From Hobbit to Hero

This is a presentation from my undergraduate years at Saint Francis College. I thought maybe someone could use it, in whatever way. This is basically just a thorough summary of the book, not much else.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien was originally published in 1937, disguised as a fairy tale to impart lessons to his children. In an interview, Tolkien recounts the origins of the book:

“The actual beginning, though just not really the beginning, the actual flashpoint… I remember very clearly, I still see the corner in my house … I got an enormous pile of exam papers there, and markings, good examinations in the summer time is a very laborious, and unfortunately it was very boring, and I remember picking up a paper and actually finding — nearly gave an extra mark for it, an extra five marks actually — was one page on this particular paper left blank… glorious, nothing to read, so I scribbled on it… In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” — J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien’s Background

Tolkien had lost his parents early in life. That did not stop him, however, from excelling academically. He won a scholarship to Oxford. After graduation, he enlisted into the army. He fought for four months during WWI. Eventually he had to return as he was infected with trench fever.

Upon his return he began writing his own books. In 1925, he began his professorship at Oxford, and created alongside C.S. Lewis The Inklings, an informal literally discussion group. Towards the end of his life, Tolkien was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from Oxford and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

“I am in fact a Hobbit (all but size),” he once told a correspondent.

He favored simple food including mushrooms, unmechanized farmlands, trees, and the occasional colorful waistcoat in his wardrobe. He also liked to imagine that hobbits are still among us, having become extraordinarily adept at self-concealment. (Drout, J.R.R Tolkien Encyclopedia, The Character of the Hobbit, 282)

This is the story and journey of Bilbo Baggins, a stay-at-home and old-fashioned Hobbit living in the Shire, who engages in an adventure that goes beyond his imagination.

Not only does he go on a very long journey, but he is also being recruited as a burglar by dwarf Thorin to reclaim the dwarves‟ stolen treasure from an ancient dragon, called Smaug, who lives in his lair in the Lonely Mountains

Bilbo is the perfect example to show that even the most unlikely and ordinary person can become a hero. Disguised as a burglar at the beginning, he later transforms into a hero. Although he has not the aspiration toward heroism in the first place, he discovers heroism and his own identity through self-sacrifice, courage, bravery, wits, a good sense and leadership in a long journey. Tolkien created with Bilbo a more realistic and identifiable hero. He is not one of those heroes who manage to accomplish everything by themselves; thus sometimes he relies on outside help.

Even though he is very reluctant to start the journey in the first place, he eventually takes the risk into the unknown. He leaves unfamiliar surroundings in order to broaden his horizon and meet new challenges.

His lack of enthusiasm at the beginning is clearly a sign that he does not really welcome change, because he is very attached to his old life. He has a rather happy life in the warm and cozy hole, where he has no worries or responsibilities and can eat to his heart‟s content.

Bilbo has a free will, and chooses to do the right thing. Naively, he never abuses or exploits the power of the ring. After Bilbo spares Gollum life, he disappears from his sight and finds the tunnel leading out of the mountains.

What follows are the main take-aways from each chapter, what you should remember and a review after every third chapter:

Chapter 1 — An Unexpected Party

Dwarves want to reclaim stolen treasure from a dragon called Smaug

Bilbo is at first reluctant to help them, but Gandalf convinces him to join. He also recognizes the adventurous type of journey.

Gandalf chooses Bilbo as their burglar, but dwarves are skeptical. (“There is more to Bilbo than meets the eye”)

The company, consisting of 13 dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf, plan their journey.

Chapter 2 — Roast Mutton

Bilbo’s first test as a burglar fails, and trolls capture him and all dwarves

Gandalf rescues the group by tricking the trolls to remain outside (“Sunlight turns trolls into stone”)

They find a treasure and dwarf lord Thorin receives a magical sword; Bilbo receives a dagger, which he later names Sting

Chapter 3 — A Short Rest

They come to Rivendell, where the elves warmly welcome them to rest and eat.

They meet Elrond, king of the elves, who gives them advice on how to proceed their journey. (Cross Misty Mountains)

Elrond also shows them how to find the secret entrance once they come to the Lonely Mountains, where Smaug resides.

They continue well rested and prepared.

Review (Ch 1–3)

• Bilbo transforms into an adventurer ( bravery, adventurous, courageous).
• Contrast between his old life and his new journey. He leaves old life behind to make new experiences. (He travels with dwarves and a wizard, and fights trolls and even meets elves.)
• First encounter. Trolls, previously known creatures. Action.
• Swords are link to heroic traditions. Named sword is a symbol of heroism. (i.e. Excalibur in King Arthur)

Chapter 4 — Over Hill and Under Hill

The group advances into the Misty Mountains.

After finding shelter for their ponies and themselves, they are being raided by a group of goblins.

Gandalf helps them to escape, but they accidently leave Bilbo behind.

Chapter 5 — Riddles In The Dark

Bilbo finds the one ring.

He discovers an underground lake and meets Gollum. He asks him for help.

Bilbo and Gollum play a riddle. (“What’s in my pocket?”)

Bilbo discovers what the ring can do, disappears and finds a tunnel leading out of the mountain.

Chapter 6 — Out Of The Frying Pan

Bilbo rejoins group and builds up his reputation.

Although they can leave the goblins behind, a new danger awaits; the wargs, wolflike creatures. Bilbo, Gandalf and the dwarves hide on trees, but the wargs notify the goblins of the situation.

In the end, fortunately, eagles save the group and bring them to a safe spot. (Carrock)

Chapter 7 — Queer Lodgings

Gandalf leads them to the House of Beorn, where Beorn, a creature of half-man, half-bear lives. He tells Beorn the whole story.

Beorn advice is to head north and take the Elf path to avoid the goblins and wargs.

Gandalf departs again. He does not tell them where he is going.

Review (Ch 4–7):

• Moral tendencies correlate with races (Tolkien depicts goblins and wargs as evil and a corrupted nature, as opposed to i.e. the elves, who are good and of pure nature)
• Introduction of unique character of Gollum. Each chapter brings new setting and new adventure
• Bilbo undergoes changes and becomes more heroic from chapter to chapter (For example, by shouting loud enough he awakes Gandalf, which in turn saves all the dwarves lives, reputation increases and the one ring is -in a sense- his heroic weapon)
• Less familiar surroundings, he grows as a person, faces evil, becomes heroic. The story starts to get darker.

Chapter 8— Flies and Spider

They get deeper into the Mirkwood forest, and cross a mystic stream. One dwarf, Bombur, drinks from it and falls asleep.

Attacks by spiders. Bilbo uses his ring to the group’s advantage to slay the spiders and free the dwarves. After that heroic action, Bilbo names his sword Sting.

Spiders are resilient and re-attack the group. Although Bilbo is invisible and fights the spiders, they only retreat after he and the dwarves enter one of the clearings of the elves.

Wood elves capture Thorin, who then refuses to say where their journey leads to.

Chapter 9 — Barrels Out Of Bond

The rest of the dwarves are captured by the wood elves, except for Bilbo who remains invisible. The dwarves refuse to reveal their plan, so they are being thrown into a dungeon.

Bilbo comes yet again to the dwarves’ rescue. He steals the keys of a sleeping guardsman and gains access to the storeroom.

Empty barrels are being sent from the storeroom to the men of Lake Town (Esgaroth), who exchange goods with the elves. Thus, he packs them and himself in empty barrels and throws them into the nearby river

Review (Ch 8 & 9):

• Bilbo manages to defeat first enemy (spiders) in combat. As a result, he is filled with proud and self confidence. He names his sword; Sting.
• Bilbo becomes main character to trigger change. When dwarves are being held prison by the wood elves, he creates a plan and actually puts it into action. (barrels)
• Wood elves similar to elves from Rivendell, yet a little bit different in nature. Although they are not evil as goblins or evils (they treat the dwarves human like) , they are more suspicious by wild strangers.
• Evil aura in Mirkwood. Dark Necromancer (Sauron?), not taking physical form, but link to LOTR.

Chapter 10 — A Warm Welcome

Bilbo manages to defeat first enemy (spiders) in combat. As a result, he is filled with proud and self confidence. He names his sword; Sting.

Bilbo becomes main character to trigger change. When dwarves are being held prison by the wood elves, he creates a plan and actually puts it into action. (barrels)

Wood elves similar to elves from Rivendell, yet a little bit different in nature. Although they are not evil as goblins or evils (they treat the dwarves human like) , they are more suspicious by wild strangers.

Evil aura in Mirkwood. Dark Necromancer (Sauron?), not taking physical form, but link to LOTR.

Chapter 11 — On The Doorstep

Main entrance too dangerous, so they are looking for the secret entrance shown on their map.

When they find the entrance, they cannot open the door at first. However, Bilbo solves the riddle in the end (Sun’s last light reveals a keyhole)

Chapter 12 — Inside Information

Bilbo enters Smaug’s lair. While the dragon is asleep, he steals a single golden cup, and returns to the dwarves.

When the dragon awakes, he notices that one piece of his treasure is missing. Enraged, he leaves his lair and devours the company’s ponies.

Bilbo returns to lair, but this time the dragon is awake (he was feigning his sleep),
Bilbo talks to Smaug, but answers only in riddles.

He discovers the dragon’s weak spot (an open patch in Smaug’s scaly armor above his left breast)

Chapter 13 — Not At Home

Smaug seeks his revenge, as he believes that the men of Lake Town are involved in stealing his treasure.

Meanwhile, the Hobbit and the dwarves loot his treasure. Bilbo takes the Arkenstone, a gem that Thorin desperately wants, and a coat of armor made of mithril.

The company follows the river down from the mountain to an old and unused cavern, where they await the next action by dragon.

Review (Ch 10, 11, 12 & 13)

Lineage influences social interaction. Thorin’s family name commands respect from the men of Lake Town. ( well-known name is powerful)

Humans fall more into good nature. They are fearful of the dragon, and refuse to assist Bilbo and the dwarves.

Recurrence of riddles. (“Door could open only on Durin’s Day, one of the last days of autumn”) Only Bilbo remembers.

Audience already knows how to solve puzzle. In Chapter 11, he tells the reader that autumn/fall was approaching its end…

Bilbo is the real leader now. He improves his qualities of initiative, courage, and heroism.

One love of all dwarves is gold. ( less sympathetic for dwarves, more sympathetic for Bilbo)

Smaug has characteristics of ancient dragon (an armorlike scaled hide, a love of treasure, and the ability to breathe fire, humorous, takes more information out of Bilbo than he intends)

Bilbo wins over the dragon by using his intelligence rather than his physical strength.

Chapter 14 — Fire And Water

Smaug attacks Lake Town.

A thrush lands on the shoulder of Bard, a citizen of Lake Town, and tells him where the weak spot of the dragon is. (open patch)

Bard kills the dragon with his bow, but the whole town is destroyed nonetheless.

Some people blame the dwarves for waking the dragon

Men and elves come together to walk towards the Lonely mountains to claim the unattended treasure. They assume that the dwarves have been killed by the dragon.

Chapter 15 — The Gatherings Of The Cloud

Thrush returns to the mountains, and reports with the help of a raven about the death of the dragon and that men and elves are marching towards them.

Bald comes to Thorin and tells him about his deeds and that Lake Town has been destroyed. He demands a share of the treasure; Thorin however refuses.

The mountain is declared besieged by men and elves alike.

Bilbo would gladly share the treasure, but he has no say in the dwarves’ decisions.

Chapter 16 — A Thief In The Night

Bilbo gives Bard the Arkenstone, so he can use it as a bargaining chip against Thorin. (He wants to prevent a war)

On his way back, Bilbo meets Gandalf, who congratulates Bilbo for his honorable deeds.

Review (Ch 14, 15 & 16)

Bard — only human hero. (Brave& courageous against the dragon, humble in demanding only what is necessary to rebuild their town.)

Bilbo is stuck between the conflict of dwarves and humans/elves.

Thorin becomes obsessed with his greed for the treasure. Unreasonable behavior by all dwarves. Dwarves, elves and humans were on the same side when the dragon was still alive. Now that the dragon is dead, the dwarves start to fight over material things.

Bilbo’s desire for peace and his willingness to share the treasure, shows who the true hero is. In addition, this heroic behavior would have been unlikely in epics such as The Epics of Gilgamesh or Beowulf. Bilbo’s desire for understanding and sharing defines a new form of heroism.

Chapter 17 — The Cloud Bursts

1. Bard returns with the Arkenstone and two messengers to Thorin in order to talk about a peaceful agreement.

2. Thorin tries to turn violent again Bilbo after finding out that Bilbo gave the Arkenstone to Bard. Fortunately, Gandalf reveals himself as one of the messengers and saves Bilbo. Later, Thorin agrees to pay him with part of his treasure in return for the Arkenstone.

3. Battle of the Five Armies; when the dwarves are about to start the war against the elves/humans, darkness takes over the sky and goblin and wargs emerge.

Dwarves, elves and humans unite yet again to fight the truly “evil”.

4. The eagles turn the tide of battle and elves/humans/dwarves win the battle

5. Bilbo observes battle and later becomes unconscious because a rock/stone hits his head.

Chapter 18 — The Return Journey

When Bilbo awakes, Gandalf retells him the end of the battle; The eagles come to assist the ally armies, Beorn enraged and in bear shaped form comes to their help at the right moment.

Thorin is mortally wounded. He asks for Bilbo’s forgiveness

Fili and Kili, two of the dwarves, have also been killed.

Chapter 19 — The Last Stage

The dead are buried; Dain becomes new king under the mountains and restores peace between his race and elves and humans.

Bard becomes the new master of Lake Town and gives Bilbo a share of the human’s part of the treasure.

Bilbo returns home with Gandalf and Beorn. They take the route north of Mirkwood. They spend the winter at Beorn’s house. In the spring, they continue to Rivendell. There he learns the reason why Gandalf left during the course of their journey. He was fighting to remove the necromancer (Sauron) out of Mirkwood forest)

Bilbo is never really accepted by his fellow hobbits.

Review (Ch 17, 18 & 19)

Truly heroic path is the way that ends in peace.

Independent moral choice, he does not ask dwarves (Thorin specifically) for permission. He has been building up his confidence since they left the shire in order to execute his own ideas.

Conflict between good and evil. Eagles would not have come in a war over gold, but in a war over the pure evil (goblins/wargs), the eagles help the elves, humans and dwarves.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world” — Thorin’s regret

Took and Baggins side inside of Bilbo

Companies quest has wide reaching benefits:
(a) Lake Town is build stronger (b) Dragon is dead, area around the Lonely Mountains is safer. (c) Goblins/Wargs are conquered (d) Necromancer leaves Mirkwood forest

7. In the end, Bilbo can be declared a hero