Did Hobbits have a mission?

[Celebthôl]

hey i was only j/k anywho

if they evolved from men why are Hobbits:

more Willful (i think)
smaller
have hairy feet
not involved in anything,

and a new evolution thing doesnt just appear as hobbits did it would take time to get the new evolved state to pass out etc...

 

[Chymaera]

The problem is that Tolkien never fully intergrated The Hobbits into his into the Silmarillion mythology. As Walter stated more or less


I don't know Tolkien's stand on Evolutionism/Creationism in general but he obviously was a Creationist in these stories.


So why have Hobbit as a evolutionary limb of the Tree of Man?

Not much reason I think.


Hobbits were strictly Third Age creatures.

Arvedui I can see where you would assosiate with Wizards. The Istari were also creatures of the Third Age.

 

[Arvedui]

Exactly.
And as I said, only one of the Istari stayed true to their original task, Just like just a few of the Hobbits were crucial to the outcome of the history.
And, like the Istari, they emerge at the same time and later faded slowly out of history.
A far-fetched idea on the fading-away thing: If we assume that Gandalf (eventually) knew Eru's plans (or whatever) for the Hobbits, is it not possible that it was Gandalf that convinced King Elessar to issue his famous Edict in 1427? (I still find it hard to accept that defeat to the Periaur )

 

[Chymaera]

As for their 'Mission' it probably had something to do with vegtables and flowers.

 

[Ithrynluin]

Originally posted by Chymaera
As for their 'Mission' it probably had something to do with vegtables and flowers.

Are you suggesting that Hobbits were the spirits that Yavanna sent among the kelvar and the olvar? Since Ents are the shepherds of Trees, Hobbits are the shepherds of vegetables. Neat, ain't it?

 

[Chymaera]

Just look at my post in the Question Bank!

 

[Ancalagon]

Did Hobbits have a Mission?

I suppose one must ask whether Hobbits (as a Race) were simply brought into Middle-Earth to destroy the Ring, which they did and then seemingly retire from active duty and fade away once their task was complete! This seems to sum up this race in its entirety if we suppose that this was their sole mission.

Yet in that hour was put to the proof that which Mithrandir had spoken, and help came from the hands of the weak when the Wise faltered. For, as many songs have since sung, it was the Periannath, the Little People, dwellers in hillsides and meadows, that brought them deliverance.

The Silmarillion However, one would ask why then would an entire race be created that would have a single purpose upon Arda, to remove Sauron? This I beleive is unrealistic and not a theory I could subscribe to.

The comparison is made between the Istari and Hobbits to illustrate this point, that both may have been servants of Eru (the Valar) with a single mission. Both it seems appear in Middle-Earth, do their tasks accordingly and to their own measure and once complete, seemingly melt away into the background, never to be heard from again. Only 5 (or so) Istari, and an entire race of of Hobbits? My first reaction is that the reasoning for both Eru and Tolkien alike would be totally illogical, that it would seem a Dwarf, Elf or Man might suffice in order to complete the task. On the other hand;

Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-Maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was MEANT to find the ring, and NOT by its maker. In which case you also were MEANT to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought

The Fellowship of the Ring I do not believe that Hobbits were specifically tasked with this role as part of their purpose for being granted an existence, however there is no doubting that they were directed to playing a part in this unfolding story, as were all the inhabitants of Middle-Earth at this time. Hobbits it would seem were no more than a portrayal of the weak exhibiting extraordinary valour in the face of dreadful adversity; and it took 2 in particular to prove this point.

 

[Celebthôl]

would those two be Sam and Frodo who go to pretty much hell?
or Merry and Pippin who fight in massive battles?
And i think you are right where you said

"I do not believe that Hobbits were specifically tasked with this role as part of their purpose for being granted an existence"

As this would be totally wrong and all Eru would have to do is invtervine (sp) and build out on the charactersitics of a Man, Elve or Dwarve to give them the required bravery and will power to do the task (is this making sense?)

The reason i think that Hobbits were created was so that there was innocents left in the world...for a time, lets break this down:

Elves - mostly in Valinor, very secretive on ME, have run their course'

Men - nearly all the "good" Men have died out, fight to keep ME as it is, dont live altogether happy lives,

Dwarves - never cared about anything other than delving into moutains for precious things

A new race is required as far away from trouble as possible i.e. where the Shire is (if we theorise that they moved there due to "fate") and they are kept safe and "nieve" until the last possible second when all else fails, could be the last hope of Eru to see a happy race in ME?!

Thôl

 

[Arvedui]

I have to admit that you are both pointing one something that might indicate that it is not as I am speculating, although I do not altogether agree. Why should I?
There is the obvious question if Eru should create a whole race of people with just this one purpose in mind. Of course it may seem to go to the extremes, but why not? After all, he is Eru, the One, whose complete purposes we will never know.
Is that reason enough to believe that he should not create hobbits with this sole purpose in mind?
What then was their purpose?
All other races had a purpose, with the possible exeption of the Drúedain.

 

[Celebthôl]

thats not necissarily true:

Elves: to prepaire the world for Men

Men: to live after Elves with no imediate purpose

Dwarves: no purpose at all

Orcs: unknown pretty much

Hobbits: also unknown

3 of those races were not intended to be by Eru and there was no task for them primarilly...though for Hobbits it is questionable, but if they have a task why dont Dwarves and Orcs? they are all sencient beings...

 

[Arvedui]

Which three were not intended to be by Eru?
I understand that Dwarves and orcs are two of them, but which is the third?
If you are implying that Hobbits were not intended by Eru, then I want to know where they came from.
Aulë created Dwarves, and Morgoth must take the responsibility for the Orcs.
Who created Hobbits?

Still, I get your point. If it might be that there was a purpose for the Hobbits, there just as well might be that there was no clear purpose. I am still hoping that someone can find some clear quote that will take the answer either this way or that.
(Of course, hopefully my way )

 

[Celebthôl]

LOL, well Eru in the begging didnt intened for Hobbits, he created Men and Elves and they were to inherit the world together and to be together on it, but due to certain evil meanie Gods not naming anybody inperticular *cough*Morgoth*cough* more action was needed, for Morgoth somehow in some way created Orcs and we all know the histories of it all, and eventually durasic measures were needed namely the creation of a new race, but the purpose of this new race is hidden from all, we can only guess...someone come up with the quote PLEASE

 

[Arvedui]

Thread moved from the Guild of Ost-in-Edhil, with the hope that more members voice their opinions.

Enjoy.

 

[Thorondor_]

As Inderjit asked in a thread, are characters in Tolkien's world "woodden", static? Evolution of races has also been questioned, at least in another thread.
My opinion would be that we are dealing with actual stages of a person's development, not with races. And the hobbits would represent the child, elves - the anima/animus, Istari - the Old Wise Man, and the humans (at least their heroes) the mature person. Where would hobbits come from? Not from the Ainur, they would also be a step in one's evolution; they (the children) would come from the very source of life - Eru himself.