Monday, May 25, 2020

Who Is The Hero Of The Hobbit - 1313 Words

1. Who is the hero of The Hobbit? J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit or There and Back Again implements many forms of heroism; whether it be Bilbo, Bard, Gandalf, or even Thorin and his dwarves. Relating to this, there is no one hero per se but rather multiple; the heroes face both internal and external challenges. This essay will argue that the heroes of The Hobbit are Bilbo, Gandalf, Bard and Thorin respectively, in addition, this essay will also analyse the first stage of the hero’s journey structure according to Joseph Campbell regarding Bilbo. Firstly, the main protagonist Bilbo Baggins sets a benchmark to the notion of an archetype hero. Kennedy, Gioia and Bauerlein describe an archetype as â€Å"a recurring symbol, character, landscape, or†¦show more content†¦Just as Campbell notes, the figure encounters a series of dangers, in this case being the trolls, the goblins, escaping from Gollum and going into Smaug’s lair. With assistance from Gandalf the group is saved from the goblins; howe ver, the dwarves and Bilbo are separated. The interaction between Gollum and Bilbo demonstrates a quality trait exhibited by a hero and, as a result, Bilbo’s actions are seen to outweigh his individual characteristics. Simultaneously, Bilbo displays wisdom in answering Gollum’s riddles and in turn exhibits cunning; â€Å"Bilbo seeing what had happened and having nothing better to ask stuck to his question† (74). In the same way, Bilbo’s adventure is seen according to Pearce as a â€Å"pilgrimage of grace in which he grows up† (3). Therefore, Bilbo’s main goal of his adventure according to Pearce is to eliminate evil amongst themselves (3); thus, identifying an internal quest. Particularly after Smaug’s death, the corruption of the gold leads the dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield to suffer from dragon sickness; â€Å"the obsessive possessiveness of dragons† (Pearce 83). The actions of Bilbo and internal qualities such as wisdom an d cunning thus concludes that he is a hero in The Hobbit, however, other characters exhibit heroic qualities. Gandalf henceforth can also be depicted as the hero of the story, heroism therefore can be determined by actions. Moreover, his role as theShow MoreRelatedThe Lord Of The Rings Series845 Words   |  4 Pagesheroism is a prominent theme throughout. There is not one sole hero. Tolkien doesn’t present the books with just one hero, but a combined effort of many different heroes. He could have easily made the story just about Aragorn, Gandalf, Frodo, or Sam A hero is a person who overcomes adversity to achieve a quest that changes his society for good in the dramatic way. In classic literature a hero is usually portrayed as an epic hero. 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A little friendly, good-natured, brilliant hobbit. To putRead MoreA Comparison Of The Hobbit And The Story Of Sigurd1400 Words   |  6 PagesAs the English poet Robert Graves said â€Å"One gets to the heart of the matter by a series of experiences in the same pattern, but in different colors. This quote is exemplified in the stories of The Hobbit and â€Å"The Story of Sigurd† when they have action and use the same hero’s journey pattern to create a great story. Both authors of the stories use strong and resilient characters in their stories to take down the monsters. In this case, there are two heroes taking down a greedy dragon. Based on theRead MoreThe Tolkien s The Hobbit1246 Words   |  5 PagesThe events associated with J.R.R Tolkien’s book The Hobbit resembles a hero’s quest journey, step by step until the final stage. Bilbo Baggins is the main character in this book and his life sonorously fits into in a typical hero quest journey. The three primary components of Bilbo’s quest are, the call to adventure, tests, allies and enemies, and the reward. In the book The Hobbit, Bilbo’s life is very plain and simple until he embarks on a marvelous journey with thirteen dwarfs and the wizard GandalfRead MoreAnalysis Of Bilbo Baggins s The Hobbit 1480 Words   |  6 PagesThe word â€Å"hero,† might conjure an image of somebody dressed in shining armour holding a sword and slaying the terrible dragon guarding a hoard of gold. In The Hobbit, there is indeed a heinous dragon guarding a hoard of treasure, and a hero who embarks on a journey to defeat the dragon and reclaim his stolen birthright. However, there is not just one hero, but two: Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who plays the role of the non-traditional hero, and Thorin Oakenshield, a strong-minded dwarf who representsRead MoreThe Unexpected Epic Of Bilbo Baggins s The Odyssey 1297 Words   |  6 PagesEpic Hero Praised for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities, a hero has distinguished courage and ability. An epic hero is a unique type of hero who is often depicted in an epic poem. Homer initiated the concept of an epic hero in the person of Odysseus in the epic poem The Odyssey. Through his works and other author s works, the traits of an epic hero emerge. An epic hero embodies certain traits or characteristics; a strong love for their people, courage and being humble. The hero also

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