A hundredth re-read of the LotR

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by skip spence

I'm reminded of Legate's thread about power: even if a character is mighty beyond comprehension like Gandalf he has no right to use that power to take what he wants, however benign he might be. Greatness does not give one the right to dominate the lesser against their will.

Those last words, skip spence, pretty much sum up the Hobbit's themselves. When I was reading Concerning Hobbits Tolkien immediately gives you the feeling of the hobbits being different people in terms of their legal system. It starts off by telling us by explaining that Hobbits were not much different from men, in their characteristics, but when they formed the Shire all that changed. I won't preach about what you already know, and is explained in the book.

That change from being diligent to becoming lax and slothful gives rise to my opinion of Hobbits just being overgrown kids. While under the king they worked hard and were sometimes renowned for doing great things, much like a child under a parent, but that all soon faded when put under their own leadership, if you can call it leadership at all there was basically no governing ruler for the Hobbits (besides that of good old common sense) save only in name. Yet there seems to be a great deal of spirit left in the Hobbits from the good old days, as seen with the Tooks, and if they're given the opportunity (or cast into it like Bilbo was) they can mature and accomplish things well beyond what one would expect.