Scribd
Upload
51 views

Plot and Storyline

The story begins with Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit, being recruited by the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves to join their quest to reclaim treasure from the dragon Smaug. Bilbo reluctantly agrees to join as the "burglar". Along the journey, Bilbo encounters trolls, goblins, and other creatures, and discovers his own courage and strength. After Smaug is killed by Bard, a dispute over the treasure threatens to lead to war between dwarves, men, and elves, but they unite to defeat an approaching orc army. Though initially reluctant for adventure, Bilbo plays a key role in the quest and gains wealth and wisdom from his experiences.

Uploaded by

kanchan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
51 views

Plot and Storyline

The story begins with Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit, being recruited by the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves to join their quest to reclaim treasure from the dragon Smaug. Bilbo reluctantly agrees to join as the "burglar". Along the journey, Bilbo encounters trolls, goblins, and other creatures, and discovers his own courage and strength. After Smaug is killed by Bard, a dispute over the treasure threatens to lead to war between dwarves, men, and elves, but they unite to defeat an approaching orc army. Though initially reluctant for adventure, Bilbo plays a key role in the quest and gains wealth and wisdom from his experiences.

Uploaded by

kanchan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Plot and Storyline

The story of The Hobbit begins in the Shire, land of the Hobbits. The Shire is
similar to a pastoral English countryside, and the Hobbits are represented as
quiet, agricultural people who shun adventure and travel. Bilbo Baggins, the
protagonist of the story, is surprised to find himself hosting a group of dwarves
and the great wizard, Gandalf. The group has decided that now is the right time
to journey to the Lonely Mountain, where they will retake the dwarves' treasure
from the dragon, Smaug. They have nominated Bilbo to join the expedition as
their "burglar."

Though initially reluctant, Bilbo agrees to join the group, and they head off far
from the Shire into the increasingly dangerous sections of Middle Earth.

Along the journey, Bilbo and his company meet up with a wide range of creatures
both beautiful and terrible. As he is tested, Bilbo discovers his own inner
strength, loyalty, and cunning. Each chapter involves an interaction with a new
set of characters and challenges:

 The group is captured by trolls and nearly eaten, but are saved when
sunlight strikes the trolls and they are turned to stone.
 Gandalf leads the group to the Elven settlement of Rivendell where they
meet the Elvish leader, Elrond.
 The group is caught by goblins and driven deep underground. Although
Gandalf rescues them, Bilbo gets separated from the others as they flee the
goblins. Lost in the goblin tunnels, he stumbles across a mysterious ring
and then encounters Gollum, who engages him in a game of riddles. As a
reward for solving all riddles Gollum will show him the path out of the
tunnels, but if Bilbo fails, his life will be forfeit. With the help of the ring,
which confers invisibility, Bilbo escapes and rejoins the dwarves,
improving his reputation with them. The goblins and Wargs give chase, but
the company is saved by eagles.
 The company enters the black forest of Mirkwood without Gandalf. In
Mirkwood, Bilbo first saves the dwarves from giant spiders and then from
the dungeons of the Wood-elves. Nearing the Lonely Mountain, the
travelers are welcomed by the human inhabitants of Lake-town, who hope
the dwarves will fulfill prophecies of Smaug's demise.

 The expedition travels to the Lonely Mountain and finds the secret door;
Bilbo scouts the dragon's lair, stealing a great cup and learning of a
weakness in Smaug's armor. The enraged dragon, deducing that Lake-town
has aided the intruder, sets out to destroy the town. A thrush has
overheard Bilbo's report of Smaug's vulnerability and reports it to Lake-
town defender Bard. His arrow finds the chink and slays the dragon.
 When the dwarves take possession of the mountain, Bilbo finds the
Arkenstone, an heirloom of Thorin's dynasty, and hides it away. 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 Iron Hills, 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 climactic Battle of
Five Armies. Thorin is fatally wounded and reconciles with Bilbo before he
dies. Bilbo accepts only a small portion of his share of the treasure, having
no want or need for more, but still returns home a very wealthy hobbit.

Themes
The Hobbit is a simple tale when compared to Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of
the Rings. It does, however, contain several themes:

 It explores the process by which an untested individual develops the


insight and skills to become a leader;
 It guides the reader to question the value of wealth as opposed to peace and
contentment;
 It builds on Tolkien's personal experience in World War I to consider the
question of whether victory, though desirable, is worth the price of war.

You might also like