10-24-2004, 04:59 PM | #1 | |||
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Foreshadowing in "The Hobbit"
What little hints have you discovered in "The Hobbit" that foreshadow future events in the book? Tolkien is very subtle, and I found these are usually discovered after a second or third reading.
What foreshadowing have you noticed that have implications on "The Lord of the Rings"? To kick it all off, in chapter three "A Short Rest" (p. 43), I wondered how much the Elves really knew about Bilbo, and what this implies about his role in the Quest. (IIRC Gandalf says to Frodo in LOTR, "Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, so you were meant to have it, and that is an encouraging thought." [paraphrase] Anyone have that quote?) When Gandalf, the Dwarves, and Bilbo first come to Rivendell, the Elves seem to know all about Bilbo even though they have never met. The elves say shortly after: Quote:
What do you think about this, and what foreshadowing did you find in 'The Hobbit'?
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10-25-2004, 03:20 AM | #2 |
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I think that Thorin not wanting Bilbo to come and saying he was useless was foreshadowing the fact that it would be Bilbo that saves them many-a-time.
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Then Huor spoke and said: "Yet if it stands but a little while, then out of your house shall come the hope of Elves and Men. This I say to you, lord, with the eyes of death: though we part here for ever, and I shall not look on your white walls again, from you and me a new star shall arise. Farewell!" The Silmarillion, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Page 230 |
10-25-2004, 06:41 AM | #3 | ||
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Yeah, good one Telcontar!
Gandalf was insistant that Bilbo would go on the Quest. How much do you think he knew about his role?
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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10-25-2004, 11:46 AM | #4 | |
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Well in UT it says that he knew that with out Bilbo the quest would fail. he also said that his hobbit quietness would help as the dwarves were exetremly loud or in Bilbos words they made alot of;
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Then Huor spoke and said: "Yet if it stands but a little while, then out of your house shall come the hope of Elves and Men. This I say to you, lord, with the eyes of death: though we part here for ever, and I shall not look on your white walls again, from you and me a new star shall arise. Farewell!" The Silmarillion, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Page 230 |
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10-25-2004, 12:23 PM | #5 | ||
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Yeah, Bilbo was really critical of their lack of stealth. They really did need him, even without the Ring.
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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10-26-2004, 09:13 AM | #6 |
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I don't know whether it constitutes "foreshadowing" but how about the bit about the Necromancer? Does it hint at a more sinister presence in ME?
And what about the brief (though tantalizing) summary about the Wood Elves and how they were the Elves who never went to Faery? More pertinently, I feel, is possibly the growing numbers of Orcs and Wolves. After the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, there were very few Orcs left in the Misty Mountains. All of a sudden they begin to multipy and harass the Free Peoples again. (Maybe linked to the above bit about the Necromancer?)
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10-26-2004, 09:19 AM | #7 | |||
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When I first read this book and LOTR for the first time, I thought that the Necromancer was someone other than Sauron.
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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10-26-2004, 09:35 AM | #8 | |
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Quote:
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10-26-2004, 09:59 AM | #9 | |
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Quote:
Another foreshadowing although this is a Hobbit-LotR one. Where Bilbo overhears Gandalf and Elrond talking at the end of the Hobbit. I haven't read it in a while but it seemed to me like there would be more to come from the Necromancer.
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Then Huor spoke and said: "Yet if it stands but a little while, then out of your house shall come the hope of Elves and Men. This I say to you, lord, with the eyes of death: though we part here for ever, and I shall not look on your white walls again, from you and me a new star shall arise. Farewell!" The Silmarillion, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Page 230 |
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11-18-2004, 06:59 PM | #10 | ||
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Do you think that maybe Thorin's obsession with the treasure was foreshadowing his downfall? Or is it just easy to say that im hindsight?
At one point, Bilbo observes that they had left the very obvious problem of a live dragon out of their plans.
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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11-19-2004, 04:36 AM | #11 | |
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Quote:
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11-19-2004, 12:35 PM | #12 | |
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Another one I found recently
Quote:
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Then Huor spoke and said: "Yet if it stands but a little while, then out of your house shall come the hope of Elves and Men. This I say to you, lord, with the eyes of death: though we part here for ever, and I shall not look on your white walls again, from you and me a new star shall arise. Farewell!" The Silmarillion, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Page 230 |
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