The Lord of the Rings discussion: Chapter 1, A Long-expected Party

[cassiopeia]

Chapter 1: A Long-expected Party

Note to Newbies: This discussion has LOTR spoilers. If you haven't read the LOTR, go read it now.



The first chapter of The Lord of the Rings introduces some of the most important characters in what will eventually become the War of the Ring. We learn quite a lot about the nature of hobbits, and realise something is not quite right about Bilbo's ring. The name of this chapter is interesting: the first chapter of The Hobbit is called An Unexpected Party; a little wink to us from Tolkien, I think.

The first part of chapter one gives us background on Frodo and Bilbo and hobbits in general, quickly followed by Bilbo's party and disappearance, and the passing of the Ring to Frodo. These events occur some sixteen years before the War of the Ring. It is obvious in this chapter, and in the next few, that Tolkien is in 'The Hobbit mode'. He's still writing a sequel to The Hobbit, in style and content.

For those who haven't read the prologue or The Hobbit, it is quickly realised that there is some peculiar about Bilbo Baggins: he has treasure and possesses (apparently) perpetual youth. We meet Frodo Baggins as respectable gentlehobbit, though he is a Brandybuck, and Brandybucks are 'queer', so we know that Frodo is perhaps no ordinary hobbit either. Though Sam barely plays a part in the chapter, we learn a bit about him, too. We know he is a common gardener, working class, but he enjoys Bilbo's tales of dragons and elves and has even learnt his letters -- so he is not quite 'ordinary' either, judging from his father's disapproval. (And later in The Two Towers we are told not many hobbits learn their letters.) Gandalf is immediately seen as wise and trustful, though mysterious as well. Though some people think hobbits are a simple people, I believe this chapter shows them as complex individuals. We see them as thieves and gossips, and displaying vain, arrogant, humorous and angry behaviour.

In this chapter we first see Frodo's interaction with the Ring, though all he does is take the envelope containing it and glance at it inattentively. It is not exerting any power on him at this time, at least not obviously, even though Frodo is its new owner. I wonder if Frodo has seen the Ring before, or touched it before. Do you think he would feel something when he becomes the Ring's owner? Later chapters show that Frodo is unaffected by age like Bilbo, but I wonder if, during the years he owns the Ring, whether the Ring exerts its influence in other ways. In the next chapter, it is revealed that Frodo feels restless and wonders what is outside the Shire. Perhaps this is the Ring's influence. (And perhaps we should leave that discussion to the next chapter.

Tolkien shows us his unique brand of humour in this chapter: The number of guests at the party is 144, one Gross, a term not considered 'proper.' Mr Proudfoot thinks his family's name should be Proudfeet when it's pluralised. The gifts Bilbo leaves his relatives (my favourite being his gift to Lobelia: silver spoons.) I've read that some people think Tolkien didn't use humour well in the LOTR. For example, we have to be told the reason for the joke in many cases. In this chapter we need to be told why Bilbo's present to Milo is amusing: because he never answers letters. What do you think of Tolkien's sense of humour in the LOTR?

This chapter has a modernism, something which is obviously foreign to Middle-earth: the dragon firework fashioned by Gandalf is described as passing like an 'express train.' I wonder if either Tolkien did not find this when he revised the LOTR for the second edition, or whether he thought it didn't need altering. To defend Tolkien, he is translating this from Westron to English, and perhaps came upon a term he couldn't find a modern word for and decided that an express train was the best translation.

My favourite part of this chapter is Bilbo's speech, when he says, "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." It is rather confusing, and I sympathise with the poor, confused hobbits.

Now discuss away!