The Language of The Hobbit

Tolkien was a scholar who specialized in the study of medieval English language and literature. As a result, much of his writing, including The Hobbit, is influenced by his interests. A number of character names, including that of Gandalf and several of the dwarves, are taken from the Prose Edda, a thirteenth-century Icelandic work. Another source for the names in The Hobbit is obsolete English words, such as "the wain" for the big dipper. A wain was a type of open farm cart, and was the word used by early English authors, including Chaucer. Similarly, the word "carrock" is derived from old English "carr," meaning stone, plus "rock." The name "Beorn" has an interesting background too. It is related to the Old Norse word "bjorn," meaning "brown" or bear," as well as the Old English word "beorn," which means "man" or "hero." In addition to the language, Tolkien's literary interests also find their way into The Hobbit in many of the myths he reworks and the conventions and codes he utilizes. Like in old legends, such as Beowulf, Tolkien also names swords and weapons. As in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, there is an almost magical quest and the need for the hero to overcome his own weaknesses. The idea of the stream whose waters bring forgetfulness and sleep is an old one, found in many mythologies, as is the use of riddles and games as a means of testing the hero. The influence of medieval language and literature gives The Hobbit a timelessness, like the myths, that endure forever.

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