Narrator. Storyteller. When thinking about a person who narrates or tells a story, one of the first impressions that usually come to mind is that of a man or a woman, sitting in a well-worn rocking chair, surrounded by children who listen with rapt attention to tales of dragons and princesses. This image, depicting the classical oral storyteller as he has been known since ancient times, may at first glance have little to do with the narrative voice of a written work of literature. However, the oral storyteller and the narrator of a novel have many things in common. They both mediate the story to an audience - either to a real one that is physically present or to an impersonal reader of a book, and, depending on their technique, they are able to recount a story in a number of ways.
There are many different approaches to narrating a tale. A narrator can remain mostly in the background and simply relate the story to his readers or listeners, without any commentary of other interruptions, or he can narrate the story through his or her own eyes, using the first person singular and thus creating an intensely personal atmosphere and letting the audience experience the adventures almost first-hand. However, sometimes the narrator can become actively involved into the tale, but without actually being a part of it. He adds his own thoughts and opinions to the story, he speaks to the readers himself and actively guides them through his story.
Such a narrator is also present in Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit. So the topic of this paper will be to analyse the narrator of The Hobbit, and to determine his most characteristic features. It will be illustrated on the following pages that the narrator of The Hobbit is an intrusive authorial narrator who frequently comments on and judges the characters as well as the unfolding events, who is acutely aware of himself, his audience and his role as a storyteller, and who addressed his readers in a direct way and actively leads them through his narrative.
Furthermore it will be determined whether there are any obvious changes to the narrative voice in the last chapters of the book, which were written over three years after the rest of the novel.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Voice of the Narrator in The Hobbit
2.1. Theoretical Aspects
2.2. The Narrative Situation in The Hobbit
2.2.1. On Narrative Situations
2.2.2. The Authorial Narrator in The Hobbit
2.3. Characterising the Narrator in The Hobbit
2.3.1. An Intrusive Commentator
2.3.2. An Outside Observer
2.3.3. The Self- Aware Narrator
2.3.4. Degree of Omniscience
2.3.5. Withholding Information
2.3.6. Changing the Point of View
2.3.7. Description of Scenery
2.4. Changes in the Narrative Voice
3. Conclusion
4. Bibliography
Objectives & Core Themes
This paper aims to analyze and characterize the narrative voice in J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Hobbit," identifying its core features and assessing how they function to guide the reader. The study explores whether the narrator adheres to the archetype of the intrusive authorial storyteller and investigates potential shifts in narrative tone during the later chapters of the novel.
- Analysis of narrative situations based on the theories of Franz K. Stanzel and Wayne C. Booth.
- Examination of the narrator as an intrusive commentator and self-aware entity.
- Evaluation of the narrator's omniscience and use of descriptive scenery.
- Investigation of shifts in narrative voice and mood across the novel's chronology.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3.1 An Intrusive Commentator
This constant awareness of the narrator’s presence is generated by the aforementioned, recurrent commentary that can be found all the way throughout the book, beginning on the very first page, where he corrects any faulty assumptions the reader could have made about hobbit-holes. He explains that it is “[n]ot a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat [...]. (3) Instead he informs the reader that it is “a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.” (3)
Comments like this can be found all over the novel. The narrator may correct his readers, or he may, for example, instruct them on how to behave properly by telling them: “You ought not to be rude to an eagle, when you are only the size of a hobbit, and are up in his eyrie at night!”(102) However, these particular kinds of comments, while quite humorous, still have a somewhat patronising quality to them, as if the narrator was talking to a predominantly young audience, who need to be guided and sometimes admonished. While commentary of this kind may sound strange and maybe even offensive to adult readers, it is very well suited to address children. Therefore, considering the fact that The Hobbit can very well be seen as a children’s book, such comments do not appear improper at all, even though they have apparently been criticised on several occasions.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Sets the stage by defining the role of the narrator and establishing the research goal of identifying the narrative characteristics in "The Hobbit."
2. The Voice of the Narrator in The Hobbit: Discusses the theoretical frameworks of Stanzel and Booth to provide a basis for the subsequent analysis of the narrator.
2.1. Theoretical Aspects: Introduces the narrative theories that will be applied throughout the study.
2.2. The Narrative Situation in The Hobbit: Examines the specific category of the narrative situation present in the novel.
2.3. Characterising the Narrator in The Hobbit: Analyzes individual traits such as commentary, observational distance, and degree of omniscience.
2.4. Changes in the Narrative Voice: Explores the noticeable shifts in narrative tone and structure within the final chapters of the book.
3. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, confirming the narrator as an intrusive, authorial presence that balances humor with reassurance for the reader.
4. Bibliography: Lists the primary and secondary literature used for the analysis.
Keywords
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, Narrator, Authorial Narrator, Franz K. Stanzel, Wayne C. Booth, Narrative Situation, Intrusive Commentary, Omniscience, Children's Literature, Narrative Voice, Literary Analysis, Point of View, Storytelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
This paper examines the narrative voice in J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Hobbit," specifically aiming to characterize its unique features and identify the narrator's role in guiding the reader.
What are the central themes discussed in this analysis?
Key themes include the narrator's intrusive commentary, self-awareness, omniscience, and the tendency to shift points of view, as well as the changes in tone throughout the novel's final chapters.
What is the primary goal of the author's research?
The goal is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the narrator's characteristic features to determine why they are often perceived as patronizing yet ultimately comforting and effective for the audience.
Which scientific methods are utilized in this work?
The author applies the narrative theories of Franz K. Stanzel (regarding narrative situations and mediacy) and Wayne C. Booth (regarding individual narrator characteristics) to categorize the voice in "The Hobbit."
What topics are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body details the intrusive nature of the narrator, their role as an outside observer, their degree of omniscience, the practice of withholding information, and how these elements evolve toward the end of the narrative.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is defined by terms such as J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, Authorial Narrator, Narrative Situation, and Literary Analysis.
How does the narrator's self-awareness influence the reader's experience?
The narrator's frequent direct addresses and self-references draw the reader into the story and create a specific relationship between the storyteller and the audience, often bridging the gap between the fictional world and the reader's reality.
Why does the narrative voice appear to change in the final chapters?
The change is attributed to the shifting mood of the story as it becomes more mature and heroic, potentially influenced by Tolkien's writing process, which included a three-year break before completing the end of the book.
- Quote paper
- Nadja Litschko (Author), 2006, The Voice of the Narrator in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/61292
