| Title | The Hobbit |
| Author | J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Publication Year | 1937 |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |
| No. of Pages | 310 Pages |
| Langugae | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Setting | Middle-earth |
Characters
The main characters of “The Hobbit” by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien:
- Bilbo Baggins ➞ The main character, a small and brave hobbit.
- Gandalf ➞ A wise wizard who helps Bilbo on his journey.
- Thorin Oakenshield ➞ The leader of the dwarf group.
- Smaug ➞ A big and scary dragon.
- Gollum ➞ A strange creature who lives underground.
- Elrond ➞ A kind elf who helps the group.
- Beorn ➞ A person who can change into an animal.
Themes
The themes of “The Hobbit” by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien:
- Adventure ➞ Going on a big journey with danger and excitement.
- Friendship ➞ Sticking together and helping your friends.
- Bravery ➞ Being brave and facing fears.
- Home ➞ Missing your cozy and safe place.
- Greed ➞ Wanting too much stuff and power.
Synopsis
The Hobbit is about a hobbit named Bilbo who goes on a big adventure with some dwarves to get their treasure back from a dragon named Smaug. They face many challenges and meet strange creatures along the way. Bilbo becomes a hero and learns that home is where the heart is.
Summary
In his cozy burrow at Bag End, Bilbo Baggins has a quiet, content life. Because he is a hobbit, a little, chubby race that is roughly half the size of humans with fuzzy toes and a strong passion for fine food and drink, Bilbo lives in a hole. At Bag End, close to the busy hobbit hamlet of Hobbiton, Bilbo is pleased. However, one day, the ancient wizard Gandalf arrives and convinces Bilbo to go on an adventure with a gang of thirteen rebellious dwarves. Bilbo will serve as the dwarves’ “burglar” as they set out on a heroic journey to recover their riches from the rogue dragon Smaug. Bilbo is scared to leave his cushy existence in search of adventure, and the dwarves are highly dubious of Gandalf’s choice of a thief. Bilbo and the dwarves are reassured by Gandalf that there is more to the diminutive hobbit than first appears.
Soon after the company leaves, all save Gandalf are taken captive by three ravenous trolls. The nocturnal trolls are tricked by Gandalf into staying outside as the dawn rises, and the sunlight turns them into stone. In the trolls’ camp, the gang discovers a big hoard of weaponry. In addition to taking his little weapon, Bilbo also takes magic swords from Gandalf and dwarf ruler Thorin.
After taking a break in the elf fortress of Rivendell and consulting the great elf ruler Elrond, the company departs to traverse the Misty Mountains. A tribe of goblins who dwell in the tunnels underneath the mountain captures them as they seek refuge in a cave during a snowfall. The dwarves follow Gandalf’s directions to a way out of the mountain, but they unintentionally leave Bilbo behind.
Bilbo discovers an unusual golden ring lying on the ground while exploring the tunnels. The ring is taken and placed in his pocket. A hissing, whimpering monster named Gollum that lives in a pool in the caves and hunts fish and goblins soon comes across his path. Gollum wants to devour Bilbo, so the two compete in a riddle game to decide what will happen to him. By posing the questionable conundrum, “What have I got in my pocket?” Bilbo triumphs.
Despite his desire to consume Bilbo, Gollum flees to retrieve his enchanted ring, which makes its bearer invisible. However, the ring is the identical one that Bilbo had discovered, and he uses it to get away from Gollum and the goblins. He sees a passage emerging from the mountain and learns that Gandalf and the dwarves have already fled. They are being pursued by evil wolves known as Wargs, but Beorn, a being who can transform from a man into a bear, and a group of enormous eagles can get Bilbo and his companions to safety.
The situation worsens when Gandalf deserts them to attend to other vital concerns as the group reaches the pitch-black woodland of Mirkwood. The dwarves are ensnared in the webs of several enormous spiders in the forest, and Bilbo must use his magic ring and sword to free them. Bilbo gives his sword the name Sting after dispatching his first spider. The unfortunate dwarves are abducted by some wood elves that dwell close to the river that flows through Mirkwood not long after they manage to escape the spiders. By concealing the dwarves inside barrels that he then floats down the river, Bilbo manages to slip the group away from the elves while using his ring to aid in their escape. The dwarves reach Lake Town, a town located close to the Lonely Mountain, where the great dragon is said to be sleeping with Thorin’s riches.
Smaug, the cunning dragon, accidentally discloses that his armor-like scales have a weak place close to his heart to Bilbo when the two of them slip into the mountain. Smaug gets enraged when Bilbo takes a golden cup from the dragon’s treasure and flies down the mountain to set Lake Town on fire. Heroic archer Bard kills Smaug by shooting an arrow into his heart after learning the dragon’s vulnerability from a thrush. But before he passes away, Smaug destroys Lake Town.
When Thorin selfishly rejects their request for a part of the loot as payment for their losses and assistance, the humans of Lake Town & the elves of Mirkwood march to the Lonely Mountain and besiege it, trapping the hobbit and the dwarves within. To promote harmony, Bilbo sneaks outside to join the humans. Thorin is furious when he finds out what Bilbo has done, but Gandalf emerges out of nowhere and saves Bilbo from the dwarf lord’s fury.
The humans, elves & dwarves are now compelled to work together to battle a goblin and Warg army that has just marched into the mountain. The goblins come close to winning the fight, but Beorn and the eagles’ appearance aids the good armies in triumph.
After the conflict, Bilbo and Gandalf head back to Hobbiton, where he stays to this day. He is no longer welcomed by the civilized hobbit community, but he is unconcerned. After his epic and terrifying travels, Bilbo now prefers to converse with elves and wizards and is incredibly happy to be back in his familiar surroundings at home.
FAQs
What is The Hobbit about?
The Hobbit is a story about a little hobbit named Bilbo who goes on a big adventure with dwarves to fight a dragon and take back their home.
Who wrote The Hobbit?
The Hobbit was written by a man named J.R.R. Tolkien.
Is The Hobbit part of a series?
Yes, it’s part of a series that includes “The Lord of the Rings,” but you can read it on its own.
What are some of the main characters in the book?
The main characters are Bilbo the hobbit, Gandalf the wizard, and Thorin the dwarf leader.
Are there any dragons in The Hobbit?
Yes, there’s a scary dragon named Smaug that the characters have to deal with.
What lessons can we learn from “The Hobbit”?
The Hobbit teaches us about bravery, friendship, and the value of home.
Is The Hobbit a movie too?
Yes, The Hobbit has been made into movies that you can watch.
Can kids read The Hobbit?
Yes, it’s a book for both kids and adults. Some parts might be a bit scary, though.
Why is The Hobbit famous?
The Hobbit is famous because it’s a wonderful adventure story with a magical world created by J.R.R. Tolkien.
About the Author-J.R.R. Tolkien
| Name | John Ronald Reuel Tolkien |
| Birth Date | January 3, 1892 |
| Death Date | September 2, 1973 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Writer, Philologist, Professor |
| Genres | Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry |
| Notable Works | The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, The Silmarillion, The Children of Húrin |
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