Theme Of Leadership In The Hobbit

The contrast between different types of leadership appears in the chapter Flies and Spiders in J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit. The chapter starts off with the group no longer having Gandalf lead them through the perils that lie in the Mirkwood. Thorin helps lead the group past a deadly river that cannot be touched and helps them until he is captured by elves. Bilbo battle spiders and saves the dwarves on multiple occasions in Thorin’s absence. In this chapter you see a new dynamic in Throrin and Company. No longer having Gandalf Thorin picked up the mantle of leadership and lead by command. Bilbo then assumed the role of leadership in Thorins absence and lead by putting others first, putting himself on the line. As the story advances, there are

With his absence Bilbo is the one who ends up assuming the role of leader, however he leads by putting himself on the line. The best examples are when the Bilbo battles the spiders helping save the dwarves. “The next spider stone went whizzing through a big web snapping its chords, and taking off the spider sitting in the middle of it, whack, dead.” (146) Bilbo saved Bombur from being eaten by the spiders he risked his life to save him. This speaks enormity to Bilbo as a leader, he was the only one left in the group no captured and he could have just left them. Instead he picks himself up and puts his life on the line to save the dwarves from the spiders. Bilbo himself on the line to lead this group, particularly when planning their finally escape. “I shall Draw the spiders off, if I can; and you must keep together and make in the opposite direction.” (151) This scene shows Bilbo has the capability to delegate and tell others what to do. Furthermore, he is an outsider to the dwarves yet he still has their respect and attention from them. Although he tells the dwarves what to do Bilbo is the one being put in harm’s way. His way of leadership is putting the group before himself and every action he does is to help them. He never once forces someone in the company into

Throughout the rest of the book we can see these contrasting types of leadership. We see situations like this on pages 192-193. During this passage the dwarves are trying to find at the secret door to Erabor. We see Thorin telling everyone what to do, but he’s pretty much given up, whereas Bilbo is waiting and trying to figure out how get through the secret passage. Bilbo waited and finally figured out how to get in the door once the time was right and saved them from having to go in the front gate. Following this scene, we see Thorin telling Bilbo it is time to enter the cavern to go into the mountain. Here we see Thorins style of leadership once more of telling, but not really doing. The biggest contrast in their two styles comes when Bilbo takes his 1/14 share of the treasure and gives it to the elves and Bard. “This is the Arkenstone of Thrain,” said Bilbo, “I give it to you. It will aid in your bargaining.” (248) Bilbo sees where this fight is going and in an attempt to be proactive he saw giving away the Arkenstone as the way to avoid the fight. Although the dwarves may not have seen that as the ideal option Bilbo being a leader saw it as the only way to save their lives. Thorin on the other hand felt this as to be a major attack and betrayal , “You miserable hobbit! You Undersized-Burglar!” “I will Through you into the