The Hobbit Group

Question:

twilight101
twilight101
Student
High School - 9th Grade

In Chapter 12 of The Hobbit, what reason (besides the treasure) did Bilbo give Smaug for coming to the mountain?

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Posted by twilight101 on Monday February 23, 2009 at 7:40 PM and tagged with bilbo, coming, dwarves, gold, mountain, reason, smaug, the hobbit, tolkien, treasure.

Answers:

  1. ms-charleston-yawp
    ms-charleston-yawp Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The additional reason Bilbo gives to Smaug for coming to the mountain is nothing short of revenge.  Bilbo is first taken aback by Smaug's statement of the obvious:  no one could gather up all of Smaug's gold and transport it in one lifetime alone.  Waiting to be fried to a crisp, Bilbo at least surprises Smaug enough to make him laugh by saying, "Gold was only an afterthought with us.  We came over hill and under hill, by wave and wind, for Revenge.  Surely, O Smaug the unassessably wealthy, you must realize that your success has made you some bitter enemies?"

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/hobbit/summary
    http://www.enotes.com/hobbit/themes

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    Posted by ms-charleston-yawp on Monday February 23, 2009 at 9:01 PM