The Desolation of the Dragon

The Desolation of the Dragon is the barren, lifeless wasteland that surrounds the Lonely Mountain, a landscape of utter ruin created by Smaug's long and destructive dominion. It marks the final, perilous stage of Thorin and Company's quest, a place where the land itself bears the scars of the dragon's presence and where the adventurers' hopes dwindle as they approach their goal.

Geography and Appearance

The Desolation stretches from the skirts of the Lonely Mountain outward, a region of bleak and barren land. Where once, as Thorin told his companions, the country had been green and fair, there was now little grass, and before long neither bush nor tree remained, only broken and blackened stumps to speak of ones long vanished. The land about them grew bleak and barren, and they were come to the Desolation of the Dragon at the waning of the year. The Mountain itself lay dark and silent before them, and ever higher above them. The only sound was the sound of the stony water, and every now and again the harsh croak of a bird. The Desolation was a place of grey and silent cliffs, where the river Running River wound a wide loop over the valley of Dale, flowing swift and noisily. Its bank was bare and rocky, tall and steep above the stream. From a hidden vantage point, the adventurers could see in the wide valley shadowed by the Mountain's arms the grey ruins of ancient houses, towers, and walls—all that was left of Dale.

Cause and History

The Desolation was the direct result of Smaug's arrival. The dragon, a most specially greedy, strong and wicked worm, flew south and settled on the Mountain, driving out the dwarves and destroying the surrounding lands. He came down the slopes and when he reached the woods they all went up in fire. Later he used to crawl out of the great gate and come by night to Dale, and carry away people, especially maidens, to eat, until Dale was ruined, and all the people dead or gone. The land became a wilderness, a testament to the dragon's power and the complete devastation he wrought. The very air was filled with a foul reek, and the ground was littered with the remains of what had once been a prosperous region.

Narrative Significance

The Desolation of the Dragon serves as the final, grim threshold of the quest. It is the place where the adventurers must confront the reality of their goal, a place of desolation and danger that tests their resolve. The land about them grew bleak and barren, and their spirits fell. They knew that they were drawing near to the end of their journey, and that it might be a very horrible end. The Desolation is also a place of hidden dangers and unexpected encounters. It is where the dwarves and Bilbo first spy the dark cavernous opening of the Front Gate, out of which came a steam and a dark smoke, and where they are watched by black and ominous crows. The Desolation is a constant reminder of the dragon's power and the cost of his greed, a landscape that embodies the threat they must overcome. Even after Smaug's death, the Desolation remains a significant location, as the birds that dwelt on its borders carry the news of his fall, and the armies of elves and men gather there, leading to the Battle of Five Armies.