The Hobbit - Chapter 11 - On the Doorstep

[Estelyn Telcontar]

They were at the end of their journey, but as far as ever, it seemed, from the end of their quest.

In this chapter, Bilbo and the Dwarves reach their goal. But there is little satisfaction in the fact, for the desolation makes the earnest of their situation obvious. Once again Tolkien uses the calendar to great effect - doesn't it make you shiver to read:

...they were come at the waning of the year.

The landscape of and around the Mountain is described in detail. Can you visualize it?

Waiting is an important part of the story in this chapter. Nothing that they could do would make Durin's Day come faster, though they all seem to have forgotten the moon runes on the map. Apparently, only Bilbo still thinks of them; it seems strange to me that Thorin, at least, wouldn't have recalled something so central to their quest. Do you think that Bilbo's expectancy indicates a spiritual kind of awareness, unusual for a hobbit?

Were the moon runes (yes, I went back to read them in the chapter on Rivendell) generally speaking or specifically prophetic for this occasion? Do you imagine a thrush knocking every Durin's Day for many years? And why a thrush? Is there any significance to that particular bird?

The door opens, and with that cliffhanger - only darkness can be seen - Tolkien ends this short chapter.

Despite the fulfillment of the prophetic moon runes, this chapter again feels transitional, doesn't it? Do you enjoy it, or press on to read what follows?

[Kath]

This is a very descriptive chapter, especially at the beginning, and I like that because it gives a real sense of just how desolate the place really is, and in so doing makes you realise how dangerous the dragon must really be to have caused all this damage.

It does make the mountain easy to visualise, but I'm not sure that's a good thing. When you don't know what something looks like it is somehow more scary. For example in films, it's the things in the shadows that scare you most, not the things you can see.

One thing that shows that for me is when the men who brought Bilbo and the Dwarves to the mountain refuse to stay even for one night in it's shadow. That's pure fear from grown, hardened men, and makes it all the more real.

Do you think that Bilbo's expectancy indicates a spiritual kind of awareness, unusual for a hobbit?

I'm not sure I would call it a spiritual awareness, more just spirit. I could imagine that Bilbo disliked all the travelling and getting to a place because he wasn't sure what he was doing and so, as much as he dreaded what was to come next, once he was actually there his spirits rose as there was a challenge he might be able to face. Whereas the Dwarves seemed to prefer the travelling because they knew where they were going, but disliked being there as they didn't know what to do next. Also, for the Dwarves the landscape would have been a bitter reminder of what they had lost but that wouldn't really have affected Bilbo.

As for Bilbo being the only one to think about the runes that might be due to his love of maps. He may well have spent time before this gazing at the map and so had the runes more fresh in his head than the others.

Though, if they had been in the King's palace all that time and made their way out via river, it's quite impressive that they still had the map at all!

I do like this chapter. It gives a dark sense of foreboding that makes the chapters to come even better.

[Tuor of Gondolin]

This chapter does a good job of describing the area around
the Lonely Mountain, both at the present and (via the dwarves
reminiscing) the past. It's a good example of Tolkien's
concept of subcreation in Middle-earth, of making it seem
more "real" then say, Narnia.

The rapidity of the Laketowners in leaving:

It was easier to believe in the Dragon and less
easy to believe in Thorin in these wild parts

reminds you of a comment by Tolkien in H. Carpenter's
Biographysomething like, JRRT (as a child) desired dragons,
but not in his neighborhood.

The illustration of the Front Gate is interesting, since later
the geography of that area is described in some detail and
is important in the story.

Overall Chapter 11 is an interesting, atmospheric selection.

Btw, at least these dwarves were shrewd enough to not
just have a sign saying "Speak 'Friend' and Enter" on the door.