Hazel (Watership Down)

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Hazel is a fictional character, a rabbit in Richard Adams' novel Watership Down. He was born in Sandleford warren, and is a brother to Fiver.

[edit] In the novel

Hazel begins the story as an outskirter, a rabbit not yet fully grown or strong enough to make the Owsla. He is frightened by Fiver's vision of a field "covered with blood", but is sufficiently convinced to accompany him on a visit to the Thearah, who rebuffs them. Hazel then emerges as the leader of the small band of bucks who escape from Sandleford by night, and gradually grows in stature and authority as the rabbits experience their adventures.

Hazel is generally presented as a plain-speaking, straightforward and honest rabbit, with little obvious "hero quality" but he has both a quiet charisma and a talent for making astute decisions that bring out the best in his followers that gradually leads to his acceptance as Chief Rabbit by the others. He does, however, retain the lapine sense of mischief, something which leads to near-disaster when he is shot at Nuthanger Farm whilst raiding it for the hutch rabbits.

One of the principal signs of Hazel's growing authority is the gradual introduction of the honorific suffix -rah onto his name when he is addressed by the other rabbits, symbolising his recognition as de facto Chief Rabbit. Some rabbits are keener to accept this situation than others: Bigwig is notably reluctant to accept Hazel as Chief, and in fact does not address him as "Hazel-rah" until the final quarter of the book. This is unique to lapine society; every other chief rabbit we meet is the largest and fiercest of their respective warrens. By these rules Bigwig should be Chief. When Bigwig tells Woundwort he is fighting for his chief rabbit the General naturally assumes Hazel must be even larger and stronger. That Hazel is leader demonstrates how progressive our heroes are in comparison to Sandleford, Cowslip's Warren, and Efrafa.

In the first edition of the book (used as the basis for the Penguin/Puffin editions most familiar to British readers), the first use of the term "Hazel-rah" happens at the end of Chapter 11 (Hard Going), when Blackberry uses the form, but is almost immediately cut off by a harrumphing Bigwig. However, in the second edition (used as the basis for the Avon editions most familiar to US readers) this section is absent; instead, "Hazel-rah" is first used by Strawberry in Chapter 20 (A Honeycomb and a Mouse).

The Efrafan doe Hyzenthlay later becomes Hazel's mate, and in Tales from Watership Down the two are seen to be ruling the Watership warren as effective joint Chief Rabbits.

Hazel's death as depicted, takes place several years later, after the warren has grown strong and prosperous and Hazel has, as Adams says, "lived a tidy few summers." This is odd in itself as the usual lifespan for rabbits is two or three years. The now elderly Chief Rabbit is confronted by El-ahrairah who invites Hazel to join his Owsla.

[edit] In the film

Hazel, whose voice is provided by John Hurt, has a very similar character in the film to that which he has in the book. Director Martin Rosen provided commentary for the DVD release of the film, in which he stated that Richard Adams' inspiration for Hazel was a mild-mannered non-commissioned officer that Adams had encountered in the British Army, who was respected by his men for his quiet, level-headed leadership in times of crisis.

[edit] In the TV series

Hazel is played by Ian Shaw in the series.

Richard Adams' Watership DownEdit
Novels: Watership Down - Tales from Watership Down
Adaptations: Feature film - TV series
Characters: Bigwig - Blackavar - Blackberry - Campion - Cowslip - Dandelion - Fiver - General Woundwort - Hazel - Hyzenthlay - Kehaar - Vervain - Minor characters
Mythical/story creatures: El-ahrairah
Locations: Efrafa - River Enborne - Railway line - Redstone - River Test - Watership Down
Other: Chief Rabbit - Concepts in Watership Down - Lapine - Owsla