On this day… The Hobbit’s 80th Anniversary

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit… on this day, eighty years ago, J. R. R. Tolkien had his story about a hobbit published, and his undeniable mark on literature was etched. The story of Bilbo Baggins was subsequently followed by a famous trilogy of his set in the same Middle-Earth world, The Lord of the Rings. Here is a post concerning the book, films, places to visit, and some interesting facts about Tolkien and his beloved novel.

5 Facts about Tolkien and The Hobbit

– The JRR stands for John Ronald Reuel.

– There isn’t a single female character in The Hobbit. Yet the film has Tauriel and Galadriel involved.

– In Tolkien’s first draft, Thorin was going to be called Gandalf!

– Tolkien learned a multitude of languages, including: Medieval Welsh, Old Norse and Lombardic.

– Nazi Germany wanted to know if Tolkien was Jewish before they published his novel.

The Book

The Hobbit

J. R. R. Tolkien

Genre(s) | Fantasy, Adventure, Classic

Goodreads Rating | 4.25

Humpo Show Rating | 4.75

Published | 1937

Publisher | George Allen & Unwin

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit that is living a peaceful and unadventurous life, but when he is visited by a wizard and a band of dwarves, his life becomes much more interesting. He joins them on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ homeland, but first they have to journey across a vast area of Middle-Earth, climbing up mountains, snaking through forests and venturing across lakes. Along their way they encounter trolls, spiders, orcs, elves and even a dragon!

Tolkien is a master of world-building in the fantasy genre. His Middle-Earth is a fantastical place but bears the hallmarks of many places within our world. From The Shire to The Lonely Mountain, every scene is described vividly and with wonderful detail. The beasts that appear are also given Tolkien’s undivided attention as he creates fear in the reader when reading about orcs and spiders, as well as awe when writing about Smaug the Dragon.

The Hobbit is a classic in the fantasy genre, and has undoubtedly inspired thousands of writers in their work. We see works like Harry Potter and A Song of Ice and Fire containing many aspects that Tolkien used in his work of Middle-Earth.

The Films

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

(Nominated for 3 Academy Awards and BAFTAs for Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, and Best Makeup & Hairstyling)

IMDb Rating | 7.9

Humpo Show Rating | 7.7

Released: 2012

Starring: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellan, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving

Plot Summary: A reluctant hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain home, and the gold within it from the dragon Smaug. (IMDb)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

(Nominated for Academy Awards in Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing)

IMDb Rating | 7.9

Humpo Show Rating | 7.8

Released: 2013

Starring: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellan, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Stephen Fry, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Sylvester McCoy, Christopher Lee, Mannu Bennett, The Dwarfs

Plot Summary: The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring. (IMDb)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

(Second highest-grossing film of 2014)

IMDb Rating | 7.4

Humpo Show Rating | 7.2

Released: 2014

Starring: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellan, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Stephen Fry, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Sylvester McCoy, Christopher Lee, Mannu Bennett, The Dwarfs

Plot Summary: Bilbo and Company are forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the Lonely Mountain from falling into the hands of a rising darkness. (IMDb)

Places to Visit

Hobbiton | Hinuera, New Zealand. The famous home of Bilbo Baggins is open to visitors, and is a big hit with fans of the books and films who recreate moments and post them on social media for friends and family to see.

Tolkien / Hobbit Bus Tour | Birmingham, United Kingdom. Inspiration for The Shire, Moseley Bog and the Two Towers, as well as the Church where the Tolkien family worshipped.

Wolvercote Cemetery | Oxford. The resting place of J. R. R. Tolkien.

20 Northmoor Road | North Oxford. Where Tolkien lived.

Oxonmoot 2017 | Oxford. An annual event hosted by The Tolkien Society which brings together around 200 Tolkien fans, scholars, students and Society members from across the world where they take part in talks, lectures, quizzes, a silent auction, an art show, workshops, performances, papers, discussions, sales, singing, slideshows, costuming, gaming and celebrating.

The Humpo Show | Richard

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