Sunday, September 14, 2003		Books

Of courage & wisdom
Kamaldeep

The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien. Harper and Collins, New Delhi. Pages 272. Rs 295.

IN the 1960s, Tolkien attracted a cult following by creating complete mythologies of his own. He was influenced by Christian sources, Celtic and Norse mythology coupled with his abiding knowledge and love of Old English literature.

The Hobbit, his first full-length novel, was originally published in 1937 when it opened to both popular and critical acclaim. Hobbits, (a word specially coined by Tolkien) a race of small men with furry feet, are peaceable and home-loving creatures who dwell on the fictional world called Middle Earth. Though comfort loving, hobbits are courageous and apparently remain undaunted in the face of terror. The book under review revolves around a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins who has led a fairly staid existence for 50 years of his life and he does not wish to alter his leisurely existence.

But his destiny takes him through a wild adventure and fantastic journey, which changes his life forever. Gandalf, the wizard entrusts Baggins with the Herculean task of helping the dwarves regain their lost kingdom and treasure from a terrifying dragon-Smaug. On their way they encounter many fabulous characters like goblins, wizards, elves and have incredible adventures. In one adventure, Baggins accidentally procures a ring that has the magical power of making the wearer invisible. It is with the help of this ring that Baggins helps his friends at critical times and thus wins considerable respect. The book ends with a terrifying war of epic proportions in which all the enemies of the dwarves (the dragon, the goblins and the wolves) are vanquished and they re-establish their lost kingdom. Thereafter, Baggins returns to the comfort of his home rich in gold but richer in experience.

Though initially reluctant to embark on such a journey, Baggins returns a mature, wise and resourceful hobbit. He realises that change is a positive thing, for it gives you the opportunity to explore those aspects of your personality that you were previously ignorant of.

This book has always been considered as a representative of children’s literature. Indeed, it fulfils all the parameters of a classic children’s book, i.e. thrill, awe, wonder, magic, riddles and small ditties. But in contemporary times it will be gross injustice to limit its readership thus. In fact, human trappings of greed, anger and covetousness motivate all the characters of this fantasy novel. The final message of the novel is encapsulated in the words of a dying dwarf—"some courage and some wisdom blended in measures" is the perfect combination to succeed in war and life.

In this book, Tolkien brilliantly conceived and created a complex world, which is internally consistent, and also developed the appropriate socio-cultural context. The language, however, remains fairly simple, with doses of tongue-in-cheek humour that only a perceptible reader can comprehend. Therefore, I have my reservations about relegating it to the genre of children’s fiction. The book will interest not only children but will be enjoyed variously by people from all age groups.