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Hobbit king under the mountain poem5/3/2023 This is an important point, since part of the criticism lodged against him is his unwillingness to trust other races. In this way, Thorin is already prejudiced against the “delegation” that later arrives at the Mountain. Roac, the raven, warns Thorin that elves and men are coming to seize his gold, and the bird even mentions the unsettling detail that carrion crows follow in their wake, hoping for a battle feast. The armies of Bard and the Elvenking (a character who starts out with avaricious intentions, but who ends up being unsullied by greed) march toward the Mountain in hopes of availing themselves of a treasure free and clear of dragons and dwarves. It leaves the reader questioning whether or not he deserves all that he demands. Thorin may have waited a lifetime to regain his birthright, but without the bravery, skill, and luck of Bard, (not to mention Bilbo’s insider information) he would still have the dragon standing between him and that goal. This turns the opinions of the Lake-men against Thorin, and begins the process of undermining the dwarf’s status with the reader. The greedy Master of Lake-town is the first to take on the mantle, but, being the tricky fellow he is, he quickly passes it along by pointing out how stirring up the dragon, and the subsequent destruction of Lake-town, would never have happened had not the dwarves returned. With the death of Smaug, the role of chief antagonist is left vacant. But although Bilbo is not directly responsible for Smaug’s demise, his discovery of the dragon’s weakness (passed along to Bard by the thrush bird) plays an important part. His own triumph over fear (manifested in their face-to-face conversation) is more important to his character’s growth than the actual slaying of the beast, and it is left to Bard, a more traditional human hero, to stand before the villain. After having bested these opponents, Bilbo must face the dragon. Practically everything harries the hobbit, including trolls, goblins, Gollum, wargs, and spiders. There are many antagonists that serve as foils to Bilbo. Bilbo is not initially possessed of heroic qualities, but bravery and self-sacrifice come to him over the course of the book. To say Bilbo is the hero of the tale, and Smaug the villain, oversimplifies matters. A keen sense of pride is linked to each of these goals, and we find out he is unwilling to settle for anything less than achieving all of them. He wants the Lonely Mountain, the horde of treasure that lies within it, and the heirloom Arkenstone, as well as the restoration of his people to their rightful home. Thorin is guided even more strongly by ancestral expectations, but his goals are very tangible. Bilbo goes along for the ride, partly to live up to Gandalf’s recommendation of him as a burglar, but mostly because he is seeking something intangible a connection to his ancestors via a discovery of his more adventurous self. The quest is organized by Gandalf (who has his own hidden motives), while the journey is driven forward by Thorin’s desire to reclaim his kingdom. To answer this question, it is first important to note that although Bilbo may be the main character, it is actually the lesser protagonists who move the plot along. But exactly how did the exiled king shift from protagonist to antagonist? What appears to be a flaw in his character culminates in a deadly rage against Bilbo. Given the wizard’s status, readers know the dwarf must be doing something wrong if he has earned this stamp of disapproval. At one point, even Gandalf stands against him. Because of pride, and an unwillingness to bend to the will of outsiders, he commits his followers to a desperate battle. After the Lonely Mountain is reclaimed, his character becomes even less appealing. By the time the dragon has been destroyed, it is already clear he is an inconsistent hero, occasionally brave and heedless of danger, but just as often shirking the riskiest activities, and letting a small hobbit face them. From the beginning, the character possesses a strong sense of self-importance, and a gruff impatience which is not entirely endearing. While he is never entirely a villain, Thorin Oakenshield becomes temporarily cast as one due to circumstance. Ī Journey from Hero to Villain, and Back Again This essay is an attempt to justify my reaction. But when I read the story, I find it hard not to side with him. Thorin is often criticized for the choices he makes after the death of Smaug, and the average reader is rarely sympathetic with his refusal to share the treasure with the people of Lake-town.
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