(Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, “The Hobbit, or There and Back Again”)
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit of the Shire, lives a quiet and peaceful life in Bag End. One day, the wizard Gandalf the Grey arrives, inviting Bilbo on an adventure. Bilbo refuses, but later that evening, thirteen Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield unexpectedly arrive at his home.
Thorin is the heir to Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, once a great Dwarven kingdom that was overrun by the dragon Smaug, who now guards its vast treasure. Thorin and his company seek to reclaim their homeland, and Gandalf has chosen Bilbo as their burglar. Though hesitant, Bilbo reluctantly agrees to join them.
Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
As the company begins their journey, they encounter three trolls—Tom, Bert, and William—who capture them, intending to eat them. Bilbo tries to pickpocket one but gets caught. The trolls argue over how to cook the Dwarves, giving Gandalf enough time to trick them into staying out until dawn. The sun turns them to stone, and the company finds weapons in the trolls’ cave, including Sting, a small sword Bilbo takes.
Chapter 3: A Short Rest
The group visits Rivendell, where they are welcomed by Elrond, the Elf-lord. Elrond examines Thorin’s map and key, revealing hidden moon runes that describe a secret entrance into Erebor that can only be opened on Durin’s Day, a rare event.
Chapter 4: Over Hill and Under Hill
The company travels through the Misty Mountains, where a storm forces them to take shelter in a cave. However, they are ambushed by Goblins and taken to the Goblin King, who recognizes Thorin’s sword, Orcrist, as an enemy blade.
Chapter 5: Riddles in the Dark
Bilbo, separated from the others, stumbles upon Gollum, a strange, slimy creature who lives in a deep cave. They engage in a riddle contest: if Bilbo wins, Gollum will show him the way out; if he loses, Gollum will eat him.
Bilbo wins, but Gollum soon realizes that he has lost his “precious” ring—which Bilbo has unknowingly picked up. The ring grants invisibility, and Bilbo uses it to escape and rejoin the company.
Chapter 6: Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire
The group flees the mountains but is soon pursued by Wargs (giant wolves) and Orcs. They climb trees to escape, and just as they are about to be killed, the Great Eagles arrive, rescuing them and carrying them to safety.
Chapter 7: Queer Lodgings
The company reaches the home of Beorn, a skin-changer who can transform into a bear. Beorn provides them with ponies, food, and weapons, warning them about Mirkwood Forest, a dangerous place they must cross.
Chapter 8: Flies and Spiders
Inside Mirkwood, the company loses their way and runs out of food. Bilbo becomes separated and encounters giant spiders that capture the Dwarves. Using his sword Sting, Bilbo fights and kills the spiders, rescuing his friends. This marks the first time Bilbo proves himself as a hero.
Chapter 9: Barrels Out of Bond
The company is captured by Elves of Mirkwood and imprisoned in the halls of King Thranduil. Bilbo, using his magic ring, sneaks through the fortress and devises a plan. He hides the Dwarves inside barrels, which are sent floating down the river. The company successfully escapes.
Chapter 10: A Warm Welcome
The group arrives in Lake-town (Esgaroth), ruled by the corrupt Master of Lake-town. However, the people see Thorin as a hero and potential king. A skilled archer named Bard warns against disturbing the dragon, but the people support Thorin, providing him with supplies for the journey to Erebor.
Chapter 11-12: Inside the Lonely Mountain
The company reaches Erebor and finds the secret entrance but cannot open it. As they wait, Bilbo is sent inside alone through a different passage.
Bilbo sneaks into Smaug’s lair and sees the dragon asleep on a vast hoard of treasure. He steals a golden cup and later notices a bare patch on Smaug’s chest—his only weak spot.
When Bilbo returns, Smaug awakens, furious. Believing Lake-town to be responsible, Smaug flies off to attack the city.
Chapter 13-14: Smaug’s Death
Smaug attacks Lake-town, burning it to the ground. The people flee, but Bard the Bowman shoots Smaug with a black arrow, hitting the weak spot Bilbo saw. Smaug crashes into the lake and dies.
With the dragon gone, Thorin claims Erebor’s treasure, but soon falls into madness, obsessed with gold and unwilling to share it with the people of Lake-town, who now suffer from Smaug’s destruction.
Chapter 15-17: The Battle of the Five Armies
Hearing of Smaug’s death, armies gather to claim Erebor’s treasure:
- Bard and the people of Lake-town seek aid.
- Thranduil’s Elves arrive to demand a share.
- Dáin Ironfoot, Thorin’s cousin, brings an army of Dwarves.
- Goblins and Wargs arrive to seize the gold for themselves.
A battle erupts. Thorin fights bravely but is mortally wounded. Before dying, he makes peace with Bilbo, realizing that friendship is more valuable than gold. He tells Bilbo:
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
Thorin dies, and Dáin becomes King under the Mountain. Bilbo, refusing his share of the treasure, decides to go home.
Chapter 18-19: Bilbo’s Return
Bilbo returns to the Shire, only to find that he has been presumed dead, and his belongings are being auctioned off. Though he gets his home back, he realizes he no longer fits in with the simple life of the Shire.
He settles down and writes his memoir: “There and Back Again, a Hobbit’s Tale.”
Epilogue: Connection to The Lord of the Rings
Bilbo’s discovery of the One Ring sets the stage for The Lord of the Rings, though he does not yet know its true power. Decades later, Gandalf and Frodo would uncover its dark secrets, leading to the next great adventure in Middle-earth.
Themes of “The Hobbit”
- Heroism: Bilbo evolves from a timid hobbit into a courageous adventurer.
- Greed vs. Generosity: Thorin’s downfall is his obsession with gold, while Bilbo rejects wealth.
- Destiny & Growth: Bilbo discovers his inner strength through adversity.