Sunday, January 20, 2008
Hobbit Feet
One of the most noticeable features of the Hobbits is their bare feet. I think Tolkien chose to do this as a way to show their innocence. We mentioned in class about how child-like the Hobbits are the lack of shoes remind me of how kids will tend to walk around without them as well. Does anyone have any other theories on why Tolkien chose to have the Hobbits not to wear shoes?
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6 comments:
Tolkien may also have aimed to show how unprepared hobbits are to be anywhere else other than the shire. They seem unfit to go anywhere past the shire.
Actually, Tolkien wrote that Hobbits can travel easily without making a sound. When Frodo first leaves, he knows a great deal about how to cut across country.
I agree with Mike. Hobbits are experts at traveling soundlessly, and they are only second to elves. Their feet are already as tough-soled as any good boot, so I think the lack of hobbit shoes serve as an aid to their stealthiness.
In class we discussed how the hobbits don't leave the shire, so I also agree that by the hobbits not wearing shoes may be Tolkien's way of visualizing it.
Having the Hobbits shoeless could also point to a close tie with nature. Throughout the trilogy there is conflict between the simple, natural world and a world full of machinization. The Hobbits' bare feet stand in stark contrast to those who would wear army boots. Walking around barefoot may be a sign of a close relationship with nature, as hobbits love "peace and quiet and good tilled earth." I'm sure that hobbits probably loved to feel the grass between there toes on a warm summer day, something a warring orc would have never stopped to notice.
ya but since they have furry feet, they can walk without making as much as a noise, so they could technically adapt and be something like assasins since they dodged the black hooded horse riders and walk through the woods not stirring any noise at all. I'm not really sure having furry feet is an adaptation from living the shire. Its more to be that they are more closely related to nature than humans, elves, or dwarves are.
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