History of The Hobbit, Volume I "Mr. Baggins"

Cafe Society
1

I’ve finally obtained the 2 volume set detailing JRRT’s writing of “The Hobbit”. It was a task not undertaken by CJRT, who felt that his father’s writings regarding that book were too far removed from the great bulk of JRRT’s life’s work (Middle Earth) to trouble with.

So the task fell to a scholar at Marquette University’s library, where the original manuscripts (mostly) are kept.

In 3 days reading, I’ve gotten thru the introduction, all 30 pages and about a dozen footnotes of it.

I think it’ll be heavy going.

But I’ve already learned that Gandalf was not originally named Gandalf! Instead, that name went to the leader of the dwarves, who later became known as Thorin!

Gandalf’s original name was…

Bladorthin!

Amazing, isn’t it?

Heady times lay ahead. Be still my heart.

2

[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]
I’ve finally obtained the 2 volume set detailing JRRT’s writing of “The Hobbit”. It was a task not undertaken by CJRT, who felt that his father’s writings regarding that book were too far removed from the great bulk of JRRT’s life’s work (Middle Earth) to trouble with.

So the task fell to a scholar at Marquette University’s library, where the original manuscripts (mostly) are kept.

In 3 days reading, I’ve gotten thru the introduction, all 30 pages and about a dozen footnotes of it.

I think it’ll be heavy going.

But I’ve already learned that Gandalf was not originally named Gandalf! Instead, that name went to the leader of the dwarves, who later became known as Thorin!

Gandalf’s original name was…

Bladorthin!

Amazing, isn’t it?

Heady times lay ahead. Be still my heart.
[/QUOTE]

Bladorthin? It just doesn’t have the right ring to it. Would he have been Bladorthin the Bland?

3

[QUOTE=Wile E]
Bladorthin? It just doesn’t have the right ring to it. Would he have been Bladorthin the Bland?
[/QUOTE]

Bladorthin of Need’tawee

4

Or Bladorthin of Eurinol.

Depends. :wink:

5

I skimmed the book a bit at a store one evening and found it interesting in places but overloaded with detail in others. I was more interested in the development of the story than five pages of argument and counter-argument over when the Professor began writing it.

I do remember thinking that this was something Qadgop would enjoy. So please update us with any other fascinating discoveries you make. we’ll depend on you to do the heavy reading for all the rest of us.

6

[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]
I’ve finally obtained the 2 volume set detailing JRRT’s writing of “The Hobbit”. It was a task not undertaken by CJRT, who felt that his father’s writings regarding that book were too far removed from the great bulk of JRRT’s life’s work (Middle Earth) to trouble with.

So the task fell to a scholar at Marquette University’s library, where the original manuscripts (mostly) are kept.

In 3 days reading, I’ve gotten thru the introduction, all 30 pages and about a dozen footnotes of it.

I think it’ll be heavy going.

But I’ve already learned that Gandalf was not originally named Gandalf! Instead, that name went to the leader of the dwarves, who later became known as Thorin!

Gandalf’s original name was…

Bladorthin!

Amazing, isn’t it?

Heady times lay ahead. Be still my heart.
[/QUOTE]

Old news. Couldn’t tell you where I learned that from, but I’ve known it for years. I’d always mentally pronounced it as Bla-dor-thin, fwiw.

If you think that’s bad, you should know that Tolkien once perpetrated the name “Tinfang Warble”. ISYN.

7

[QUOTE=Malacandra]
Old news. Couldn’t tell you where I learned that from, but I’ve known it for years. I’d always mentally pronounced it as Bla-dor-thin, fwiw.

If you think that’s bad, you should know that Tolkien once perpetrated the name “Tinfang Warble”. ISYN.
[/QUOTE]

Well, I always recognized Bladorthin as the mysterious king in the Hobbit who ordered weapons from the dwarves, but never picked them up. But this was the first I’d heard of the association with Gandalf

And good old Tinfang is no stranger to me. His name stuck in my mind from my first reading of BOLT I. For no damn good reason that I can come up with. What rubbish clogs my cranium these days, mumble mumble…

8

Is there any correlation mentioned between The Hobbit and The Marvellous Land of Snergs? I’ve wondered about that ever since I saw a quick review in a “Curiosities” column a few years ago in F&SF.

9

[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]
Well, I always recognized Bladorthin as the mysterious king in the Hobbit who ordered weapons from the dwarves, but never picked them up.
[/QUOTE]

That’s him, but I couldn’t find my copy of The Hobbit yesterday to cite it. He’s mentioned round about the section where they’re tramping through Smaug’s empty lair marvelling at all the old treasures, or else where Thorin is reminiscing about same a few pages before and where the Arkenstone is first mentioned.

10

[QUOTE=Malacandra]
That’s him, but I couldn’t find my copy of The Hobbit yesterday to cite it. He’s mentioned round about the section where they’re tramping through Smaug’s empty lair marvelling at all the old treasures, or else where Thorin is reminiscing about same a few pages before and where the Arkenstone is first mentioned.
[/QUOTE]

The latter: “From that the talk turned to the great hoard itself and to the things that Thorin and Balin remembered. They wondered if they were still lying there unharmed in the hall below: the spears that were made for the armies of the great King Bladorthin {long since dead} each had a thrice-forged head and their shafts were inlaid with cunning gold, but they were never delivered or paid for…”

One wonders if there is a story behind How Bladorthin Came To Be A Bit Short Of Cash That Week.

11

All those synapses that you could have wasted on memorizing treatments for HBV and dengue fever.

12

I bought the boxed set for my husband, who is a HUGE fan of this series.
http://www.amazon.com/History-Hobbit-John-D-Rateliff/dp/0618964401/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204622264&sr=1-1
He’s going to LOVE it!

13

[QUOTE=Scissorjack]
The latter: “From that the talk turned to the great hoard itself and to the things that Thorin and Balin remembered. They wondered if they were still lying there unharmed in the hall below: the spears that were made for the armies of the great King Bladorthin {long since dead} each had a thrice-forged head and their shafts were inlaid with cunning gold, but they were never delivered or paid for…”

One wonders if there is a story behind How Bladorthin Came To Be A Bit Short Of Cash That Week.
[/QUOTE]

Too mean to part with it, I guess, and projecting his own reluctance to pay onto the greed of the dwarves. A bit like how mediæval kings would get themselves in hock to the Jews, and then come up with some excuse about why they weren’t going to give the money back.

14

[QUOTE=Scissorjack]

One wonders if there is a story behind How Bladorthin Came To Be A Bit Short Of Cash That Week.
[/QUOTE]

This is the sort of chapter title I enjoy!

15

someone upthread mentioned the book “the marvelous land of the Snergs” - this book is mentioned as an influence on JRRT in the Annotated Hobbit (which I thought was quite thorough and wonderful). I’ve purchased a copy of Snergs, but have not gotten around to reading it.

16

[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]
But I’ve already learned that Gandalf was not originally named Gandalf! Instead, that name went to the leader of the dwarves, who later became known as Thorin!
[/QUOTE]

As I recall Gandalf is the name of a dwarf from Norse mythology, as are many of the other dwarves.

Damn you QtM, now I have to go find and purchase these books.

List of the Dvergar from Völuspá
11–12. Nýi and Niði, **Norðri ** and Suðri, Austri and Vestri, Alþjófr, Dvalinn, Bífurr, Báfurr, Bömburr, Nóri, Án and Ánarr, Ái, Mjöðvitnir, Veigr and Gandalfr, Vindalfr, Þráinn, Þekkr and Þorinn, Þrór, Litr and Vitr, Nár and Nýráðr, Reginn and Ráðsviðr — now I have told the list of Dvergar right.
13–15. Fili, Kili, Fundinn, Náli, Hepti, Víli, Hanarr, Svíorr, {Nár and Náinn, Nípingr, Dáinn, Billingr, Brúni, Bíldr and Búri}, Frár, Hornbori, Frægr and Lóni, Aurvangr, Jari, Eikinskjaldi.
14–16. To tell the talk, the Dvergar in the generation of Dvalinn were [as] a race of [conquering] lions upto [the generation] of Lofarr. They sought settlements from the halls of stone [to] Aurvangr (‘plot of mud’) to Jöruvöllr. There was Draupnir and Dolgþrasir, Hár, Haugspori, Hlévangr, Glóinn, {Dóri, Óri, Dúfr, Andvari,} Skirvir, Virvir, Skáfiðr, Ái, Álfr and Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi, Fjalarr and Frosti, Finnr and Ginnarr. So [they will] remember while the eras [of humans] live, the list of the long descent [of the ancestors] of Lofarr.
12. Nú hefi ek dverga .. rétt um talða. .. 14. Mál er dverga í Dvalins liði ljóna kindum til Lofars telja, þeir er sóttu frá salar steini Aurvanga sjöt til Jöruvalla. .. 16. Þat mun uppi, meðan öld lifir, langniðja tal Lofars hafat.

Jim

17

[QUOTE=Chimera]
Depends. :wink:
[/QUOTE]

With a name like Bladorthin, I am not surprised. :smiley:

18

[QUOTE=Malacandra]
I’d always mentally pronounced it as Bla-dor-thin, fwiw.
[/QUOTE]

Sounds like something you’d put on your lawn to kill earwigs.

19

[QUOTE=glee]
This is the sort of chapter title I enjoy!
[/QUOTE]

I’d prefer Please Do Not Ask For Credit, As An Axe In The Skull Often Offends.

20

[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]
I’ve finally obtained the 2 volume set detailing JRRT’s writing of “The Hobbit”. It was a task not undertaken by CJRT, who felt that his father’s writings regarding that book were too far removed from the great bulk of JRRT’s life’s work (Middle Earth) to trouble with.

But I’ve already learned that Gandalf was not originally named Gandalf! Instead, that name went to the leader of the dwarves, who later became known as Thorin!

Gandalf’s original name was…

Bladorthin!

Amazing, isn’t it?

Heady times lay ahead. Be still my heart.
[/QUOTE]

Qad, are you joking? I’m fairily certain that info was contained in the 30th anniversary edition of the Hobbit. Surely I can’t know have known something about Tolkien that I don’t; that would be freaky.