This week, we reach the Lonely Mountain in Chapter Eleven of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, "On The Doorstep". How do we understand the Desolation of Smaug? Does Tolkien resolve the conflict between free will and prophecy? What is the function of the back door?

The slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (Corey Olsen)
• The Consolation of Philosophy (Ancius Boethius)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

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Music by Corvus from Pixabay.