One of the first things I noticed when rereading the books in preparation for this class was the importance of age and time. In the first couple chapters Tolkien heavily emphasizes the importance of certain ages and birthdays for hobbits, and makes sure to let the reader know the age of the hobbits that are going to be important in the story. In Letter 214 he goes on to discuss how important birthdays are to hobbits and many of their customs on what happens for their birthdays and the parties that they have. We also learn that the ring has powers that help prolong life as well, which I think is another interesting piece to the puzzle of the power of the ring. A huge question this brings up is why are birthdays so important to hobbits.
On the opposite end of the spectrum we have the elves, who are not literally immortal, because they can be killed, but live for so long most of the time that relative to Hobbits they might as well be. They have something that many humans, and hobbits desire, but it does not necessarily seem like the best thing in the mind of Tolkien. In Letter 208 Tolkien warns us about “confusing true ‘immortality’ with limitless serial longevity. Freedom from Time, and clinging to Time” (267). It’s interesting because he brings this up when talking about death as a theme across the series, and I think it is interesting how Time is capitalized here and almost personified. It is almost as if it is something that chases both humans and hobbits, but elves are free from that burden.
Tolkien also states in the same letter that “Death is not the Enemy” (267). He uses personification again by capitalizing Death. Even though he makes this claim, he is clearly not saying that Death is always a good thing, but instead that it is not always a bad thing, which is very important to note given how prevalent death throughout the stories. He goes on to say “the Elves call ‘death’ the Gift of God (to Men)”. It is almost as if each one wants what the other has. Calling death a gift is not the way many people would see death as, especially when it comes suddenly and without warning. But I do not think that is the type of death that Tolkien, or the elves are talking about when they call it a gift, because elves can experience death in this manner the same way that humans do.
As previously stated, it is not like elves are immortal, it is more so aging at a far slower rate. When elves call death a gift, they are talking about not having the burden of a long life, and instead being able to live a life in a shorter time period, and die of old age at an age that elves would consider young. But we do see the importance of long life to the elves, as it is a big deal when Arwen gives up her long life in order to be with Aragorn. After reading what Tolkien said about elves at first it would not seem like a sacrifice, because elves seem to somewhat envy the short lives of men. But I think the difference is there is an actual choice here. It is easy to say I wish I grew older faster, or that my species had a shorter life span, because that leaves the decision out of your hands. It puts the decision in the hands of the creator and you are powerless to change it either way. But when you have the chance to change it yourself, and decide to either put yourself in harm's way, or give up long life, the decision becomes a lot harder because you are making the choice to give up time yourself. Without knowing what the future holds, you do not even know everything you are sacrificing, which truly makes it a difficult decision.
2 comments:
You pose the question of why birthdays are important to hobbits, and although I do not have a definitive answer, Tolkien’s emphasis of Hobbit birthdays reveals a lot about their underlying nature.
Hobbits have a deep appreciation for the simple joys of life, and as we see in the opening chapters of the trilogy, Bilbo’s birthday provides an opportunity for hobbits to gather with friends and family, exchange gifts, and enjoy a festive atmosphere. Hobbits also share a deep connection to the Shire, which is emphasized in birthday celebrations. We see this in their conversations with neighbors, as well as through the incredulousness hobbits always respond with whenever one of them proposes leaving the Shire. Birthdays evolve into shared experiences that allow hobbits to strengthen their communal bonds and reinforce their sense of belonging, camaraderie, and kinship.
As we talk about death and morality, birthdays perhaps most importantly serve as a reminder of hobbits' own mortality and the passage of time. By acknowledging each year that goes by, hobbits become more aware of the fickle nature of life and the value of each individual day and experience. Birthday celebrations provide genuine appreciation of the small joys in life, such as good food, companionship, and the beauty of nature.
Lastly, Tolkien's portrayal of hobbit birthdays also highlights their connection to tradition and their love for storytelling and history. Birthdays provide an opportunity for hobbits to recount tales of the past, share family histories, and pass down customs from one generation to the next.
- ACLL
I would have liked to hear more about the conversation that Finrod and Andreth have around this question: how the Elves and Men see each other's situation and how each envies the other for something they cannot (or do not) have. It is interesting that Tolkien makes sure to give the Hobbits birthday parties when it does not seem the Men pay much attention to birthdays, while they do pay attention to Death—I am thinking of the songs sung for Boromir or for the Rohirrim who die in battle. More to chew on here! RLFB
Post a Comment