The Hobbit - Chapter 07 - Queer Lodgings

[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!?