Discussing The Hobbit

[marbretherese]

That doesn't mean I don't occasionally read other books and enjoy them.

Me too . . . but I keep coming back to LOTR

I try and re-read The Hobbit, regularly too, but you're right, Merry, it's dwarfed (sorry ) by its fabulous sequel. There's more to it than meets the eye at first glance, however.

Then again, I prefer The Hobbit to Children of Hurin . But that's a whole different discussion . . .

[Merry]

I do, too, marbretherese. If Tolkien had not come up with hobbits, the whole older world would have remained inaccessible to me and, I think, most readers. Probably for most of us, after reading LOTR, we were desperate to read something--ANYTHING!--of the same sort. But, really, there is nothing else.

[Iolanthe]

I try and re-read The Hobbit, regularly too, but you're right, Merry, it's dwarfed (sorry ) by its fabulous sequel.

Groan.......

Hobbit v Children of Hurin. Mmmmm. No contest, it's Turin's story for me - but that's another thread, as you say!

[shieldmaiden]

I suspect the main reason I don't find The Hobbit as exciting is because I actually read it after I had read the trilogy and the Silmarillion. Perhaps I would feel differently about it if I had read it first.

Don't get me wrong, I find it entertaining enough but it's a bit too juvenile for my taste.

Still, I'm looking forward to seeing what can be done with it on film.....if it ever gets made.

[Lindariel]

See, now, I LOVE The Hobbit for itself just exactly as it is -- a light hearted, somewhat juvenile tale, with unexpected depth, and lots of surprising beauties to discover along the way. But then again, I still love The Velveteen Rabbit and will happily read it over and over again, especially if given the chance to read it aloud to children. If you have never done so, find a young friend and read The Hobbit aloud to them in installments. The story comes alive in a way that is quite hard to describe, particularly if you take the time to create voices for each of the characters. Gollum, Thorin, Bilbo, and Gandalf are a lot of FUN to inhabit!!! Not to mention SMAUG! He's just delicious to read aloud!

Try it! I promise, you will NOT be sorry!

[Merry]

True, Lindariel, and I have done this. The nephew chanted 'We must away ere break of day' while stomping about the house for weeks, until I was blamed for reducing him to sobbing at Thorin's death. I don't think I've been forgiven for it by his parents, but the kid still loves it! Hope I can see the movies with him some day.

[marbretherese]

It makes sense that The Hobbit should be read aloud - after all, it began life as a bedtime story Tolkien made up for his children. He didn't write it down for several years. You've reminded me that I first heard The Hobbit read aloud to me at primary school - it really came alive! But it's never quite grabbed my imagination like LOTR.

[Lindariel]

I've read both The Hobbit and LOTR (yes, the ENTIRE THING!) aloud to my oldest daughter -- drank it up like mother's milk, and she is now MeJ's youngest member, Meliel (now age 13). It was a wonderful bonding experience.

My youngest daughter (8) has only heard The Hobbit so far. I offered to read LOTR to her, but she declined. I think the length of the story discouraged her. She thought about how many consecutive nights it took to get through The Hobbit and couldn't imagine how long it would take to read LOTR. I'll try again in another few months.

[Iolanthe]

I can imagine it would be daunting. Even if you split it into the three volumes, they each look like a very big book for a youngster. I'm sure she'll soon be up for it, though, how could she not with you to encourage her?

[Riv Res]

As many of you know, I have been doing some art pieces based on The Hobbit recently. I was trying to do a vision of the Great Gates of the Wood Elves (and failed miserably ... but may try again ) and I must say that compared to Imladris and Lothlorien, I find Thranduil's Caverns a bit odd as a dwelling for Elves. I understand the connection and the modeling after both Menegroth and Nargothrond, but it is odd to me that a race so connected with nature and so in love with the stars would have a major dwelling underground ... one that the Dwarves had a hand in constructing no less. The need for a fortress be damned, both Rivendell and Lorien were always defended successfully and were not hidden in the earth.

Just MHO, but it seems to fly in the face of Tolkien's depiction of the Elves and certainly their often contentious relationship with the Dwarves.

[Merry]

Good point. The whole thing, including some of the Elves' behavior, is a bit strange. The only thing I can think of is that Thranduil had no Ring, as did Galadriel and Elrond, so they were more vulnerable to attack than Lothlorien and Rivendell.

Would cultural differences in the three lines of Elves be enough to explain it? The Sylvan Elves aren't exactly the high culture of the others.

[Lindariel]

Keep in mind also that Thranduil and his folk, unlike the folk of Rivendell and Lothlorien, are living basically under siege. Dol Guldur is not all that far away, and Thranduil's beloved forest is no longer Greenwood the Great, but Mirkwood -- a place haunted by giant spiders, orcs, and wraiths. And most importantly, like Merry said, Thranduil does not have one of the Three Elven Rings of Power to assist him in defending his people. So over time, the silvan folk have had to abandon their talans and flets and flee to a more secure location. Given that Thranduil is also a kinsman of Elu Thingol, it really is not so surprising that he should choose a cave and model it after Menegroth.

[Merry]

It would be kind of interesting for an artist to imagine what Elves would do with living in a cave, though! Tolkien wants us to think of Thranduil as a Woodland King, with his botanical crowns, etc. So how would that 'style' translate into cave dwelling? No light, therefore, no houseplants!

[Riv Res]

Exactly Merry ... so un-Elven.

[Merry]

So maybe there would be murals of woodland scenes on the walls. Maybe they would sleep in bunk beds!