The True Origin of the Name 'Bilbo' and the source of The Hobbit ? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Balfrog · 03-17-2018, 11:03 PM

Beyond intriguing is that the rather rare fore-name 'Bilbo' crops up in Thomas Dekker's Jacobean play called Match me in London.

Ms. Seth's latest article captures the possibilty of this drama being the true source of Tolkien's inspiration for The Hobbit.

https://priyasethtolkienfan.wordpres...lbo-in-london/

The evidence provided is quite stunning. Apart from the character called 'Bilbo', the play's content references a 'fire-drake' and some words very alike to Gollum's 'Thief, Thief,Thief!'

Other befitting allusions are reasonably numerous. And so several other matters in the play tie-up with scenes/points in the book.

The overall conclusion on the author's part is that Tolkien could have started off The Hobbit tale with parody in mind. This would then tie in with her previously voicing The Root of The Boot and The Hobbit Trolls were hidden parody too. This is now becoming a theme as the evidence piles up. Are we all missing a very humorous side to Tolkien's personality and writings?

There are an awful lot of tangencies in this particular piece of research – hard to dismiss as mere chance!

A very worthy article, in my opinion, to bring to the attention of the academic community.

'Well-done', I say!

03-17-2018, 11:03 PM	#1
Balfrog Haunting Spirit Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 87	The True Origin of the Name 'Bilbo' and the source of The Hobbit ? Beyond intriguing is that the rather rare fore-name 'Bilbo' crops up in Thomas Dekker's Jacobean play called Match me in London. Ms. Seth's latest article captures the possibilty of this drama being the true source of Tolkien's inspiration for The Hobbit. https://priyasethtolkienfan.wordpres...lbo-in-london/ The evidence provided is quite stunning. Apart from the character called 'Bilbo', the play's content references a 'fire-drake' and some words very alike to Gollum's 'Thief, Thief,Thief!' Other befitting allusions are reasonably numerous. And so several other matters in the play tie-up with scenes/points in the book. The overall conclusion on the author's part is that Tolkien could have started off The Hobbit tale with parody in mind. This would then tie in with her previously voicing The Root of The Boot and The Hobbit Trolls were hidden parody too. This is now becoming a theme as the evidence piles up. Are we all missing a very humorous side to Tolkien's personality and writings? There are an awful lot of tangencies in this particular piece of research – hard to dismiss as mere chance! A very worthy article, in my opinion, to bring to the attention of the academic community. 'Well-done', I say!