Thorin Oakenshield is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's 1937 novel The Hobbit. Thorin is the leader of the Company of Dwarves who aim to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug the dragon. He is the son of Thráin II, grandson of Thrór, and becomes King of Durin's Folk during their exile from Erebor. Thorin's background is further elaborated in Appendix A of Tolkien's 1955 novel The Return of the King, and in Unfinished Tales.
Detail from the Stora Hammars I stone, depicting the Hjaðningavíg
Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again is a children's fantasy novel by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published in 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. The book is recognized as a classic in children's literature and is one of the best-selling books of all time, with over 100 million copies sold.
Cover of the 1937 first edition, from a drawing by Tolkien
Bilbo's role as burglar places him in the trickster tradition of figures like Prometheus who stole fire from the gods. Painting by Jan Cossiers, 1637
Bilbo's character and adventures match many details of William Morris's expedition in Iceland. 1870 cartoon of Morris riding a pony by his travelling companion Edward Burne-Jones
Dustcover of the first edition of The Hobbit, taken from a design by the author
