Talking spiders

[Lasgalen]

Is anyone else creeped out by the spiders of Mirkwood having the ability to talk? And they don't just say simple things, they carry on conversations and they laugh. (Bombur kicked one of the spiders "and the enraged spider fell of the branch, only catching itself with its own thread just in time. The others laughed." )

Ok. Maybe they are Ungoliant's offspring, but it is still creepy that they can talk.

[Saruman]

I thought that too. It's odd that Shelob doesn't seem to talk.

[Mirkgirl]

Well I think Shelob can talk but doesn't... Tolkien's secondary evils don't seem to talk much - the Balrogs for example, I wouldn't think that the most powerful spirits in Morgoth's army weren't able to speak.

Also Gollum seems to have communicated with the big spider.

[Lasgalen]

Ungoliant was able to talk, so it makes sense that Shelob could as well. But I find her much scarier making noises than if she were talking.

[Radagast]

Imagine a balrog talking really british.... lol

Im just gonna fry up some Hobbits, to the mister and misses...

[Gil Galad]

they were wierd i just thought they were some demons, but then when i read teh Sil i assumed they were grandkids or so of Ungolliant, so i made sense

[Lasgalen]

I found it creepy that the Mirkwood spiders would be so talkative yet Shelob seems to say nothing. They are downright gabby. Even Ungoliant wasn't that talkative.

[Amithrellas]

I had a feeling that the spiders are chatty because The Hobbit is aimed at a younger audience.
Just confirmed by my 9-year-old son. We're listening to The Hobbit on tape (bedtime stuff) and just got up to that part

He says the spiders would be scarier if they didn't say anything.
And then there's Bilbo's taunting & songs that help save Thorin & Co....
Wouldn't have flown if Bilbo didn't know he'd be understood lol

[Lady Melanie]

still, talking or laughing spiders are pretty freaky. I prefer spiders that dont talk, actually I dont prefer spiders at all!

[Gil Galad]

no i like spiders, maybe not the talkin kind tho. but i think Amithrelles has it there, it was prob to make it more distinct from reality that they were made so chatty

[Forfirith]

hey!! i didnt know that the spiders in the Hobbit can talk...lol..i think i'll have to reread it again...

[Gil Galad]

they laugh too

[Lady Melanie]

And they can put dwarves in a coma for a while!!!

[Lasgalen]

And they get mad if you taunt them.

[Lady Melanie]

and they can run very fast

[Mirkgirl]

And they like long dwarf noses ;)

[Forfirith]

ok..i've understand : they can do awesome things...lol

[Lady Melanie]

So r u going to read the hobbit again?

[Forfirith]

if you are talking to me...i'll say "not now"..i'm reading LOTR again...lol

[Lady Melanie]

I just finished reading LOTR again for the 3rd time. Its great! But I really want to get myself a book of maps of ME.

[Mirkgirl]

*points the titel of the thread* - talking spiders rather than what are you reading right now, dontcha think? :p

[Lady Melanie]

Sorry Mirky!!!
Well the wonders of having talking spiders are....

[Lasgalen]

I wonder how many languages the spiders speak. Bilbo was able to understand them, yet they lived in Mirkwood. Do you suppose they knew Sindarin as well?