Student Question

What can and can't Bilbo expect from the dwarves in The Hobbit?

Quick answer:

Bilbo can expect that the dwarves will be fair to him and will rescue him from trouble if they can, but he should not expect the dwarves to be heroic or overly generous.

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In J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins leads a quiet life in the Shire before Gandalf arrives on his doorstep one fine morning, bringing adventure with him. Pretty soon Bilbo finds himself running out of Bag End without his pocket handkerchief, off on a quest with thirteen dwarves to regain the treasure of the Lonely Mountain, which is guarded by the fierce dragon Smaug.

Bilbo and the dwarves have just discovered the secret entrance to the Lonely Mountain, and they are standing inside a long, dark tunnel. Bilbo is rather disgusted with the dwarves at this moment, but he says that he will go down the tunnel and "have a peep at once and get it over." He then asks who will come with him. Most of the dwarves look very uncomfortable and say not one word, but Balin says he will go a little way.

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Bilbo and the dwarves have just discovered the secret entrance to the Lonely Mountain, and they are standing inside a long, dark tunnel. Bilbo is rather disgusted with the dwarves at this moment, but he says that he will go down the tunnel and "have a peep at once and get it over." He then asks who will come with him. Most of the dwarves look very uncomfortable and say not one word, but Balin says he will go a little way.

Then the narrator provides a bit of an aside about dwarves. Many are indeed "decent enough people" if one doesn't "expect too much." Bilbo knows this quite well by this point. He knows better than to expect the dwarves to be heroes or to willingly walk into the dragon's lair (at least as long as they are quite certain that the dragon is in it). He also realizes that dwarves can be "calculating folk" when it comes to their treasure hoards and that he should not expect them to be overly generous beyond the amount previously agreed upon (and with certain exceptions).

Bilbo does, however, expect that Thorin and Company will be fair with him. They honestly intend to pay him the agreed upon amount for doing a "nasty job for them." Further, he realizes already by experience that the dwarves will do their best to come to his rescue if he finds himself in trouble. They have done so already in the case of the trolls. Indeed, Bilbo knows that dwarves are rather touchy people to work with, and he is learning quite well how to deal with them.

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