Editing Smaug (section)

{{Short description|Dragon in J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit'}}<!--wiliness is cited in 'Analysis'-->
{{Other uses}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use British English |date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox character
| name      = Smaug
| series    = [[J. R. R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| image     = Conversation with Smaug.png
| caption   = Tolkien's illustration ''Conversation with Smaug''
| gender    = Male
| race      = [[Dragons (Tolkien)|Dragon]]
| lbl24     = Book(s)
| data24    = {{Plainlist |
* ''[[The Hobbit]]''
* ''[[The Return of the King]]''
* ''[[Unfinished Tales]]''
}}
}}
'''Smaug''' ({{IPAc-en|s|m|aʊ|g}}<ref name="AppE" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1996|loc="The Appendix on Languages"}}</ref>) is a [[Dragons in Middle-earth|dragon]] and the main [[antagonist]] in [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s 1937 novel ''[[The Hobbit]]'', his [[treasure]] and the mountain he lives in being the goal of [[Quests in Middle-earth|the quest]]. Powerful and fearsome, he invaded the [[Dwarf (Tolkien)|Dwarf]] kingdom of [[Erebor]] 171 years prior to the events described in the novel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Timeline/Third Age |url=https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Timeline/Third_Age |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724233046/https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Timeline/Third_Age |archive-date=24 July 2023 |access-date=24 July 2023 |website=[[Tolkien Gateway]]}}</ref> A group of thirteen dwarves mounted a quest to take the kingdom back, aided by the [[Wizards (Tolkien)|wizard]] [[Gandalf]] and the [[hobbit]] [[Bilbo Baggins]]. In ''The Hobbit'', [[Thorin Oakenshield|Thorin]] describes Smaug as "a most specially greedy, strong and wicked [[Worm (dragon)|worm]]".<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party}}</ref>

Critics have identified close parallels with what they presume are sources of Tolkien's inspiration, including the [[The dragon (Beowulf)|dragon in ''Beowulf'']], who is provoked by the stealing of a precious cup, and the speaking [[Germanic dragon|dragon]] [[Fafnir]], who proposes a betrayal to [[Sigurd]].<ref name="Fafnir comparison"/> A further source may be [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]]'s 1855 poem ''[[The Song of Hiawatha]]'', where Megissogwon, the spirit of wealth, is protected by an armoured shirt, but whose one weak spot is revealed by a talking bird.<ref name="Garth 2014"/> Commentators have noted Smaug's devious, vain, and proud character,<ref name="Porter2014" /> and his aggressively polite way of speaking, like the British [[upper class]].<ref name="Shippey 2005"/>

Smaug was voiced and interpreted with [[Motion capture|performance capture]] by [[Benedict Cumberbatch]] in [[Peter Jackson]]'s [[The Hobbit (film series)|film adaptations of ''The Hobbit'']].