# Could the Hobbit have been based on the tales of Beowulf?



## klugiglugus (Jan 8, 2003)

Could the Hobbit have been based on the tales of Beowulf?

I have heard some talk of this abroad, is it true?


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## FoolOfATook (Jan 8, 2003)

Only in minor ways- Bilbo stealing the cup, for example, is generally agreed upon as an echo of _Beowulf_ but not much more than that, in this English Major's opinion (the forum reacts with awe and reverence as FoolOfATook mentions that he's a third year college student studying language and literature and thus immediately accepts his thoughts as binding )


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## Eledhwen (Jan 9, 2003)

*I quote from "The Hobbit Companion" by David Day*

"Most authors create characters and then find names for them, but Professor Tolkien's mind reversed that order. He always acknowledged that it was words themselves that suggested characters, creatures, races, species, plots, places and entire worlds to him....This was absolutely true of his new word: Hobbit."

The book then goes into great detail, showing how the hidden meanings in the words "Hobbit" and "Bilbo Baggins" inspired Tolkien's story, and even the character's personality. In my opinion, it's a must for fans of the halflings.


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## jallan (Jan 10, 2003)

From Tolkien himself, in _Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien_:


> As for the rest of the tale it is, as the Habit suggests, derived from (previously digested) epic, mythology, and fairy-story – not, however, Victorian in authorship, as a rule to which George Macdonald is the chief exception. _Beowulf_ is among my most valued sources; though it was not consciously present to the mind in the process of writing, in which the episode of the theft arose naturally (and almost inevitably) from the circumstances. It is difficult to think of any other way of conducting the story at that point. I fancy the author of _Beowulf_ would say much the same.
> My tale is not consciously based on any other book – save one, and that is unpublished: the 'Silmarillion', a history of the Elves, to which frequent allusion is made.


Tolkien admits that _Beowulf_ was a source but denies conscious borrowing or transformation.

There was an essay published long by a certain Bonniejean Christensen in _Mythlore_ 15(3(57))(1989):4-10. It attempted to show that _The Hobbit_ was far more a reworking of _Beowulf_ by Tolkien than he admitted or was aware of if.


Her arguments are accepted by numerous academic critics, but many of them, I suspect, have read little or no Germanic legend, or legendary material of any kind, outside of _Beowulf_ and a few such works which are normally part of university English courses and overestimate the correspondences that Christensen recounted.

The kind of Fluellenistic article this produces can be seen at Reverent Comic Subversion in _The Hobbit_.


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## Nardil (Jan 11, 2003)

Tolkien was very much inspired by old folklore of Europe and was trying to recreate that style. Beowulf is one of the more famous old tales so some similarities are bound to occur. While I don't think the Hobbit was based of Beowulf, it was trying to emulate the old styles of folktales


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## klugiglugus (Jan 15, 2003)

Well I strongly think that he did because of that time what was there to get inspiration from apart from folk lore or Conan or Wagner? and as one was not too well known at the time and the other is very vulger, folk lore would have to be the way to go.

I actualy think that what ever fantasy fiction writing there is there will always be strands of Folk lore within it whether 'Gormongaust' or 'The magicion' there will always be european folk lore there. I think it is the way the entire league has evolved and realy most fantasy writers of today are in all fairness Tolkein wannabes so if the host does it then the rest copy! Quite amusing.


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