"Cliff Notes - the hobbit & the lord of rings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolkien J.R.R)

Bilbo can also be seen as an example of Everyman, reflecting the potential greatness in us all. He's just an ordinary person. And with his small stature and simple, timid nature, he's certainly an unlikely hero.

Yet, despite his apparent weaknesses, Bilbo finds the strength to become heroic. His strength seems to come from the things he holds dear--frequent meals, a peaceful ordered life, and his pipe--the very things that, to some, make him seem so ordinary and laughable. And at the end of the book, these things are still important to Bilbo, a sign that these are qualities Tolkien wanted to emphasize. The only way Bilbo has changed is that he has become more self-confident, more capable of taking care of himself and of others.

But is Bilbo really an example of Everyman? In some ways he's not your average hobbit. For one thing, he's a bachelor, and a wealthy one at that. For another, his mother was from the Took family, hobbits with a tendency to be more daring and adventurous than most. This leads some readers to say that Bilbo is a member of an elite group, a select few who are superior to the common people. You'll have to decide for yourself what Tolkien intended--whether Bilbo represents the potential for greatness in even the weakest individual, or whether Bilbo is part of an elite circle that most people can never reach.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: GANDALF

Gandalf is the wizard who assists Bilbo and the dwarves on their journey. Like a typical wizard, Gandalf appears as an old man dressed in blue robes and a tall pointed hat. Wizards are skilled in magic, and Gandalf's specialty is fire. In the beginning of The Hobbit, Bilbo enthusiastically recalls Gandalf's marvelous fireworks. Later in the story, Gandalf puts his skills to more practical use--for example, when he throws the evil wargs into an uproar with a magical fire that clings to their fur.

Wizards are often known for their shrewdness as well as for their magic, and Gandalf is no exception. He defeats the trolls not by magic but by cleverly distracting them until the sun rises and turns them to stone.

Despite his wisdom and magical powers, however, Gandalf can also be seen as a humorous figure. When Gandalf first meets Bilbo, Tolkien describes him in comic terms as having long, bushy eyebrows that stick out beyond his hat. He can be childish at times, acting grumpy in a rainstorm, or vexed that Elrond is the first to find the secret letters on Thorin's map.

Bilbo remembers from his childhood the wizard's fabulous fireworks, wonderful gadgets, and thrilling stories of adventure. just as Fafnir the dragon excited the imagination of the young Tolkien, so Gandalf intrigues Bilbo with a dangerous world, far removed from the hobbit's comfortable life. As the story of The Hobbit begins, Gandalf reenters Bilbo's life and starts the hobbit on an adventure into that dangerous world.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THORIN OAKENSHIELD

Thorin is the self-important leader of the dwarves and the grandson of Thrain, the last king under Lonely Mountain. The most completely developed character of the thirteen dwarves, he shows both the weaknesses and the strengths of his race. Accordingly, readers may find him ambiguous. He can be petty, selfish, and pompous, but he can also be heroic and awe-inspiring. He's motivated at first by greed and the desire for revenge, but when he reaches Lonely Mountain he begins to feel a higher purpose, claiming his rightful title as king under the mountain. He succumbs to a weakness of his race--possessiveness--but later redeems himself through courage in battle.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: GOLLUM

Gollum was once a hobbitlike creature, but when Bilbo meets him he has degenerated both morally and physically. Gollum has become a "small, slimy creature" with long webby feet, who lives in the heart of the mountain, paddling his boat on a subterranean lake. His most prized possession is his ring, which can make him invisible. He's obsessed with this ring, calling it by the name he uses for himself: "my precious."

Gollum's moral degeneration can be seen in his deceitful actions toward Bilbo. Yet Tolkien also depicts Gollum as a lonely, pitiable creature, who weeps at the loss of his one precious possession.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: BARD

When Bard first appears in the story, he is just an anonymous inhabitant of Lake-town. He proves his worth when he arouses the town to face the dragon Smaug's attack, and succeeds in killing Smaug when everyone else has given up the fight.

Bard is a heroic figure, a grim leader of strength and discipline, who serves as a contrast to Bilbo, the timid hobbit. Yet they both become heroes because of their determination to do what must be done, regardless of the consequences. Ironically, Bard's name is an old word for a certain type of poet who in England and Ireland's past often composed tales of heroism. When you read the book, try to decide whether this is a joke on Tolkien's part or whether in some ways Bard is more like a poet than a warrior.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: SMAUG

Dragons are often depicted in legends as jealously guarding a great treasure. Tolkien stays true to this tradition in his portrayal of Smaug, who long ago drove the dwarves from their home in the Lonely Mountain and now jealously broods over treasure stolen from them and others. Dragons also have a reputation as wily talkers, and Smaug ranks with the best of them. He never says what he means, and even his polite words carry veiled menace. He skillfully plays on Bilbo's doubts and seeks to trick him into giving himself away.

Folklore describes dragons as misers who have been transformed by their greed. Dragons have also long been a symbol for the lure of gold and the evil that wealth brings. Tolkien uses this association between dragons and greed. He even refers to the corrupting effect of the treasure as "dragon-sickness."

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE MASTER

The Master, the greedy and scheming leader of Lake-town, seems in some ways a human counterpart to the dragon Smaug. He, too, is a wily talker, carefully choosing his words to manipulate others. He succumbs to the dragon-sickness--greed--and steals the share of the treasure that was to go to Lake-town.

The Master contrasts with Bard, who always says exactly what he thinks, even if others don't want to hear it. Also unlike Bard, the Master turns his back on his town, thinking only to save his own skin. In his selfishness he proves himself to be a poor leader.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: FRODO BAGGINS

The hero of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo is Bilbo's young cousin. He inherits Bilbo's home and his magic ring when Bilbo leaves the Shire. Frodo's adventure begins when he learns that the ring is actually a thing of great evil. It is the Ring, made by Sauron, the Dark Lord, who is now trying to regain it. Frodo sets off on what will become a long and dangerous quest to destroy the Ring.

Readers often compare the characters of Bilbo and Frodo. Like Bilbo, Frodo is a bachelor and has some eccentric blood; his mother was a Brandybuck, a family of adventurous hobbits like the Tooks. Also like Bilbo, he starts out as a somewhat foolish hobbit and through his travels matures into a heroic figure.