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For other uses, see Hobbit (disambiguation) and There and Back Again (disambiguation).
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
Cover to the 1937 first edition
Cover to the 1937 first edition
Author J. R. R. Tolkien
Cover artist J. R. R. Tolkien
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre(s) Fantasy novel, Children's literature
Publisher George Allen & Unwin (UK) & Houghton Mifflin Co. (U. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Fantasy literature is Fantasy in written form Historically speaking the majority of fantasy works have been literature Children's literature is an age category of literature written for published for or marketed to Children roughly through age 12 Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of Literature or Information &ndash the activity of making information available for public view Allen & Unwin, formerly a major British publishing house is now an independent book publisher and distributor based in Australia. Houghton Mifflin Company is a leading educational Publisher in the United States. S. )
Publication date 1937
Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback) & Audio book
ISBN NA
Followed by The Lord of the Rings

The Hobbit or There and Back Again is an award-winning children's fantasy novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien in the tradition of the fairy tale. A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a Book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with Cloth Paperback, softback, or softcover describe and refer to a Book by the nature of its binding. The Lord of the Rings is an epic A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving Tolkien wrote the story in the late 1920s to amuse his three sons. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Carnegie Medal in Literature was established in the UK in 1936 in honour of Scottish Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald. More recently, The Hobbit has been recognized as the "Most Important 20th-Century Novel (for Older Readers)" by the children's book magazine Books for Keeps. [1] The book has sold an estimated 100 million copies worldwide since first publication. [2]

The Hobbit is set in a time "between the dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men",[3] and follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins (the titular "Hobbit") to win his share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is the protagonist of The Hobbit and also makes an appearance in The Lord of the Rings, two of the most well-known of Smaug is a fictional dragon character in The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien. His journey takes him from light-hearted, rural surroundings into darker, deeper territory,[4] meeting diverse denizens of the Wilderland along the way. By accepting the disreputable, romantic, fey and adventurous side of his nature (the "Tookish" side) and applying his wits and common sense, Bilbo develops a new level of maturity, competence and wisdom. In J R R Tolkien 's Middle-earth Legendarium, the Took clan was one of the most famous Hobbit families [5]

The story is told in the form of an episodic quest: most chapters introduce a specific creature, or type of creature, of Tolkien's Wilderland. [6] The prose adventure is interspersed with songs and poetry, many of which serve to lighten the tone of otherwise frightening or dramatic scenes. The final chapters deal with the climactic Battle of Five Armies, where many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters re-emerge to engage in conflict. Critics have drawn parallels with Tolkien's own experiences and the themes of other writers who fought in World War I. [7]

A sequel was requested by his publishers, and as work on the The Lord of the Rings progressed, Tolkien made accommodations for it in one chapter of The Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings is an epic These few but significant changes were integrated into the second edition. Further editions followed, correcting minor errors and reflecting Tolkien's changing concept of the world into which Bilbo stumbled.

The work has never been out of print since the paper shortages of the Second World War. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Its ongoing legacy encompasses many adaptations for stage, screen, radio, and gaming, both board and video games. Some of these adaptations have received critical recognition of their own, including a video game that won the Golden Joystick Award, a scenario of a war game that won an Origins Award, and an animated picture nominated for a Hugo Award. The Golden Joystick Awards are the world's oldest gaming Award ceremony, awarding the best Computer and video games of the year as voted for by the The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry The Hugo Awards are given every year for the best Science fiction or Fantasy works and achievements of the previous year

Contents

Characters

The plot involves a host of other characters of varying importance, such as the twelve other dwarves of the company; two types of elves, both puckish and more serious warrior types; men (humans); trolls with "cockney" accents; cave-dwelling goblins; forest-dwelling, giant spiders who speak; heroic eagles who also speak; evil wolves who are allied with the goblins; Elrond the sage; Gollum, a mysterious creature inhabiting an underground lake; Beorn, a man who can assume bear form; and Bard the Bowman, a heroic archer of Lake-town. In J R R Tolkien 's Legendarium, an Elf is an individual member of one of the races that inhabit the lands of Arda. This article is about Puck the character in Shakespeare's play for the mythological figure this is based on see Puck (mythology Puck, also known The race of Men in J R R Tolkien 's Middle-earth books such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, refers to In J R R Tolkien 's world of Middle-earth, Trolls are very large (twelve feet tall or more humanoids of great strength and poor intellect The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations In J R R Tolkien 's Fantasy writings Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains In J R R Tolkien 's Fictional universe of Middle-earth, the eagles were immense flying Birds that were sapient and could speak The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora Character overview Elrond was Lord of Rivendell, one of the mighty rulers of old that remained in Middle-earth in its Third Age. Character overview Originally known as Sméagol, this character was later named Gollum after his habit Appearances Literature He lived with his animals (horses dogs and ponies among others in a wooden house between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood This is a list of kings of Dale from J R R Tolkien 's Middle-earth legendarium. History In the year 2941 of the Third Age the town was attacked by the dragon Smaug, but Bard the Bowman, who had indirectly learned

Synopsis

Gandalf tricks Bilbo into hosting a party for Thorin's band of dwarves, who sing of reclaiming the Lonely Mountain and its vast treasure from the Dragon Smaug. J R R Tolkien 's Middle-earth Legendarium features dragons closely based on those of European legend When the music ends, Gandalf unveils a map showing a secret door into the Mountain and proposes that the dumbfounded Bilbo serve as the expedition's "burglar". A secret passage (or hidden passage or a secret tunnel) is a hidden route that is used to travel stealthily The dwarves ridicule the idea, but Bilbo, indignant, joins despite himself.

The group travel into the wild, where Gandalf saves the company from trolls and leads them to Rivendell. Rivendell ( Sindarin: Imladris) is an Elven outpost in Middle-earth, a Fictional realm created by J While there, Elrond reveals more secrets from the map. Passing over the Misty Mountains, they are caught by goblins and driven deep underground. In J R R Tolkien 's Fantasy world of Middle-earth, the Misty Mountains (also known by its Sindarin name of Hithaeglir Although Gandalf rescues them, Bilbo gets separated from the others as they flee the goblin tunnels. Lost and disoriented, he stumbles across a mysterious ring and then encounters Gollum, who engages him in a game of riddles with deadly stakes. Character overview Originally known as Sméagol, this character was later named Gollum after his habit A riddle is a Statement or Question having a double or veiled meaning put forth as a Puzzle to be solved With the help of the ring, which confers invisibility, Bilbo escapes and rejoins the dwarves, raising his reputation with them. The goblins and Wargs give chase and the company are saved by eagles before resting in the house of Beorn, the skin-changer. Appearances Literature He lived with his animals (horses dogs and ponies among others in a wooden house between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood

The company enter the black forest of Mirkwood without Gandalf. Mirkwood is a name used for two distinct fictional forests in J In Mirkwood, Bilbo first saves the dwarves from Giant Spiders and then from the dungeons of the Wood-elves. This is a list of all animals that appear in J R R Tolkien 's Middle-earth legendarium Nearing the Lonely Mountain, the travellers are welcomed by the human inhabitants of Lake-town, who hope the dwarves will fulfil prophecies of Smaug's demise. The expedition travel to the Mountain and find the secret door; Bilbo scouts the dragon's lair, stealing a great cup and learning of a weakness in Smaug's armour. The enraged dragon, deducing that Lake-town has aided the intruder, sets out to destroy the town. A noble thrush who overheard Bilbo's report of Smaug's vulnerability reports it to Bard the Bowman, who slays the Dragon. See also other birds with "thrush" in their name Waterthrush, Shrike-thrush, Thrush Nightingale The Thrushes,

When the dwarves take possession of the mountain, Bilbo finds the prized Arkenstone gem and steals it. "Arkenstone" redirects here For the composer of electronic and new age music see David Arkenstone. The Wood-elves and Lake-men besiege the Mountain and request compensation for their aid, reparations for Lake-town's destruction, and settlement of old claims on the treasure. Thorin refuses and, having summoned his kin from the north, reinforces his position. Bilbo tries to ransom the Arkenstone to head off a war, but Thorin is intransigent. He banishes Bilbo, and battle seems inevitable.

Gandalf reappears to warn all of an approaching army of goblins and Wargs. The dwarves, men, and elves band together, but only with the timely arrival of the eagles and Beorn do they win the Battle of Five Armies. J R R Tolkien 's Middle-earth fantasy writings include many wars and battles set in the lands of Aman, Beleriand, Númenor, and Thorin, mortally wounded, lives long enough to part from Bilbo as a friend. The treasure is divided fairly, but, having no need or desire for it, Bilbo refuses most of his contracted share. Nevertheless, he returns home with enough to make himself a very wealthy hobbit.

Concept and creation

Writing

In a 1955 letter to W. H. Auden, Tolkien recollects that in the early 1930s, when he was Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College, he began The Hobbit when he was marking School Certificate papers. Wystan Hugh Auden (21 February 1907 – 29 September 1973 ˈwɪstən ˈhjuː ˈɔːdən who signed his works W Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. He found one blank page. Suddenly inspired, he wrote the words, "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. " He did not go any further than that at the time, although in the following years he drew up Thrór's map, outlining the geography of the tale. This is a list of Dwarves from J R R Tolkien 's Fictional universe of Middle-earth. [9] By late 1932 he had finished the story and gave it to C. S. Lewis to read. Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963 [10] It was eventually published when a family friend and student of Tolkien's named Elaine Griffiths was lent the typescript of the story. [11] In 1936, when Griffiths was visited in Oxford by Susan Dagnall, a staff member of the publisher George Allen & Unwin, she is reported to have either lent Dagnall the book[11] or suggested she borrow it from Tolkien. Allen & Unwin, formerly a major British publishing house is now an independent book publisher and distributor based in Australia. [12] In any event, Miss Dagnall was impressed by it, and showed the book to Stanley Unwin, who then asked his 10-year-old son Rayner to review it. Sir Stanley Unwin (1884-1968 was a British publisher founder of the George Allen and Unwin house in 1914 Rayner S Unwin (1926 &ndash November 23, 2000) was the son of publisher Sir Stanley Unwin of the publishing firm George Allen & Unwin. After Rayner wrote a short but enthusiastic piece about the book, it was published by Allen & Unwin. [12]

Publication

Dustcover of the first edition of The Hobbit. This cover was taken from a design by Tolkien, as was the binding illustrated at the top of this article.
Dustcover of the first edition of The Hobbit. This cover was taken from a design by Tolkien, as was the binding illustrated at the top of this article.

George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. of London published the first edition of The Hobbit on 21 September 1937. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It was illustrated with many black-and-white drawings by Tolkien, who also supplied a design for the dust jacket. As Tolkien's original effort would have required several print colours, increasing the expense, the publisher gave the artwork to an anonymous designer to redraw. The original printing numbered a mere 1,500 copies and sold out by December due to enthusiastic reviews. [13] Houghton Mifflin of Boston and New York prepared an American edition, to be released early in 1938, in which four of the illustrations would be colour plates. Houghton Mifflin Company is a leading educational Publisher in the United States. The City of New York Allen & Unwin decided to incorporate the colour illustrations into their second printing, released at the end of 1937. [13] Despite the book's popularity, paper rationing brought on by wartime conditions and not ending until 1949 meant that the book was often unavailable in this period. Rationing is the controlled distribution of resources and scarce goods or services World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including [14]

The first printing of the first English-language edition can sell for between £6,000[15] and £20,000 at auction,[16] although the price for a signed first edition has reached over £60,000. [2]

Subsequent editions in English were published in 1951, 1966, 1978 and 1995. The novel has been reprinted frequently by many publishers. This list contains only complete printed English-language editions of ''The Hobbit''. [17] In addition, The Hobbit has been translated into over forty languages; some languages have seen multiple translations. J R R Tolkien 's The Hobbit has been translated into many languages [18]

Revisions

In December 1937, The Hobbit's publisher, Stanley Unwin, asked Tolkien for a sequel. In response he provided drafts for The Silmarillion, but the editors rejected them, believing that the public wanted "more about hobbits". The Silmarillion is a collection of J R R Tolkien 's mythopoeic works edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in [19] Tolkien subsequently began work on what would become The Lord of the Rings,[19] a course that would not only change the context of the original story, but also lead to substantial changes to the character Gollum. The Lord of the Rings is an epic

In the first edition of The Hobbit, Gollum willingly bets his magic ring on the outcome of the riddle-game, and he and Bilbo part amicably. [20] In order to reflect the new concept of the ring and its corrupting abilities, in the second edition edits Tolkien made Gollum more aggressive towards Bilbo and distraught at losing the ring. The encounter ends with Gollum's blood-curdling curse, "Thief! Thief, Baggins! We hates it, we hates it, we hates it forever!", foreshadowing the nature of the character in The Lord of the Rings.

Tolkien sent this revised version of the chapter "Riddles in the Dark" to Unwin as an example of the kinds of changes needed to bring the book into conformance with The Lord of the Rings, but he heard nothing back for years. When he was sent galley proofs of a new edition, Tolkien was surprised to find the sample text incorporated. Galleys redirects here For other uses see Galley (disambiguation. [19] In The Lord of the Rings, the original version of the riddle-game is explained as a "lie" made up by Bilbo, whereas the revised version contains the "true" account. [21] The revised text became the second edition, published in 1951 in both the UK and the USA. [13]

After an unauthorized paperback edition of The Lord of the Rings appeared from Ace Books in 1965, Houghton Mifflin and Ballantine requested Tolkien to refresh the text of The Hobbit in order to renew US copyright. Ace Books is the oldest active specialty Publisher of Science fiction and Fantasy books The Ballantine Publishing Group, better known as Ballantine Books, is a major American book Publisher founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine. [22] This text became the 1966 third edition. Tolkien took the chance to align the narrative even more closely to The Lord of the Rings and to developments in his still unpublished Quenta Silmarillion as it stood at that time. Quenta Silmarillion is a collection of fictional legends written by the Fantasy writer J [23] These small edits included, for example, changing the phrase elves that are now called Gnomes from the first[24] and second[25] editions on page 63, to High Elves of the West, my kin in the third edition. [26]. Tolkien had used "gnome" in his earlier writing to refer to the second kindred of the High Elves—the Noldor (or "Deep Elves")—thinking "gnome", derived from the Greek gnosis (knowledge), was a good name for the wisest of the elves. Many Fantasy settings contain elves, often particularly in western fantasy elves are divided into multiple different kinds In the works of J R R Tolkien, the Noldor (meaning those with knowledge) were those of the second clan of the Elves, the Tatyar, who came A gnome is a Mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle However, because of its common denotation of a garden gnome, Tolkien ultimately abandoned the term. A gnome is a Mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle

In order to fit the tone of The Hobbit better to its sequel, Tolkien began a new version in 1966, removing the narrative asides. He abandoned the new revision at chapter three after he received criticism that it "just wasn't The Hobbit", implying it had lost much of its light-hearted tone and quick pace. [27]

Genre

The Hobbit takes cues from narrative models of children's literature, as shown by its omniscient narrator and characters that pre-adolescent children can identify with, such as the small, food-obsessed, and morally ambiguous Bilbo. Children's literature is an age category of literature written for published for or marketed to Children roughly through age 12 The third-person narrative is a Narrative mode applying the third person. The text emphasizes the relationship between time and narrative progress and it openly distinguishes "safe" from "dangerous" in its geography. Both are key elements of works intended for children. [28] While Tolkien claimed later to dislike the aspect of the narrative voice addressing the reader directly,[29] the narrative voice contributes significantly to the success of the novel, and the story is, therefore, often read aloud. [30]

The book is popularly referred to being (and often marketed as) a fantasy novel, but like Peter Pan and Wendy by J. M. Barrie and The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, both of which influenced Tolkien and contain "fantasy" elements, it is generally identified as being children's literature. Fantasy literature is Fantasy in written form Historically speaking the majority of fantasy works have been literature Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and Peter and Wendy are the stage play and novel (respectively which tell the well-known story of Sir James Matthew Barrie 1st Baronet OM ( 9 May, 1860 &ndash 19 June, 1937) more commonly known as J The Princess and the Goblin is a children's Fantasy Novel by George MacDonald. George MacDonald ( 10 December 1824 &mdash 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author poet and Christian minister

Style

The basic form of the story is that of a quest,[31] told in episodes. This article is about the word for other meanings see Quest (disambiguation A quest is a journey towards a goal used in Mythology For the most part of the book, each chapter introduces a different denizen of the Wilderland, some friendly towards the protagonists, and some threatening.

While many of the encounters are dangerous or threatening, the general tone is light-hearted, and interspersed with songs. One example of the use of song to maintain tone is when Thorin and Company are kidnapped by Goblins, who, when marching them into the underworld, sing:

“

Clap! Snap! the black crack!
Grip, grab! Pinch, nab!
And down down to Goblin-town
You go, my lad!
. . .

”

This onomatopoeic singing undercuts the dangerous scene with a sense of humour. Tolkien achieves balance of humour and danger through other means as well, as seen in the foolishness and provincial speech of the trolls and in the drunken behaviour of the elven captors. [32] The general form—that of a journey into strange lands, told in a light-hearted mood and interspersed with songs—may be following the model of "The Icelandic Journals" by Tolkien's literary idol William Morris. William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896 was an English Architect, Furniture and Textile designer artist writer and socialist associated [33]

The novel draws on Tolkien's knowledge of historical languages and early European texts. The names of Gandalf and all but one of the thirteen dwarves were taken directly from the Old Norse poem "Voluspa" from the Elder Edda. Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age Völuspá ( Prophecy of the Völva) is the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda. The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius. [34] Several of the author's illustrations (including the dwarven map, the frontispiece and the dust jacket) make use of Anglo-Saxon runes. The names of the dwarf-friendly ravens are also derived from the Old-Norse for raven and rook. [35] Tolkien, however, is not simply skimming historical sources for effect: linguistic styles, especially the relationship between the modern and ancient, has been seen to be one of the major themes explored by the story. [36]

Major themes

The central character, Bilbo, is a modern anachronism exploring an essentially antique world. An anachronism (from the Greek "ana" " ανά " "against anti-" and "chronos" " χρόνος " Bilbo is able to negotiate and interact within this antique world because language and tradition make connections between the two worlds. For example, Gollum's riddles are taken from old historical sources, while those of Bilbo come from modern nursery books. It is the form of the riddle-game, familiar to both, which allows Gollum and Bilbo to understand each other, rather than the content of the riddles themselves. This idea of a superficial contrast between characters' individual linguistic style, tone and sphere of interest, leading to an understanding of the deeper unity between the ancient and modern, is a constant recurring theme throughout The Hobbit. [36]

The Hobbit can be seen as a creative exposition of Tolkien's theoretical and academic work. Themes found in early English literature, and specifically by the poem Beowulf, have heavy presence in defining the ancient world Bilbo stepped into. Beowulf is an Old English Heroic epic poem of anonymous authorship dating as recorded in the Nowell Codex manuscript from between Tolkien is credited with being the first critic to expound on Beowulf as having literary value, rather than of purely historical interest, and his 1936 lecture "Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics" is still required reading for students of Anglo-Saxon. " Beowulf The Monsters and the Critics " was a 1936 lecture given by J The Beowulf poem contains several elements that Tolkien borrowed for The Hobbit, including a monstrous, intelligent dragon[8] and named blades of renown, adorned in runes. It is in the use of his elf-blade that we see Bilbo finally taking his first independent heroic action. By his naming the blade "Sting" we also see Bilbo's acceptance of the kinds of cultural and linguistic practices found in Beowulf, signifying his entrance into the ancient world in which he found himself. [37] This progression culminates in Bilbo stealing a cup from the dragon's hoard, rousing him to wrath—an incident directly mirroring Beowulf, and an action entirely determined by traditional narrative patterns. As Tolkien wrote, ". . . The episode of the theft arose naturally (and almost inevitably) from the circumstances. It is difficult to think of any other way of conducting the story at this point. I fancy the author of Beowulf would say much the same. "[38]

Another theme developed in The Hobbit is that of animism. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals An important concept in anthropology and child development, animism is the idea that all things—including inanimate objects and natural events, such as storms or purses, as well as living things like animals and plants—possess human-like intelligence. Anthropology (/ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/ from Greek grc ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, "human" -λογία -logia) is the study of Child development refers to the biological and psychological changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of Adolescence, as the individual Donald Anderson in the History of the Hobbit calls this the "Doctor Dolittle Theme", and notes as evidence of the theme the multitude of talking animals, including Smaug himself, alongside the talking, anthropomorphic goblins and elves. Doctor John Dolittle is the central character of a series of children's books by Hugh Lofting. Patrick Curry notes that animism is also found in Tolkien's other works, and mentions the "roots of mountains" and "feet of trees" in The Hobbit as a shift in level from the inanimate to animate. [39] Tolkien saw the idea of animism as closely linked to the emergence of human language and myth: ". . . The first men to talk of 'trees and stars' saw things very differently. To them, the world was alive with mythological beings. . . To them the whole of creation was "myth-woven and elf-patterned". '[40]

Just as Tolkien's literary theories have been seen to influence the tale, so have Tolkien's experiences. The Hobbit may be read as Tolkien's parable of the Great War, where the hero is plucked from his rural home and thrown into a far off war where traditional types of heroism are shown to be futile. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All [41] The tale as such explores the theme of heroism. As Jane Croft notes, Tolkien's literary reaction to war at this time differed from most post-war writers by eschewing irony as a method for distancing events and instead using mythology to mediate his experiences. [42] Similarities to the works of other writers who faced the Great War are seen in The Hobbit, including portraying warfare as anti-pastoral: in "The Desolation of Smaug", both the area under the influence of Smaug before his demise and the setting for "The Battle of the Five Armies" later are described as barren, damaged landscapes. Pastoral, as an adjective refers to the lifestyle of Shepherds and Pastoralists moving livestock around larger areas of land according to seasons and availability The Hobbit or There and Back Again is an award-winning fantasy [7] The Hobbit makes a warning against repeating the tragedies of the Great War,[43] and Tolkien's attitude as a veteran may well be summed up by Bilbo's comment:[42]

“ Victory after all, I suppose! Well, it seems a very gloomy business. ”

The Jungian concept of individuation is reflected through the theme of growing maturity and capability, with the author contrasting Bilbo's personal growth against the arrested development of the dwarves. Individuation (Latin principium individuationis) is a concept which appears in numerous fields and may be encountered in work by Gilbert Simondon, Bernard Stiegler [5] The theme of a character entering into enclosed spaces (such as the various hills, caves, dungeons) has a Freudian dimension, while the analogue of the "underworld" and the hero returning from it with a boon (such as the ring, or elvish blades) that benefits his society is seen to fit the mythic archetypes regarding initiation and male coming-of-age as described by Joseph Campbell. Sigmund Freud (ˈziːkmʊnt ˈfʁɔʏt born Sigismund Shlomo Freud (May 6 1856 &ndash September 23 1939 was an Austrian Psychiatrist who founded In the study of Mythology and Religion, the underworld (gr κάτω κόσμος) is a generic term approximately equivalent to the lay term Afterlife An archetype ( pronounced: /ˈɑːkɪtaɪp/ (Brit or /ˈɑrkɪtaɪp/ (Amer Joseph John Campbell ( March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American Mythology Professor, Writer [32]

Greed plays a central role in the novel, with many of the episodes stemming from one or more of the characters' simple desire for food (be it trolls eating dwarves or dwarves eating Wood-elf fare) or a desire for beautiful objects, such as gold and jewels. [44] It is only through the Arkenstone's influence upon Thorin that greed, and its attendant vices "coveting" and "malignancy" come fully to the fore in the story, and provides the moral crux of the tale. Bilbo steals this most ancient relic from the dwarves and attempts to use it to bargain with Thorin. However, Thorin turns on the hobbit as a traitor, disregarding all the promises and "at your services" he had previously bestowed. [45] The theme of jewels that inspire intense greed which corrupts those that covet them is also explored in the Silmarillion, and there are connections between the words Arkenstone and Silmaril in Tolkien's invented etymologies. [46]

Reception and legacy

On first publication, The Hobbit was met with almost unanimously favourable reviews from publications both in the UK and the USA, including The Times (written by C.S. Lewis), Catholic World and The New York Post. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963 The New York Post is the 13th-oldest Newspaper published in the United States and generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continually [47] It was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction of the year (1938). The Carnegie Medal in Literature was established in the UK in 1936 in honour of Scottish Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald. More recently, The Hobbit has been recognized as "Most Important 20th-Century Novel (for Older Readers)" in the Children's Books of the Century poll in Books for Keeps. [1]

While The Hobbit has been adapted and elaborated upon in many ways, its sequel The Lord of the Rings is often claimed to be its greatest legacy. The plots share basic elements, but Tolkien wrote the later story in much less humorous tones and infused it with more complex moral and philosophical themes. The differences between the two stories can cause difficulties when readers, expecting them to be similar, find that they are not. [48] Some differences are in details; for example, goblins are more often referred to as Orcs in The Lord of the Rings. [49] Many of the thematic differences arose because Tolkien wrote The Hobbit as a story for children, and The Lord of the Rings for the same audience who had subsequently grown up since its publication. Further, Tolkien's concept of Middle-earth was to continually change and slowly evolve throughout his life and writings. [50]

Adaptations

See also: Adaptations of The Hobbit

March 1953 saw the first authorized adaptation, a stage production by St. Margaret's School, Edinburgh. March 1953 saw the first authorized adaptation of The Hobbit, a stage production by St Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. [51] The Hobbit has since been adapted for other media many times.

The BBC Radio 4 series The Hobbit radio drama was an adaptation by Michael Kilgarriff, broadcast in eight parts (four total hours) from September to November 1968. The Hobbit is a 1968 BBC Radio adaptation of J R R Tolkien 's 1937 children's Fantasy novel The Hobbit Radio drama is a form of audio storytelling broadcast on radio. Michael Kilgarriff is a British actor born 1937 in Brighton. As an actor he is well known for two things his rich voice leading to much radio and voice over It starred Anthony Jackson as narrator, Paul Daneman as Bilbo and Heron Carvic as Gandalf. Anthony Jackson ( 18 February 1944 &ndash 27 November 2006) was an English Actor, who reached his widest audiences as Paul Daneman ( 29 October 1925 - 28 April 2001) was an English actor with several Film and Television credits Heron Carvic (died 9 February 1980) was a British Actor and Writer who provided the voice acting for Gandalf in the BBC The series was released on audio cassette in 1988 and on CD in 1997. The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a Magnetic tape sound [52]

The Hobbit, an animated version of the story produced by Rankin/Bass, debuted as a television movie in the United States in 1977. J R R Tolkien 's The Hobbit was adapted into an animated Television movie by Rankin/Bass Productions in 1977 The bouncing ball animation (below consists of these 6 frames Rankin/Bass Productions Inc (formerly Videocraft International Ltd The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In 1978, Romeo Muller won a Peabody Award for his teleplay for The Hobbit. The George Foster Peabody Awards, better known as simply the Peabody Awards, are annual international awards for excellence in Radio and Television broadcasting The film was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, but lost to Star Wars. The Hugo Awards are given annually by members of the World Science Fiction Convention for the best science fiction or fantasy works Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope (originally released as Star Wars) is a 1977 Space opera The adaptation has been called "excruciable"[53] and confusing for those not already familiar with the plot. [54]

A live-action film version was announced on 18 December 2007, to be co-produced by MGM and New Line Cinema, and produced by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. New Line Cinema, founded in 1967 is one of the major American Film studios Though it initially began as an independent film studio it became a A film producer is a person who creates the conditions for making movies. The Lord of the Rings film trilogy consists of three Live action Fantasy Epic films The Fellowship of the Ring ( 2001 A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. Peter Robert Jackson, CNZM (born 31 October 1961 is a three-time Academy Award -winning New Zealand director producer and writer best known for directing [55] A date of 2011 has been proposed for its release. It is to be shot simultaneously with a second prequel to The Lord of the Rings. Guillermo Del Toro quoted as saying: "I don't like little guys and dragons, hairy feet, hobbits—I've never been into that . Guillermo del Toro Gómez (born October 9, 1964) is an Academy Award -nominated Mexican filmmaker . . I hate all that stuff. " [56] in 2006 signed on to direct the double-bill in 2008. Shortly after signing up, he was recorded by Weta saying "re-reading The Hobbit just recently I was quite moved by discovering, through Bilbo's eyes the illusory nature of possession, the sins of hoarding and the banality of war - whether in the Western Front or at a Valley in Middle Earth. Weta are around 70 Insect Species endemic to the New Zealand Archipelago. Lonely is the mountain indeed. " [57] [58] The heirs of Tolkien, including his son Christopher Tolkien, are currently suing New Line Cinema (as of February 2008) for non-payment of profits, and the rights to veto any further exploitation of Tolkien's literary works, including The Hobbit. Christopher Reuel Tolkien (born 21 November 1924 is the youngest son of the Author J New Line Cinema, founded in 1967 is one of the major American Film studios Though it initially began as an independent film studio it became a [59][60]

Middle-earth Strategic Gaming (formerly Middle-earth Play-by-Mail), which has won several Origin Awards, uses the Battle of Five Armies as an introductory scenario to the full game and includes characters and armies from the book. The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry [61]

Cover of the award-winning computer game
Cover of the award-winning computer game

Several computer and video games, both licensed and unlicensed, have been based on the story. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. One of the most successful was The Hobbit, an award-winning computer game developed in 1982 by Beam Software and published by Melbourne House with compatibility for most computers available at the time. The Hobbit is a computer game released in 1982 and based on the book The Hobbit, by J Krome Studios Melbourne, formerly Melbourne House, is a video game development studio owned by Krome Studios and based in Melbourne Australia Krome Studios Melbourne, formerly Melbourne House, is a video game development studio owned by Krome Studios and based in Melbourne Australia A copy of the novel was included in each game package in order to encourage players to engage the text, since ideas for gameplay could be found therein. [62] Likewise, it can be seen that the game is not attempting to re-tell the story, but rather sits along-side it, using the narrative to both structure and motivate gameplay. [63] The game won the Golden Joystick Award for Strategy Game of the Year in 1983[64] and was responsible for popularizing the phrase, "Thorin sits down and starts singing about gold. The Golden Joystick Awards are the world's oldest gaming Award ceremony, awarding the best Computer and video games of the year as voted for by the "[65]

See also

In May and June 2007, HarperCollins and Houghton Mifflin published The History of The Hobbit in the United Kingdom. HarperCollins is a Publishing company owned by News Corporation. The History of The Hobbit is a two-volume study of J R R Tolkien ’s The Hobbit. The work examines, in two volumes, previously unpublished original drafts of The Hobbit with extensive commentary by John Rateliff.

References

  1. ^ a b Tolkien Society FAQ: Did Tolkien win any awards for his books?
  2. ^ a b Tolkien's Hobbit fetches £60,000. This list contains only complete printed English-language editions of ''The Hobbit''. The early American editions of J R R Tolkien 's ''The Hobbit'' were published by the Houghton Mifflin Company of Boston and J R R Tolkien 's The Hobbit has been translated into many languages "The Quest of Erebor" is a work of Fantasy fiction by J Retroactive continuity is the deliberate changing of previously established facts in a work of serial fiction Unfinished Tales (full title Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth) is a collection of stories and essays by J bbc. co. uk (18/03/08). Retrieved on 06/06/2008.
  3. ^ Eaton, Anne T. . "A Delightfully Imaginative Journey", The New York Times, 1938-03-13.  
  4. ^ Langford, David (2001). David Rowland Langford (born 10 April 1953 is a British author editor and Critic, largely active within the Science fiction field "Lord of the Royalties". SFX magazine. SFX is a British Magazine devoted to Science fiction and Fantasy subjects especially media-related topics but not containing fiction  
  5. ^ a b Matthews, Dorothy. "The Psychological Journey of Bilbo Baggins", A Tolkien Compass, 27–40.  
  6. ^ Rateliff, John D The History of the Hobbit. Part 1: Mr. Baggins
  7. ^ a b Croft, Janet Brennan (9 2002). "The Great War and Tolkien's Memory, an examination of World War I themes in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings". Mythlore (84).  
  8. ^ a b Hall, Mark F. (9 2006). "Dreaming of dragons: Tolkien's impact on Heaney's Beowulf". Mythlore.  
  9. ^ Carpenter, Humphrey, ed. Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter ( April 29 1946 – January 4 2005) was an English biographer, Author, and (1981), The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, #163, ISBN 0-395-31555-7 
  10. ^ Carpenter, Humphrey (1977), Tolkien: A Biography, New York: Ballantine Books, p. The Letters of J R R Tolkien (ISBN 0-618-05699-8 is a selection of J Houghton Mifflin Company is a leading educational Publisher in the United States. Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter ( April 29 1946 – January 4 2005) was an English biographer, Author, and 181, ISBN 0-04-928037-6 
  11. ^ a b Carpenter, Humphrey, ed. Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter ( April 29 1946 – January 4 2005) was an English biographer, Author, and (1981), The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, #294, ISBN 0-395-31555-7 
  12. ^ a b Carpenter, Humphrey (1977), Tolkien: A Biography, New York: Ballantine Books, p. The Letters of J R R Tolkien (ISBN 0-618-05699-8 is a selection of J Houghton Mifflin Company is a leading educational Publisher in the United States. Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter ( April 29 1946 – January 4 2005) was an English biographer, Author, and 184, ISBN 0-04-928037-6 
  13. ^ a b c Hammond, Wayne; Douglas A. Anderson (1993). J. R. R. Tolkien: A Descriptive Bibliography. New Castle, Delaware: Oak Knoll Press, 15,18,21,48,54. ISBN 0-938768-42-5.  
  14. ^ Anderson, Douglas A. , ed. The Annotated Hobbit. Revised Edition. Harper Collins. London, 2003. ISBN 0-00-713726-3. pp. 22
  15. ^ The Hobbit sells for £6,000, bbc. co. uk, 26/11/04[1]
  16. ^ Walne, Toby. How to make a killing from first editions Daily Telegraph 21/11/2007[2]
  17. ^ Anderson, Douglas A. , ed. The Annotated Hobbit. Revised Edition. Harper Collins. London, 2003. ISBN 0-00-713726-3. pp. 384–386
  18. ^ Anderson, The Annotated Hobbit p. 23
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  21. ^ J. R. R. Tolkien (April 1, 1987), The Fellowship of the Ring, vol. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J 1, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, Prologue, ISBN 0-395-08254-4 
  22. ^ Rateliff, John D The History of the Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings is an epic Houghton Mifflin Company is a leading educational Publisher in the United States. Part 2: Return to Bag-End p765
  23. ^ Anderson, The Annotated Hobbit (1988), Flies and Spiders, note 23
  24. ^ Tolkien, J. R. R. (1937). The Hobbit. London: George Allen & Unwin, 63.  
  25. ^ Tolkien, J. R. R. (1951). The Hobbit. London: George Allen & Unwin, 63.  
  26. ^ Tolkien, J. R. R. (1966). The Hobbit. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 62.  
  27. ^ Rateliff, John D. The History of the Hobbit. Part 2: Return to Bag End. p781
  28. ^ Jaume Alberdo Poveda Narrative Models in Tolkien's Stories of Middle Earth,Journal of English Studies, vol. 4, 2003-2004
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  30. ^ The Hobbit Major Themes, Cliff Notes, retrieved (30/01/08)[3]
  31. ^ Auden, W.H. (2004). Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter ( April 29 1946 – January 4 2005) was an English biographer, Author, and Wystan Hugh Auden (21 February 1907 – 29 September 1973 ˈwɪstən ˈhjuː ˈɔːdən who signed his works W "The Quest Hero", in Rose A. Zimbardo and Neil D. Isaaca,: Understanding the Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism. Houghton Mifflin, 31-51. ISBN ISBN 0-618-42251-x.  
  32. ^ a b Helms, Randel (1976). Myth, Magic and Meaning in Tolkien's World. Granada. ISBN 0415921503.  
  33. ^ Amison, Anne (7 2006). "An unexpected Guest. influence of William Morris on J. R. R. Tolkien's works". Mythlore (98).  
  34. ^ Tolkien's Middle-earth: Lesson Plans, Unit Two. Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved on 2007-09-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire.
  35. ^ Fisher, Jason (3 2008). "The History of the Hobbit (review)". Mythlore (101/102).  
  36. ^ a b Shippey, Tom: Tolkien: Author of the Century, HarperCollins, 2000, p. 41
  37. ^ McDonald, R. Andrew (9 2006). ""In the hilt is fame": resonances of medieval swords and sword-lore in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings". Mythlore (96).  
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  39. ^ Curry, Patrick (2004). The Letters of J R R Tolkien (ISBN 0-618-05699-8 is a selection of J Houghton Mifflin Company is a leading educational Publisher in the United States. Defending Middle-earth: Tolkien: Myth and Modernity. Mariner Books, 98. ISBN 061847885X.  
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  41. ^ Carpenter, Humphrey (23). Review: Cover book: Tolkien and the Great War by John Garth. The Times Online. Retrieved on 25, 2008. Retrieved on 05 2008.
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  43. ^ Zipes, Jack David (8 1999). When Dreams Came True: Classical Fairy Tales and Their Tradition. Routledge, 24. ISBN 0415921503.  
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  47. ^ Anderson, Douglas A. The History of The Hobbit is a two-volume study of J R R Tolkien ’s The Hobbit. HarperCollins is a Publishing company owned by News Corporation. , ed. The Annotated Hobbit. Revised Edition. Harper Collins. London, 2003. ISBN 0-00-713726-3.
  48. ^ Kocher, Paul Master of Middle-earth, the Achievement of J. R. R. Tolkien Penguin, 1974, Chapter 2: The Hobbit.
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  50. ^ Tolkien, Christopher The History of Middle-earth, Vol 1 "The Book of Lost Tales", p. 7
  51. ^ Anderson, Douglas, The Annotated Hobbit, p. 23
  52. ^ Bramlett, Perry C. I Am in Fact a Hobbit: An Introduction to the Life and Works of J. R. R. Tolkien, Mercer University Press, 2003 p. 239
  53. ^ Anderson. Donald A. The Annotated Hobbit
  54. ^ Kask, TJ, NBC's The Hobbit, Dragon Magazine, December 1977
  55. ^ "Peter Jackson to produce The Hobbit", CNN. Dragon is one of the two official Magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons Role-playing game and associated products Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the  
  56. ^ Del Toro Interview, Salon.com
  57. ^ "Jackson and del Toro Talk The Hobbit!", ComingSoon. net / WetaNZ, 2008-05-25. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Retrieved on 2008-05-25. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors.  
  58. ^ Del Toro to take charge of The Hobbit | News | guardian.co.uk Film
  59. ^ Andrews, Amanda (2008-02-13). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed Tolkien's family threatens to block new Hobbit film. Times Online. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. Retrieved on 2008-05-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João
  60. ^ {{Tolkien Trust v. New Line Cinema Corp.. FindLaw. com (2008-02-11). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
  61. ^ More information can be found at: the Middle-earth Games page for the game (retrieved 25/02/08)
  62. ^ Moore, Phil Using Computers in English: A Practical Guide, 1986, Routledge, pp. 44
  63. ^ Aarseth, Espen; Quest Games as Pos-Narrative Discoursein Narrative Across Media: The Languages of Storytelling ed. Ryan, Marie-Laure, University of Nebraska Press, 2004, p. 366
  64. ^ CRASH (magazine) #4, p. Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum Home computer. 43 [4]
  65. ^ Campbell, Stuart. Top 100 Speccy Games. Your Sinclair Magazine, #72 DEC 1991 pp. 28

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