Bilbo's sword, Sting, plays an important role in JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit – a role that seems almost incongruous for its size . Through each of his appearances, Sting's increased importance as a plot element simultaneously symbolizes the steps forward in Bilbo's journey to becoming a true hero. The roles of the weapon with neglected potential and the hobbit with underestimated abilities ultimately prove to be more important than imagined. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Bilbo's encounter with the trolls is what leads to the discovery of Sting. Because his experience with the trolls is his first encounter with the true perils of the world outside the Shire, Bilbo's actions reflect those of a typical hobbit with an easy, sheltered life. Although he escapes the trolls alive, he is portrayed as an extremely cowardly character in this part of the novel, as he hides in a bush while his dwarf friends assume the status of future troll fodder. However, once the trolls are turned to stone, his success in overcoming his first taste of danger is rewarded by the discovery of Sting in the troll's cave. Compared to the other valuable elven swords found in the cave, Sting seems insignificant, as it "would have made only a small pocket knife for a troll, but it was as good as a short sword for the hobbit" (Tolkien 42 ). ). Like Sting, Bilbo seems useless and incapable of great deeds at this point in the novel. For a time, during which the dwarves consider Bilbo a burden due to his unnecessary presence, the hobbit forgets his sword. However, when Bilbo is abandoned in the goblin tunnels, he remembers the dagger he keeps in his possession. During this time of despair, Sting brings a glimmer of hope to Bilbo. As he meets Gollum, Bilbo discovers that his hope is justified when Gollum displays a polite exterior, "eager to appear friendly, at least for now, and until he learns more about the sword and the hobbit” (73). Sting's presence, combined with Bilbo's calm demeanor, makes Gollum suspicious long enough for Bilbo to plan his escape. After this episode, in which Sting plays a small but vital role in giving Bilbo hope and Gollum apprehension, the idea of ​​Bilbo being a capable hero becomes less ridiculous to the dwarves. As Bilbo proudly boasts of his adventures, they look at him with an awe he had not received before. Although Bilbo obtains Sting early in the novel, it is not until he kills the giant spider in the forest that he gives his sword a name: "One way or another, kill the giant spider, all alone in the dark, without help from the wizard, the dwarves or anyone else, made a big difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt like a different person, and much fiercer and bolder despite his empty stomach, as he wiped his sword on the grass and replaced it. its sheath. “I will give you a name,” he said, “and I will call you Sting” (156). The scene that follows, in which Bilbo's first impulse upon seeing his friends trapped by the spiders is to save them himself, contrasts sharply with the inept manner in which he handled his friends' imprisonment by the trolls as than a novice adventurer earlier in the story. novel. Such exponential growth in terms of bravery and selflessness mirrors Bilbo's extreme growth in terms of heroism. Even though Bilbo has already managed to escape from Gollum on his own, the virtue of saving his own life is nothing in.