An Analysis of the Poetry in the Hobbit for a Common Element - Essay Example

Chapter One, An Unexpected Party, shows the humor of the scenario when a baffled Bilbo Baggins is paid a visit by 12 unwelcome dwarves, who swiftly make themselves comfortable and begin to have a great feast. They compassionately propose to help in cleaning their mess. However, Bilbo becomes worried about the senseless handling of his favorite dishes. The Dwarves respond by singing the poem, chipping the glasses, and cracking the plates.

In this poem, it is not easy to determine if the dwarves are ridiculing Bilbo or attempting to do as he requests. It can be said that they are doing both. Generally, the lyrics achieve various purposes which include providing humor, character development, and bringing about reader interaction. This is evident in line 3, the first stanza of page 31. The formulation of the poem torments by providing contradictory instructions. This is where the reader realizes that the dwarves are fanatical, teasing, or both and that Bilbo becomes worried by having his pleasant tiny silent home messed up.

The reader is also provided with a chance to formulate their tunes for the crazy song. The poetry in The Hobbit draws attention to the vast disparity flanked by varying races of Middle Earth and how they select to articulate their views. Dwarves make use of a simple eight syllable configuration in their poetry, with 4 lines to every stanza. There are no convoluted metaphors applied and the themes are real and concrete. Poetry of the Dwarves involves ancient history, customs, and ways of life, retrieving the lost inheritance, and looking into the depths of the earth.

This is evident in lines 2, 4, and stanza 1 of pages 14-15. The Elves in chapter 19, however, have a free formation in their poems where they make use of vivid adjectives and metaphors. Their rhythm is more of a song as compared to the Dwarves’ march, which echoes the physical features of the Elves. Their poetry depicts attractiveness, tranquility, and happiness as compared to material objects. The Orcs, polar contrary to the Elves in attractiveness and goodness, can generate merely unpleasant-sounding poetry.

A race formulated via the deformation of Elves, Orcs are attracted only to ruin, authority and killing. Goblin poetry seems like the smacking of lips and the crashing of jaws and the subject matter are hunting, killing, mistreating creatures and, intimidating foes. The sounds that Tolkien applies in these poems are by design insensitive, piercing, monosyllabic, and rushed to echo the nature of the loathsome creatures who sing them. This is evident in the following stanza. “…Clap! Snap! the black crack!

Grip, grab! Pinch, nab! And down to Goblin-town You go, my lad!.” The disparity flanked by the language selection of the Orcs and the Elves presents euphonic backing to the imagery of the manifestation and the actions of the characters. Where the Elves are lilting, easy, and alliterative, the Orc's words may not be formulated devoid of clashing teeth and opening and shutting the mouth suddenly. Language as part of a character appears instinctive, however, a reader is less often provided with undeviating links flanked by the sound of speech and the personality of the speaker.