One of the recurring themes throughout The Hobbit is Tolkien’s manifestation of morality through his inherently good and evil characters. Although, some characters narrowly balance the line of good and evil through portraying characteristics such as greed, the hobbits represent naturally altruistic and peaceful characters. The protagonist Bilbo’s rational nature and willingness to compromise through his selfless transfer of the Arkenstone to Bard and the Elvenking further highlights Tolkien’s portrayal of a simple and sensible twentieth century Englishmen in a fantastical setting. Even though he risks his promised sum of the treasures, Bilbo chooses to work as a peacekeeper to opt for a more sensible way of solving a problem. Therefore, the dialogue between Bilbo, Bard, and the Elevenking is a manifestation by Tolkien of the moral high ground of hobbits and their rational and peacekeeping nature, which impresses the men and elves to award their trust and honor to the hobbit.
Bilbo as the protagonist of the novel appears sensible partly from Tolkien’s underlying representation of a twentieth century English gentlemen. When Bilbo first arrives at the Gate with the Elvenking and Bard, his first speaking point is business. Tolkien describes Bilbo’s speech as a “business manner” where he mentions how he is “tired of the whole affair” and wishes he were “back in the West in my own home, where folk are more reasonable” (Tolkien 292). Bilbo clearly takes great pride in the business manner of hobbits, where he is accustomed to fiscal matters through his previous occupation in the Shire. In addition, Bilbo clearly states his grievances about the stubborn nature of dwarves and other creatures he encountered along his travels by mentioning ...
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...Bard, and the Elvenking, there is confusion and defensiveness over Bilbo’s true intentions. Although Bilbo appears honest and selfless, the others remain hesitant of the hobbit until he reveals his true selfless nature through giving away the Arkenstone. Bilbo uses his dialogue to assure, offer crucial information, and simply convey to Bard and the Elvenking how much the fighting should stop and why the characters should attempt peace. While at first the Elvenking remains questionable towards Bilbo, he later uses his dialogue to convey newfound respect he feels for the hobbit. The dialogue is a further representative to the text as a whole because it reveals Bilbo’s true nature and ability to gain respect and create peace in a tense situation.
Works Cited
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit, Or, There and Back Again. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996. Print.
Within J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Tolkien uses the character of Bilbo Baggins to reveal to the reader the constant struggle between heroic and anti-heroic qualities within Bilbo and ourselves.
Gandalf has given Bilbo the chance to join him on a journey to reclaim the dwarves’ homeland. At this point Gandalf explains to the Dwarves how Bilbo is the perfect thief for them. (NEED QUOTES) Bilbo has declined Gandalf’s offer to go on the journey. Gandalf has tried to offer Bilbo to join him on the journey multiple times but he still refused to go. As Gandalf goes off without him Bilbo suddenly decides to run after he dwarves to join them on their journey, but at heart Bilbo still does not want contribute in this journey. Bilbo has declined Gandalf’s offer to go on the journey. Gandalf has tried to offer Bilbo to join him on the journey multiple times...
Bilbo’s noblest moment in The Hobbit, a fantasy book by J. R. R. Tolkien, is when he gives up the Arkenstone, a precious jewel. He is commended by some for his graciousness of giving away such a treasure, for everyone was rushing to try to get it for themselves. Yet, Bilbo gave the stone to the Elvenking and went against of his friends to attempt to protect lives.
Although Bilbo’s character has changed and become more Tookish in many ways, he remains “only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all” (Tolkien 363). Bilbo is happy to visit the elves and have tea with Gandalf, but he is also just as happy to relax in his hobbit-hole and enjoy the comforts of home that he longed for so much on his journey.
In conclusion, The hero’s journey in The Hobbit explores ideas of strength and courage through Bilbo's journey as he becomes a more lively and valiant through his realizations of who he really is. In the beginning, he wishes nothing more than to sit outside, eat, and smoke. This is drastically different to his personality at the end, courageous and outgoing, which develops through his abyss and numerous challenges. Bilbo’s return to the Shire finds him a better person, a
Tolkien to be very good. He develops the story gradually, building up to the climax, and changing the main characters attitude. In the beginning Bilbo, the main character, starts as a very timid hobbit who knows nothing beyond his home, and is overwhelmed by the appearance of the twelve dwarves sudden appearance to his house. Although he grudgingly agrees to join them in their quest, he is very unhappy, and conveys it through this quote: “I wish I was home by the fire, with the kettle just beginning to sing!” This shows how unhappy Bilbo was at the beginning of the story. Over the course of the story, J.R.R. Tolkien develops Bilbo into a brave character who had proved himself through his many acts of bravery. In conclusion, the author did an excellent job developing Bilbo as a
Bilbo Baggins changes a lot in the novel The Hobbit. In the beginning he is a small peaceful Hobbit who lives in Hobbiton. He loves to keep things in order, and hates things that are disorganized. “Please be careful,” and “Please don’t trouble. I can manage” (Tolkein, 12). Then one day a wizard by the name of Gandalf comes and gives Bilbo the opportunity to go on an adventure. Bilbo turns his offer down, but the next day thirteen dwarves come to his house. They have meals together and they sleep at Bilbo’s house. Gandalf then convinces him to go on an adventure with them. Bilbo is many things, in the very begging he is flat, static, main, and he is the protagonist. By the end of the story he is round, dynamic, main, and he is still the protagonist. By the end of the story, Bilbo is a changed Hobbit.
In J. R. R. Tolkien’s novel, The Hobbit, Bilbo develops not only the ability to be a hero, but also the mindframe to believe he can be a hero. In the beginning of the book, he starts out as a timid, scared hobbit. As he goes on more adventures, his self-confidence and heroism grows. He discovers how he can be a Baggins while also being a Took. Bilbo can also be compared and contrasted to another archetypal hero, Odysseus, from Homer’s The Odyssey.
Bilbo was a hobbit that didn’t do very much, but when Gandalf comes to ask him to go on an adventure he didn’t know if he wanted to go. When bilbo says that he’ll do it he seems to be a little shaky at first, but as the book keeps going bilbo gets braver, and saves the dwarves from danger on the way to the Lonely Mountain. Like when the dwarves ask him to go and get the treasure from the dragon. Such as the quote ” Now is the time for our esteemed Mr. Baggins(Bilbo), who has proved himself a good companion
Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, changed quite a bit throughout the story. In the beginning when he was first recruited to go on the quest with the dwarves, he was a well-respected, quiet, member of his community. He lived in his hole in the side of a hill and never thought of adventure. As he is on his quest every encounter he has with people, animals, and beasts helps him to become braver and more adventurous. After Smaug had been killed, Bilbo went back to his home (the hole in the hill) which was being auctioned off because he was presumed to be dead. After he got everything straightened out in that situation he went back to being a quiet little hobbit that lived in a hole, thinking back on his adventurous quest.
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, one who enjoys peace and quiet, feasts and fireplaces, and the coziness of his home. At the beginning the The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Bilbo could not even imagine going on a tenacious adventure, but by the end he has survived the longest, toughest battle yet. Throughout the novel Bilbo Baggins changes from a prudent, typical hobbit into a courageous, sacrificing adventurer.
Bilbo assumes that he is an inadequate companion for the adventure, and that idea is apparent as he and the dwarves equally doubt his skills that Gandalf is so confident about. " 'I have chosen Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for you...There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself. '" (Tolkien 33) The dwarves allow Bilbo to join their company, but they do not completely take Gandalf 's word and have a difficult time becoming accustomed to the hobbit. The party describes him during the journey as being "more trouble than use so far" and wished Gandalf had "chosen someone with more sense" (119). However, once they realize that in spite of how traumatic a situation is for Bilbo, he still finds a way to help them when they can 't defend themselves, and because of that they accept him as a friend and stay loyal to him until the end of the quest and the
As evidence to illustrate, “ ‘This is the Arkenstone of Thrain,’ said Bilbo, ‘the Heart of the Mountain; and it is also the heart of Thorin. He values it above a river of gold. I give it to you. It will aid you in your bargaining” (Tolkien 272-273). Throughout the bargain, Bilbo sacrifices his relationship with Thorin and the other dwarves by bartering the Arkenstone to make sure the Lakemen and wood elves rightfully get their fair share of treasure found in Smaug's lair. Bilbo can be portrayed as a hero making personal sacrifices since he put the great good above his personal issues in life. Bilbo is the definition of a hero since he took action to resolve a conflict instead of being a bystander. In the long run, Bilbo Baggins may be a fictional hero, but has made personal sacrifices that the readers can relate to and deen him as a
In the beginning, Bilbo is very abject to go on this adventure. “Don’t be a fool, Bilbo Baggins!” He said to himself, “Thinking of dragons and all that outlandish nonsense...”
Bilbo begins his long journey with the dwarves, who at the time were still skeptical of Bilbo’s abilities. The dwarves didn’t see why they needed such a small incompetent hobbit with them along their journey. Gandalf tells them to stop complaining and to trust that there is more to Bilbo than meets the eye (Tolkien 6). Bilbo soon shows his courage and heroism for the first time in the story when they run into their first obstacle, three large trolls huddled around a campfire. Bilbo, who was once a shy, non-adventurous type, begins to develop into a hero as he tries to steal one of the trolls’ money purses. This is a dramatic scene in the novel because it was Bilbo’s very first act outside his comfort zone. It was this...