The First Great Tolkien Epic - Analyzing the Greatest Fairy-Story Ever Written - Bilbo's Awakening to the Adventure & Need of the Divine Masculine

Awesome right?

Once the music ends, and the sombre discussions are at an end the Dwarves and Gandalf decide that it is time for bed for all the small Hobbits of the world. Naturally Bilbo is shooed off to bed (despite being 50 years old), with one almost able to imagine this being the point when John Ronald Reuel Tolkien ushered Priscilla his youngest, to her own bed.

Bilbo though goes to bed quite willingly, and as he drifts off to the sound of the Dwarves’ song, he smiles enjoying the peaceful moment as he dreams Tookish dreams. It is impossible not to comment that in some way this is the fulfilment of everything he has waited for as it shows that Bilbo deep down didn’t want to go through life never having achieved anything.

If anything this part shows the deep longing in his soul. The desire to make something of himself, to prove he is more than what he seems. The Took in him cannot be denied though he has tried all his life.

We could really call this part of the story just as with that of when Jonathan steps into the Castle of Dracula and becomes frightened by what’s within him, as the ‘Awakening of the Hero’. By this I don’t mean what a certain type of inferior-minded liberal might (woke I mean), but rather that the Hero is beginning the long journey of coming into their own.

It is something that happens near the beginning of the story I’ve noticed, and usually involves characters who are rather more innocent, more new to this whole adventure and questing business. Those like Jonathan Harker, Luke Skywalker, Bilbo Baggins, Paris (in some adaptations of the Trojan Myth), Helen of Troy, heck I’ve seen Herakles portrayed this way a few times (which is really cool).

Say what you will of the nature of the Quest and of heroes, but the reluctant hero who begins to become awe-struck by the infinite possibilities within and without, and who awakens to the great dreams and hopes that he has repressed for a life-time is a great trope. It is one that is little used to-day, and is often misunderstood, but it is however a great one, and it is one that I myself have used in my Brotherhood of the Gemstone (namely in the character of Trygve).

Bilbo for his part after he has dreamt the dream of many a men and boys, awakens to find his guests missing. What’s so funny about the scene is how mixed his reaction is, as he seeks to convince himself he doesn’t care and doesn’t really want to go.

“Indeed he was really relieved after all to think that they had all gone without him, and without bothering to wake him up (“but with never a thank-you” he thought); and yet in a way he could not help feeling just a trifle disappointed. The feeling surprised him.”

He’s initially relieved because let’s be honest them Dwarves ransacked the place, and otherwise made a freaking mess of the place and ate him out of room and board.

So why is he displeased underneath it all? He’s disappointed and feeling deceived and hurt, because with them he felt a strange sense of camaderie, a certain joy at being wanted and more than that he felt himself to be needed.

The desire to feel needed is important to all people, and it isn’t selfish it is part of how our lizard brains are wired. We’re meant to be social animals, meant to long for the company of another, meant to desire the company of others, and meant to be part of a pack. Human beings are after all like canines in this regard, as to Hobbits being a metaphor or allegory for ‘common men’ they are much the same.

So how does Bilbo cope with this? By eating. No seriously, he gets on with breakfast, whereupon Gandalf shows up outraged to find him gorging and otherwise preoccupying himself while there’s serious questing to be done!

““My dear fellow,” said he, “whenever are you going to come? What
about an early start?—and here you are having breakfast, or whatever you
call it, at half past ten! They left you the message, because they could not
wait.””

That’s right, like a lot of people Bilbo’s vision moved past the message, not noticing the letter that had been left for him, as he had gone on with his regular routine.

““Thorin and Company to Burglar Bilbo greeting! For your hospitality
our sincerest thanks, and for your offer of professional assistance our
grateful acceptance. Terms: cash on delivery, up to and not exceeding one
fourteenth of total profits (if any); all travelling expenses guaranteed in
any event; funeral expenses to be defrayed by us or our representatives, if
occasion arises and the matter is not otherwise arranged for.
“Thinking it unnecessary to disturb your esteemed repose, we have
proceeded in advance to make requisite preparations, and shall await your
respected person at the Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, at 11 a.m. sharp.
Trusting that you will be punctual,
“ We have the honour to remain
“ Yours deeply
“ Thorin & Co.””

The letter left by Thorin and Co. is one of the utmost courtesy as one can see. It is also exceedingly fascinating in how it presents the Dwarves from a linguistic and social perspective.

How so? The politeness seems sincere. Naturally Thorin when prompted to react to how Bilbo was snoring away, was likely cold in his response to his followers’ questions. However, the fact that he preferred to be polite to his host, to write him a letter giving in on ALL of Baggins’ complaints from the night before is pretty impressive.

It is impressive because Bilbo was very much concerned about expenses, and funerary arrangements, and profit and all the other intricacies of the Quest. In a lot of ways he was thinking like a normal person, with Thorin who was caught up in reclaiming the great legacy left to him not having considered those issues.

What this speaks to is that though at times self-important, Thorin does have a trace of humility within his soul. He can understand the perspectives of another person, and gruffly acknowledge that they are valid. So that in this way, it was a kindly and humble act to pen a letter offering to concede on just about every point, even as his letter subtly hints at his preference not to think about death and failure.

The Dwarves don’t have the option of failure after all, with the letter showing also considerable gratitude for Bilbo’s hospitality towards him and his crew. What is more is that by letting the Hobbit keep sleeping, they showed an unusual amount of tact. Never a quality they have a great deal of at the best of times, as they treated him not only with more respect there than they might have one of their own, but with the same level one might expect them to show towards Gandalf or Thorin himself.

Politeness matters, and shows the true quality of a man or woman. In this case, it demonstrates that Thorin does deep down respect Bilbo. Even if he doesn’t want him around, he has enough perspective to let the Hobbit snore away, and properly recover from the overwhelming previous night.

What they’re also conveying is that they hope that Baggins will join them, and that they can be found if he doesn’t catch up immediately, at the Green Dragon Inn.

Naturally it is at this time that Gandalf urges Bilbo to go after them, and what ensues is one of the most hilarious exchanges in literary history.

““That leaves you just ten minutes. You will have to run,” said Gandalf.
“But—,” said Bilbo.
“No time for it,” said the wizard.
“But—,” said Bilbo again.
“No time for that either! Off you go!””

This is probably the last great bit of comedy the book will have for some time, as Bilbo sets out at long last on the adventure. He isn’t thrilled, and is panicked though he doesn’t quite know why, and when he is reunited with the Dwarves they greet him gruffly, while he is frustrated and shocked to have forgotten his handkerchief.

What this bolt of cloth represents is Bilbo’s effeminate nature. It is the unmanly side of him that’s been forgotten, that’s been left behind so that he is now a bit of a blank slate and the much more masculine nature of Gandalf and the Dwarves will now replace the weakness and effeminacy of his earlier state.

This isn’t to say that femininity is wrong or weak, to the contrary but the thing is that Bilbo must be strong, must be masculine as he is a man. What Tolkien does with his journey is interesting; he begins with Bilbo being a glutton and quite divorced from the Divine Masculine, so that his journey isn’t about discovering and reconnecting with the Divine Feminine but the opposite force of human nature.

In this way he is the opposite of almost all other heroes of the Legendarium, and is forced in this way to skill up, and grow up rapidly and realize that he was living in excess so that the Quest will teach him moderation and humility.

What is more is that with his goodness, with his warmth and his appreciation for food and drink, he will redeem some Dwarves, and Elves and Men, and teach them to appreciate these things also.