Going on an Adventure for the Word “Adventure” in The Hobbit Anonymous 12th Grade

A word that features prominently in Tolkien’s first published work about Middle-Earth is “adventure.” The initial spark of the plot is Gandalf’s proposition that Bilbo accompany him on an adventure, and throughout The Hobbit, this is how Bilbo considers the whole journey, so it is important to consider what understanding of the word Tolkien was utilizing. Furthermore, how Bilbo uses the word in positive and negative contexts gives insight to his changing attitude throughout the story, as he uses “adventure” to refer to the entirety of the events of the book.

The OED gives two possible definitions of adventure, both of which it seems Tolkien is borrowing from: “A course of action which invites risk; a perilous or audacious undertaking the outcome of which is unknown; a daring feat or exploit,” and “A remarkable or unexpected event, or series of events, in which a person participates as a result of chance; a novel or exciting experience.” The word comes from the same Latin root as the liturgical season of Advent, “advenīre,” but it came into Old French via aventure, which carried a meaning closer to destiny, chance, or simply “something that comes.” Its journey into English closely parallels the word “venture,” carrying a related...