R tolkiens book the silmarillion, tells the story of the worlds creation, the forces that seek to bring life, as well as those who desire to corrupt it. The notes emerge from a linguistic discussion of the elvish wordbase vmbar from which was derived the quenya word umbar which is usually translated as fate. This page is dedicated to my ongoing fanedit project for the hobbit trilogy, titled j. Rateliff, we learn that the story was told to his children before and during the writing of the book. Buy a cheap copy of the hobbit sparknotes literature. The origin of the hobbit is almost a fantasy story in itself. Tolkiens fiction dismayed most of his fellow scholars at the university of oxford as much as it delighted most of his general readers. Theyre todays most popular study guideswith everything you need to succeed in school. The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in childrens literature. Tolkien on the fantasy genre and its practice, much later published as a book tolkien originally wrote the essay in 1939 for his andrew lang lecture on the subject of fairy tales in general to an audience at university of st.
In trying to answer, for himself, the question of what exactly a hobbit might be, tolkien composed the delightful story of bilbo baggins, a stayathome little hobbit who goes off on an adventure and comes back with both greater maturity and a magic ring. Tolkien created an entire world for his stories, arda, where middle earth is located. The novel was met with great successand demand for a sequel. Bilbo baggins lives in a beautiful hole under the hill, where hes a respected and rather rich pillar of the hobbit community. By trade, tolkien was a professor and scholar, not a novelist, so when it came time for him to.
Tolkien plus historical and literary context for the hobbit. Within middleearth, the hobbit is restricted to settings in the western lands. Tolkien, an accomplished linguist and professor of medieval studies at oxford. Tolkien, the sparknotes literature guide by sparknotes editors 2014 paperback paperback february 4, 2014 by sparknotes author 4. Tolkien published the hobbit, or there and back again. The story is easy to read aloud, and is not dated in style more than 70 years later. On fairystories the one wiki to rule them all fandom. It was published on 21 september 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the carnegie medal and awarded a prize from the new york herald tribune for best juvenile fiction. Heres where youll find analysis about the book as a whole. Summary plot overview bilbo baggins lives a quiet, peaceful life in his comfortable hole at bag end. See a complete list of the characters in the hobbit and indepth analyses of bilbo, gandalf, and thorin. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the hobbit by j.
The hobbit, or there and back again is a fantasy novel by english author j. In 1936, a version of the hobbit reached a representative of the publishing firm allen and unwin, which published the novel a year later. The hobbit study guide from litcharts the creators of. After the battle, bilbo is taken to see thorin, who is dying. Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. In the hobbit, tolkien presents us with a fantasy world of his own.
Hobbit sparknotes 02 by tolkien, jrr editors, sparknotes paperback 2002 by tolkien jan 1, 2002. Tolkien a study guide directions for each chapter, you will be responsible answering all questions. Why the music in the live action disney remakes is worse than you thought. It was boring work, and one day, finding a blank page in one of the exam booklets, he wrote impulsively, in a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. This is the main database collection for fan edits online. It starts and ends in hobbiton, a town in the shire, a peaceful region usually untouched by troubles elsewhere in the world. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. The hobbit and its sequel the lord of the rings are fictional tales written by j. The hobbit, or, there and back again summary shmoop. In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit fictional etymology. There are also morals interlaced with adventure and consequences throughout.
The hobbit, or, there and back again introduction shmoop. The hobbit, or there and back again is a childrens fantasy novel by english author j. The monsters and the critics as well as several childrens books. September 2nd, 1973 was an english author and poet most famous for the lord of the rings trilogy.
Tolkien was educated and taught anglosaxon at oxford university. The hobbit is set in middleearth, a fantasyland created by tolkien. Bilbo lives in a hole because he is a hobbitone of a race of small, plump people about half the size of humans, with furry toes and a great love of good food and drink. Jrr tolkiens the hobbit a fanedit by dustin lee home. They stay with beorn over yuletide and return to elrond in the spring. In 1937, the story was published by allen and unwin as the hobbit. Summary bilbo baggins is a hobbit, one of a race of short, timid creatures who live in cozy tunnels and who prefer to keep their lives ordered and predictable. Tolkien and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the hobbit. Bilbo is quite content at bag end, near the bustling hobbit village of hobbiton.
Tolkien set out a fictional etymology for the word hobbit in an appendix to the lord of the rings, to the effect that it was ultimately derived from. One day, he unexpectedly finds himself playing host to gandalf the wizard and thirteen dwarfs. He is also the author of the hobbit and a literary criticism of beowulf entitled beowulf. The hole occupied by the hobbit known as bilbo baggins is called bag end. He wants bilbo to help a group of dwarves take back the mountain from smaug, a dragon. The classic beginning to the classic adult fantasy series. Answers will be in the form of a complete sentence. Hobbits, by the way, are small people with furry toes and big bellies. Afterwards, it was first published within essays presented to charles. The story centers on bilbo baggins, a hobbit who is caught up in a grand adventure. His life and works by sparknotes staff and stanley p.
Our favorite part, though, are the quizzes we got a. Unusually, tolkien writes this introductory story for children, while the lord of the rings is definately adult fare. Tolkiens other works include the hobbit and the simarillion, which are both available on audio from random house. From these imaginings grew the hobbit, a childrens story and tolkien s first published work of fiction. Bilbo leaves with gandalf, elvenking, and beorn to go back to the hobbitlands.
The book is packed with highinterest, page turning material. The hobbit by jrr tolkien, book summary the invisible mentor. In the hobbit, bilbo baggins is whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in hobbiton by the wizard gandalf and a company of. Tolkiens epic masterworks the hobbit and the three volumes of the lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring, the two towers, and the return of the king. The hobbit is a book full of adventure, but it also has an underlying theme of perseverance and how former foes can work together to defeat a common enemy. Tolkien is a great book to introduce the fantasy genre.
Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter. Tolkien was born on january 3, 1892 in south africa. It was an instant success as a childrens book but has captured the hearts of generations ever since. It also shows how undertaking different experiences allow people to grow in ways they did not think possible. This fourvolume, deluxe paperback boxed set contains j. On fairystories is an important essay and lecture written by j. Instant downloads of all 1296 litchart pdfs including the hobbit. In 2009 volume 6 of the academic journal tolkien studies included a transcript, edited by carl hostetter, of some notes that tolkien had written on the concepts of fate and free will. The hobbit is a good preparation for a reading of the lotr trilogy or a reading of lewis 7part chronicles of narnia because tolkiens traditional and christian worldview has to become flexible enough to incorporate magic, benevolent wizards. Bilbo is unsure he wants to help, but he is drawn into the adventure by gandalf, who tells the dwarves bilbo is a burglar. Tolkien graded school certificate exams in the summers to supplement his rather meager faculty salary. See all 19 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Bilbo baggins was the central character of the hobbit, written by jrr tolkien, and he lives in the shire.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The hobbit, or, there and back again resources links. Written by harvard students for students, since its. Originally written for his children, it came to the attention of a publisher and was an instant hit with young and old. This is another childrens book that teaches leadership lessons. He was soon commissioned to continue the story in the lord of the rings trilogy. He is interrupted by a visit by the wizard gandalf. Tolkien claimed that he started the hobbit suddenly, without premeditation, in the midst of grading a set of student essay exams, writing on a blank piece of paper.
Tolkien, a famous oxford professor, essayist and writer, published in 1937. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. The tolkien society the tolkien society is an english charity dedicated to spreading the word about j. Credit will not be given for answers that lack citation and a quote. During the course of the book, the setting changes, moving east across.
Tolkiens the hobbit is officially listed on the internet fan edit database. Tolkien, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. However, the hobbit stands as a complete and satisfying adventure in itself, set in ancient earthtime of trolls, dwarves, goblins, dragons, hobbits and man. Baldwin 2003, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay.