Why The Hobbit Was Banned

Many fantasy novels have been banned from bookshelves due to positive portrayals of magic being interpreted as problematic, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are no exception. Tolkien’s high fantasy works are the forerunners of almost the entire fantasy genre as we know it today, but The Hobbit is actually much less an epic saga than a contained, fairy-tale-esque adventure aimed at children. Taking place earlier in the Lord of the Rings timeline and largely focusing on Bilbo Baggins’ personal journey and transformation, it seems less likely to be targeted by bans than its contemporaries.

Those who focus on what they think to be the dangerous elements of The Hobbit are missing out on the landmark tale of one Hobbit’s adventure, which teaches him about bravery and friendship. Additionally, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings’ religious allegories have not excused the books from being criticized on religious grounds. However, the history of book bans and burnings has unfortunately revealed that many similar books won’t sit well with someone when there are many different ways to interpret the text beyond the author’s obvious intention.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit Was Banned For Having “Satanic Themes”

“Witchcraft” In The Hobbit Is Still Occasionally Received Poorly

Both booktrib.com and bannedlibrary.com report that The Hobbit was pushed to be banned from public libraries due to its inclusion of “witchcraft and satanic themes, also referencing a prominent example in 2001 in Alamogordo, New Mexico, which also resulted in a Christian rights group having a book burning. While the book does not feature characters such as Saruman and Galadriel, who made it into the movie adaptations, it still highlights Gandalf as a pracтιтioner of magic, as well as Smaug as a malevolent, inherently supernatural figure. More overall world-building and themes are also likely what the complaints refer to.

The LOTR Books Are Banned For The Same Reason, But The Hobbit Is More Surprising

LOTR Features More Of What Is Probably The Cause For Tolkien Book Bans

The Lord of the Rings books have also been banned over the years, but it is easier to see why than with The Hobbit. There are more characters like Gandalf who practice what may be seen as dangerous “witchcraft,” and Gandalf’s own magic plays a larger role in the story. Galadriel is even seen by some peoples as an untrustworthy witch within the setting. Furthermore, the demonic motifs seen in figures such as Sauron, the Balrog, and other villains and monsters are also much more prominent, even if they are explicitly depicted as antagonist forces in the story.

In contrast, The Hobbit is a less magical tale than a grounded adventure that happens to take place in a magical world. Regardless, both The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings clearly display stories and themes about heroes fighting the forces of evil, which are evidently ᴀssociated with devilish ideology. Banning the books based on this might be missing the point of the story, but the other ways magic plays into the conflict perhaps make the line blurrier for some — and it is not as if this has limited Middle-earth’s influence on the cultural zeitgeist.

Source: booktrib.com, bannedlibrary.com

Related Posts

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth’s Original Ending Confirmed As Director Reveals How Studio Changed His Mind

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth’s Original Ending Confirmed As Director Reveals How Studio Changed His Mind

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Jurᴀssic World Rebirth. Dinosaurs are once again roaming all over the big screen, and no one is safe. Mostly. While Jurᴀssic…

Mortal Kombat 2’s Cole Young Replacement Shouldn’t Be Johnny Cage, But The Games’ Real Main Character

Mortal Kombat 2’s Cole Young Replacement Shouldn’t Be Johnny Cage, But The Games’ Real Main Character

A lot of people don’t like Cole Young, but he should not be replaced by Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2. The upcoming Mortal Kombat 2 is…

13 Major Reveals We Learned From The DCU’s Superman Prequel

13 Major Reveals We Learned From The DCU’s Superman Prequel

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Superman: Welcome To MetropolisJames Gunn’s Superman is right around the corner, but the official prequel has already been released. Featuring some…

Charlize Theron Gives Honest Review Of Mad Max Prequel Furiosa & Thoughts On Being Recast

Charlize Theron Gives Honest Review Of Mad Max Prequel Furiosa & Thoughts On Being Recast

Charlize Theron has once again expressed her disappointment at being recast in the Mad Max prequel Furiosa, but still spoke positively about the George Miller film. As…

Henry Cavill’s Heartfelt Message to New Superman Actor David Corenswet Revealed: “Have Fun With It”

Henry Cavill’s Heartfelt Message to New Superman Actor David Corenswet Revealed: “Have Fun With It”

Former Superman star Henry Cavill has already reached out to DC Universe actor David Corenswet according to the DCU star, with the latter set to take over…

10 Modern Martial Arts Stars You Should Definitely Pay Attention To

10 Modern Martial Arts Stars You Should Definitely Pay Attention To

When thinking of inspiring martial artists in film and television, the names of many well-established actors come to mind, but there are several recent stars that any…