The Hobbit
0 Buy/Sell
From WikiCollectables, Buy • Sell • Collect • Wiki
View the top articles!
The Hobbit or There and Back Again is an award-winning fantasy novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, written for children in the tradition of the fairy tale. Tolkien wrote the story in the late 1920s to amuse his three sons. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. More recently, The Hobbit has been recognized as the "Most Important 20th-Century Novel (for Older Readers)" by the children's book magazine Books for Keeps.[1] The book has sold an estimated 100 million copies worldwide since first publication.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Specifications
- Author = J. R. R. Tolkien
- Cover Artist = J. R. R. Tolkien
- Series =
- Genre = Fantasy novel, Children's literature
- Publisher = George Allen & Unwin (UK) & Houghton Mifflin Co. (U.S.)
- Publication Date = 1937
- Nature of Rarity =
- Number in Existence =
- Estimated Value =
[edit] Background
The Hobbit is set in a time "between the dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men",[3] and follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins (the titular "Hobbit") to win his share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. His journey takes him from light-hearted, rural surroundings into darker, deeper territory,[4] meeting diverse denizens of the Wilderland along the way. By accepting the disreputable, romantic, fey and adventurous side of his nature (the "Tookish" side) and applying his wits and common sense, Bilbo develops a new level of maturity, competence and wisdom.[5]
The story is told in the form of an episodic quest: most chapters introduce a specific creature, or type of creature, of Tolkien's Wilderland.[6] The prose adventure is interspersed with songs and poetry, many of which serve to lighten the tone of otherwise frightening or dramatic scenes. The final chapters deal with the climactic Battle of Five Armies, where many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters re-emerge to engage in conflict. Critics have drawn parallels with Tolkien's own experiences and the themes of other writers who fought in World War I.[7].
A sequel was requested by his publishers, and as work on the The Lord of the Rings progressed, Tolkien made accommodations for it in one chapter of The Hobbit. These few but significant changes were integrated into the second edition. Further editions followed, correcting minor errors and reflecting Tolkien's changing concept of the world into which Bilbo stumbled.
The work has never been out of print since the paper shortages of the Second World War. Its ongoing legacy encompasses many adaptations for stage, screen, radio, and gaming, both board and video games. Some of these adaptations have received critical recognition of their own, including a video game that won the Golden Joystick Award, a scenario of a war game that won an Origins Award, and an animated picture nominated for a Hugo Award.
[edit] See also
In May and June 2007, HarperCollins and Houghton Mifflin published The History of The Hobbit in the United Kingdom. The work examines, in two volumes, previously unpublished original drafts of The Hobbit with extensive commentary by John Rateliff.
- English-language editions of The Hobbit
- Early American editions of The Hobbit
- Translations of The Hobbit
- The Quest of Erebor, Tolkien's retconned backstory for the novel in Unfinished Tales
[edit] References
- ^ Tolkien Society FAQ: Did Tolkien win any awards for his books?
- ^ Tolkien's Hobbit fetches £60,000. bbc.co.uk (18/03/08). Retrieved on 06/06/2008
- ^ Eaton, Anne T.. "A Delightfully Imaginative Journey", The New York Times, 1938-03-13.
- ^ Langford, David (2001). "Lord of the Royalties". SFX magazine. Retrieved on 2007-09-29
- ^ Matthews, Dorothy. "The Psychological Journey of Bilbo Baggins", A Tolkien Compass, 27–40.
- ^ Rateliff, John D The History of the Hobbit. Part 1: Mr. Baggins
- ^ Croft, Janet Brennan (2002). "The Great War and Tolkien's Memory, an examination of World War I themes in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings". Mythlore (84)
