![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Eight
Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Seven (The Hobbit)
Chapter XVI: The Gathering of Clouds
Chapter XIV: A Thief in the Night
Rules
I very much doubt we'll require much in the way of formal rules, but just for the sake of formality and clarity:
Chapter XVI: The Gathering of Clouds
Chapter XIV: A Thief in the Night
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 mediate at Christmas dinner in the house of Finwë.
- 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.
no subject
Roac basically sums it up when he says "the treasure is likely to be your death, though the dragon is no more."
Because the aim of the quest, reclaiming the gold, is the dangerous part, not the quest itself, so the dragon isn’t really their biggest challenge. Perhaps that’s why the logistics of them killing Smaug was never really deliberated over much, because it’s not as important a problem for them to face as is their pride, greed and need for revenge. Because those things just end up consuming them, Thorin especially, until he’s completely unwilling to see any fault on his own part, or just show basic charity and kindness to people who are suffering. Dwarvish priorities are all wrong. (Although I do agree with what sigridhr said about him being willing to share some of the treasure to help the men of Laketown when they’re not threatening him.)
Something that does redeem Thorin for me a bit is this:
Sometimes I forget that it’s not just about the gold for Thorin – there is a definitely a huge emotional aspect to him wanting to keep all of the treasure, and that just compounds his greed I suppose.
Once again, Bilbo is exactly what they need - if only Thorin and the dwarves had shared this perspective, even slightly, they might all have lived happily ever after.
However much of an unreasonable jerk he was being, that is BADASS. Man, I hope they keep that in the movie.
no subject
no subject
The line about old memories and sorrows of his race made me think that dwelling on the past is just as destructive as greed (which it often accompanies). Thorin can't get over the past, and it costs him. The Ring was what caused Smeagol to murder his cousin, and now he's obsessed with it. You see this in LOTR too with Denethor sinking into despair and insanity after his wife's and later Boromir's death. Then you have wonderful Bilbo who knew when it was time to move from his long life in the Shire and was able to hand over the One Ring.
no subject