Quote:
Originally Posted by Faramir Jones
Ivriniel, Bilbo didn't steal the Arkenstone; it was part of the agreed fourteenth share of the profits he was promised in his contract with the dwarves. Thorin also changed the contract to say that he could pick and choose his own fourteenth share; so Bilbo was within his rights to take the Arkenstone; and as it was his personal property, he was entitled to give it away if he wanted.
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I'd not interpreted it that way. But to ride with how you put it, it's still awkward at best, or impolite scheming in any case. A Hobbit, brought up in Hobbiton, with such refineries in Hobbiton on The Hill, in a wealthy Hobbit Hole, with Sackville Bagginses 'spoon stealing'
, Bilbo would have been quite aware that he was transgressing. "You don't bite the hand that feeds you", or "leave the core Dwarvish relic to the Dwarves when choosing my wealth--don't be rude, Bilbo"
I remember thinking that Bilbo seemed to be minimising as a Hobbit with a guilty conscience. Rationalised what he knew was going to make enraged Dwarves.
I also wondered if Bilbo was quite a little bit 'over'
the Dwarf-Elf antagonism, and more than just a little bit annoyed at the 13 of them, after months of being underdog, underling, subordinated, mistreated, and then winning the 14 of them. So over them all, that he 'Arkenstoned' himself to exile, a-purpose.