It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that the first chapter The Lord of the Rings, “A Long-Expected Party,” was called that to play off of “An Unexpected Party,” the first chapter of The Hobbit. As in 20+ years of being a Tolkien lover and I never noticed. I never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed.
This chapter is also what gives us the unofficial real-world holiday of Hobbit Day, Bilbo and Frodo’s shared birthday of September 22nd. A point of interest that I want to share about that: the discussion on /r/TolkienFans as to whether or not Hobbit Day should be celebrated on 9/22 or, to reflect the fact that the Shire-Reckoning doesn’t map perfectly onto the Gregorian Calendar, a week or so earlier, goes down as the single most pedantic thing I’ve ever seen in a long history of arguing with nerds on the internet.
The first part of this chapter is mostly about getting to know the Hobbits of the Shire. For all that Bilbo’s story is called The Hobbit, we don’t really learn all that much about Hobbits in general, just Bilbo. Going from memory, I’m fairly certain that the only Hobbit who we actually see in the book is Bilbo himself. This chapter starts by showing us the perspective of all the different Hobbits of the Shire, and by reflection, how Bilbo and Frodo are different from most of the rest.
For the most part, this chapter is very light on foreshadowing of just how dark things are going to come. Bilbo’s unnatural longevity is mentioned, and the Hobbits’ belief that “trouble will come” of it, but it’s presented in a laughing, light-hearted way. For the bulk of the chapter, the only hints we have of coming trouble are one line when we first see Gandalf (emphasis added):
The old man was Gandalf the Wizard, whose fame in the Shire was due mainly to his skill with fires, smokes, and lights. His real business was far more difficult and dangerous, but the Shire-folk knew nothing about it. To them he was just one of the ‘attractions’ at the Party.
And then, of course, there’s Bilbo’s actions when pressed by Gandalf into actually leaving the Ring behind as planned, and his warnings to Frodo about not using it. Movie aside: this scene was great. For all my complaints about the Jackson trilogy (and the older I get, the more dissatisfied I get about it), the acting is generally stellar, and Sirs Ian (Holm & McKellan) are two of the best. They really captured how startling a display it was from Bilbo, how out of character, and how troubled by it Gandalf was.
So while “things are going to get dangerous” isn’t exactly hidden, it’s still a remarkably small percentage of a fairly long chapter. LotR is above all a story about Hobbits, not lost kings or wise wizards or dark lords, and its beginnings are appropriately humble and idyllic.
If you don’t like Tolkien’s long descriptions (a common complaint), the Birthday Party is going to be a rough read. From the preparations with his detailed descriptions of the invitations and the purchases and the planning through the party itself, it goes on and on. Some people will find it dull. Others of us find it delightful. Another movie aside: When Frodo asks if Bilbo had been at “the Gaffer’s home brew” and Bilbo says, “No! Well, yes,” Ian Holm (consummate professional that he is) did the scene moderately drunk. It’s a moment that the movies made up out of whole cloth, and I love it. It’s true to character. It’s when they start messing with that that I get irate.
So what does the party show? Hobbits enjoying life, finding their joys in the simple things like food and drink and song and cheer. Bilbo being a genuinely kind and warm individual, but also one who loves to (lovingly) laugh at all his friends and relations.
And then more detailed descriptions, of the sort that those who griped about The Slow Regard of Silent Things will lump under the rubric of “nothing happens!” We get to see all the gifts that Bilbo left for everyone, and we get more mischief out of him:
For ADELARD TOOK, for his VERY OWN, from Bilbo; on an umbrella. Adelard had carried off many unlabelled ones.
For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large waste-paper basket. Dora was Drogo’s sister and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century.
For MILO BURROWS, hoping it will be useful, from B.B.; on a gold pen and ink-bottle. Milo never answered letters.
For ANGELICA’S use, from Uncle Bilbo; on a round convex mirror. She was a young Baggins, and too obviously considered her face shapely.
For the collection of HUGO BRACEGIRDLE, from a contributor; on an (empty) book-case. Hugo was a great borrower of books, and worse than usual at returning them.
For LOBELIA SACKVILLE-BAGGINS, as a PRESENT; on a case of silver spoons. Bilbo believed that she had acquired a good many of his spoons, while he was away on his former journey. Lobelia knew that quite well. When she arrived later in the day, she took the point at once, but she also took the spoons.
We also get our first glimpse of Merry (Hi, Merry! I’ll talk more about you in a few chapters) and some (not all that much, really) time with Frodo.
As I alluded to earlier, the chapter ends with Gandalf telling Frodo about his worries about the Ring:
‘Let it be a warning to you to be very careful with it. It may have other powers than just making you vanish when you wish to.’
‘I don’t understand,’ said Frodo.
‘Neither do I,’ answered the wizard. ‘I have merely begun to wonder about the ring, especially since last night. No need to worry. But if you take my advice you will use it very seldom, or not at all. At least I beg you not to use it in any way that will cause talk or rouse suspicion. I say again: keep it safe, and keep it secret!’
‘You are very mysterious! What are you afraid of?’
‘I am not certain, so I will say no more.’
So to sum up: this is a bright, cheerful, funny chapter, and very Hobbit-ish. Tolkien’s own personality shines through: he described himself as “a Hobbit in all but size” and his own appreciation for good food and good cheer is obvious when reading this. It does end on a somewhat ominous note, but one that’s easy to miss in all of the fun. It also provides an excellent transition from The Hobbit, which was a children’s story, to The Lord of the Rings, which isn’t. When his publishers asked about more from Tolkien after the success of The Hobbit, he offered what would (sort of) be eventually published as The Silmarillion, but his publishers declined, saying people wanted more Hobbits. And that is what we got. And it is delightful.
Next week: things get darker in one of my favorite chapters, “The Shadow of the Past.”