Dori

From Tolkien Gateway
Dori
Dwarf
Jake Murray - Dori.jpg
"Dori" by Jake Murray
Biographical Information
LocationThorin's Halls
Lonely Mountain
AffiliationThorin and Company
LanguageKhuzdul and Westron
BirthBetween T.A. 2763 and c. 2814NB
Notable forThe Quest of Erebor
Family
HouseHouse of Durin
SiblingsNori[1]
Physical Description
GenderMale
Hair colorWhite
ClothingPurple hood and a Silver belt[1]
GalleryImages of Dori

Dori was a Dwarf who, being of Durin's Folk, probably dwelt in the northern Blue Mountains with Thorin after the latter had settled there after Thráin II had disappeared.[2] He was one of the thirteen Dwarves who journeyed to Erebor to reclaim the lands from the dragon Smaug, and after the successful conclusion of this quest he lived with his part of the treasure at the Lonely Mountain.[3]

History[edit | edit source]

Family and birth[edit | edit source]

Dori's parentage is unknown, although he was a member of the House of Durin and a remote kinsman of Thorin Oakenshield.[2] He was also the brother of Nori, and a cousin of Ori.[1] His birth year is also unknown.

However, in Bilbo Baggins' account of the quest to Erebor he stated that the brothers Fíli and Kíli were the youngest of the thirteen "by some fifty years"[4], and that when Thorin was missing Balin was "the eldest left".[5] Since Kíli was born in T.A. 2864 and Balin was born in 2763,[2] this would put Dori's birth between 2763 and c. 2814, and he would have been between c. 127 and 178 years old during the quest to Erebor.

Thorin stated that Dori was the strongest of the Dwarves in the company.[6] Dori (and Nori) shared Bilbo's opinion that meals should be plentiful and frequent.[7], and also it is said that Dori was "a decent fellow despite his grumbling".

The Quest of Erebor[edit | edit source]

When Bilbo first met Dori (in the fourth group of Dwarves to arrive at Bag End alongside Nori and Ori and another set of brothers, Óin and Glóin) he was wearing a purple hood along with a silver belt, same as his brother Nori. During the evening when Thorin called for music, Dori (along with Nori and Ori) played the flute.[8]

Bilbo proclaimed Dori to be "really a decent fellow"[9] because thrice Dori assisted Bilbo when the hobbit might otherwise have been killed: First, Dori carried Bilbo in the tunnels of the Misty Mountains during the escape from the goblins, but unfortunately dropped him which led to the hobbit's encounter with Gollum.[4] Upon Nori's discovery that Bilbo was gone the other Dwarves blamed Dori for losing their burglar, especially the wizard Gandalf arguing with the dwarf. Second, during the escape from the Wargs, Dori climbed down from a tree, which allowed Bilbo to scramble up Dori and into the tree. Lastly, Bilbo grabbed Dori's legs as they were carried off by an eagle, saving them from a fire lit by Goblins, much to both Bilbo and Dori's dismay crying "My legs! My poor legs!".[9]

When Gandalf was telling the story of the company's adventures to Beorn, Dori and Thorin were the first two Dwarves to show up.[10] Thorin also notes that Dori is the strongest of their company. Upon being pulled out of the barrel after escaping the Elvenking's halls and arrived in Lake-town, Dori, along with several others was one of the Dwarves who was waterlogged and seemed only half alive.[11]

Dori would later fight in and survive the Battle of Five Armies. He was given his share of the treasure by Dáin Ironfoot, the new king under the mountain after Thorin's death at the battle by Bolg, and made his home in Erebor alongside his other companions that survived the battle and would live in great wealth under King Dáin.[12]

Later life[edit | edit source]

Dori lived a wealthy life after the quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. His date of death is unknown but he was still alive during the War of the Ring, as mentioned by Glóin before the Council of Elrond in T.A. 3018.[3]. He probably fought in the Battle of Dale against Sauron's forces, the Easterlings, along with the other members of the company still alive.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Dóri is a dwarf from the Dvergatal. His name most likely means "Borer" or "auger-man".[13]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Durin I
fl. First Age
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ori
d. T.A. 2994
 
 
 
DORI
fl. T.A. 2941 - 3018
 
Nori
fl. T.A. 2941 - 3018
 
 
Thorin II
T.A. 2746 - 2941

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

On the wet night before meeting the Trolls the prepublication version had Bombur and Bofur failing to light a fire and quarreling about it, with Dori and Nori getting into a fight.[14] In the published version Tolkien added a comment that Óin and Glóin were especially good at making a fire, made them the two who could not do it that night, and had them start fighting.[7]

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

Dori in adaptations

Films[edit | edit source]

1966: The Hobbit (1966 film):

Dori is omitted. Thorin Oakenshield only travels with an unnamed guard and the princess of Dale.[15]

1977: The Hobbit (1977 film):

Dori is voiced by John Stephenson. Apart from Thorin, he is one of only three of the other Dwarves who speaks with any regularity (Balin and Bombur being the others). As in the book, he sometimes carries Bilbo on his back. He is the one to discover the Hobbit is missing during their escape from Goblin-town. Bilbo also holds onto his leg (much to his chagrin) while the Eagles are flying the Company to safety. Later, after reclaiming Erebor, you see the dwarves celebrating as Dori jokingly says about him being king under the mountain, though Thorin dismisses the dwarf's joke. During the Battle of Five Armies you see Dori, stabbed (making him possibly one of the dwarves that passed away during the battle).

2012-14: The Hobbit (film series):

Dori is played by Mark Hadlow.[16] A description of Dori in The Hobbit films was released by the studio:

A distant relative of Thorin Oakenshield, Dori is the eldest amongst his brothers Ori and Nori. He is the strongest in The Company of Dwarves, and spends much of his time watching out for Ori, making sure he hasn’t caught a chill or gotten himself killed by Wargs or Goblins. Eternally pessimistic, with a natural tendency to expect the worst, Dori is nonetheless quite prepared to risk life and limb in order to get the job done.
Warner Bros.[17]

Radio series[edit | edit source]

1968: The Hobbit (1968 radio series):

Dori is played by Alexander John.

1979: The Hobbit (1979 radio series):

No actor is specified for the role of Dori.

1980: Der Hobbit (1980 German radio series):

Dori is played by Rolf Schult.

1989: Hobit (1989 Slovak radio series):

Dori is present, but no actor is specified for the role of Dori.

Games[edit | edit source]

1982: The Hobbit (1982 video game):

Dori is omitted; Thorin is the only companion of the player, Bilbo Baggins.[18]

2003: The Hobbit (2003 video game):

Dori has a long brown beard without moustache. He does not appear in the game until Lake-town, though he can be seen in the fir tree with Bilbo, much like the scene in the book.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Dori is a non-playable character, who is the official "High Hoard Seeker" of Erebor. He is captured along with the gems he was bringing to the Dwarves of Othrikar by the Dourhands. The player must rescue him in Vol I, Book III, Chapter 4 "Freeing Dori". He also makes an appearance during the Dwarven Introduction quest line, at Thorin's Gate. Much later, after the events of Sauron's Fall, he is found in various places in Erebor, and leads an expedition into the Ered Mithrin to save his brother Nori.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, "Addendum: The Seventh Phase", "iv. Personae"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "Durin's Folk"
  3. 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Many Meetings"
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Over Hill and Under Hill"
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Barrels Out of Bond"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Flies and Spiders"
  7. 7.0 7.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Roast Mutton"
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "An Unexpected Party"
  9. 9.0 9.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire"
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Queer Lodgings"
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "A Warm Welcome"
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "The Return Journey"
  13. Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Mr. Baggins, The Second Phase, "Trolls", p. 91
  15. "The Hobbit.mp4" dated 5 January 2012, YouTube (accessed 10 January 2012)
  16. Peter Jackson, "Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit" dated 20 March 2011, Facebook (accessed 23 December 2011)
  17. Warner Bros., "Hobbit Movies" dated 7 September 2012, Apple iPhone/iPad App (accessed 19 September 2012)
  18. ZX Computing, 8304 (April/May 1983), p. 76, accessed April 24 2011
Members of Thorin and Company
Thorin · Balin · Dwalin · Fíli · Kíli · Dori · Nori · Ori · Óin · Glóin · Bifur · Bofur · Bombur · Gandalf · Bilbo Baggins
Route of Thorin and Company
Bag End · Green Dragon · The Shire · Lone-lands · Last Bridge · Trollshaws · Trolls' cave · Rivendell · High Pass · Front Porch · Goblin-town · Goblin-gate · Eagle's Eyrie · Carrock · Beorn's Hall · Wilderland · Forest Gate · Elf-path · Mirkwood · Elvenking's Halls · Forest River · Lake-town · Long Lake · River Running · Desolation of the Dragon · Ravenhill · Back Door · Lonely Mountain · Great Hall of Thráin
The Hobbit film series
Source material: The Hobbit · The Lord of the Rings
Films An Unexpected Journey (extended editionThe Desolation of Smaug (extended edition) · The Battle of the Five Armies (extended edition)
Music An Unexpected Journey (Special Edition) · The Desolation of Smaug (Special Edition) · The Battle of the Five Armies (Special Edition) · "Song of the Lonely Mountain" · "I See Fire" · "The Last Goodbye"
Tie-in books An Unexpected Journey Official Movie Guide · Visual Companion · Movie Storybook · Annual 2013 · Chronicles: Art & Design · Chronicles: Creatures & Characters · The World of Hobbits
The Desolation of Smaug Official Movie Guide · Visual Companion · Movie Storybook · Annual 2014 · Chronicles: Art & Design · Chronicles: Cloaks & Daggers · Smaug: Unleashing the Dragon · Activity Book · Sticker Book · Ultimate Sticker Collection
The Battle of the Five Armies Official Movie Guide · Visual Companion · Movie Storybook · Annual 2015 · Chronicles: Art & Design · Chronicles: The Art of War · Activity Book
Video games Kingdoms of Middle-earth · Armies of The Third Age · Lego The Hobbit
Characters Bilbo · Thorin · Gandalf · Balin · Fíli · Kíli · Dwalin · Dori · Nori · Ori · Óin · Glóin · Bifur · Bofur · Bombur · Smaug · Radagast · Elrond · Galadriel · Saruman · Azog · Bolg · Thranduil · Legolas · Tauriel · Bard · Bain · Tilda · Sigrid · Master of Lake-town · Alfrid · Dáin Ironfoot · Necromancer · Bert · William · Tom · Beorn · Thráin · Thrór · Goblin King · Gollum · Frodo