Tolkien also uses Bilbo to set an example of honor. Bilbo's selfless devotion to his friends causes him to risk life and limb to give up his own share of the treasure to try to prevent all-out war. The Elven-King is amazed by the humble honor of the hobbit. He thinks of himself as honorable, but sees that he is more proud than anything else. This instance hammers home the point that character matters more than outward appearance. Tolkien made hobbits very unimposing, with their small stature and love of the simple things in life, providing a perfect contrast to their surprising courage and honor. Bilbo shows more honor than the King Under the Mountain and the Elven-King, setting an example for even the most timid reader.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Bilbo's Honor
After listening to the class discussions on Bilbo and his role in the story, it became more and more apparent to me that he is supposed to show the significance of the insignificant. As we all have discussed, Tolkien purposefully created the race of hobbits and used Bilbo, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam to make the point that "even the smallest person may change the course of the future." It would not be terribly inspiring if a great warrior like Thorin or Aragorn negotiated with a dragon or accomplished the destruction of the Ring, though these characters assisted greatly. Tolkien purposefully made the hobbits simple characters that do not know their own strength. That way, a reader like you or me could be inspired to think that our own selves can conquer great battles and change the world. I am sure that not many of us feel like the tall, powerful warrior that Aragorn is, but rather like the hobbits in their repetitive lifestyle and sometimes overlooked existence.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think this is a great concept. Bilbo is the seemingly insignificant which is why I can agree, and believe this is why Gandalf chose him in the first place. He is one of the few characters that surprised us all the entire book, and thats exactly why he really is significant throughout all of this. Bilbo is a very honorable Hobbit, that I can also agree with. He really cares for his friends and really tries to do everything right and becomes a very courageous fellow throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteHello, Pippin!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree. I know many people, even in Tolkein's time would have related far more to Hobbits than they would the actual human specie sin Middle Earth. It has been many years since we fought tooth and nail and sword and shield. The men of Middle Earth represent the heroes we dream or aspire of but not who we are. I think Tolkein uses this, and that "Tookish" in Bilbo to explain that spark that some people feel but never let go of. I think it's such an important lesson though - many people never do that thing they always wanted to so while parents read they may recognize their own Tookish spark. What do you think of Bilbo's TookkishSpark?
That's all,
Elendil
I think this is a great point, which is really emphasized in the section in Mordor where the orcs think Sam is a great lven warrior becasue of what he does, which really shows that what matters is what you do not who or what you are.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm commenting in a really janky way because I am at a friends place and dont have my laptop with me, hope it works.