Moneycounters

I had half a mind to simply copy a part of my essay for this blog, considering that most of my points about the Hobbit come from this very section, but alas I feel that would be rather disingenuous, so I’ll write something original, in a sense.

                Greed is a rather horrible thing.  It blinds people to the real problems of the world, and it can turn the greatest of heroes into the greatest of villains.  After Smaug of The Hobbit is smote and subsequently destroys the town of Esgaroth, all thoughts go to one thing: the seemingly unguarded hoard of gold.  Everyone just drops everything to recover this long lost treasure trove, even without knowing whether its true heirs still live.  The Lake-men, homeless, many dead or soon to be, at first are arguing against the Master, the leader of the town, who unlike the brave men who defended it till the last moment, left as soon as he could.  These people lived under his rule for quite some time, and he still demands their respect even after their homes are nothing but splinters, yet still their revolution ends rather quickly.  As soon as Bard, the new pseudo leader, is reminded of the dragon’s gold, by the Master no less, everyone stops squabbling and marches to claim it as their own, and “turned their angry thoughts towards Thorin and his company” (253, by my book anyway).  Suddenly these people who sang the dwarves’ praises at their return now sang of taking the dwarves’ precious gold that they worked so hard for for themselves.  Much like the Lake-men, the elves, upon hearing the birds’ tales of the death of Smaug, gather their armies and march to claim the dwarven gold they have lusted after for ages.  These good, well-meaning, and altogether happy people are suddenly turned to the idea of war at the drop of a hat, simply at the mention of a speck of gold.  The idea of “dragon-sickness” is exemplified, and is perhaps the whole point of The Hobbit.  Once this great beast of greed is dead all around him are infected with his great greed, and even the greatest of peoples are turned to anger for their rightful share of the plunder.