The Hobbit (Plot Summary)

Plot Summary

The Beginning of the Quest

The Hobbit is set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth. The unidentified narrator begins the tale with a description of hobbits:

They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded Dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it).

The main character, Bilbo Baggins, is a fifty-year-old hobbit living a quiet, comfortable life. This situation is changed by Gandalf, a mysterious wizard, who is looking for someone to go on an adventure with him. Bilbo wants no part of any adventures and quickly excuses himself to go back into his hobbit-hole. Gandalf, secretly amused, scratches a sign into Bilbo's door as it closes.

The next day, Gandalf and a band of thirteen dwarves visit Bilbo. Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the dwarves, tries to recruit the reluctant hobbit to help recover his father's treasure from the wicked dragon, Smaug. Aided by a map, the group plans to cross the Misty Mountains and the Mirkwood Forest to reach Smaug's hideout. Bilbo is promised a share of the treasure if he will help them. Bilbo eventually concedes.

Along the way, it begins to rain and the group of adventurers lose a large amount of food when one of their ponies, which becomes frightened, jumps into the river. When Bilbo is sent to investigate a light on the side of the road, he finds three trolls sitting by a fire. Bilbo is caught trying to pick one of their pockets, but later escapes into the woods when the trolls begin to argue. The rest of the dwarves are captured as they approach the fire.

Gandalf cleverly uses his magic to cause the trolls to fight amongst themselves. Losing track of time, the trolls turn to stone at dawn. Bilbo and the dwarves search the cave of the trolls, where they discover some food and coins to help them on their journey. Gandalf and Thorin find two jeweled swords, and Bilbo takes a small blade for himself.

After a brief rest, the adventurers continue their journey toward the mountains. Upon reaching the valley of Rivendell, they are greeted by singing elves. They stop at the Last Homely House, where Elrond, chief of the elves, resides. Elrond identifies the blades carried by Gandalf and Thorin; they are magical, powerful goblin-killers. Elrond, also familiar with the runes on Thorin's map, finds a clue regarding an entrance to the Lonely Mountain, where Smaug resides with the treasure. The travelers rest for two weeks before heading into the mountains.

The Misty Mountains

The adventurers are trapped on a narrow pass high in the mountains. As a storm begins, they see stone giants playing with boulders in the pouring rain. Frightened, the dwarves hide in a nearby cave. However, a passage opens in the rear of the cavern, though which goblins enter and abduct them. In the confusion, the dwarves are separated from Gandalf.

Bilbo and the dwarves are brought before the Great Goblin, who is infuriated when he recognizes Thorin's sword. The Great Goblin is ready to execute them. Suddenly, the torches are extinguished, and Gandalf murders the Goblin king. The adventurers flee, fighting off goblins as they escape. They each take turns carrying Bilbo on their backs because he cannot keep up. Bilbo is eventually knocked unconscious.

When Bilbo regains consciousness, he is alone in the cave. Groping through the darkness, he finds a ring on the cavern floor and pockets it. He also discovers that his blade is magical; it glows dimly in the darkness. He wanders to an underground lake, where a slimy, lizard-like creature called Gollum lives. Gollum and Bilbo trade riddles. If Bilbo wins, Gollum agrees to show him the way out. If he loses, Bilbo becomes Gollum's dinner.

After a series of riddles, Bilbo cleverly stumps Gollum by asking him to guess what he has in his pocket. He does not realize that the ring belongs to Gollum and that it has the power to make its wearer invisible. Gollum cannot guess, and when he goes to fetch his ring, he realizes the answer to Bilbo's riddle. Enraged, he chases Bilbo, but Bilbo slips on the ring, becomes invisible, and sneaks out of the cave.

Bilbo finds Gandalf and the dwarves and surprises them with his sudden appearance. He earns their respect when he tells them the story of his encounter with Gollum and of his escape, but he keeps the secret of the ring to himself. The group travels through a wooded area and, as the sun begins to set, they arrive at a clearing. Frightened by the howls of wolves, they climb up trees to hide.

The Wargs, evil wolves allied with the goblins, appear in the clearing. Gandalf magically lights pine cones on fire and launches them at the Wargs, setting many aflame. However, the goblins appear and build fires at the base of the trees. Meanwhile, the Lord of the Eagles hears the commotion and brings his minions to the rescue. The flock of eagles carries the group to safety.

Gandalf informs his band that he will accompany them to one final destination before they reach the great forest of Mirkwood. He introduces them to Beorn, an enormous shape-shifter of great strength who has the ability to communicate with animals and change into a bear. Beorn provides food for the weary travelers and allows them to rest in his home. He sends them on their way with ponies, food, and water for their journey through the forest, and warns them to keep to the path.

The Forest of Mirkwood

The adventurers leave Gandalf and travel through the forest for several days and nights, slowly exhausting their food and water supply. One night, they see many fires off the path. Hungry, they ignore Beorn's warning and heard for the warm glow of the forest's campfires.

As they approach, everything goes dark. Bilbo falls into an enchanted slumber and giant spiders seize the rest of his comrades. Bilbo recovers and uses his ring to trick the spiders and to release his friends from the webs. A terrific battle ensues and the adventurers escape, only to notice that Thorin is missing.

The next day, the group — except for Bilbo, who wears his ring — is captured by wood elves and brought before their king. The king imprisons the dwarves in his dungeon because they refuse to tell him any information about their mission. Bilbo, discovering that Thorin is also a captive, filches keys from a drunken guard and frees the dwarves. They escape to Long Lake by hiding in barrels used to move goods up and down the river to the town of Esgaroth.

Smaug and the Battle of Five Armies

The group stops in Esgaroth, a town built in the middle of Long Lake and inhabited by men. Thorin, whose grandfather was once a king allied with the townsmen's ancestors, is greeted warmly. The adventurers are provided food and ponies, and continue their journey by water toward the Lonely Mountain, where Smaug the dragon resides. Once they arrive, they discover a secret opening. Bilbo sneaks into the dragon's lair, steals a cup, and brings it back to the dwarves to prove his worth as a burglar.

The disturbed dragon leaves his lair to find the thief. Bilbo and the dwarves take cover, but they are unable to save their pack animals. Smaug devours the ponies and returns to his lair. Bilbo agrees to sneak back into Smaug's lair for further investigation. Bilbo, now invisible, intrigues the dragon with flattery and riddles. He discovers that Smaug has a weak point in his breast. After Bilbo flees the lair, Smaug leaves and attacks the town of Esgaroth. The adventurers enter the unguarded cave and locate the stolen treasure. Bilbo finds the Arkenstone of Thrain, the great jewel of the dwarves.

Meanwhile, Smaug sets Esgaroth on fire. Bard, a human, finds Smaug's weak point and shoots an arrow into the dragon's heart, killing him. Upon learning of the dragon's death, the King of the Wood Elves and his army join the humans and together they set off for the Lonely Mountain to claim the treasure.

A raven informs Thorin that Smaug is dead and that the humans and the elves are coming for the treasure. The dwarves fortify the only open entrance to the mountain. Thorin sends the raven to fetch his cousin's army. The men and elves arrive and demand a share of the treasure; Thorin refuses. The men and elves decide to camp around the mountain, but Bilbo sneaks out with the Arkenstone.

Hoping to avoid bloodshed, Bilbo gives Bard and the King of the Wood Elves the Arkenstone to use in bargaining with Thorin. They offer Bilbo sanctuary, but he is loyal to the dwarves and determined to rejoin them. On his way back, he is heartened to discover that Gandalf has returned and is camping with the men.

The next morning, the humans and elves show the Arkenstone to Thorin. When Bilbo admits that he gave the jewel to the men, Thorin accuses Bilbo of treachery and threatens to throw him off the mountain. Thorin releases Bilbo, but still refuses to share the treasure. Thorin's cousin Dain arrives.

An army of goblins and Wargs descends upon both warring groups, however, and the two sides are compelled to join forces. Even Thorin overcomes his greed and bravely joins the fight. A fierce battle ensues, and the goblins appear to have the upper hand. However, Bilbo's spirits are lifted when he sees the Lord of the Eagles arriving with a huge flock. Bilbo is once again knocked unconscious when a rock hits his head.

The End of the Tale

Bilbo awakens to a deathly quiet until he hears a man calling for him. Bilbo removes his ring and is brought to a tent where Thorin lays dying. Thorin apologizes for treating Bilbo badly and commends the hobbit's wisdom and bravery. Bilbo weeps when Thorin dies; he also discovers that Beorn arrived after the eagles to help turn the tide of the battle. The hobbit accepts a share of the treasure and leaves with Gandalf and Beorn, heading for home.

The story ends with a short epilogue a few years later when Gandalf and the dwarf, Balin, visit Bilbo. Bilbo learns that the dwarves are content and prosperous, and that Bard has led many of the men of Esgaroth to rebuild Dale, a city destroyed by Smaug.