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How Does Bilbo Show Heroism

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After graduating from Oxford at the age of 25, J.R.R Tolkien and his three best friends enlisted in the British army and went off to fight WWI, the bloodiest conflict the world had yet seen. It was in the bloody trenches of the Battle of the Somme, that Tolkien's view on heroism was formed. It is in this period of Tolkien's life that his classical views of heroism, clashed with the harsh realities of the changing face of warfare, warfare which was fought with machinegun and mustard gas, not sword and shield. In the Hobbit, Tolkien combines classical views of heroism, and contrasts them with his own ideas of heroism. Bilbo Baggins, the meek, mild mannered, hobbit embodies the epitome of Tolkien's idea of heroism. In Bilbo, we see that Tolkien admires one who lives a simple life and without the need for large wealth, one …show more content…

Throughout the Hobbit, there are many example of Bilbo using his wit to get him out of a sticky situation. We see Bilbo's wit at its apex in the halls of Erebor, when Bilbo is able to use Smaug’s curiosity and pride against him, “‘I have always understood,’ said Bilbo in a frightened squeak, ‘that dragons were softer underneath, especially in the region of the—er—chest; but doubtless one so fortified has thought of that.’ The dragon stopped short in his boasting. ‘Your information is antiquated,’ he snapped. ‘I am armoured above and below with iron scales and hard gems. No blade can pierce me.’” (Tolkien, 230) Bilbo understood that all of the dwarves combined could not match the might of Smaug, and would undoubtedly be slain. Because of this, Bilbo gallantly took up the role to confront Smaug with only his wit as a weapon. With this, Tolkien maintains that a intelligence is a mightier weapon than a sword and that a person that uses intelligence to solve problems is much more heroic than one who always resorts to animalistic

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