Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Five

[sigridhr]

 Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Five (The Hobbit)
Chapter IX: Barrels out of Bond
Chapter X: A Warm Welcome

Rules

I very much doubt we'll require much in the way of formal rules, but just for the sake of formality and clarity:

• Discussion is welcome and encouraged, as is disagreement. Name-calling and personal attacks will be punished by forcing you to read Evil!Thranduil Badfic for the rest of eternity. 
  
• There is no spoiler policy in place. Although we're reading the Hobbit, please feel free to bring in things from other Tolkien works, any of the films, the History of Middle Earth, the Letters of JRR Tolkien, and, if you should like, other literary sources. 
• There is no such thing as too much geekery. Or taking the text too seriously.  
• If you have any concerns at any point, I'm the closest thing this gong show has to a mod, so feel free to get in touch. I can be reached either by PM through this site, or directly by email at sigridhr.lokidottir@gmail.com. 

Discussion on this post will officially run from Friday 8th February 2013 to Friday 15th February 2013. However, the post will remain open after that point, so you're more than welcome to continue discussions on. 

Comments

[gallifaerie.livejournal.com]

We need people like you to give us alternative homoerotic interpretations of things like that! But I definitely won't be able to keep a straight face when that scene comes up in the film.

I like that parallel between the wine and the river. I was always surprised by how pleasant the dreams the river water causes are, just because it's Mirkwood and it's scary and I expect some sort of spooky undertone. I suppose it is sinister in the end, because you just want to stay dreaming, and then you'd die of starvation in the forest.

I think the river water makes Bombur forget a lot of what's happened as well? That reminds me of the ale of forgetfulness in the Saga of the Volsungs. It's a pretty tenuous link, but my brain can't not make these Norse connections.