another Gandalf way of saying that Radagast was adept at taking on the “shape” of (for example) a tree in order to covertly observe his beloved kelvar beasts and birds. (Left arm out and up at a 70 degree angle; right arm low and kinked; right leg straight out and forward – hold until landed upon by a bird or approached by a beast.) From the Brown Wizards Book of Incognito. Abridged. Sorry BlackFox – Brain cruising on dense right now. Cheers
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." -Albert Einstein
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Jun 19 2014, 8:48pm
Post #5 of 9
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I figure the Istari are locked into the shape of old men: "clad in bodies of as of Men, real and not feigned, but subject to the fears and pains and weariness of earth, able to hunger and thirst and be slain" so they can't change into bears, wolves, or buff 25 year-old weightlifters. That would be cheating. Would that really be cheating? Radagast is, after all, a Wizard. Being adept at altering his shape doesn't seem that unreasonable to me, especially if he was limited to maintaining roughly the same size and mass. Certainly it is likely that he could magically camouflage himself and/or others to be all but invisible, much like the effect of the grey cloaks of the Galadrim. He may even have been a master at casting glamours and veils that would have allowed him to pass unseen.
'There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.' - Gandalf the Grey, The Fellowship of the Ring
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BlackFox
Half-elven
Jun 19 2014, 9:42pm
Post #6 of 9
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No need to apologize, Bracegirdle
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I couldn't have wished for better answers.
“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” - Henry David Thoreau
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Bracegirdle
Valinor
Jun 19 2014, 10:37pm
Post #7 of 9
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Here's how Gandalf did it in his "Lets party" younger days. I could find no photos of Radagast, but I'm sure he must have used a similar technique and more, possibly even better.
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." -Albert Einstein
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BlackFox
Half-elven
Jun 20 2014, 9:08am
Post #8 of 9
(516 views)
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“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” - Henry David Thoreau
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noWizardme
Half-elven
Jun 23 2014, 6:04pm
Post #9 of 9
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That seems a perfectly reasonable thing to conclude from the sentence...
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Seriously, I thought it mean he was able to create illusions and transmogrification similar to Luthien when she and Beren took on shapes of wolf and vampire, and Finrod when he disguised himself and Beren's party. Maybe that was Tolkien's idea at the time; perhaps he changed his mind, or didn't elaborate, but didn't edit that sentence? Worth remembering, I think that Radaghast is played for laughs in the movies, but not in the books. Saruman thinks he's a fool, but then Saruman probably thinks that EVERYONE is a fool.
~~~~~~ "… ever let your aim be to come at truth, not to conquer your opponent. So you never shall be at a loss in losing the argument, and gaining a new discovery.” Arthur Martine "nowimë I am in the West, Furincurunir to the Dwarves (or at least, to their best friend) and by other names in other lands. Mostly they just say 'Oh no it's him - look busy!' " Or "Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!"
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