Nóm
10-15-2003, 11:50 AM
Okay, we're going to try opening up a thread for each chapter of LotR every few days or so.
Any questions arising from the Prologue or comments concerning the infomation given in the proglogue can go in this thread.
In the prologue we learn about the nature of hobbits, the history of the Shire, hobbits migration into Eriador from the east, and very little and vague information on the ancient history of hobbits. It is clearly implied that they had been around from the early days of Men, but nothing is said of them in the old elvish histories.
We also learn all about the Pipe Weed, and the source of the tale itself. LotR is translated mostly from a copy of a copy of the original book of Bilbo's. Other information found in the book (the appendices :D) was either added in Gondor when Findegil made this third copy from the second,or later on as with the Tale of Years that was put together by the hobbits.
Personaly the hobbits are such simpletons that it annoys me, but in a way they are a great example of how we might live, rather than being so bad to eachother. We may wish to be elves, but it is beyond our grasp.
What do you guys think about the way hobbits live and of their personalities? Something I found a little funny but bothers me slightly is the fact that some stuck into Bilbo's party again just to get another gift, or the more serious stuff that happend in Bag End after Bilbo left... hobbits showing up and tearing up the walls and trying to sneek away with things that do not belong to them. But maybe that is just because I like Bilbo so much. The interesting thing is that they are greedy people, but in a different way than elves, dwarves, and men. For the other races greed leads to evil but not so for hobbits. Why do you think this is?
Bilbo is by far my personal favorite of all the mortal people of Middle-earth. I love him, and like Merry and Pippin but for the most part hobbits as people do not have much apeal to me, not so much as their comfortable and peaceful way of life does.
In The Peoples of Middle-earth, we learn a little more about the history of the hobbits.
We learn that the hobbits had much contact with men while living around Anduin, and while invasions of unfrendly Men from the east had a part in the migration of the hobbits, we also have this interesting bit of information...
Plainly the Hobbits had sensed, even before the Wizards and the Eldar had become fully aware of it, the awakening of Sauron and his occupation of Dol Guldur.
And some more on their ancient history...
In their unrecorded past they must have been a primitive, indeed 'savage' people, but when we meet them they had (in varying degrees) acquired many arts and cussoms by contacts with Men, and to a less extent with Dwarves and Elves. With Men of normal stature they recognized their close kinship, whereas Dwarvs or Elves, whether frinedly or hostile, were aliens, with whom their relations were uneasy and clouded by fear.
one more thing...
Bilbo's statement that the cohabitation of the Big Folk and Little Folk in one settlement at Bree was peculiar and nowhere else to be found was probably true in his time (the end of the Third Age); but it would seem that actually Hobbits had liked to live with or near to Big Folk of friendly kind, who with their greater strength protected them from many dangers and enemies and other hostile men, and recieved in exchange many services.
I am just rushing to get this up before it ends up not happening. But please, add questions and comments if you have them.
Any questions arising from the Prologue or comments concerning the infomation given in the proglogue can go in this thread.
In the prologue we learn about the nature of hobbits, the history of the Shire, hobbits migration into Eriador from the east, and very little and vague information on the ancient history of hobbits. It is clearly implied that they had been around from the early days of Men, but nothing is said of them in the old elvish histories.
We also learn all about the Pipe Weed, and the source of the tale itself. LotR is translated mostly from a copy of a copy of the original book of Bilbo's. Other information found in the book (the appendices :D) was either added in Gondor when Findegil made this third copy from the second,or later on as with the Tale of Years that was put together by the hobbits.
Personaly the hobbits are such simpletons that it annoys me, but in a way they are a great example of how we might live, rather than being so bad to eachother. We may wish to be elves, but it is beyond our grasp.
What do you guys think about the way hobbits live and of their personalities? Something I found a little funny but bothers me slightly is the fact that some stuck into Bilbo's party again just to get another gift, or the more serious stuff that happend in Bag End after Bilbo left... hobbits showing up and tearing up the walls and trying to sneek away with things that do not belong to them. But maybe that is just because I like Bilbo so much. The interesting thing is that they are greedy people, but in a different way than elves, dwarves, and men. For the other races greed leads to evil but not so for hobbits. Why do you think this is?
Bilbo is by far my personal favorite of all the mortal people of Middle-earth. I love him, and like Merry and Pippin but for the most part hobbits as people do not have much apeal to me, not so much as their comfortable and peaceful way of life does.
In The Peoples of Middle-earth, we learn a little more about the history of the hobbits.
We learn that the hobbits had much contact with men while living around Anduin, and while invasions of unfrendly Men from the east had a part in the migration of the hobbits, we also have this interesting bit of information...
Plainly the Hobbits had sensed, even before the Wizards and the Eldar had become fully aware of it, the awakening of Sauron and his occupation of Dol Guldur.
And some more on their ancient history...
In their unrecorded past they must have been a primitive, indeed 'savage' people, but when we meet them they had (in varying degrees) acquired many arts and cussoms by contacts with Men, and to a less extent with Dwarves and Elves. With Men of normal stature they recognized their close kinship, whereas Dwarvs or Elves, whether frinedly or hostile, were aliens, with whom their relations were uneasy and clouded by fear.
one more thing...
Bilbo's statement that the cohabitation of the Big Folk and Little Folk in one settlement at Bree was peculiar and nowhere else to be found was probably true in his time (the end of the Third Age); but it would seem that actually Hobbits had liked to live with or near to Big Folk of friendly kind, who with their greater strength protected them from many dangers and enemies and other hostile men, and recieved in exchange many services.
I am just rushing to get this up before it ends up not happening. But please, add questions and comments if you have them.