Symbolism In The Hobbit 
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Symbolism In The Hobbit
Anyone who has read J.R.R. Tolkien's book The Hobbit will realize that the story is mostly about Bilbo Baggins turning into a hero from a ordinary, boring and food loving hobbit. In the initial part of the story, Bilbo is comfortable living in his hole and being content with his life. However, when Gandalf tries to convince him to join the dwarves to get the dragon's treasure, Bilbo gets frighten. But, as the story progresses, Bilbo turns fearless and is willing to face adversities. |
The story was written after World War I. It is quite possible that Tolkien used the character of Bilbo to highlight England's efforts during the War. However, it is also a well-known fact that Tolkien was not a lover of allegory. So, it is quite possible that the character was nothing but himself.
All the races and creatures in the story have different physical appearances, nature and ethics. It is quite possible that through the story, Tolkien was talking about the diversity of the world and how different people are racially from one another. At the same time, while people are different, they have distinct morals. For instance, in The Hobbit, the goblins were evil, while the elves were good.
Another symbolism in The Hobbit is the naming of swords. In this story, Gandalf's sword is named Glamdring, while Thorin's sword is called Orcrist. The very fact that the swords are named is a symbol of the heroic deeds of Gandalf and Thorin. When Bilbo kills the giant spiders to save the dwarves, he names his sword Sting. This is a symbol of Bilbo change from an ordinary hobbit to a hero. It also symbolizes his bravery and his ability to take initiatives.
The other symbolism used in The Hobbit is the very nature of the hobbits. Tolkien acknowledged when the book was published that he styled the nature of the hobbits on the middle class rural people he lived among.
While Smaug the dragon is a symbol of greed, which is omnipresent around us.
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