Writing style, Hobbit vs. LOTR - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lhunbelethiel · 05-12-2002, 04:46 PM

I have started reading the Hobbit after reading the LOTR trilogy and noticed that Tolkien's writing style is very different in the two stories. The writing in the Hobbit seems more familiar and loose, while the LOTR is often formal and sort of complex. The Hobbit is more light hearted while LOTR is quite serious much of the time. Any idea why this is? Is it due to the characters heis writing about (Bilbo as a befuddled hobbit, whereas Frodo is serious) or the events that are happening (dragon hunting vs. Sauron stalking) or perhaps the time in which JRR Tolkien was writing? Was he more mature, more set in the mythology when he wrote LOTR than in the Hobbit? Was it because of different audiences? Your ideas??

(Hope this makes sense) I love the Hobbit already, so I am not putting it down at all! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

05-12-2002, 04:46 PM	#1
Lhunbelethiel Wight Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: San Francisco Bay Area (aka Bay of Belfalas) Posts: 103	Writing style, Hobbit vs. LOTR I have started reading the Hobbit after reading the LOTR trilogy and noticed that Tolkien's writing style is very different in the two stories. The writing in the Hobbit seems more familiar and loose, while the LOTR is often formal and sort of complex. The Hobbit is more light hearted while LOTR is quite serious much of the time. Any idea why this is? Is it due to the characters heis writing about (Bilbo as a befuddled hobbit, whereas Frodo is serious) or the events that are happening (dragon hunting vs. Sauron stalking) or perhaps the time in which JRR Tolkien was writing? Was he more mature, more set in the mythology when he wrote LOTR than in the Hobbit? Was it because of different audiences? Your ideas?? (Hope this makes sense) I love the Hobbit already, so I am not putting it down at all! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] __________________ ~~All that is gold does not glitter, not all who wander are lost, all that is old does not wither, deep roots are not touched by the frost...~~