Preview

Gold And Greed In The Hobbit

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
678 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Gold And Greed In The Hobbit
The Hobbit In the year 2941 13 dwarves, 1 wizard, and 1 hobbit set out on a journey to reclaim the lost kingdom of Erebor. The kingdom was taken over by the evil and greedy dragon Smaug. Smaug had been in the kingdom for many years hoarding all the gold, but that changed when Thorin and his dwarves came to Erebor. Thorin was one of the last descendants of Durin. Thorin's Grandfather had once ruled Erebor before Smaug took over Erebor. Once Thorin had driven Smaug out of Erebor he was overcome with power and greed. Although Thorin thought he had good intentions gold and his lust for power caused his demise.
In The Hobbit it Shows that Dwarves Gold and Treasure. The dwarves created a song when smaug took over Erebor and the wanted, “To claim
…show more content…
After the dwarves had encountered the trolls they had stolen their gold, and hoarded it so no one else could have it.
Thorin Lusts For More Power.
Thorin was, “...an enormously important dwarf, in fact no other than the great Thorin Oakenshield himself, who was not at all pleased at falling flat on Bilbo's mat with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur on top of him” (Tolkien 7). This quote showed how Thorin was a powerful and important person who thinks highly of himself.
The guards surprise was, “...enormous when Thorin Oakenshield stepped in through the door. "Who are you and what do you want?" they shouted leaping to their feet and gipping for weapons. "Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror King under the Mountain!" said the dwarf in a loud voice, and he looked it, in spite of his torn clothes and draggled hood. The gold gleamed on his neck and waist: his eyes were dark and deep. "I have come back. I wish to see the Master of your town!"(Tolkien 119). The quote shows how Thorin thinks of himself with pride and
…show more content…
The Arkenstone the most precious jewel of Erebor is, “...of my father," he said, "is worth more than a river of gold in itself, and to me it is beyond price. That stone of all the treasure I name unto myself, and I will be avenged on anyone who finds it and withholds it." (Tolkien 161). Thorin is showing that if someone withholds the Arkenstone he was willing to kill them to reclaim his treasure.
Even Before Thranduil, “ ...rode forth the news had passed west right to the pinewoods of the Misty Mountains; Beorn had heard it in his wooden house, and the goblins were at council in their caves. "That will be the last we shall hear of Thorin Oakenshield, I fear," said the king. "He would have done better to have remained my guest. It is an ill wind, all the same," he added, "that blows no one any good." For he too had not forgotten the legend of the wealth of Thror” (Tolkien 154). Thranduil knew that because Thorin had control over Erebor, Thorin would become a recluse with the treasure and it would eventually cause his demise. Because Thorin had what he thought were good intentions, the power and treasure eventually of Erebor corrupted him. The treasure and the power of the kingdom of Erebor were too much for just one person to control which made Thorin

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    3.03 Reading Log

    • 393 Words
    • 2 Pages

    It is easier for the men of the lake-town to believe in Smaug rather then Thorin and company in the middle of the wild because Smaug is a real threat and is a real thing- he has terrorized the lake-town before and has flown all around. Thorin is much more mysterious and a newcomer to the land after his grandfather’s and father’s was taken by Smaug.…

    • 393 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Grendel felt quite hopeless as Hrothgar, being the king of the first meadhall that Grendel robbed, decided that the looters would be put in jail for a night before the being executed by stoning. All he wanted was to find his gold and sit on it, and now look at the mess that he was…

    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Jeffrey Michel thor

    • 942 Words
    • 3 Pages

    His name dates back to ancient Norse Mythology where he was known for his incredible strength and enormous size. This continually amazed the gods. Recognized as the god of thunder with a magical hammer, he was “honored as the highest god in Norway”. Thor was always right in the middle of action when it came to battling against raging monsters, deadly giants, and prehistoric forces. There are three main properties that define Thor's character when he becomes involved in battle. The first is his infamous hammer Miollnir which symbolizes the crushing skulls of monsters and giants. The second is his belt of strength which when buckled, makes his godlike powers multiply, lastly a pure heart.…

    • 942 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Who/what is causing so much grief in Hrothgar’s kingdom?The monster Grendel,his attacks on innocent people “Grendel killed more--blinded by sin, he felt no remorse.”…

    • 252 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    He needed someone brave and strong who was willing to fight for him and his kingdom and destroy the monster Grendel, who he needed was the hero Beowulf. The great and notable Beowulf came to the Danes aid not out of greed or a search for fame, but out of honor and loyalty to his father Ecgtheow and the king Hrothgar. In their darkest time, the Danes got the hero they…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When Bilbo prevents Thorin’s greed and bring peace to all the Dwarfs, Elves and Humans.…

    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Unlike Bilbo, Thorin is not a hero, and even the author uses authorial intrusion to state that, “dwarves are not heroes” (213) since they value wealth over the greater good. Even though Thorin is not a hero, he still struggles with internal conflict much like Bilbo, but instead of the dual nature Bilbo struggles against, he struggles between greed and generosity. Greed causing conflicts and corruption is a recurring theme throughout the story, not just by…

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “But men remembered little of all that, though some still sang old songs of the dwarf-kings of the Mountain, Thror and Dragon, and the fall of the lords of Dale.” (Tolkien 176)…

    • 3392 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shortly thereafter his was arguably forced into an adventure with a pack of dwarves along with a wizard. Throughout this entire journey, Bilbo becomes more and more courageous and even went so far as to meet with leaders of an opposing army and say “This is the Arkenstone of Thrain… I give it to you. It will aid you in your bargaining. ”(271) This is showing that despite him possibly risking capture or death, he still has enough courage to help end a needless war between his group’s army and the elven-human’s army.…

    • 805 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It had been fifty years after Beowulf had defeated Grendel and his mother. Beowulf had returned home to his homeland and became king there and his rule was successful. There was a dragon that lived near by to Beowulf’s kingdom, which guarded old treasure. A thief stole a goblet from him and awakened him, and the dragon then went on a revengeful killing spree. “The dragon began to belch out flames/ and burn bright homesteads; there was a hot glow/ that scared everyone, for the vile sky-winger/ would leave nothing alive in his wake.” (l. 2312-2315) The dragon held onto this treasure, which is useless now, so long that he was able to know exactly what was gone and he must have had it back. The dragon represents greed and selfishness. The dragon began to slay people because of his missing goblet. When Beowulf heard about the dragon, he decided to do something about it immediately, as a good king should. During the battle between Beowulf and the dragon, both parties were fatally wounded. The dragon fought to the death to protect “his” treasure that he found, while Beowulf fought to protect “his” people. The dragon’s greed and selfishness had taken over his life and his lifestyle, which became the death of me. It can also be seen that Beowulf had allowed greed to overcome him, and that being the death of him also. He wanted the dragon’s treasure for his people, and his last wish was to see the treasure that he…

    • 950 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Though his history and character are more fully explored in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, Gandalf remains a looming mystery in The Hobbit, a constant reminder that Middle-Earth is more vast and cryptic than Bilbo realizes. A powerful wizard, Gandalf generally prefers to keep his powers and motives closely guarded. He never reveals, for instance, why he chooses to help Thorin in his quest; he certainly has no interest in the treasure, and he leaves the company in Mirkwood while he goes to fight against the Necromancer. Something both inspiring and dangerous defines Gandalf’s character—he is an unshakable bulwark against evil, and yet he seems to have an enlightened, almost godlike knowledge of every person’s place in…

    • 214 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hrothgar demonstrates the Anglo-Saxon value of love of glory in the poem. When Hrothgar leads the Danes to glory, he decides to build a hall that would hold his mighty band. And in that hall he would divide the spoils of their victories to his comrades and kinsmen. He fulfills his promise naming the mead hall Herot and commending a banquet.…

    • 341 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Treasure, as well, is one of the most important elements of the Anglo-Saxon’s social lives. As Katherine O´Brien O´Keeffee says “ The touchstone of that life- as represented in Old English literature at least- is the vital relationship between retainer and lord, whose binding virtue is loyalty. Continuing loyalty is ensured in the lord´s giving of treasure. Through gifts of worth, a lord enhances both his own reputation and that of his retainer, and he lays upon his man the obligation of future service.”And it is possible to see that, when the story opens, describing a funeral ceremony, one of the rituals in those years. “Next to that noble corpse/They heaped up treasures, jewelled helmets/ Hooked swords and coats of mail, armor/Carried from the ends of the earth: no ship/ Had ever sailed so brightly fitted”/ (L. 36). This shows the human relationship between the warrior and his lord, the “ring –giver”. Also, warriors must bring these golden helmets, famous swords, and armour to their kings, in repaid for all the protection they have received, as Beowulf upon his return home, presents a wide variety of treasures to Higlac, “So I could bring his riches to you, my ruler,/And prove his friendship, and my love. Your favour/Still governs my life.../(canto 31, l.2149-2150) when he comes back from Denmark; and in turn receives golden armour, high rank and extensive land. “Then Higlac, protector of his people, brought in/His father´s-Beowul´s grandfather´s- great sword,…

    • 882 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Grendel Essay

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Later in the story the reader learns that Grendel was rejected from the Dane's society when he proposed a treaty. Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, looked at Grendel as an enemy which breaded pure evil and was not in any way a human and should be killed. When Grendel realized that he was not going to be able to be a part of the Danes, Grendel built up rage and frustration. Grendel released this rage and frustration by killing many Danes and tormenting the common people.…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hrothgar In Beowulf

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Not now. He has nothing left but the power of his mind” (Gardner 121). Hrothgar, portrayed by others, as a king who has let down his kingdom and failed to preserve it’s life, allows attacks by Grendel himself, “The civilization, he meant to build has transmogrified to a forest thick with traps” (Gardner 121). Hrothgar is in the later years of life and therefore is unlike his younger self and past the prime years of leading. As a result losing the ability to act as sly, agile soldier, hence becoming an old man depleted of strategies, “Hrothgar, keen of mind, is out of schemes. No fault of his. There are no schemes left” (Gardner 122). Grendel reigned on Hrothgar's city and caused despise from the Danes, for this reason, Hrothgar becomes worn down and lost the capability to defend his…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays