It is important to remember that there is a range of behavior for all the different races in Arda. There is a general ethos that sets the tone for the nature of a race, but I think that Tolkien intended us to understand that everyone would enact a wide range of behavior much like people in the real world. (Obviously, orcs are going to be a little bit more type cast than some...)
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I disagree here....Gimli had many chances to turn back...especially when the Fellowship broke up. Surely more than the fact that they owed Bilbo a lot kept him going with Aragorn and Co. after the breaking.
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While I agree that more than debt to Bilbo contributed to Gimli's actions, I think it is also important not to underestimate the extremely serious view that dwarves took of debts, both those owed to themselves and those they owed to others. Bilbo had done nothing less than restore a kingdom to Gimli's people. It would be hard to put a limit on the repayment of something like that.
I think this whole notion of the importance of honoring agreements and debts is highlighted by the situation in
lmp's quote. The dwarves had an agreement with Bilbo and they expected him to fulfill his part of it. This is a rather businessish type of ethos but it is not inherently bad (although it may be uncomfortable for people like Bilbo who find themselves contractually obligated into awkward situations). I think by and large if you got a dwarf to agree to something you could expect them to do it.
And, I can hear the wheels in
lmp's brain spinning right now, so before he says this, let me.
"But what about the way that Thorin tried to cheat Bilbo of his share of the treasure?"
Yes, well, that is a difficult situation. I'm not entirely sure that Thorin was quite right in the head at that moment, but aside from that...you have to admit that he had some serious grounds for complaint regarding Bilbo's behavior. While the contract in question did not specify the Arkenstone as a reserved article, Thorin would probably plead that even so it would be beyond the bounds to deal with enemies in arms the way that Bilbo did. There was probably enough blame to go around for that mess. We would undoubtedly need a loyer or two to untangle it.