Smaug

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Smaug
Dragon
File:Alan Lee - Smaug.jpg
Biographical Information
Titlesthe Golden
the Dragon Dread
RealmErebor
HoardThrór's treasure, including the Arkenstone and Bilbo's mithril coat
AffiliationNone
AppearedT.A. 2770
DeathT.A. 2941
Esgaroth
Slain byBard the Bowman
Physical Description
TypeUrulókë
LegsYes
WingedYes
GalleryImages of Smaug
"Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!"
The Hobbit, Inside Information

Smaug the Golden (Germanic, pron. [smaʊɣ]) was the greatest dragon of Middle-earth to survive into the Third Age. In the year 2770, he attacked the Lonely Mountain and drove the dwarves out, claiming their treasure as his own. Killing Smaug and reclaiming the treasure was the object of the quest in The Hobbit.

History

When Smaug attacked in 2770, he destroyed the town of Dale before entering the Lonely Mountain and slaying all the dwarves he encountered and burning all the towns with massive fires. After securing the mountain, he blocked all but two entrances: the main gate and a secret postern gate known only to the King Under the Mountain and his son Thrain II. Unknown to Smaug, the dwarf king Thrór and his son Thrain II had escaped through the secret postern gate, and others were not in the mountain when Smaug attacked. Following the attack, Thrór abdicated and gave the key to the postern gate to his son Thráin II. Smaug would remain in control of the Lonely Mountain for 170 years.

In T.A. 2850, Gandalf the Grey, while spying upon the Necromancer of Dol Guldur, obtained the key and map to the secret postern gate from Thrain, who had become a prisoner there after being captured in 2845. Having discovered that the Necromancer was actually Sauron, Gandalf realized that Smaug would be a valuable ally to the Dark Lord. Gandalf therefore sought a way to destroy Smaug and re-establish the Kingdom Under the Mountain to reduce Sauron's power in the north.

Gandalf recruited Thráin's only living son and heir to his throne, Thorin Oakenshield, to reclaim the mountain. In 2940, at the home of Bilbo Baggins, he presented Thorin with the map and key, and accompanied them on part of their quest. The party reached the mountain in 2941, and they sent Bilbo in through the secret door to investigate. Bilbo stole a small but heavy cup from the dragon's vast hoard of treasure which he used as a bed to sleep on, sending Smaug into a killing frenzy.

Smaug scoured the mountainside for the intruder, but was unable to find the secret door. Bilbo visited the dragon's lair again when Smaug returned and discovered Smaug's only vulnerability (a patch on his left breast unprotected by treasure that was otherwise embedded all over his underside) through riddling talk. Smaug left his lair again and smashed the mountainside with strikes of his tail, trapping Thorin and Company inside the secret passage, but not before the thrush that lived on the mountainside heard Bilbo describe Smaug's weakness.

Realizing that the men of Lake-town must have helped the intruders, Smaug flew there and attacked, setting the town aflame from the air. The dragon's scales were impervious to the arrows of the defenders, but the thrush also flew to the town and revealed the bare spot in Smaug's armor to Bard the Bowman, who killed Smaug by firing the Black Arrow through the vulnerable spot. Smaug destroyed the town when he crashed onto it, then sank to the bottom of the Long Lake.

After Smaug's death, Thorin and Company claimed the treasure as theirs by birthright. This created a conflict with Bard and the Elven King Thranduil of Mirkwood, who each wanted a portion of the gold as reimbursement for all the damage Smaug had caused their kingdoms over the years. Thorin refused to share the treasure and declared war on both of them. The conflict eventually exploded because they heard news of approaching wargs and goblins. This became the Battle of Five Armies.

Personality

"My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!"
― Smaug, Inside Information

Smaug appeared to be very conceited, and believed in his own invulnerability. The very suggestion that the dwarves might seek revenge upon him sent him into a fit of hysterical laughter. It might be said that it was only his greed and laziness that kept him from continuing to plague the nearby lands. Like all dragons, he loved riddling talk, and revealed his own weakness because of his vanity.

Hoard

Among the items in Smaug's possession were the Arkenstone, a cup, and a mithril chain shirt. The latter was gifted to Bilbo by Thorin Oakenshield, and was later to save Frodo Baggins life from the spear of a Goblin Chieftain in the Chamber of Mazarbul.

Etymology

The name Smaug is a translation of the "original Dalish" Trâgu, and is related to the name Sméagol. According to Tolkien, the name Smaug is "the past tense of the primitive Germanic verb Smugan, to squeeze through a hole"[1].

Note that the language of Dale is rendered with Norse terms.

Others have noted that Smaug has echoes of "smoke", "smog" and the Polish word for dragon, "smok", though it is pronounced with a long /au/.

Inspiration

"Fafnir in the late Norse versions of the Sigurd-story is better; and Smaug and his conversation obviously is in debt there."
Letter 122

Portrayal in adaptations

1977: Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit:

Smaug was voiced by Richard Boone. In this version, Smaug's face possesses more mammilian traits, resembling a mix between a cat and a bat. Also, his armor is never mentioned to be strengthened by lying on the treasure, but more resembles an extra padding of skin/scales, minus the bare patch.

2003: Sierra's The Hobbit:

Smaug was voiced by James Horan.

See also

References


Named Dragons
Glaurung · Gostir · Ancalagon · Scatha · Smaug