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03-08-2004, 09:32 PM
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#1 |
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"The Bomb"
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: all over the place
Posts: 1,601
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Reasons to like Smaug...
...other than his being a dragon?
When reading The Hobbit, I didn't really see anything special about Smaug. In fact, I never though he could qualify as a character, and so I was quite surprised by the amount of attention he gets from mooters. He's a lot of people's favorite characters even, and I wonder is it just for the fact that he's a dragon, and therefore automatically and inarguably badass? Or is there some other quality to him that makes him a dynamic character of some important theme? What's so appealing about Smaug?
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Could it be that one path to enlightenment leads through insanity? |
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03-08-2004, 10:27 PM
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#2 |
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Domesticated Swing Babe
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Reality
Posts: 5,340
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He's vain?
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Happy Atheist Go Democrats! |
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03-09-2004, 01:20 PM
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#3 |
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The Intermittent One
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: here and there
Posts: 4,671
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he's clever ...
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03-09-2004, 01:31 PM
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#4 |
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High King at Annuminas Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Wyoming - USA
Posts: 10,752
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You know, I never really read many other stories I can recall that give a dragon such personality. I mean, when I think of 'dragon stories' - I think of a knight charging in to fight one with lance and sword against the dragon's fiery breathe. No dialog - just a fight. The dragon could have the limited mentality of any dumb animal, for all you'd know. And, thinking of them as 'lizards', I thought they would all be green.
But here in 'The Hobbit' - we have a dragon who thinks, talks, schemes and is RED! Plus, we have all this informed narration, expounding about the "do's and don'ts" of interacting with a dragon... as though we might need to make use of the information ourselves someday. Even though it's meant to be a bit scary, and the dragon a fearsome thing - the whole story itself comes off as so... charming!  I can't say I ever felt much of a 'liking' for Smaug myself... I didn't mourn his passing! But it makes for a great story. Do other tales treat dragons in similar ways? Older stories anyhow... I imagine many writers after Tolkien may have borrowed from his treatment.
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My Fanfic: Letters of Firiel Tales of Nolduryon Visitors Come to Court Ñ á ë ?* ó ú é ä ï ö Ö ñ É Þ ð ß ® ™ [Xurl=Xhttp://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=ABCXYZ#postABCXYZ]text[/Xurl] Splitting Threads is SUCH Hard Work!! |
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03-09-2004, 11:31 PM
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#5 | |
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"The Bomb"
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: all over the place
Posts: 1,601
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Quote:
Hmm... maybe I should have named this thread "Help me procrastinate and postpone a desperately needed Hobbit re-read."
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Could it be that one path to enlightenment leads through insanity? |
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03-13-2004, 09:49 PM
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Hobbit
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 21
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Quote:
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Forged in fire, made of steel. |
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03-13-2004, 11:23 PM
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#7 | ||
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Co-President of Entmoot
Super Moderator 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 8,397
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Dealing with Dragons (the first book in a four book series by Patricia C. Wrede) has great dragons as character who are well-developped and interesting.
But anyway, the reason Smaug is so appealing to me is because (1) he is incredibly witty and intellingent (2) he percipitates events that lead Bilbo's finding the Ring I think he's more of an entertaining and interesting catalyst.
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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03-14-2004, 10:13 AM
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Orodruin's Flame
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Kananaskis, AB
Posts: 1,194
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Imagine him much like the dragon in the film 'Dragonheart' ( I think its called that ). Thats how i see him anyway.
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03-26-2004, 01:18 AM
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#9 |
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Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Lost in the Opera House
Posts: 9,328
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smaug is great because he's not only a formidable body, but also a formidable mind as well.
He remains on my list of my top five favorite Tolkien characters.
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05-15-2004, 04:52 PM
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#10 |
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Elf Lord
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: LI-woods, NY
Posts: 653
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Smaug is appealing because he is highly intelligent and, what is more important, extinct. Kind like velociraptor.
You would like to appreciate his intelligence from the safe distance. Last edited by Olmer : 05-16-2004 at 12:08 AM. |
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05-21-2004, 02:35 PM
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#11 |
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AngAdan
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Boerne, Texas
Posts: 856
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He is rich, self assured, smart, in the prime of his life, a snappy dresser, that is if you like jewels.
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05-21-2004, 02:52 PM
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High King at Annuminas Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Wyoming - USA
Posts: 10,752
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Quote:
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My Fanfic: Letters of Firiel Tales of Nolduryon Visitors Come to Court Ñ á ë ?* ó ú é ä ï ö Ö ñ É Þ ð ß ® ™ [Xurl=Xhttp://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=ABCXYZ#postABCXYZ]text[/Xurl] Splitting Threads is SUCH Hard Work!! |
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05-21-2004, 06:03 PM
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#13 |
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Mirthful Maiden
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rivendell
Posts: 1,252
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lol Val!
Reason to like Smaug? He's a dragon, isn't that good enough.
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The Elves represent, as it were, the artistic, aesthetic, and purely scientific aspects of the Humane nature raised to a higher level than is actually seen in Men.~ J.R.R. Tolkien Wanna play? www.thievesguild.com |
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05-22-2004, 05:23 AM
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Enting
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ertvelde (Belgium)
Posts: 79
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He is not only rich and cute, but he's also very well speeched. And that's all a girl want....
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05-22-2004, 10:40 AM
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#15 |
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Elven Warrior
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Lawrence, Kansas, USA
Posts: 195
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I thought Smaug was pretty bad-ass until I saw the animated Hobbit, where he looks like a cat with wings and has the voice of an 80 year-old man who smokes four packs a day. It was pretty anti-climactic.
Despite that, however, Smaug is still in my top ten ME characters, for all of the reasons already stated (although on my 'favorite dragons' list Glaurung comes out on top).
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A citizen runs to the fire department yelling that he's spotted a roaring blaze from his car. "WHERE IS IT?" the fire department asks, pen ready. "It rises like some brooding , glaring trail of cosmic fury from- " "WHERE? WHERE?" "Oh. Well, it blazes up from a crimson-sheathed visage brooding darkly above the haunted towers of impotent indignity which, like melons hovering unhappily over lifetimes of empty meaning which-" "THE ADDRESS!" "Oh. Oh, I didn't notice. But look for a brooding, glaring trail of cosmic fury rising from a crimson-sheathed visage-" They lead him back to his car, and send him on. -- Philip K. Dick "Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." -- Diderot |
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05-27-2004, 11:15 AM
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#16 |
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Elven Warrior
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: wherever my dreams take me
Posts: 356
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Well, with some characters the situation is that even when they are bad and you know that in real life situation you would hate them, you still love them. How to I say it, Smaug has style. Judging by his conversation, he was smart and clever and witty. He even died stylishly.
I would like to talk to him... by phone. Or from another side of extra-strong fire and drangon proof glass. Yes, that would be nice.
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"We've got a wizard and we're not afraid to use him!" HOBBITS NEEDED! Some dwarves as well !!! |
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06-13-2004, 02:10 PM
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#17 |
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founder of the color blue
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: E-Space
Posts: 1,727
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He is confident...chicks dig confidence
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Well, there it is. |
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06-14-2004, 04:38 PM
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#18 |
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Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not where I want to be ...
Posts: 15,254
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He's just really funny - like a giant spoiled kid! I love how he actually falls for Bilbo's suggestion to see his underside for any weaknesses.
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07-05-2004, 07:29 AM
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#19 |
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Elven Warrior
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: In the kitchen ...... still!
Posts: 228
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Smaug has a sense of humour in a vain, egocentric kind of way. We all like someone with a sense of humour.
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Life's too short to eat bad chocolate |
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07-05-2004, 08:03 AM
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#20 | |
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The Intermittent One
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: here and there
Posts: 4,671
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Quote:
(Book 2 of the enchanted forest chronicles) Kazul is one dragon who has a well developed character |
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