The Hobbit - Chapter 14 - Fire and Water

[Estelyn Telcontar]

This short chapter takes us away from Bilbo and the dwarves and is written from the point-of-view of Esgaroth. In a "normal" fairy tale adventure story, this would be the climax - the hero meets the foe and vanquishes him/her/it. Happy end, everyone goes home.

But what's this? The main characters, who ought to be our heroes, are completely out of the picture, waiting more or less passively without knowing what's going on. The people of Laketown are also ignorant of the developments at the Lonely Mountain and initially let themselves be deceived. A stranger, nameless at first, and remarkable only for his pessimism and grim voice, becomes pivotal for the story.

The light has a part in the deception; it appears in the hills, colours the lake golden, and appears to foretell the fulfillment of the prophecies. But thanks to the man, its real significance is recognized, giving the town time to prepare at least minimally. The lake turns red as the dragon approaches - the colour of danger, not of wealth.

I am a bit mystified upon rereading this chapter - why would Smaug need the bridge? Is the town too far away for his wings? (Are they only shadow wings, perhaps? ) But he does fly over the town after all.

Bard shows true leadership, as the Master shows cowardice. Does that seem to echo the King/Steward theme we later see in Gondor? The true (hereditary) ruler becomes the saviour and hero of his people.

The thrush has a vital part in the destruction of Smaug. Interestingly, we read that Bard's ancestry allows him to understand it. Like an inherited sword for other heroes is his arrow, passed on down from his forefathers to him.

The victory is not to be had without sacrifice - the town is burned down, some of its inhabitants dead, and the fall of Smaug ends Esgaroth's existence.

The people recognize the true worth of their leaders - Bard is their hero and they want him as King; the Master did nothing for them in their peril. But like Saruman, his power is in his speech, and he manages to push the blame for their troubles onto the Dwarves.

The dragon hoard stirs up trouble again by making them all eager for its possession. Understandable, since they needed financial means to rebuild their city. But the Elves too desire it, though they are willing to help the Men in their need. The chapter ends with their march toward the Mountain, and the readers begin to suspect that the problems did not end with the Dragon's death.

[Bêthberry]

Well now, are we going to discuss whether this little thrush is a deus ex machina like those other avians, the eagles?

I have to admit that, after the fascinating view of Smaug with Bilbo in the earlier chapter, I am a bit disappointed that the dragon is so quickly dispatched. I think this speed does point to other concerns in the story beside those of adventure, but still I can still wish for a bit more dragon lore.

One point which I must niggle at is the distinction between Bard and the Master. This is clearly political dogmatising, from my perspective. Yes, I can see the interesting characterisation of the Master as a man given to business projects--a captain of industry, yet the glorification of monarchy and blood lines is something that doctrinally I don't share and so for me this part of the story stands out as a bit of old style moralising in children's literature. Does one need to share Tolkien's political views to appreciate this part of the story?

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Smaug was a much too interesting, and fun, character,
to have gotten rid of so early. I believe Tolkien originally
didn't finish the story for his children but just improvised
an ending, but a rewrite to feature more of Smaug, perhaps
involving him in the Battle of Five (Six!) Armies would have
been interesting. Had Tolkien known he was going
to write as such LOTR it might have been interesting to
have Smaug flee rather then be killed to reappear
later ala Gollum. And was Laketown A. S. (after Smaug)
a limited monarchy? Gondor had an apparently advisory
+ council.

[Aldarion Elf-Friend]

I've haven't posted in a while, although I've been faithfully lurking, but this chapter is one that's given me pause for thought.

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Well now, are we going to discuss whether this little thrush is a deus ex machina..

I've thought about this a bit, and I think that maybe it doesn't matter in this case. I get up in arms when deus ex machina is used to resolve a book or plot, but in this case I'll argue that the plotline involving the death of Smaug is secondary in this book.

Secondary!?! Isn't this a book about going on a quest to retrieve treasure from the dragon? I don't see it that way. To me, this is a book about Bilbo's finding something greater in himself than he thought was there, and about how one deals with sudden fortune - especially when one has struggled and sacrificed for that fortune only to receive it through the actions, unasked for, of another, who then has a claim on it. The dwarves almost failed this test.

The long and short of it is, Tolkien needed to remove the dragon, and had to do it in a way independent of the dwarves. When coincidence or deus ex machina is used to create the dilemma that must then be solved, I think that it is much more acceptable that when it is used to solve the dilema, thus leaving to the characters, and the readers, not learning anything. In this case, the dilema is "what to do with the treasure that once rightfully belongs to the dwarves who have returned to claim it, but has been rightfully 'earned' by Bard and the citizens of Dale."

In this light, this book becomes more and more a morality play and less and less a simple fairy tale.

Not that the Professor ever wrote a "simple" fairy tale...

[Tuor of Gondolin]

this book becomes more and more a morality play and less and less a simple fairy tale.

Very good. And a presage of perhaps the most fascinating
chapter in the book, where JRRT lays out the complex,
intertwined calls on the treasure by the various claimants,
of whom it could be argued Bilbo comes out morally best.

Hey Guys,
I just had a quick question.
Why does Elvenking set out for Lake Town?
and also, what does this decision tell us about the value he places on the treasure in the Mountain?

Thanks