The Hobbit Chapter Summaries, Chapters 1 - 4 |
 Jun 11 2008, 06:17 PM
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One Half of the DDD  Posts: 8,476 Joined: 5:31pm August 30, 2006 Location: Siriusly Dreaming Somewhere   |
The Hobbit Chapters 1 - 4 Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Party The group travel on with subdued spirits until they reach the beginning of the Misty Mountains, beyond that is the Wilderland and the Lonely Mountain where Smaug lies. Gandalf takes them to Rivendell to rest and stock up on food before the rest of the journey, the elves they meet on the way seem to already know Bilbo. While there Elrond examines the swords they had taken from the trolls and tells them they are "very old swords of the High Elves of the West ... made in Gondolin for the Goblin-wars", one is "Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver", the other is "Glamdring the Foe-hammer that the king of Gondolin once wore". Elrond looks at their map and tells them there are "moon letters", which are runes that can only be read "when the moon shines behind them", he translates the letters they can see but explains that different letters can be seen depending on the phase of the moon. The next morning they set off to continue their journey. We are introduced to Bilbo Baggins and a little of his family history when we learn that he is a "very well-to-do hobbit" who enjoys his comfortable home. An old man visits Bilbo looking for someone to take part in an adventure he's planning, the last thing Bilbo wants is an adventure and he tries to get rid of his visitor. He becomes a little friendlier when he realises that he's speaking to the famous wizard, Gandalf, although he still doesn't want anything to do with adventures. He does, however, invite Gandalf to tea the next day but its a dwarf who turns up instead and, ever polite, Bilbo invites him to tea. They are soon joined by a large number of the dwarf's friends and, finally, Gandalf. After tea they begin to explain their plan to Bilbo, and mention that some may not return, which sends poor Bilbo into a state of great panic and distress and he needs to lie down. This doesn't do much for the dwarves' confidence in his abilities as a burglar but Gandalf insists that he has made a good choice and that "there is a lot more in him that [they] guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself". The explanation of their plan continues as they show Bilbo their map and tell him about their gold being kept by the dragon, Smaug, and Gandalf explains that he was given the map by the grandfather of Thorin Oakenshield, one of the dwarves, while trying to save him from the Necromancer. Chapter 2 - Roast mutton When Bilbo awakes the next morning the dwarves have gone. By second breakfast Gandalf has returned and tells him the dwarves have left him a message asking him to meet them at the Green Dragon Inn from where they will set off on their journey. Poor Bilbo really isn't happy - there isn't enough food, the weather's terrible, everything about the lands and the people is unfamiliar and he's homesick. Gandalf leaves them, although none of them noticed him go. Seeing a light ahead the dwarves send Bilbo off to investigate, what he finds are three trolls and tries to steal the purse from one of them who catches Bilbo but he soon begins fighting with another troll and drops him. The dwarves arrive and are all captured and put in sacks. While the trolls decide how to cook their captives, Gandalf returns unseen and fools them into thinking that each of them is insulting the other two which continues until dawn when the trolls turn to stone. Bilbo finds a key that opens the trolls' cave where they find gold, food, clothes and two swords. Chapter 3 - A short rest Chapter 4 - Over hill and under hill The travelling is hard and Bilbo is still homesick. While in the mountains there is a terrible thunderstorm and the dwarves look for shelter. Fili and Kili find, and lead the group to, a dry cave. Bilbo dreams of the cave wall splitting and wakes up to find its true and that the ponies have been taken. Goblins jump out and outnumber Bilbo and the dwarves with only Gandalf escaping. The goblins take them down into the darkness of the mount to meet the Great Goblin, whipping them as they go and singing a terrifying song. We learn that they are a cruel people who don't hate dwarves more than anyone else but bear a grudge against Thorin's people from a previous war. The group are accused of being spies, thieves, murderers and friends of elves. They try to defend themselves and Thorin says that they are on their way to visit friends and family, the goblins don't believe them and cite those who were killed by Gandalf using Thorin's sword, Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver. Thankfully Gandalf has not disappeared and now comes to the rescue, killing the Great Goblin and leading the dwarves and Bilbo out chased by the goblins. As the goblins get closer Gandalf tells the dwarves to turn and fight, the two swords kill some of the goblins, sending the rest running. The goblins make a second, more silent, attack and grab Dori, Bilbo falls and is knocked unconscious. Some questions to think about
Look out for further chapter summaries: 21 June - Chapters 5 - 9 28 June - Chapters 10 - 14 05 July - Chapters 15 - 19 This post has been edited by Dreamteam: Jun 13 2008, 07:23 AM --------------------  November's book is The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger "THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" |
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