The Misty Mountains Song, or Thorin's Song, is the second featured in The Hobbit. It is sung by all of the dwarves and is about their ancestors (17). With this song, Tolkien foreshadows the events to come. The result of the song is it awakening the Tookish side of Bilbo, who is spurred to adventure (19). The song aids the plot, characters, and mood of the story through the use of rhyme and word choice. Before the song starts, the room becomes dark and solemn to comply with the mood of the song. The first verse explains the plot: The words misty, dungeons deeps, and pale enchanted gold help set up the landscape and adventure to follow. Verse two focuses on the dwarves' halls: Here, the home of the dwarves is defined, invoking a sense of crafters and miners working away in the darkness of a mine, which perfectly describes the dwarves. Verses three and four focus on the abilities of the dwarves. all speak of the beautiful and ornate craftsmanship exhibited. Deep in the mountains, the dwarves mine for gold, ore, and gems and make them into fabulous jewelry and other assorted ornaments. These verses in particular are what help awaken the Took in Bilbo. …show more content…
In the following verses, keeping in mind that the dwarves are displaced from their home, the words take on a more somber tone. The dwarves no longer have a place to craft and sing to themselves; they have no home. The attack on the dwarves' home by the dragon is covered in verses seven, eight and nine. Tolkien uses extra rhyming with the -ing suffix of roaring, moaning, flaming--a bit of personification of the land--to describe Smaug's attack. reveals that the dragon is not a mindless monster but possesses hatred and anger as he destroys a town while men look on with is literally the dragon's feet as it chases after the fleeing dwarves and metaphorically the march of defeated dwarves forced from their
They held a great deal of admiration for their friend who proved his worthiness through his burglaring success. After the final battle, Bilbo talks to Thorin right before the he dies, “‘There is more in you than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in the measure’” (Tolkien 290). The dwarf king realized his original opinion of Bilbo was wrong. Thorin found that Bilbo was brave and honorable, not weak and incapable. The rest of the dwarves developed the same opinion as Thorin, “Then the dwarves bowed low before their Gate, but words stuck in their throats. ‘Good-bye and good luck, wherever you fare!’” (Tolkien 294). Originally, the dwarves were almost unwilling to take the little hobbit along on the journey, but by the end, they were struggling to say goodbye to their friend. Bilbo became more than just a burglar to the dwarves, he became a respected
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien is said to be one of the greatest children's novels of all time. The novel, due to its use of such characters as goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and others is in tradition, a fairy tale. The tale centers on a small hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins. It follows the journey of a band of dwarves, a wizard named Gandalf, and their robber, Bilbo on their way to retrieving treasure that had long been taken away from them. The hobbit traveled all over Middle-Earth, beginning with Bilbo's tiny hobbit-hole in the ground, to Mirkwood forest, to finally reaching the Mountain in which the dragon Smaug lives. Tolkien uses a large amount of imagery in his writing which can been seen through settings in The Hobbit. The
Within the first stanza, the symbolism of snow-like grass, a bright sun, and peppermint scented wind prompt a sense of peace, energy, and revitalization. As a result of the dream-like symbolism, this settings seems to be part of the imagination, and could simply be a metaphor for a way of thinking.
In stanza six, we see the end of visiting hour, and the persona’s loss of control as he is overran with emotion. The phrase, “black figure in her white cave” creates an image of an intruder in her sanctuary. The black and white contrast suggests he is a shadow of his former self and also that he is trying to detach himself. The phrase, “clumsily rises” gives connotations of his state as he is physically affected by his feeling of loss. Furthermore, “swimming waves of a bell” is a metaphor which has connotations of water. This is used to illustrate that he is drowning in the realisation that she is dying. Finally, “fruitless fruits” is an oxymoron used to reinforce that there is no hope or going back, for her.
The majority of Tolkien's imagery is found in nature. In 1999, Karen Oberst concluded that Tolkien's greatest use of nature was "when he anthropomophized it," which means to attribute human characteristics to something that is not human. This form of imagery is an on-going pattern throughout Tolkien's tale. Bilbo Baggins repeatedly advises human characteristics to the inanimate objects that are around him, which adds profoundness to Tolkien's tale. For instance, Bilbo describes the west part of the Mountains on the way to Homely Home as having "no trees and no valleys and no hill to break the ground in front of them, only one vast slope going slowly up and up to meet the feet of the nearest mountain [ ]"(Tolkien 52). Tolkien used this example of imagery to emphasize the bleakness of the situation.
While in stanza two he begins to explain it was a “bleak december”, Clearly setting the sad and seemingly depressing mood. But as the stanza moves on the sadness is filled with creepy suspense as it states that not only the speaker is up late at night on a late, and bleak December night, that the statement “And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor” finding out that the statement is explaining how the fire in the fireplace is slowly dying out, and the very few pieces of coal the “dying embers” seem to create creepy ghost like shadow around the room which creates the depressed and the creepy suspense filled mood.
In chapter one of “The Hobbit,” thirteen dwarves begin singing a song about an adventure over Misty Mountains and taking back the gold and treasure that the evil dragon, Smaug, stole from the them. The last line of the song states,”We must away, ere break of day, to win our harps and gold from him!” The dwarves were exceptionally determined to march up to Smaug and take the back the precious gold that was rightfully theirs.’ The tone of the song was very bold and adventurous. This is proved by the length of the song. The song sung by the dwarves is so long that the when you read it, you feel as if you are with
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is a story of adventure and danger, and it is a prime example of a romantic plot and fantasy genre. What makes this story such a great example of a romantic plot? One, the unlikely hero, Mr. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit that is dragged on an adventure he doesn’t wish to take. Second, there is a great quest with a reward at its end. Third the great teacher figure, Gandalf is a wizard that helps Bilbo to become the great hero he is destined to be. And lastly the dragon figure, in this story the dragon figure, happened to be a dragon but there are also many miniature dragon figures through out the tale.
Music definitely plays a major role in the developments of the different magical beings. Between the dwarves, the elves, and the goblins their songs are very different. The songs they sing or chant describe something about them. So the songs of the dwarves, elves, and the goblins make up some of who they are. The build up of the songs are also the build up of their personalities.
Within stanza six the narrator is returning home and the imagery and word choice convey a feeling of emptiness and a dark, depressing atmosphere.
This quote show what Thorin thinks of Bilbo and his role in the group. He is doubting his abilities and thinking he would only come in the way of their plan to steal the treasure from Smaug the dragon who is guarding it at misty mountains. Gandalf who lead them to Bilbos house and took his side which got the dwarves to agree on adding him to the group as the 14th member. This quote show that tomorrow they will be starting on their journey.
The second stanza is almost like the first in the fact that it appeals to the same senses. It talks about the actions and the feelings of the child. It describes how the child would wake and wait for his father to call him. The second stanza also describes the mood of the house in the line, "fearing the chronic angers of that house." Perhaps that line is
Music plays an imperative role in J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy The Hobbit. It provides the reader with key insight into a character’s role in the story, and the type of creature they are. While there are only a few songs throughout the story, each one has a vital message that pertains to either the characters or the plot. The three different songs sung by the dwarves, elves, and goblins all vary in tone, content, and structure, but all play a part in the development of Tolkien’s characters.
The Hobbit directed by Peter Jackson is a movie that lets you see how the underdog goes from being small and not noticed to becoming the hero that will bring back hope and save the day. Everyone likes a good underdog story and I for one think that The Hobbit is a perfect example of it. Throughout this movie, it slowly makes the main character Bilbo Baggins more of the light in dark and makes him become more hero like with each passing event. Throughout this movie, the tone helps to bring out the inner heroism and light in Bilbo. In the start of the movie, Bilbo gets 13 uninvited guests that show up and ask him to join them on their mission to take back their home, the Lonely Mountain. This is a very powerful scene with a very serious underlying tone to it. The scene starts off with playful banter and fun throughout the 12 dwarfs but when Thorin Oakenshield arrives the mood gets very serious by how the music changes and the interaction between characters. The music was a big hint in the serious tone since it went from more upbeat and energetic to a softer volume and slowed down a bit. The characters interactions are still friendly with each other but when confronting Bilbo they get more focused. The body language is also stiffer and less carefree when the call for help is talked about. Another scene is where Bilbo's ability to bring out some hope is when the Company has to get back there ponies from 3 mountain trolls. During this scene Bilbo has to bite back is fear of the
Never mind it, for when your head’s bare, You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair” (line 6-8). Also in the fifth stanza Tom describes his dream. “Then naked and white, all their bags left behind, They rise upon clouds and sport in the wind; And the angel told Tom, if he’d be a good boy, He’d have God for his father, and never want joy” (line 21-24). He dreams that after chimney sweepers die they go on to see God and live happily. The children just have to pay the price on earth before they have happiness, but they were all very hopeful. However, the children’s mood changes completely in Songs of Experience. “And because I am happy and sing, They think they have done me no injury” (line 9-10). The children are becoming more and more bitter. All their hope is being lost overtime. Now the children don’t think they have a plan for the future. This lifestyle has had a major impact on their life. Being chimney sweepers, being tormented and having to endure terrible conditions.