Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit upcoming movie
This is my second post in the series “Reading the Hobbit in search for Thorin”. (Click HERE for Part I) The second part of my reading has been influenced by one of Richard Armitage’s recent statements in an interview related to the upcoming Hobbit movies. When asked how he tried to update a classical Lord figure like his Thorin Oakenshield for a contemporary audience, he answered:
I never really thought of updating it. I actually did the opposite. I thought of it as more kind of Greek tragedy. I looked at Shakespeare, a lot of my preparation I was looking atHenry Vand bits ofRichard III, just to find roots in British literature that were deeper. But I think making it feel contemporary the big themes of the story — loyalty and trust and camaraderie — I think those things are contemporary (transcript from http://io9.com/5929748/the-hobbits-thorin-oakenshield-tells-us-what-happens-when-you-get-a-tolkien-dwarf-drunk . See interview following the same link).
I wonder if the bits Richard Armitage mentions are really of Shakespeare’s iconic wicked king or if he had the ideal of the fair king, which the Ricardian historians rediscovered through documents, in his mind. So I went on reading The Hobbit in search for Thorin and a bit also of Richard III or Henry V. I can anticipate I didn’t find much of them in Tolkien’s Thorin. So, as usual, this means that Richard Armitage has been giving his own very personal interpretation to the character. Under the direction of Tolkien expert, Peter Jackson, of course. N.B. Don’t go on reading if you mind spoilers!
Chapters II,III,IV,V,VI are fast paced and crammed with adventurous episodes but they offer just a few
glimpses of Thorin Oakenshield and add very little to what we already know
of his character from chapter 1.
He talked and
said a lot in the opening pages, while now, once the journey starts, he becomes an
almost silent presence often mentioned by the narrator but rarely speaking
himself. We can imagine him riding with his dignified attitude, concentrated
and focused on his responsibilities as the leader of a dangerous
quest. In chapter II , Roast Mutton, Thorin sincerely thanks Buglar Bilbo for his hospitality and for his offer of professional assistance - it is actually a fake note written by Gandalf to flatter Bilbo into accompany them – in which he also states the terms of their agreement: “cash on delivery, up to and not exceeding one fourteenth of total profits (if any); all traveling expenses guaranteed in any event; funeral expenses to be defrayed by us or our representatives, if any occasion arises and the matter is not otherwise arranged for”. The note ends with what may sound a firm order more than an invitation: “ …and shall await your respected person at the Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, at 11 am sharp. Trusting that you will be punctual, we have the honor to remain yours deeply. Thorin & Co.” (p. 29) When Bilbo fortuitously bumps into the company of dwarves riding their ponies, Thorin holds his leading position and gives sporadic, abrupt and perentory orders or mutters comments if not complains: “Up you two get, and off we go!” (p. 30) “And where shall we get a dry patch to sleep on?” (p.31) (to Bilbo) “You must go on and find out all about that light … Now scuttle off, and come back quick, if all is well. If not, come back if you can! If you can’t, hoot twice like a barn-owl and once like a screech-owl, and we will do what we can” (p. 33) (to Gandalf) “Where did you go, if I may ask?” (p. 43) (to Gandalf) “Exactly!” said Thorin, “but could you be more plain?” (p.43) (to Gandalf) “Thank you” (p. 43) I start missing loquacious Thorin in chapter 1! He results seriously concentrated on his goal, responsibly concerned for the people in his company and awkwardly concise, if not taciturn now.
In the episode which follows, Bilbo’s unlucky encounter with the Trolls, some of the dwarves are taken as prisoners
first . They are caught in old smelling sacks. “ Thorin came last and he was
not caught unawares. He came expecting mischief and didn’t need to see his
friends’ legs sticking out of sacks to tell him that things were not all well.”
(p. 37) He is an experienced , wise leader here, not at all unwary. Then he
exclaims: “What’s all this trouble? Who has been knocking my people about?”
Bilbo from behind a tree warns him.
A hilarious fight between the trolls, Bilbo and Thorin follows which ends with troll William coming up behind and
popping a sack right over Thorin’s head and down to his toes. (p.39)
Gandalf arrives and saves all: this
will be the first of a long series of incredible rescues. This is a also a crucial episode in the story since Gandalf
and Thorin, before leaving the trolls’ place, stole a couple of swords which probably belonged to some of their
victims and which will influence the course of the events:
“Two caught their eyes particularly, because
of their beautiful scabbards and jewelled hilts. Gandalf and Thorin each took one
of these; and Bilbo took a knife in a leather sheath..”
Now the journey goes on and the wizard foresees that their road will soon become dangerous and difficult . So he suggests to stop at Rivendell where they will
be guests at Elrond's, one of his friends, and will be able to replenish their
stock of provisions. (p.43)
Chapter III , A Short Rest, opens with a
darkening atmosphere, full of sullen expectations: “They did not sing or tell
stories that day, even though the weather improved… They had begun to feel that danger was not
far away on either side” (p. 44)
Gandalf leads their way to food and rest . They meet elves
living in the valley midway to Rivendell
but don’t accept their invitation to stop for songs and food. Hobbits
don’t like elves and “Even decent enough
dwarves like Thorin and his friends think them foolish (which is a very
foolish thing to think) or get annoyed with them. For some elves tease them and
laught at them, and most of all at their beard” (p. 48)
Anyway their stay at Elrond’s - an
elf-friend, noble and as fair in face as and elf-lord - resulted invigorating and “all of them, the
ponies as well, grew refreshed and strong in a few days (a fortnight) there.”
(p.50)
Thanks to Elrond, who knows all about runes of every kind, they discover
how powerful the two swords (Orcrist and Glamdring) they stole from the trolls
are: they are actually magic swords.
“Whence did the trolls get them, I wonder?”
said Thorin looking at his sword (Orcrist)
with new interest (…) Thorin pondered these words: “I will keep this
sword in honour”, he said, “May it soon
cleave goblins once again”
A wish that will be granted soon enough. But
let's follow facts in their chronological order.
Elrond
helps them to decipher the map they have with them, especially the moon-letters they can’t see. He reads: Stand by the gray stone when
the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day will
shine upon the key-hole”. Thorin immediately got the message:
“Durin, Durin!” said Thorin. “He was the
father of the father of the fathers of the eldest race of Dwarves, the
Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir” (p. 51)
He reasserts his noble rank, he is a
dispossessed king. Elrond gives the map
back to Thorin and they all celebrate midsummer’s eve with the elves.
Chapter IV, Over Hill and Under Hill, includes very hectic action since the company of dwarves and their hobbit friend led by
Gandalf end up in the caves inhabited by ferocious goblins in order to find a
refuge from bad weather.
“The goblins were very rough, and pinched
unmercifully, and chuckled and laughed in their horrible stony voices. (…)
began to sing , or croak, keeping time with the flap of their flat feet
on the stone, and shaking their prisoners as well . (…) It sounded truly
terrifying. (…) They did not hate
dwarves especially, no more than they hated everybody and everything, … but they had a special grudge against
Thorin’s people because of the war which you have heard mentioned …”(pp. 57-60)
Thorin is not scared and bluntly and
ironically answers the goblins’ enquiry on their identity: “Thorin the dwarf at
your service!”
Gandalf , who had disappeared meanwhile, comes back just in time and Thorin and the
wizard fights with Orcrist and Glamdring in their hands, protecting their
mates’ escape from that awful situation: “there was nothing else to be done and
the goblins did not like it” (p.64)
Here Thorin becomes the great stoic warrior
ready to sacrifice his life for the others. With his sword and his strength he
bravely faces and tries to stop the rage of the goblins. A glimpse of Richard III, the warrior king? Not so sure, tragicality totally lacks in this books, but it may be a trait of the movies.
At the end of this chapter Dori, the dwarf carrying Bilbo in their
frantic flight, is grabbed from behind in the dark and the poor hobbit rolls
off his shoulders into the blackness, hit his head on a rock and lost consciousness.
In chapter V, Riddles in the Dark , Bilbo awakes
in a cave where he meets Gollum, a frightening spooky creature used
to live in the darkness, with whom he starts a battle of riddles. If the hobbit
wins, Gollum must show him the way out. No Thorin in this long chapter which
ends with Bilbo stealing from Gollum his “precioussss” ring and succeeding in escaping
after turning invisible.
In chapter VI , Out of the Frying –pan into the Fire, Bilbo re-joins his mates just
when they fear he has been kept and even killed by the goblins. He is
so confident now with his ring in his pocket! He tells them everything about his adventure with Gollum and the
goblin, s but he doesn’t mention the ring and its power.
There’s little Thorin also in Chapter VI. He is caught in a new misudventure with his
companions, he is there but not really under the spotlight.
They
are beyond the Misty Mountains now and their journey must go on. However, after escaping the goblins they find
themselves surrounded by terrifying wolves, friends of the goblins. They happen
to be just were wolves and goblins decided to meet at night. This time another
friend of Gandalf’s comes to rescue them: The Lord of the Eagles.
End of Part II. I didn't notice anything of Richard III or Henry V. For that, I'm sure we'll have to wait for December 14. Till Part III then. It'll be up in about a month.
Maria Grazia
