The Hobbit: An overview

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Introduction

The Hobbit is a classic tale of adventure. Written by J.R. R. Tolkien in 1933, it remains a favorite amongst adults and children. Bilbo Baggins, a quiet hobbit who enjoys a simple life, finds himself in the midst of an adventure. The wizard Gandalf commissions the young hobbit to join thirteen dwarves (Thorin and company) on a quest to reclaim family treasure from Smaug, a fearsome dragon.
The little band experiences numerous adventures on the way to Lonely Mountain, Smaug's home. They battle goblins, orcs, trolls, giant spiders, and elves, along with hunger. Along the way, Bilbo is transformed from a quiet, unadventurous hobbit to a crafty burglar. In fact, it is reluctant Bilbo who ultimately brings victory to the dwarves. Although Bilbo is an effective burglar, he does not perform his tasks unaided. While lost under the Misty Mountains, Bilbo finds a ring of extraordinary power that gives its wearer invisibility.

Purpose

This website provides an overview of the book. It is not an archive, but a basic review of important elements. Those who are familiar with the book and want a quick refresher will find this site useful.

Characters
Major characters, including Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin, Smaug and Gollum are discussed here.

Events
Follow the dwarves and Bilbo through some of the most important events in the book: the escape from the trolls, the acquiring of the ring, the escape from the Wargs, the adventures in Mirkwood, and Smaug's defeat.

Places
Bag-End, The Last Homely House, Mirkwood, and Smaug's Cave are described within the story's context.

Creatures
Learn about the creatures hobbits, elves, dwarves, Wargs, Eagles, and Men of Tolkien's book.

Tokens
The magical tokens which guide the group are identified and described.

Links to other sites

A brief biography of J.R.R. Tolkien

An extensive Tolkien archive, including information from all the Tolkien books

Another Tolkien archive, with fun graphics

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