Origins of Hobbits?

Odo Banks

I think Tolkien exalted certain positive traits which he saw as British... Hobbits, of course, weren't Human, as we know .

Eldorion

Odo Banks wrote:I think Tolkien exalted certain positive traits which he saw as British... Hobbits, of course, weren't Human, as we know .

Only using a very specific definition of human. *tuts at the troublemaker*

Durin

Eldorion wrote:

*tuts at the troublemaker*

... I am anxious to see how this remark turns out.

Eldorion

Odo's been trying to raise trouble lately. I don't think he gets that he's not really the ominous, troublemaking type.

Durin

Eldorion wrote:Odo's been trying to raise trouble lately. I don't think he gets that he's not really the ominous, troublemaking type.

Indeed. He's much too little of the... forum-troll-smart-aleck-snide-remarking-takes-pleasure-in-seeing-other's-angry-and-or-butthurt type of guy.

If you ask me.

Gandalf's Beard

Well, Hobbits were intended to represent "respectable" English Country Folk with all their foibles and their charms. Through them, he pokes a bit of fun at their insularity and "lack of curiosity" about the outside world, which he himself had in Spades. So I really think (and I believe this is borne out in Carpenter's biography) that Bilbo represented Tolkien himself, a man of letters who was a bit apart from his own kind--full of wonder and delight (despite his own "better judgment" at the lands and peoples beyond the borders of The Shire, and history itself.

But he clearly is at home with the comfortable life of a Country Squire --a warm fire, good food, good ale, a lovely garden, a song and a smile--that he felt represented the best of England.

GB

Durin

Gandalf's Beard wrote:Well, Hobbits were intended to represent "respectable" English Country Folk with all their foibles and their charms. Through them, he pokes a bit of fun at their insularity and "lack of curiosity" about the outside world, which he himself had in Spades. So I really think (and I believe this is borne out in Carpenter's biography) that Bilbo represented Tolkien himself, a man of letters who was a bit apart from his own kind--full of wonder and delight (despite his own "better judgment" at the lands and peoples beyond the borders of The Shire, and history itself.

But he clearly is at home with the comfortable life of a Country Squire --a warm fire, good food, good ale, a lovely garden, a song and a smile--that he felt represented the best of England.

GB

Huh! If this is so, then I would say I'm a lot like Tolkien, really, and that makes me extremely happy . I always thought myself like Bilbo. I like my own ventures, though when I am pushed beyond my wants out in the wild (which I actually do go on camping/canoeing trips quite often!) I just wish to be home, admittedly, drinking tea, which I am oh too much fond of .

As I was saying, some people can not stay in their houses very long these days, I could spend my whole life within the confines of mine own house, saying I had company once and again, my wants of food and drink, and an unlimited supply of books .

I'm a true sucker for History, and I am slightly obsessed with Chinese History and culture, which I find to be genuinely fascinated in. So, I suppose I could best describe myself as a Hobbit! :mrgreen:

Though I never thought of myself like Frodo.

This thread has made me very happy .

Gandalf's Beard

I am a bit of an Armchair Adventurer myself , and always identified with Bilbo and Frodo (Frodo mostly when I was younger, and now Bilbo as I get older). And like you, I am obsessed with Chinese Culture and history (rather Elvish I think ).

GB

Durin

Gandalfs Beard wrote:I am a bit of an Armchair Adventurer myself , and always identified with Bilbo and Frodo (Frodo mostly when I was younger, and now Bilbo as I get older). And like you, I am obsessed with Chinese Culture and history (rather Elvish I think ).

GB

*Chuckles*

Well the Internet is a wonderful thing, as long as Discussion forums such as this, I'm very happy I came upon one such as this, quite a treasure.

Hmmm, well, the only way I can see Chinese and Elvish culture and history intertwining is... oh... well, I can actually see it being much more similar then I originally thought.

They are the most "ancient" of us still around, since they are the longest surviving, and still surviving, civilization in known history, so they have seen many more things then any of the other civilizations have, so you could describe them as... observers, or at least, you could have. Modern-China makes me sad . While Mao Zedong is a prominent name in Chinese History, and while I respect him for the impact he had upon it, I really despise how he changed China, and I am a fan of revolutionists, too! :ugeek:

Oh wait. This is a thread about Hobbits. I suppose this isn't the part to rant and ramble about China.

We should make an "All To Do About World History" thread. Or something. I should do this.

Gandalf's Beard

Actually Durin, the forum topic regarding where Tolkien's Races are derived from in history would suit this bit of the conversation perfectly.

GB

Odo Banks

Yes, it's nice to think of yourself as hobbits (it gives me a fuzzy feeling too). It's sad you can't be real ones - being humans, I mean...

Gandalf's Beard



GB

This doesnt really belong here- having no connection to the thread topic other than, um a hobbit lives here. But somewhere I can't find we had a brief discussion about the size of the garden at Bag-End.
Well I finally got my old scanner to work with win7, which means I could finally scan Tolkiens illustration (from my copy of the annoted Hobbit) of Bag End, as I could never find it on the web.

[img][/img]

It doesnt rreally answer the size of garden question clearly exceptperhaps to suggest large, as it seems to go off to the left. Certainly large enough to require a gardener full time.

All is revealed

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/333112/title/Taking_the_measure_of_a_hobbit

It'll do for me. I believe in hobbits!!

I thought this happened a few years ago? I guess the excavations in Indonesia have been ongoing.

This I think is the follow up. Now they have had time to analysis and start arguing over whose version of things is right. Give it another few years, then they mght have a consensus, right before they discover soomething else there which proves both theories wrong!

Ah, the scientific method. What's not to love?

Eldorion wrote:Ah, the scientific method. What's not to love?

Can't dispute proper science...

http://www.newser.com/story/125292/angry-experts-dont-call-hobbits-tea-partiers.html

Looks like the orc has a beard.

chris63 wrote:

What is this I don't even

Tea Party = Hobbits? WTF? Hobbits at Tea party- now that makes sense.

The Tea Party doesn't make sense... not that they'd know, anyhow...