126.  Why Did Tolkien Change The Hobbit (and what did he change)? : The Hobbit #15

126. Why Did Tolkien Change The Hobbit (and what did he change)? : The Hobbit #15

Once Tolkien finished writing The Lord of the Rings, it became clear to him that The Hobbit needed to change–particularly Bilbo and Gollum’s interaction in chapter 5, “Riddles in the Dark”. But what exactly did he change? How necessary was it? Did it make The Hobbit Better?

If you haven’t read the original chapter, you can download a PDF here!

Be sure to check out our side-by-side comparison, to easily spot the differences between the original and rewritten chapter.

This week we look at:

  • Why Tolkien though the tone and style of The Hobbit was a mistake.
  • How Tolkien ret-conned The Lord of the Rings into The Hobbit – right in the prologue!
  • Tolkien’s original depiction of Gandalf explaining Bilbo’s lies to Frodo (found in Peoples of Middle-earth).
  • How Tolkien changed the Ring into a character.
  • How Tolkien changed Gollum into a villain.
  • How Tolkien even made the orcs more sinister.

In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:

  • How Tolkien should really ever be the only person to write more Middle-earth stories.
  • Screenwriter Phillipa Boyen’s comments on The War of the Rohirrim movie and how the untold story is the most “compelling” story.
  • How her story can’t “ruin Tolkien”.
  • A few thoughts on the upcoming Chronicles of Narnia Netflix series.

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🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
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🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion

The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat

Episoder(162)

128. A Courageous Hobbit and Disloyal Dwarves : The Hobbit #16

128. A Courageous Hobbit and Disloyal Dwarves : The Hobbit #16

Bilbo makes it out of the Misty Mountains with more courage than ever before, while the dwarves prove their disloyalty.  This is the chapter where Bilbo finally comes into his own as a Burglar–he’s be...

7 Jan 202540min

Revisiting Tolkien’s Lost ‘Noel’ Poem

Revisiting Tolkien’s Lost ‘Noel’ Poem

This poem, Noel, was written by J.R.R. Tolkien before The Hobbit was published, and only just discovered in 2013. Here’s how that happened! In 2013, Tolkien scholars Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull ...

25 Des 20240s

127.  Where War of the Rohirrim went Wrong – In Depth Review

127. Where War of the Rohirrim went Wrong – In Depth Review

We all had high hopes when War of the Rohirrim was announced a few years ago–particularly since it was attached to Philippa Boyen, screenwriter of the original trilogy. So, Michael and I went out this...

24 Des 20241h 9min

125.  Bilbo Trembled and Found Pity : The Hobbit #14

125. Bilbo Trembled and Found Pity : The Hobbit #14

The 2nd half of “Riddles in the Dark” is the most rewritten part of The Hobbit in the 1951 rewrite!  And it’s where Bilbo takes a giant leap (so to speak) into the future of his adventure. In this epi...

10 Des 20240s

124. Miserable Riddles in the Dark : The Hobbit #13

124. Miserable Riddles in the Dark : The Hobbit #13

“Riddles in the Dark” is not only the most memorable event from all of Middle-earth — it’s also the turning point that ultimately led to The Lord of the Rings.  In this episode we look at: Tolkien’s ...

26 Nov 202451min

123. Nightmare in Moria : The Hobbit #12

123. Nightmare in Moria : The Hobbit #12

The goblins of Moria grab the dwarves (and Hobbit) who decided to camp out on their “front porch”, leading to some real terrifying moments! Does Gandalf use gunpowder? How Tolkien subcreates his worl...

19 Nov 202446min

122. The Real Misty Mountains : The Hobbit #11

122. The Real Misty Mountains : The Hobbit #11

The first part of Chapter 4, Over Hill and Under Hill, is unique for it’s direct correlation with Tolkien’s own past.  We discuss: Tolkien’s hiking experience and how it influenced this section of Th...

12 Nov 20240s

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