Redbeard's notes
Greetings, all. I've read the book through chapter VI so far. Here's what stood out to me.
From Chapter I -
Hobbits have no beards.
Could hobbits have beards? They can grow hair (on their feet). Are they like native americans, with some genetic disposition making them unable to grow beards, or do they just shave them off every day?
..said our Mr. Baggins, and stuck one thumb behind his braces, and blew out another even bigger smoke-ring.
I had to do a little research on this one. It would appear that Mr. Baggins' teeth weren't in good shape, or at least that the shire knew some sort of early dentistry. Sort of out of place for Tolkiens generally unfavorable outlook on technology.
In the part where all of the dwarves were arriving, I thought of a similar situation later in the book. I hope I'll remember to remark on it then. But I just noticed the similarity on this reading.
Also, Tolkien seems to make himself known in the narrative, which is completely opposite of how he wrote LOTR and the Silmarillion. It seems more like a storyteller telling the tale, more intimate than LOTR.
The dwarves of yore made might spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.
Compared with this line from Fellowship:
There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.
I can assume the dwarves' and Tolkien are referring to the Mines of Moria and the Balrog. Foreboding.
From Chapter II -
The dwarves were waiting at the Green Dragon Inn in Bywater. When I was first getting involved online, I spent many an hour in the Red Dragon Inn, a fantasy room on AOL. Does anyone remember that?
Dawn take you all, and be stone to you!
and later,
It was the wizard's voice that had kept the trolls bickering and quarreling, until the light came and made an end of them.
Does Gandalf (being a Maiar, and a creation of Iluvatar) have the power to make the sun rise? Or did he just delay the trolls until the sun actually came up?
From Chapter IV-
When the dwarves and Bilbo were caught by the goblins, they sang a song, which was written in the book. Later on, it says the meaning was clear. I'm assuming Gandalf could understand it, but I'm wondering how the dwarves or Bilbo knew what was said. Did Gandalf and Bilbo later consult about it when Bilbo wrote the Red Book? Curious.
From Chapter V -
'Chestnuts, chestnuts,' he hissed.
What in the world does this mean? Well, chestnuts would seem to be an old, frequently repeated joke, story or song (according to dictionary.com). I guess riddle would qualify for that definition too.
From Chapter I -
Hobbits have no beards.
Could hobbits have beards? They can grow hair (on their feet). Are they like native americans, with some genetic disposition making them unable to grow beards, or do they just shave them off every day?
..said our Mr. Baggins, and stuck one thumb behind his braces, and blew out another even bigger smoke-ring.
I had to do a little research on this one. It would appear that Mr. Baggins' teeth weren't in good shape, or at least that the shire knew some sort of early dentistry. Sort of out of place for Tolkiens generally unfavorable outlook on technology.
In the part where all of the dwarves were arriving, I thought of a similar situation later in the book. I hope I'll remember to remark on it then. But I just noticed the similarity on this reading.
Also, Tolkien seems to make himself known in the narrative, which is completely opposite of how he wrote LOTR and the Silmarillion. It seems more like a storyteller telling the tale, more intimate than LOTR.
The dwarves of yore made might spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.
Compared with this line from Fellowship:
There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.
I can assume the dwarves' and Tolkien are referring to the Mines of Moria and the Balrog. Foreboding.
From Chapter II -
The dwarves were waiting at the Green Dragon Inn in Bywater. When I was first getting involved online, I spent many an hour in the Red Dragon Inn, a fantasy room on AOL. Does anyone remember that?
Dawn take you all, and be stone to you!
and later,
It was the wizard's voice that had kept the trolls bickering and quarreling, until the light came and made an end of them.
Does Gandalf (being a Maiar, and a creation of Iluvatar) have the power to make the sun rise? Or did he just delay the trolls until the sun actually came up?
From Chapter IV-
When the dwarves and Bilbo were caught by the goblins, they sang a song, which was written in the book. Later on, it says the meaning was clear. I'm assuming Gandalf could understand it, but I'm wondering how the dwarves or Bilbo knew what was said. Did Gandalf and Bilbo later consult about it when Bilbo wrote the Red Book? Curious.
From Chapter V -
'Chestnuts, chestnuts,' he hissed.
What in the world does this mean? Well, chestnuts would seem to be an old, frequently repeated joke, story or song (according to dictionary.com). I guess riddle would qualify for that definition too.
posted by scott | 10:25 PM
5 Comments:
I think it's interesting that he refers to the dwarves making "mighty spells" when most of the depictions of dwarves since have been as a solid, earthy, non-magical people.
I've always thought it to mean he delayed them until the sun came up. His voice keeps interjecting and prolonging their argument so they don't notice the time until it's too late, when he doesn't mind shouting out their fate.
I've assumed the "knew the meaning" to mean the tone was rather unfriendly and the non-verbal cues said enough, even if the language wasn't understandable.
I've always wondered about the chestnuts, too. Maybe it's a habit we'll have to adopt, muttering chestnuts under our breath at random times.
I noticed that you did that this afternoon. I think it might be a trend. :D
i've also always thought Gandalf created a prolonged distraction rather than causing the sun to rise. i think it makes a better, truer story this way, lets Tolkien play with humor to reveal the character of the trolls (and maybe of some of us earthlings). it also shows a wizard that works compassionately within the world rather than being possessed with some completely transcendent power allowing him to act as some deux ex machina. that's just my preferred interpretation of course; i didn't know he was a Maiar or what powers they possess
bl
oops. deus ex machina
All of the hobbits or hobbit like creatures in my fantasy readings never get facial hair.
A trait that I wish I had.
I agree with the distraction. I always thought it odd when I watched the movie that Gandalf could seemingly alter time to kill a couple of trolls. In the book it made it seem more of a distraction and the trolls lost track of time.
Kinda like meetings...
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