The three trolls--Tolkien's Three Stooges?
Posted on 04/04/2003 12:46:15 PM PST by JameRetief
A Tolkien Virgin: The Hobbit - Chapters 2, 3, & 4
by Mark-Edmond
| The three trolls--Tolkien's Three Stooges? |
Chapter 2, 3 & 4
The Hobbit, I've found by now, is a light, refreshing, fun book that's really easy to read--of course. The story moves along quickly with some expected turns and some less so. Despite his somewhat bumbling manner and the trouble he gets himself and everyone else into, Bilbo remains a likeable unlikely hero.
Chapter 2 - Roast Mutton
In this chapter, I found the Trolls to be less fierce than I would have otherwise imagined. Their three-stooges-like banter is silly comedy that I would never have expected of Trolls. Some parts of the story remind me of fairy tales. The dwarves came wandering up one by one and pop! a sack came down over their heads. Later, the mighty wizard Gandalf dispatches of the trolls not with an overt attack, but by prolonging their conversation long enough to not need to fight them at all...the sun comes up and they turn to stone! I didn't know trolls turn to stone in sunlight! Another thing, I would've thought that Gandalf was a powerful enough wizard to be able to open the door to the trolls cave without a key. But, if he was so powerful a wizard, why does he need the dwarves and Bilbo to get what he's after from the dragon? So, I guess for me, it's one unexpected thing after another, but not in a bad way--I mean, I still really like the story.
Chapter 3 - A Short Rest
In this chapter, I got my first taste of what Elves behave like. They seem a lot sillier and care-free than the Quendi of the Silmarillion. I mean compare the oath-bound sons of Fëanor to these happy creatures! I don't really know how much time has passed between the Silmarillion and the Hobbit: there were many many years during the time of the Numenorians after the defeat of Morgoth, and I suspect the Hobbit takes place even longer after the downfall of Numenor. Maybe the elves have changed. But, then, Tolkien doesn't really describe the day-to-day behavior and activities of the Elves in the Silmarillion. Maybe when they're not fighting Orcs and chasing Silmarils, they're a lot happier.
What a surprise for Elrond to appear in this story! I'd sure like to know how he ended up in that little valley ages after the end of the Silmarillion (where he chose to remain in Middle-earth with Gil-Galad). I find it particularly interesting that this ancient leader of this band of Elves, is really only a little more than half-Elven, over a quarter Man, and a sixteenth Maiar...I think Tolkien implies that Elrond is such a notable individual in large part because the blood of Elf, Man, and Maiar, courses in his veins. It's almost as if the Silmarillion and its many tales is Elrond's own personal ancestral history. I can't wait to see what part he plays in the Lord of the Rings.
Chapter 4 - Over Hill and Under Hill
Can you believe I didn't even catch that the Goblins weren't Orcs till I was talking with Ted later? Well, actually Ted told me that Tolkien later clarified that the Goblins really are Orcs, so I think it's cool that I mistakenly thought of them as Orcs as I read the chapter--inadvertently correct. Not that thinking of them as Orcs is that much help since Tolkien never really describes what they look like in the Silmarillion.
So, anyway, I'm wondering when they're going to turn the Hobbit into a Broadway musical--everybody sings! Now the Goblins are even singing their own terrifying song, "Crack! Snap! the black crack..." Did Tolkien ever jot down the tunes for all these songs?
Author: Mark-Edmond
Published on: May 03, 2000
The next Tolkien Virgin article covers: The Hobbit: Chapter 5
|
The Daily Tolkien articles |
The Tolkien Virgin articles |
| ARTICLES 01-10 | ARTICLES 01-10 |
| ARTICLES 11-20 | ARTICLES 11-20 |
| ARTICLES 21-30 | 21) Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad |
| ARTICLES 31-40 | 22) Of Turin Turambar |
| ARTICLES 41-50 | 23) Of the Ruin of Doriath |
| ARTICLES 51-60 | 24) Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin |
| 61) Gil-galad was an Elven-king... | 25) Of the Voyage of Earendil and the War of Wrath |
| 62) The Folk of Angmar | 26) Summary Of The Silmarillion, Akallabeth and Epilogue |
| 63) Is Your Canon On The Loose? | 27) The Hobbit - Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party |
| 64) Razing Arnor: How real were the Dunadan conspiracies? | 28) The Hobbit - Chapters 2, 3, & 4 |
| 65) The Great Worms | |
| 66) The magic of the minstrels |
Your Tolkien Virgin Ping! Read along with a Tolkien Virgin as he discovers and comments on the history of Middle Earth as he reads it for the first time. These articles started with The Silmarillion, is now journeying through The Hobbit, and will finish with the epic Lord Of The Rings. At the pace of 2 articles per week (Mondays and Fridays) the articles will wrap up about the same time that the final movie of the Lord Of The Rings story is released.
If anyone would like for me to ping them directly when I post the Tolkien Virgin articles or my Daily Tolkien articles let me know. I hope that you enjoy them!
 Ring Ping!! |
I wonder how long it will take Mr. Edmonds to figure out that Gandalf isn't exactly "after" anything (except maybe the death of Smaug)?
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