Why go on a Quest in the first place? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Daisy Sandybanks · 02-04-2002, 01:39 AM

I finished reading The Hobbit like a month ago, and a question popped into my head after I finished reading it.
Why did Gandalf decide to band together a group of Dwarves and one Hobbit to go off and try to defeat a dragon named Smaug and gain a load of treashure?
I mean it just kinda seemed (to me at least) that he just woke up one morning and decided to have a random advenure.
Also, another question popped into my head wich I actually think I somewhat get but not completly, why did Gandalf pick Bilbo a the one Hobbit to take with him?
I mean shurely there were other Hobbits that were just as brave as Bilbo, possibly even braver?

Rosa Underhill · 02-04-2002, 01:47 AM

Gandalf didn't create the band of Dwarves, they all decided to go on their own accord. I believe they asked Gandalf for help, though. And that led to the whole business of Gandalf not being able to go with them all the way and thirteen being an unlucky number for the Dwarves. So, to solve their problem, Gandalf suggested Bilbo Baggins go with them.

He probably picked Biblo because the Hobbit seemed to have that spark in him. No other Hobbit would've gone, they just would have shrugged their shoulders or outright laughed at the thought of adventuring. You'll notice that even though Bilbo had a perfect oportunity to not go on the adventure, he ran out his door at ten minutes to eleven to catch up with everyone. Gandalf probably saw in him a sense and a longing for something more than the Shire he had grown up in.

Kuruharan · 02-04-2002, 07:50 AM

There's a chapter in the Unfinished Tales called "The Quest for Erebor" that explains just about everything that Gandalf was thinking and how much trouble Gandalf had in getting Thorin to take Bilbo along.
Basically Gandalf wanted to get rid of Smaug and reestablish the Kingdom Under the Mountain so that it would act as a stronghold to guard the North.
And, yes Thorin was the one to approach Gandalf about help on their quest.
[img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Narya · 02-04-2002, 10:00 AM

I can remember that somewhere in LoTR Gandalf
says that he believes Frodo and Bilbo are the bravest of all hobbits. And I don´t believe that there are many hobbits of their kind, too.

Maybe Gandalf also thought that it would be unwise to send the dwarfes alone on such an adventure.
Maybe he knew that Bilbo would be the right one to prevent the dwarfes from doing too many silly things.. (Hobbits don´t go so easily mad when they see gold... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] )

Rhudladion · 02-05-2002, 02:52 PM

Remember who gandalf is. He is an Istari who, long since his entry to ME, has had an affinity to Hobbits, studying their culture, familial lines, and individual Hobbits. gandalf in his wisdom and insight knew that frodo had some Took hidden in him that would prove valuable to the Dwarves. And yes, the dwarves sought Gandalf's help. Gandalf doesn't just decide to have an adventure and then round up some dwarves.

Frodo had the same virtues as Bilbo, being of the same line, but the ring chose him more than he chose the ring.

zifnab · 02-05-2002, 03:21 PM

Don't forget they needed a "Master Theif", and Bilbo was their man(er...hobbit). [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Dáin Ironfoot · 02-05-2002, 05:42 PM

We must remember that Gandalf, and many others of power can see the future. I think that it was all part of a larger plan. Yes, re-establishing Dale and Erebor gave the free peoples a mush stronger foothold it north rhovanion. I think that Gandalf aslo knew that Bilbo would find a ring possibly.

Daisy Sandybanks · 02-05-2002, 06:57 PM

Wow, well thankyou everyone for your help, I apriciate it. I understnad things more clearly now than I did before.
Thanks again.

Lush · 02-05-2002, 08:21 PM

Ooh Ooh!
*the literary snob in Lush rears its ugly head*
And what of the fact that every epic needs a quest? Thus you can say that neither Gandalf, nor his biographer (i.e. J.R.R.) are random in their actions.

Kuruharan · 02-05-2002, 10:20 PM

Quote:

I think that Gandalf aslo knew that Bilbo would find a ring possibly.

Well, yes and no. At one point in 'The Quest of Erebor' Gandalf says,
"Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by its maker and you therefore were meant to bear it. And I might have added: and I was meant to guide you both to those points.
"To do that I used in my waking mind only such means as were allowed to me, doing what lay to my hand according to such reasons as I had. But what I knew in my heart, or knew before I stepped on these grey shores: that is another matter."

Then in another section,
"And suddenly I felt that I was indeed in hot earnest. This queer notion of mine was not a joke, it was right. It was desperately important that it [Bilbo's going along on the quest] should be carried out."

So I would say that Gandalf definitely knew that there was something else of vital significance that was going on besides securing for the Longbeards one of their former citadels. That he knew specifically that the Ring would be found, at least in his waking mind, I kind of doubt. Although, as he says, what he knew before he came to Middle Earth is a different matter.

And at the end he also says that he is still not telling everything that he knows. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Rhudladion · 02-06-2002, 10:15 AM

Lush, is that you in the picture beside your entry? Looks like it was taken after you ingested a few of your liquid dainties.

Lush · 02-06-2002, 04:11 PM

Yep Rhud, that's me, it's actually a much better picture when viewed full-size on my littlewebsite. It was taken as part of an experiment in photography with a new camera by my dear friend Liz. And I was completely sober throughout. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
Sorry about the fact that I'm veering off-topic. *Ahem* Where were we? Quest? Ring? Bilbo? Gandalf?

Aralaithiel · 02-08-2002, 09:27 PM

Feeling very MP (Monty Python) here:
"What is your name?" Uh, Gandalf
"What is your quest?" to play with hobbits and powerful jewelry
"What is your favorite color?" Gray! No, white...AAAHHHRRRGGGH (goes falling down after balrog).

02-04-2002, 01:39 AM	#1
Daisy Sandybanks Wight Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: California Posts: 101	Why go on a Quest in the first place? I finished reading The Hobbit like a month ago, and a question popped into my head after I finished reading it. Why did Gandalf decide to band together a group of Dwarves and one Hobbit to go off and try to defeat a dragon named Smaug and gain a load of treashure? I mean it just kinda seemed (to me at least) that he just woke up one morning and decided to have a random advenure. Also, another question popped into my head wich I actually think I somewhat get but not completly, why did Gandalf pick Bilbo a the one Hobbit to take with him? I mean shurely there were other Hobbits that were just as brave as Bilbo, possibly even braver? __________________ Knowlege is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

02-04-2002, 01:47 AM	#2
Rosa Underhill Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Waymeet, the Shire Posts: 297	Gandalf didn't create the band of Dwarves, they all decided to go on their own accord. I believe they asked Gandalf for help, though. And that led to the whole business of Gandalf not being able to go with them all the way and thirteen being an unlucky number for the Dwarves. So, to solve their problem, Gandalf suggested Bilbo Baggins go with them. He probably picked Biblo because the Hobbit seemed to have that spark in him. No other Hobbit would've gone, they just would have shrugged their shoulders or outright laughed at the thought of adventuring. You'll notice that even though Bilbo had a perfect oportunity to not go on the adventure, he ran out his door at ten minutes to eleven to catch up with everyone. Gandalf probably saw in him a sense and a longing for something more than the Shire he had grown up in. __________________ WWAHD? (What would a Hobbit do?)

02-04-2002, 07:50 AM	#3
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	There's a chapter in the Unfinished Tales called "The Quest for Erebor" that explains just about everything that Gandalf was thinking and how much trouble Gandalf had in getting Thorin to take Bilbo along. Basically Gandalf wanted to get rid of Smaug and reestablish the Kingdom Under the Mountain so that it would act as a stronghold to guard the North. And, yes Thorin was the one to approach Gandalf about help on their quest. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...

02-04-2002, 10:00 AM	#4
Narya Wight Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: not here... floating down the Liffey Posts: 124	I can remember that somewhere in LoTR Gandalf says that he believes Frodo and Bilbo are the bravest of all hobbits. And I don´t believe that there are many hobbits of their kind, too. Maybe Gandalf also thought that it would be unwise to send the dwarfes alone on such an adventure. Maybe he knew that Bilbo would be the right one to prevent the dwarfes from doing too many silly things.. (Hobbits don´t go so easily mad when they see gold... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ) __________________ ...for we know the joy of life is the peace* that love can bring* So spoke the wizard in his mountain home.

02-05-2002, 03:21 PM	#6
zifnab Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: omni-presence Posts: 329	Don't forget they needed a "Master Theif", and Bilbo was their man(er...hobbit). [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] __________________ Facebook.

02-05-2002, 02:52 PM	#5
Rhudladion Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 63	Remember who gandalf is. He is an Istari who, long since his entry to ME, has had an affinity to Hobbits, studying their culture, familial lines, and individual Hobbits. gandalf in his wisdom and insight knew that frodo had some Took hidden in him that would prove valuable to the Dwarves. And yes, the dwarves sought Gandalf's help. Gandalf doesn't just decide to have an adventure and then round up some dwarves. Frodo had the same virtues as Bilbo, being of the same line, but the ring chose him more than he chose the ring.

02-05-2002, 05:42 PM	#7
Dáin Ironfoot Animated Skeleton Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 33	We must remember that Gandalf, and many others of power can see the future. I think that it was all part of a larger plan. Yes, re-establishing Dale and Erebor gave the free peoples a mush stronger foothold it north rhovanion. I think that Gandalf aslo knew that Bilbo would find a ring possibly. __________________ "Understanding your people paves the road to understanding leadership"- Old Atreides maxim

02-05-2002, 06:57 PM	#8
Daisy Sandybanks Wight Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: California Posts: 101	Wow, well thankyou everyone for your help, I apriciate it. I understnad things more clearly now than I did before. Thanks again. __________________ Knowlege is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

02-05-2002, 08:21 PM	#9
Lush Fair and Cold Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the big onion Posts: 1,770	Ooh Ooh! the literary snob in Lush rears its ugly head And what of the fact that every epic needs a quest? Thus you can say that neither Gandalf, nor his biographer (i.e. J.R.R.) are random in their actions. __________________ ~The beginning is the word and the end is silence. And in between are all the stories. This is one of mine~

02-06-2002, 10:15 AM	#11
Rhudladion Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 63	Lush, is that you in the picture beside your entry? Looks like it was taken after you ingested a few of your liquid dainties.

02-06-2002, 04:11 PM	#12
Lush Fair and Cold Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the big onion Posts: 1,770	Yep Rhud, that's me, it's actually a much better picture when viewed full-size on my littlewebsite. It was taken as part of an experiment in photography with a new camera by my dear friend Liz. And I was completely sober throughout. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] Sorry about the fact that I'm veering off-topic. Ahem Where were we? Quest? Ring? Bilbo? Gandalf? __________________ ~The beginning is the word and the end is silence. And in between are all the stories. This is one of mine~

02-08-2002, 09:27 PM	#13
Aralaithiel Ghost Eldaran Queen Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A remote mountain in Valinor Posts: 353	Feeling very MP (Monty Python) here: "What is your name?" Uh, Gandalf "What is your quest?" to play with hobbits and powerful jewelry "What is your favorite color?" Gray! No, white...AAAHHHRRRGGGH (goes falling down after balrog). __________________ A lelyat, wen! (Quenya Elvish for "You go, girl!"