WD Characters

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One of my favorite aspects of Watership Down is the superb character developement. Most of the characters are rabbits--yes, talking rabbits. Though they talk to one another, they have their own language, Lapine, and other than that the story is extremely realistic. The author, Richard Adams, spent much time researching the natural behaviors of wild English rabbits before he wrote the novel, and it shows. The reader not only comes to love and care for the characters (or harbor bitter distaste for the Efrafans, whatever the case may be), but also comes away knowing a lot about wild rabbits--their behaviors, societal structure, survival technques, inter-species interaction, etc.

Click the character's name to see a picture. All pictures come from the animated movie.

**Sandleford Rabbits**
Hazel	The leader of the rabbits who desert Sandleford. He was a young outskirter at Sandleford, but was sure to make the Owlsa next year. He is a congenial, sensible and honest rabbit, and proves himself a fine leader.
Fiver	Hazel's brother. Runty and nervous, he often has visions of the future, one of which prompted the group to leave Sandleford.
Bigwig	A large, burly Sandleford Owsla member, named for the thick tuft of fur atop his head. He is rather stubborn at times, but practical and loyal, as well as a heck of a fighter.
Dandilion	A fast-running, lithe rabbit, and the storyteller and entertainer of the group. Also very spiritual.
Blackberry	An average-looking rabbit with black-tipped ears. By far the most intelligent, his practical ideas save the group on more than one occassion.
Pipkin	A small, helpless rabbit who lacks self-confidence but is very loyal to Hazel, and very cooperative in the group setting.
Silver	An Owsla friend of Bigwig's, and a nephew of the Chief Rabbit at Sandleford. Characterized by silver fur patches. He agrees to join the deserting group due to his own unhappiness with the Owsla. He is steady, level-headed, and useful to the group as a fighter.
Buckthorn	A well-to-do minor character. He is steady and loyal, and also large enough to be a useful fighter.
Hawkbit, Acorn, & Speedwell	These are the least important and least-developed characters of the group, however, they play an important role as "rank and file" members. They don't really have anything to offer the group, and seem to be just along for the ride. They are also the least loyal, and try to desert the group at one point.
Holly	Captain of the Sandleford Owsla and one of only a few survivors of Sandleford after its destruction. At first, he tries to prevent the group from leaving, but later joins up.
Bluebell	Holly's friend, another survivor. He is the merry jester of the group.
The Threarah	Cheif Rabbit of Sandleford, old and stubborn. His refusal to listen to Fiver's warning eventually leads the warren to its doom.

Sandleford Rabbits

Hazel

The leader of the rabbits who desert Sandleford. He was a young outskirter at Sandleford, but was sure to make the Owlsa next year. He is a congenial, sensible and honest rabbit, and proves himself a fine leader.

Fiver

Hazel's brother. Runty and nervous, he often has visions of the future, one of which prompted the group to leave Sandleford.

Bigwig

A large, burly Sandleford Owsla member, named for the thick tuft of fur atop his head. He is rather stubborn at times, but practical and loyal, as well as a heck of a fighter.

Dandilion

A fast-running, lithe rabbit, and the storyteller and entertainer of the group. Also very spiritual.

Blackberry

An average-looking rabbit with black-tipped ears. By far the most intelligent, his practical ideas save the group on more than one occassion.

Pipkin

A small, helpless rabbit who lacks self-confidence but is very loyal to Hazel, and very cooperative in the group setting.

Silver

An Owsla friend of Bigwig's, and a nephew of the Chief Rabbit at Sandleford. Characterized by silver fur patches. He agrees to join the deserting group due to his own unhappiness with the Owsla. He is steady, level-headed, and useful to the group as a fighter.

Buckthorn

A well-to-do minor character. He is steady and loyal, and also large enough to be a useful fighter.

Hawkbit,
Acorn, &
Speedwell

These are the least important and least-developed characters of the group, however, they play an important role as "rank and file" members. They don't really have anything to offer the group, and seem to be just along for the ride. They are also the least loyal, and try to desert the group at one point.

Holly

Captain of the Sandleford Owsla and one of only a few survivors of Sandleford after its destruction. At first, he tries to prevent the group from leaving, but later joins up.

Bluebell

Holly's friend, another survivor. He is the merry jester of the group.

The Threarah

Cheif Rabbit of Sandleford, old and stubborn. His refusal to listen to Fiver's warning eventually leads the warren to its doom.

**"Warren of the Shining Wires" Rabbits**
Cowslip	The unofficial leader of the snared warren, healthy and sleek, he seems to be sophisticated, but later turns out to be a dishonest wimp.
Strawberry	Another healthy, sleek rabbit. This one has a good, honest heart and leaves his cursed warren with the Sandleford group after his doe, Nildro-hain, is killed in a snare.
Silverweed	A resident poet who's morbid words scare Fiver

"Warren of the Shining Wires" Rabbits

Cowslip

The unofficial leader of the snared warren, healthy and sleek, he seems to be sophisticated, but later turns out to be a dishonest wimp.

Strawberry

Another healthy, sleek rabbit. This one has a good, honest heart and leaves his cursed warren with the Sandleford group after his doe, Nildro-hain, is killed in a snare.

Silverweed

A resident poet who's morbid words scare Fiver

**Efrafans**
General Woundwort	Chief Rabbit of Efrafa, he is massive in size and cold-heartedly fierce, vindictave, and dictorial as a leader. He rules his warren ruthlessly and militarily.
Campion	Though he is right-hand man to Woundwort, as head of the Owsla, he has a much more rational head on his shoulders, and often has doubts about Woundwort's actions, though he never contradicts the chief openly. He is also an excellent tracker and very bright.
Hyzenthlay	This Efrafan doe is quick-witted and brave and is the one who plans the does' escaped from Efrafa. Like Fiver, she sometimes has visions.
Vervain	Another high-ranking Owsla member, and almost a vicious and chillingly ruthless as Woundwort.
Groundsel & Chervil	These are two of the more minor Efrafan officers, but still important to the plot line. They uphold the duties assigned to them by Woundwort without question, but are not nearly as cruel as Vervain.
Blackavar	He is a rebelious character who dared try to leave Efrafra and was grotesquely mutalated by the Efrafan Owsla as a punichment. He is rescued by Bigwig along with the does, and later proves himself quite useful and smart.
Thethuthinang	One of Hyzenthlay's friends, she is also quite smart and help in the planning of the escape.
Nethilda	This young gossipy doe gives away the plan to Efrafan officials. She also has quite and attitude.

Efrafans

General Woundwort

Chief Rabbit of Efrafa, he is massive in size and cold-heartedly fierce, vindictave, and dictorial as a leader. He rules his warren ruthlessly and militarily.

Campion

Though he is right-hand man to Woundwort, as head of the Owsla, he has a much more rational head on his shoulders, and often has doubts about Woundwort's actions, though he never contradicts the chief openly. He is also an excellent tracker and very bright.

Hyzenthlay

This Efrafan doe is quick-witted and brave and is the one who plans the does' escaped from Efrafa. Like Fiver, she sometimes has visions.

Vervain

Another high-ranking Owsla member, and almost a vicious and chillingly ruthless as Woundwort.

Groundsel
& Chervil

These are two of the more minor Efrafan officers, but still important to the plot line. They uphold the duties assigned to them by Woundwort without question, but are not nearly as cruel as Vervain.

Blackavar

He is a rebelious character who dared try to leave Efrafra and was grotesquely mutalated by the Efrafan Owsla as a punichment. He is rescued by Bigwig along with the does, and later proves himself quite useful and smart.

Thethuthinang

One of Hyzenthlay's friends, she is also quite smart and help in the planning of the escape.

Nethilda

This young gossipy doe gives away the plan to Efrafan officials. She also has quite and attitude.

**Others**
Kehaar	This is the only main character who is not a rabbit. He is an injurred seagull whom the Watership rabbits befriend and nurse back to health. Without his help in return, Watership Down would not have survived.
El-ahrairah	The "Prince With A Thousand Enemies," the prince of rabbits and hero in all rabbit lore and legend
Rabscuttle	This sly, resourseful rabbit was El-ahrairah's sidekick and the brains behind many of El-ahrairah's fine tricks.
The Black Rabbit of Inlé	This was the mythical dark spirit that all rabbits believed in. He was greatly respected and chillingly feared.
Frith	The sun. The rabbits' God. They pray to Frith, and have a spiritual connection to Frith.
Clover, Boxwood, Haystack, and Laurel	Four Nuthanger hutch rabbits whom the Watership rabbits (headed by Hazel) release to take back to their warren. Only Clover manages to fit in with the wild rabbits, however.

Others

Kehaar

This is the only main character who is not a rabbit. He is an injurred seagull whom the Watership rabbits befriend and nurse back to health. Without his help in return, Watership Down would not have survived.

El-ahrairah

The "Prince With A Thousand Enemies," the prince of rabbits and hero in all rabbit lore and legend

Rabscuttle

This sly, resourseful rabbit was El-ahrairah's sidekick and the brains behind many of El-ahrairah's fine tricks.

The Black Rabbit
of Inlé

This was the mythical dark spirit that all rabbits believed in. He was greatly respected and chillingly feared.

Frith

The sun. The rabbits' God. They pray to Frith, and have a spiritual connection to Frith.

Clover, Boxwood, Haystack, and Laurel

Four Nuthanger hutch rabbits whom the Watership rabbits (headed by Hazel) release to take back to their warren. Only Clover manages to fit in with the wild rabbits, however.