A Story Told Through Song

Neal Timberlake

Mrs. Thompson

English 9- period 6

23 August 2006

A Story told through Song

When song writers write songs, the songs usually have to do with real situations and other aspects of their life. For example writers write songs about love, life problems, adventures, feelings, and dreams. In the novel The Hobbit by, J.R.R. Tolkien, songs are used many times throughout the story. In The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien uses songs to explain adventures and settings, through the characters that sing them.

Tolkien uses songs to provide most of the descriptions in his novel. To introduce the personality of Bilbo, the main character of the story, the twelve dwarfs sing, “Chip the glasses and crack the plates! Blunt the knives

and bend the forks! That’s what Bilbo Baggins hates- smash the bottles and burn the corks! Cut the cloth and tread on the fat!”(12) In the novel, the dwarfs use this song to make fun of Bilbo and his neat and tidy personality. They are surprised that Gandolf chose him for the burglar. It is ironic that the dwarfs sing a song that is meant to make fun of Bilbo. It is Bilbo’s attention to detail and thoroughness in his work that make him appealing to Gandolf as the group’s burglar.

The dwarfs used song to persuade Bilbo into going on the journey.

Far over the misty mountains cold to dungeons deep and caverns old we must away ere break of day to seek the pale enchanted gold. The dwarfs of yore made mighty spells, While hammers fell like ringing bells in places deep, where dark things sleep in hollow halls beneath the fells. (14)

This song explains what the surroundings are going to be like on the journey. It gives a description of where the gold is and what kinds of creatures live there. The images of the journey tempt Bilbo to want to retrieve the gold that the dragon took years before.

To explain what has happened before the book was written Tolkien uses this song to flashback to when the gold was stolen.

Far over the misty mountains cold to dungeons deep and caverns old we must away, ere break of day, to claim our long-forgotten gold. Goblets they carved there for themselves and harps of gold; where no man delves there lay they long, and many a song was sung unheard by men or elves. The pines were roaring on the height, the winds were moaning in the night. The fire was red, it flaming spread; the trees like torches blazed with light. The bells were ringing in the dale and men looked up with faces pale; The dragons ire more fierce than fire Laid low their tower and houses frail. (14-15)

This song is used in two different ways, to hypnotize Bilbo and to explain what previously happened in the story with out experiencing it in the reading. The dwarfs used this song to make Bilbo long for the adventure and to see the beautiful sites. This song is also telling the reason for going on the journey. Thorin’s treasure was taken from him and he wants to get it back.

Tolkien uses the following song to help