Through his changes to the Hobbit text itself and his addition of alternative accounts and explanatory notes in the prologue and appendices of 'The Lord of the Rings,' Tolkien spent a good deal of time working to retrofit 'The Hobbit' for the world of 'The Lord of the Rings. That book didn't turn out as planned, and instead of writing a second short children's novel he produced, 17 years later, an enormous epic fantasy for adults: 'The Lord of the Rings.' The 'sequel' to 'The Hobbit' not only changed the tone dramatically it also built around 'The Hobbit' an intricately developed world and a detailed history into which Tolkien then needed to place that first book, retroactively. T 1 (mentioned only) Grubb, Grubb, and Burrowes, auctioneers managing the liquidation of Bilbos effects. T 1 (mentioned only) The Old Took, Bilbos maternal grandfather. T 1 (mentioned only) Belladonna Took, Bilbos mother.

When it succeeded, Tolkien sat down to write a sequel, another similar hobbit adventure. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End, the protagonist and titular hobbit of the story. 'The Hobbit' as published in 1937 was a free-standing piece of juvenile fantasy. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, The Hobbit is one of literatures most enduring and well-loved novels. The answer to this question is another question: which Hobbit? 'The Hobbit' lived two different lives over the course of Tolkien's career. Just how faithful are these films to Tolkien's 'The Hobbit'? Tolkien they are really getting in 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,' which opens today. Ian McKellen in 'The HObbit: The Desolation of Smaug' ILLUSTRATION: Warner Bros/EverettĪt first glance, Peter Jackson's trilogy of epic films based on 'The Hobbit,' a slender children's book, might appear to leave its source behind in order to make more capital out of the 'Lord of the Rings' franchise.

The hobbit book trilogy