The Hobbit - Chapter 07 - Queer Lodgings

[Estelyn Telcontar]

This chapter opens with a sentence on which Tolkien based a drawing: "Bilbo Woke Up with the Early Sun in His Eyes". I have it in J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator, by Hammond and Scull, but haven't been able to find it online. If there's interest, I'll see if I can scan it.

At any rate, the Eagle's eyrie looks like a place I wouldn't want to sleep, but it was a safe haven for Bilbo and the Dwarves. It doesn't look like he appreciated that at the moment, but another benefit came from the Eagles' rescue - they travelled farther faster than they could have otherwise. I must confess, I have enough fear of heights that I can understand the hobbit clsing his eyes!

The Eagles' farewell and Gandalf's reply are the kind of thing fans like to use. Have you ever said it to your fellow LotR friends?

Do you remember first reading about the 'Someone' Gandalf mentions with trepidation and/or suspense? What did you expect? A 'skin-changer' is unusual in Tolkien's Lengendarium, though the Silmarillion and other stories do mention people with similar abilities. Where would you place Beorn amongst the peoples of Middle-earth? Later in the chapter, we find out a bit more; what do you think of him?

Gandalf's answer on the reason for the name "Carrock" is interesting, coming from a linguist! No etymology - an inside joke, perhaps? It reminds me of Lewis Carroll's "When I use a word, it means precisely what I mean it to..."

Any speculation on the reason for the bees' unusually large size? The intelligent animals seem like a touch of Narnia in the story, though the Chronicles were of course not yet written.

Gandalf's tactic in combining a fascinating story with unpleasant facts (unwanted guests, in this case) sounds like a good example for writers, film makers, and teachers to follow. It's a fun passage to read, isn't it?!

Again, we have the group spending several days in a safe haven, though not without a feeling of lurking danger, both outside the hall and ahead of them. There is a much-neglected poem here, "The wind was on the withered heath..." Do you like it? Why do you think it's not as popular as many other Tolkien poems?

Like in Rivendell, they are not only fed while staying there, but also provided with food for the journey. Additionally, they are given good advice on travelling through Mirkwood.

At the end of the chapter, Gandalf again leaves them alone. This definitely gives the story a "coming-of-age" feeling. He helps when necessary, but gives them the opportunity to fend for themselves as much as possible. In this context, we do not know where he is going or why he has to leave, but from other sources (UT, 'Quest of Erebor', if I recall rightly) we know that he and the others of the White Council are fighting the Necromancer, aka Sauron.

The chapter ends with their entry into Mirkwood.

It's a fairly long chapter - what are your favourite or most memorable parts? What do you think is significant for the further story? Is there anything that will be important later, in LotR?

My favourite quote in this chapter, one that makes me chuckle and is definitely usable in real life:

You had better go to bed, your wits are sleepy.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Estelyn

Do you remember first reading about the 'Someone' Gandalf mentions with trepidation and/or suspense? What did you expect? A 'skin-changer' is unusual in Tolkien's Lengendarium, though the Silmarillion and other stories do mention people with similar abilities. Where would you place Beorn amongst the peoples of Middle-earth? Later in the chapter, we find out a bit more; what do you think of him?

I didn't know what to expect, other than something interesting from Tolkien. A skin changer may be unusual in Tolkien's Legendarium, but it's a lot closer to Nordic roots of myth and folklore. This part of The Hobbit (Beorn) feels very Northern to me, and is therefore very pleasing to me. I like him. I like how he is gruff and suspicious on one hand while being fiercely loyal and giving on the other. He is 'not tame'. To find out that he is good (as well as ruthless) is to experience a hint of eucatastrophe. Very pleasing!

I haven't a clue as to why the bees were so large. He needs lots of bees to have lots of honey, being a bear half the time. It adds to the giganticness of Beorn, I suppose. And the fact that his servants are all intelligent animals increases Beorn's seeming animality; we have foreshadowing of his bear side in all this animality. It occurs to me that the bees are perhaps totemic.

The poem enhances the Northern feel of the chapter. But the poem is not as good as most of Tolkien's poems. The rhythm isn't as tight, it doesn't scan as cleanly, and there are lots of 'being verbs' cluttering it up. Other than the technical limitations of it, it is dark; and it has a rather insubstantial primary image: the wind. Not one of his best.

My favorite parts (not in order) are the separated entry of the Dwarves, a replay of the first chapter, allowing Bilbo and the reader to be "in on it" with Beorn as the one upon whom is being played a rather dangerous practical joke. It's fun.

Another favorite is the intelligent functionality of the animals, who although they do human seeming chores, do them without losing their identity as animals. The sheep don't go about on two legs. But why sheep? Somehow they're safe with a skin-changer!?

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

But why sheep? Somehow they're safe with a skin-changer!?

...and as a man he keeps cattle and horses which are nearly as marvellous as himself. They work for him and talk to him. He does not eat them. Neither does he hunt or eat wild animals.

This actually leads to an interesting question - were all beornings vegetarians, or just skin-changers, or just Beorn?
And were there more skin-changers than Beorn, or have I been under a wrong impression? The bears that had danced in Beorn's yard, were they skin-changers too or ordinary bears?

This is one of my favourite chapters in TH. The atmosphere is just great, but most credit goes to Beorn. He's a good character and a fascinating personality. I've always liked how treats Bilbo, and how this resembles the eagles' behaviour towards him.

[JennyHallu]

Quote:

...and as a man he keeps cattle and horses which are nearly as marvellous as himself. They work for him and talk to him. He does not eat them. Neither does he hunt or eat wild animals.

Another thing interesting about this I didn't notice before. The "as a man" phrase--how far does that go? Is Tolkien implying that Beorn is a vegetarian only in man-form? Does the bear-form still need to occasionally eat meat, and the animals who serve him are saved from that by bear-Beorn doing his hunting outside his enclave?

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by JennyHallu

Another thing interesting about this I didn't notice before. The "as a man" phrase--how far does that go? Is Tolkien implying that Beorn is a vegetarian only in man-form? Does the bear-form still need to occasionally eat meat, and the animals who serve him are saved from that by bear-Beorn doing his hunting outside his enclave?

Actually, that came to my mind also. But even as a bear it wouldn't be necessary to him to eat meat; bears eat berries etc. as well, they're not pure meat-eaters. The other thing is, that can a bear survive with only berries and such; it's a big animal and needs lots of food. I will post reply if I find information on it.

[JennyHallu]

It was my understanding that bears are omnivorous. In the pacific Northwest of the US, Grizzly bears are a major predator for salmon.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

And were there more skin-changers than Beorn, or have I been under a wrong impression?

He's the only one Tolkien wrote of. Which is not to say that Beorn's the only one in Middle Earth. Since Tolkien put him in, he set the precedent (speaking as an active rpg'er ). Skin-changers are part of the stuff of Nordic folklore and legend, too. Beorn lives rather far north in Middle Earth. And I agree on the fish from the Anduin as probably being a source of food, though Tolkien doesn't mention it.

[Raynor]

He's the only one Tolkien wrote of.

Not the only one :

Originally Posted by The return journey, TH

Beorn indeed became a great chief afterwards in those regions and ruled a wide land between the mountains and the wood; and it is said that for many generations the men of his line had the power of taking bear's shape, and some were grim men and bad, but most were in heart like Beorn, if less in size and strength.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Raynor

Not the only one :

Good point. I always have liked Tolkien's trick or pechant, call it what you like, of saying it is said that .... It adds a certain flavor to the text that just spices it, if you take my meaning.