The role of Bilbo's sword in this excellent novel can
actually be related to the development of Bilbo as a character as the novel progresses,
in particular when Bilbo gives his sword its name. Let us remember that Bilbo first
finds his sword in Chapter Two, in the treasure trove of the trolls that Gandalf manages
to trick and turn into stone. Note how the sword is
described:
...Bilbo took a knife in a leather sheath. It
would have made only a tiny pocket-knife for a troll, but it was as good as a short
sword for the hobbit.
What is
crucial to note is that at this stage Bilbo does not name his blade, and it is only
mentioned as a passing comment. However, if we jump forward to Chapter Eight and when
Bilbo rescues the dwarves from the spiders, we can see how using his sword successfully
and killing a spider is a key part of Bilbo's character
development:
Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all
alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or of anyone
else, made a big difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt a different person, and much fiercer
and bolder in spite of an empty
stomch...
The use of the
blade coincides with Bilbo's transformation from a food-loving hobbit to an adventurer,
and it is highly significant that this transformation also is marked by Bilbo naming his
blade Sting, which cements the transformation. Thus we can see that Sting is an
important marker of Bilbo's own journey towards being a hero.
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