It think it also shows how the Hobbits have grown because of their journey and everything they had encountered (even literally in the case of Merry and Pipin because of the Entwater). Gandalf even says as much when they hear of some trouble in the Shire as they're travelling there. He says that he trusts them to be able to put their affa…
It think it also shows how the Hobbits have grown because of their journey and everything they had encountered (even literally in the case of Merry and Pipin because of the Entwater). Gandalf even says as much when they hear of some trouble in the Shire as they're travelling there. He says that he trusts them to be able to put their affairs in order themselves. And they are, after all that the dangers they had had to face, they did what was necessary, with little hesitation and with courage and determination. So I think that could have also been why Tolkien included it in the story. On a more philosophical level, it is a sort of manifestation of the loss of innocence that the Hobbits, and now the Shire, experience. Nothing would ever be the same again, no matter how much they might wish it were so.
Great thoughts, Robert. I especially love thinking about the Hobbits growing both literally and figuratively.
I’ve also never thought about how Gandalf let them deal with reclaiming the Shire on their own. I wonder how much he knew of Saruman’s treachery? Or maybe he was just tired and ready for his retirement in Valinor? 😅
Also, I'm pretty sure he suspected the whole Saruman thing already from the moment he heard from Treebeard that he had released him. But Saruman had become a shell of who he once was, whereas for the Hobbits the opposite happened. Even more character development, yay!
Gandalf was, well, busy, with plenty of other matters he had to deal with, mostly in Rivendell discussing everything that had happened and the larger implications for Middle-Earth as a whole (as they are preparing for transferring stewardship of M-E to Men, but also because they wanted to talk to Tom Bombadil and hear him out on everything he knew. I think the other part of that is taking all that knowledge with them back to Valinor. And because he felt confident not having to bail the Hobbits out this time, he instead focused on things with higher priorities. If they hadn't managed to do it, I'm sure he would have come to help.
Thanks :) Especially how he's like the anti-Sauron / Morgoth; full of knowledge and incredibly powerful but totally uninterested in power. The ring has no effect on him, and when during the council of Elrond someone suggest letting him safeguard the ring, Gandalf says that he would probably lose it, so little did he care about it, so utterly trivial did it seem to him.
It think it also shows how the Hobbits have grown because of their journey and everything they had encountered (even literally in the case of Merry and Pipin because of the Entwater). Gandalf even says as much when they hear of some trouble in the Shire as they're travelling there. He says that he trusts them to be able to put their affairs in order themselves. And they are, after all that the dangers they had had to face, they did what was necessary, with little hesitation and with courage and determination. So I think that could have also been why Tolkien included it in the story. On a more philosophical level, it is a sort of manifestation of the loss of innocence that the Hobbits, and now the Shire, experience. Nothing would ever be the same again, no matter how much they might wish it were so.
Great thoughts, Robert. I especially love thinking about the Hobbits growing both literally and figuratively.
I’ve also never thought about how Gandalf let them deal with reclaiming the Shire on their own. I wonder how much he knew of Saruman’s treachery? Or maybe he was just tired and ready for his retirement in Valinor? 😅
Also, I'm pretty sure he suspected the whole Saruman thing already from the moment he heard from Treebeard that he had released him. But Saruman had become a shell of who he once was, whereas for the Hobbits the opposite happened. Even more character development, yay!
Gandalf was, well, busy, with plenty of other matters he had to deal with, mostly in Rivendell discussing everything that had happened and the larger implications for Middle-Earth as a whole (as they are preparing for transferring stewardship of M-E to Men, but also because they wanted to talk to Tom Bombadil and hear him out on everything he knew. I think the other part of that is taking all that knowledge with them back to Valinor. And because he felt confident not having to bail the Hobbits out this time, he instead focused on things with higher priorities. If they hadn't managed to do it, I'm sure he would have come to help.
Robert you win the prize 🏆 of being our first mention of Tom Bombadil in the Salon. I was waiting for someone to bring him up 😂
Tom probably deserves an entire separate essay.
Thanks :) Especially how he's like the anti-Sauron / Morgoth; full of knowledge and incredibly powerful but totally uninterested in power. The ring has no effect on him, and when during the council of Elrond someone suggest letting him safeguard the ring, Gandalf says that he would probably lose it, so little did he care about it, so utterly trivial did it seem to him.