Bilbo’s decision to hand over the Arkenstone to Bard and Thranduil in chapter 16 of The Hobbit is momentous, and it is a very wise and courageous act. It reveals a hobbit who has come to think beyond himself, to risk his own safety to help save the lives of his friends. "The Arkenstone" by... Continue Reading →
This past week in my classes, I engaged the students in a discussion of the ethics around Bilbo's actions in the latter half of the novel. I offered the question: What is the difference between a burglar and a thief? On one level, this is a bit of a vocabulary check, and many of the... Continue Reading →
As the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf near Beorn's house in chapter 7 of The Hobbit, Gandalf is telling the little bit that he knows about their soon-to-be host. After telling them that Beorn is a skin-changer, he makes the following curious statement: "At any rate he is under no enchantment but his own." Gandalf then... Continue Reading →
Something Tookish 