Posts Tagged ‘calculating’
J.R.R. Tolkien: Calculating Idea of Value
on Saturday, June 6, 2015J.R.R. Tolkien Money Quotation saying Dwarves can make good accountants when you find good hearts you can trust among them. J.R.R. Tolkien said:
“There it is: dwarves are not heroes, but calculating folk with a great idea of the value of money; some are tricky and treacherous and pretty bad lots; some are not, but are decent enough people like Thorin and Company, if you don’t expect too much” — J.R.R. Tolkien
In this quote, Tolkien is characterizing dwarves as generally being pragmatic and practical people who place great importance on wealth and money. He acknowledges that some dwarves can be devious and untrustworthy, representing the “bad lots.”
However, he also notes that not all dwarves are that way, citing the company of Thorin as decent people who are relatively reliable, even if they may not live up to lofty ideals.
So in short, the best interpretation is that Tolkien sees dwarves as more materialistic than heroic by nature, but not all are unscrupulous – some like Thorin and his companions can be depended on to a reasonable degree in practical matters, even if not perfectly virtuous.
National Tolkien Reading Day is celebrated annually on March 25th. It is a day set aside to honor J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of classic fantasy works like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
On this day, fans of Tolkien’s books often reread or discuss their favorite passages. Some libraries and bookstores will host events like readings from Tolkien’s works or discussions about the themes and characters in his stories.
The goal is to celebrate Tolkien’s work and legacy as one of the most influential fantasy authors and to encourage others to discover his books if they have not already done so.
Birthday: January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973