Wk13 Bk6 Ch8: Gallery of Villains

[Stormrider]

From: AnnieofTR (Original Message) Sent: 6/22/2003 10:25 AM

Wormtongue by Terry A. Ernest

Picture Lost	Picture Lost
Bill Ferny (film image)	Robin Smallburrow by Angelo Montanini	Ted Sandyman (unidentified artist, TORN)

Wk13, Bk6, Ch8, DISCUSSION: Gallery of Villains

This Chapter is full of ruffians, villains, and greedy or malleable hobbits: Wormtongue, Bill Ferny, Lotho, Ted Sandyman, Hob Hayward, Robin Smallburrow. Can you think of others? What are their motives? Why do they choose to follow the "Chief"? Why do the acquisitive hobbits turn so mean or have some of them been so already? What do they covet? How do they go about acquiring their possessions? How do they terrorize their neighbors and kin? Who, in your opinion, was the meanest scoundrel in the Shire? Which Hobbit was responsible for the most damage?

Some, perhaps were not so greedy or mean but lost and frightened like Robin Smallburrow and Hob Hayward. Why are they so weak that they follow the rules, follow the Chief? There are others like the Tooks and Cottons who refuse to cooperate with the Ruffians. How would you compare these groups of Hobbits?

[Stormrider]

From: Ruscosenda Sent: 6/23/2003 10:48 AM
Even though Lotho SB was ultimately responsible for bringing in the ruffians, I, like Frodo, think that things did get out of his control. He never intended for the shire to be uprooted and marred. He just wanted power and money.

IMHO, Ted Sandyman was the meanest scoundrel in the Shire. He not only allowed the ruffians the tear up the Shire, he actually seemed to enjoy it. Upon Sam's return, he couldn't wait to twist the knife in Sam's back. He seems like an example of someone who succumbed to bitterness to the point of cutting off his nose to spite his face.

-- Rusco

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From: Fangorn Sent: 6/23/2003 5:57 PM
Apparently, it was no accident, that Pippin was a Took, or Sam married a Cotton.......these seem to be very strong Hobbit blood lines. Tolkien seems to leave out, the blood lines of the villains. I wonder......could the hobbit villains blood lines be traced to Smaeagol's?

Fangorn

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From: Illadria Sent: 7/1/2003 2:51 PM
I'd have to agree that the worst of the Shire Hobbits was indeed Ted Sandyman. Not only was he a scoundrel, but he was decidedly unhobbit-like in that he cared not at all for the land, but actually took delight in it's descruction. This behavior seems almost taboo amongst Hobbits, far worse than any other indiscretions, such as an adventurous streak. Indeed, I believe, such a callous disregard for the land would be second only to murder in the eyes of the Hobbits. It is clear that he hated Hobbits as much as Sharky, and was more than eager to "get them" where it most hurt.

Even though Ted Sandyman was the worst, Otho was certainly responsible for the most damage.

I think the Tooks and the Cottons actually had different reasons for their defiance. Both were proud Hobbit families. The Cotton's, I think, were most put off by the wanton destruction of the land, and the Tooks... well...The Shire belonged to the Tooks and to all the other free folk of the Shire (Hobbits). They would most likely die before obeying a dictator coming in and taking over their own land, this was part of that quirky genetic trait that most of the other Hobbits found so disconcerting.

~Illadria

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From: Galenas_ Sent: 7/8/2003 6:34 AM
I am in agreement that Ted Sandyman was the worst of the bunch. Very unhobbitish. So unhobbitish that Fangorn may have touched on something...what about those bloodlines? From early on we get little glimpses of behaviors that some hobbits can exhibit.

(I refer to the SB trying to take over Bag End and acquire Bilbo's things. Dreadfully unhobbitish.) Hmmmm.

IMHO Ted was definitely the worst. His disregard for the land and community was terrible.