Are Hobbits capable of evil? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Evil Anya · 12-28-2001, 04:50 PM

You'd be hard pressed to find many examples of an "evil to the core" hobbit in the books. We're given the impression that Smeagol had a great capacity for evil even before the lure of the ring but i don't think he's portrayed as someone who is "evil incarnate", his story evokes pity, his was a pathetic existance. Also, it all depends on how we define evil for ourselves. If hobbits weren't capable of evil then i don't think they would feel the effects of the ring, but that's a whole other discussion having to do with the nature of the ring.

12-28-2001, 04:50 PM	#11
Evil Anya Animated Skeleton Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: New Haven, CT Posts: 28	You'd be hard pressed to find many examples of an "evil to the core" hobbit in the books. We're given the impression that Smeagol had a great capacity for evil even before the lure of the ring but i don't think he's portrayed as someone who is "evil incarnate", his story evokes pity, his was a pathetic existance. Also, it all depends on how we define evil for ourselves. If hobbits weren't capable of evil then i don't think they would feel the effects of the ring, but that's a whole other discussion having to do with the nature of the ring.