Premium Essay

Who Is Bilbo In The Hobbit

Submitted By
Words 587
Pages 3
Bilbo Baggins Character Analysis Rough Draft
“Hobbits really are amazing creatures… You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you at a pinch.” Bilbo is relatable to many people, even though he is a hobbit and not human. Bilbo found characteristics of himself that he did not know he had. Now he has more titles than just the hobbit under the Hill, he is an adventurer. Tolkien uses Bilbo as the central character to tell the audience that such a great event can change a person, but it is important for that person to keep their beliefs.
Tolkien has created Bilbo as someone that can be related to. Tolkien clearly describes Bilbo’s Baggins-side, a well-respected hobbit family, and his Took-side, the out-there and adventurous family that “[wishes] to go and see the great mountains… and wear a sword instead of a walking stick.” It is easy to relate to someone like this by enjoying the comfort of everyday life, but also wishing something fun, exciting, and new would happen. This helps Tolkien introduce Bilbo as the protagonist and help the readers be more empathetic towards him. Because Bilbo’s Took-side led him go on this …show more content…
The Dwarves and Bilbo were being captured by giant spiders in the Mirkwood Forest when Bilbo, “beat the creature off with his hands until he remembered his sword and drew it out… after that, it was his turn to attack.” A hobbit from the Shire would think someone was insane if they were told that Bilbo did this. As such a peace-loving and pleasant race, hobbits would not think of themselves capable of such a feat. Tolkien puts Bilbo in this situation develop him even more as a hero who was able to overcome a creature larger than himself to not only save himself, but also his comrades who were also

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Bilbo's Archetypes In The Hobbit

...The Hobbit is a wonderful book to read. J.R.R Tolkien who is the author of the Hobbit used various archetypes throughout the novel. Some archetypes that J.R.R Tolkien used in the Hobbit are communion, the hero, and the journey. The main character in the Hobbit is Bilbo Baggins and you wouldn’t think that a person with the personality of Bilbo would be the hero. Bilbo Baggins didn’t have any ambition in his life, he had hobbies but they were boring hobbies. In the beginning of the Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien uses the archetype of communion. Most people think of holy ceremony that takes place in church were everybody gets a small cup of grape juice and a tiny piece of bread. Communion is the act of intimate fellowship and rapport. Communion doesn’t have to happen in a church in fact you don’t just have to eat bread and drink grape juice. That is shown in the Hobbit because when Bilbo, Gandalf and the twelve dwarfs were eating dinner together that is also known as communion. When Bilbo leaves his Hobbit hole that is when the journey starts. The task for Bilbo Baggins is to help the dwarfs reclaim their treasure from Samug. During the beginning of their journey they encounter three hungry trolls who capture them all expect Gandalf. Gandalf saves them by tricking the trolls to stay outside into the sun comes up because they will have turned into stone. After...

Words: 801 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Bilbo's Transformation In The Hobbit

...taking over but he was not aware of it. It is in chapter five “ Riddles in the Dark” where Bilbo starts his real...

Words: 1081 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Hobbit Chapter 1

...Hobbits, the narrator explains, are little people, roughly half the size of humans, with thick hair on their feet, round bellies, and a love of good food, comfort, and security. Though some hobbits live in houses, they traditionally live in holes in the ground. The holes are not dank and smelly but comfortable, cozy underground dwellings with all the amenities of their aboveground counterparts. The hole occupied by the hobbit known as Bilbo Baggins is called Bag End. It is quite a pleasant dwelling, with comfortable furniture and a well-stocked kitchen, nestled in a snug little village under a hill. Bilbo’s ancestry is somewhat noble by hobbit standards: his father was from the well-to-do, conventional Baggins family, but his mother was from the Tooks, a wealthy, eccentric family infamous for their unhobbitlike tendency to go on adventures. Despite his Took blood, however, Bilbo prefers to stay at home and live a quiet life. On the day the story begins, Bilbo is enjoying a pipe outside his front door when an old man with a long cloak and a staff arrives. After the old man introduces himself, Bilbo recognizes him as the wizard Gandalf, who has created spectacular fireworks displays on holidays in Hobbiton, but Bilbo still looks on the old wizard with a suspicious eye. When Gandalf asks if Bilbo would be interested in going on an adventure, Bilbo declines and quickly excuses himself. He invites the wizard to come over for tea sometime but only so as not to seem rude—in reality...

Words: 613 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Archetypal Roles In The Hobbit

...“The Hobbit” is a book that narrates the adventures of a creature called a hobbit. Bilbo, the name of the hobbit, embarks on a long journey with a troop of fourteen to recover stolen gold. His companions each play different roles throughout the story, and these roles help readers understand what each character contributes to the story. As the story progresses, the reader will start to realize which characters belong to which archetypal roles and how they affect the story. Roles such as the shapeshifter add suspense, and roles like the herald help bring the story to life. In “The Hobbit,” many characters play archetypal roles to help carry and enhance the story. Heroes play the most important role in the story, they make sacrifices and lead...

Words: 1141 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Hobbit: or, There and Back Again from the Viewpoint of a Mythological, Biographical, and Historical Critic

...J.R.R Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit follows the journey of one central hero, Bilbo Baggins, and his company of dwarves as they embark to Erebor to retake the dwarves’ homeland. This epic tale can be analyzed using a mythological, biographical, or historical critic’s point of view. There are also a few themes seen throughout the novel, including greed and the journey. From a mythological standpoint, one could mention the works of literature that Tolkien himself said has influenced his fantasies about the fabled land of Middle-earth: Iceland’s Poetic Edda and Beowulf. Some tales in Norse mythology can also be analyzed to apply to Tolkien’s novel. Based on a biographically and historically opinion, one might talk about the World Wars’ effect on Tolkien and his novels. Another approach that could be taken is one based on the archetypes seen in The Hobbit; the hero, Bilbo Baggins, and the villain, the dragon Smaug. One could connect the archetypes and events of The Hobbit to those of Beowulf. The Hobbit could also be seen as a novel of the genre bildungsroman, which means “coming-of-age” and focuses on the emotional and physical development of the main character. The use of mythological criticism in the analysis of J.R.R Tolkien’s first novel The Hobbit is by far the most popular among renowned literature critics – one of whom was CS Lewis, an author of children’s fantasy novels himself. It is easy to explain the story from a mythological point of view; many ancient texts have themes...

Words: 4640 - Pages: 19

Premium Essay

Characteristics Of Bilbo

...Is Bilbo a leader whenever Gandalf is away? The dwarves would never have made it to the Lonely Mountain without Bilbo. Bilbo is the one who killed the spiders and freed the dwarves from their webs. He is the one who led their escape from the Elven palace. The hobbit shows creativity and confidence throughout the journey. Both of those are characteristics of a leader. Bilbo is definitely a leader when Gandalf is away. Bilbo killed the spiders and freed the dwarves from their webs. The dwarves would never have made it to the Lonely Mountain if Bilbo had lacked the courage to fight the spiders. The group would have been eaten by the spiders. Bilbo demonstrates confidence while fighting and killing the spiders. Bilbo also exhibits creativity....

Words: 318 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Hobbit and Myth

...Exploring the Elements of a Hero’s Journey in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit In most stories there are a sequence of events that take place from start to finish that help as unspoken guidelines. These guidelines help give shape to many fairy tales and heros adventures that are found in stories from all time lines and geographical walks of life. Once the reader becomes aware of what these events are and how to look for them it becomes easy to spot these patterns and examples in films, literature, theatrical productions, etc. The goal of this paper is to familiarize the reader with a few different authors concepts and criteria that commonly occur in a vast majority of stories that contain any sort of adventurer or hero-type figure. In the case of J.R.R. Tolkien’s tale of The Hobbit, when broken down and analyzed using concepts from Joseph Campbell, and occasionally Marie von Franz, and Vladimir Propp, the reader may use their concept to read the book with insight and clarity that opens up a whole new way of looking at the hobbits adventure and the journey he partakes in. After one has a knowledge of the sequence of events that help to make up an adventure story it is hard to look at many books and films you’ve already seen in the same way. My hopes is that by the end of this, you will see The Hobbit in a new light. The Hobbit embodies significant aspects of the “hero’s journey” and the exploration of these using different authors works helps the reader to understand the analyzation...

Words: 2872 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Sterotyping the Hobbit

...Stereotyping The Hobbit Stereotypes are qualities given to a group of people based on their race, or the qualities they have. They take something that is partly true about someone and believe it is true about the whole race. For example, in Asia they hold education very highly and Asian people typically do very well in school. The stereotype regarding Asians is that they are all very good at math. This is not true. I have some Asian friends and they struggle with math just as much as I do. Many stereotypes exist today. They are bad because we just assume we what the person is like without getting to know them. The stereotyped image I brought into class was a picture of an Italian man. He had his hair spiked up, his skin spray tanned orange, and was wearing a wife-beater. This image is how we perceive Italian men to be. We view them this way because that is how we see them on the show Jersey Shore. All of the people on the show are dressed, and look like the picture I brought in. In reality only some Italians look that way. The majority of them look and act like ordinary people. Just because someone is Italian does not mean that they dress and act like what we think they should. You cannot judge someone based on how they look. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, this proves very true. There are a few characters throughout this story that break the stereotypes of themselves. The biggest example of this is with Mr. Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo is a hobbit. Hobbits are described as tiny,...

Words: 791 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Hobbit Is A Classic Essay

...The Hobbit is a novel by J.R.R. Tolkien illustrating the adventure of Bilbo Baggins on his quest to help his dwarf friends. Through the journey, Bilbo discovers the true potential of his loyalty, bravery, and cleverness. I believe The Hobbit should remain a classic in our modern world. This is due to its expression of life and morals, the work’s renowned recognition after over 75 years, its appeal to the over 100 million copies sold, and its connections to the modern literature that the work has influenced. I feel that the despite the change of time, The Hobbit has withstanded and exceeded expectations securing itself the right and justification to be a classic. The meaning of good over evil, and right over wrong, are concepts that author...

Words: 810 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Is Bilbo A Hero In The Hobbit

...In J.R.R. Tolkien’s book, The Hobbit, the main character, Bilbo, makes a miraculous journey from hobbit to hero. A few instances that proves this are when Bilbo gives the Arkenstone to Bard and the Elvenking, when he defeats Gollum and takes his ring, and when he saves the dwarves from the Elvenking’s palace. First off, Bilbo gave the Arkenstone to Bard and the Elvenking to prevent war. Bilbo did this knowing that he would face Thorin’s wrath. When he did this, he knew that he was walking into enemy territory. He did what he thought was best, no matter the consequences. This helps Bilbo on his way to hero because he displays braveness and perseverance. Secondly, Bilbo defeated Gollum in a riddle battle, but Gollum planned to kill Bilbo....

Words: 306 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

The Hobbit-Bilbo Babbins Character

...Bilbo Baggins Bilbo Baggins, one of the main characters of The Hobbit, he was a hobbit who lived a very peaceful, timid, and sheltered life before he was approached by Thorin and the dwarves. They invited him to go with them on some adventures. He was known as a respectable, humble, and an unadventurous hobbit by others. When Bilbo was approached to go on the adventures, he was reluctant to go at first; however, he wanted and found a new sense of adventure and excitement that he was missing previously in his life. During his early years as a hobbit, he always had a sense of curiosity and was eager to learn new things but he never did until later in life. Bilbo wanted to prove to himself that he was adventurous and he wanted to live his life to the fullest. He came out of his shell eventually and some of his earlier adventurous actions with the dwarves were somewhat wreck less and illegal and he lost some respect of others. He wanted to prove that he was capable of great things and he had heroic abilities of one who could help defeat the dragon or his opponents. He gained confidence in himself overtime. He also found himself in life threatening situations through out his adventures. These made him stronger physically as well as mentally. He became more self assured about his abilities as a fighter and adventurer. He changed over time because he learned to fight his fears, became more aggressive and clever. During his adventures, he acquired some treasures, became the ring bearer...

Words: 435 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Hobbit Book Report

...report: The Hobbit – J.R.R Tolkien The author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was an English writer, poet, philologist and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Tolkien was born on the 3rd of January 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and died on the 2nd of September 1973. He died at the age 81, in Bournemouth. Tolkien wrote the book in 1937. At this time Hitler was in power. I could not find anything in his book that is pointing somehow to Hitler. After the death of Tolkien, his son published a some works based on his father’s notes. Together with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, these form a connected body of tales, poems, fictional histories and invented languages in a world called Middle Earth The Setting The time periods of JRR Tolkien are not like our time periods. It’s a completely different world than ours. The Hobbit takes place in Middle Earth during the Third Age (years 2941 – 2942) about 55 years before the start of the Lord of the Rings story. This time period is Protagonist and antagonists In this book the protagonist is Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit. Bilbo ( 50 years old ) was hired as a burglar by the wizard Gandalf and 13 dwarves (led by Thorin Oakenshield, their king). He was hired to go on a quest with the dwarves to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, and its treasure within, defended by the dragon Smaug. Before the adventure, Bilbo was a simple Hobbit in the Shire, who enjoyed the...

Words: 1028 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Paper

...The Hobbit Summaries: Chapter 1: In Chapter 1 of The Hobbit the characters are introduced and the story begins. Bilbo Baggins seems to be the main character, Bilbo is a hobbit who lives in a cozy, comfy hole like many other hobbits. Bilbo lives a quiet, peaceful life until a wizard named Gandalf and his dwarves come and tell Bilbo he is destined to join their journey. Bilbo doesn’t think he is cut out for this journey and neither do the dwarves, but Gandalf does. While Bilbo accompanies to the dwarves and Gandalf’s every need, they explain the journey. Thorin, who could be classified as the most important dwarf explains most of the journey. The journey is to reclaim the treasure that Thorin’s family once had but is now protected by Smaug an enormous dragon who stole it. Bilbo Baggins feels very uneasy about attending this journey and at the end of the chapter does not even know if he will participate. The setting of this chapter is “The Hill”, where many Hobbit holes are. Symbols used in this chapter were; the maps that the dwarves/Gandalf have symbolize direction of their journey. Also, some of the songs that the dwarves sing symbolize hints and feelings. A developing theme I see is “anyone can be a hero,” because I think Bilbo will end up going. Chapter 2: In the second chapter, the journey begins! Bilbo wakes up and assumes that Gandalf and the dwarves have left without him since none of them are present. Shortly after, Gandalf comes in and shows Bilbo a note that says...

Words: 3290 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Why Did Bilbo Grow In The Hobbit

...Why growth and strength is important Bilbo was forced to go on an unfamiliar adventure, he had no idea what he was getting himself into. He went through everything a creative mind could imagine, from floating in wine barrels to being grabbed out of the sky by eagles. Bilbo, at first was a frightened, scared little hobbit but as the adventure drew on he gained much strength. He learned how to be loyal to what he thought was a good leader. He gained so much respect that many of the hobbits now saw him as a leader himself. Bilbo went through as many trials as all of the other hobbits but it was the way he took it. In the beginning of the story he went through the worst of weather. Bilbo heartily misses home, he explained this adventure business is cold, wet, and uncomfortable! Next they come across three trolls named Bert, Tom, and William, and of course they sent bilbo to investigate. Bilbo was captured and almost cooked, he did not get off to a good start....

Words: 531 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Student

...THE HOBBIT J. R. R. Tolkien ← Chapter 1 → There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself. (See Important Quotations Explained) Summary Hobbits, the narrator explains, are little people, roughly half the size of humans, with thick hair on their feet, round bellies, and a love of good food, comfort, and security. Though some hobbits live in houses, they traditionally live in holes in the ground. The holes are not dank and smelly but comfortable, cozy underground dwellings with all the amenities of their aboveground counterparts. The hole occupied by the hobbit known as Bilbo Baggins is called Bag End. It is quite a pleasant dwelling, with comfortable furniture and a well-stocked kitchen, nestled in a snug little village under a hill. Bilbo’s ancestry is somewhat noble by hobbit standards: his father was from the well-to-do, conventional Baggins family, but his mother was from the Tooks, a wealthy, eccentric family infamous for their unhobbitlike tendency to go on adventures. Despite his Took blood, however, Bilbo prefers to stay at home and live a quiet life. On the day the story begins, Bilbo is enjoying a pipe outside his front door when an old man with a long cloak and a staff arrives. After the old man introduces himself, Bilbo recognizes him as the wizard Gandalf, who has created spectacular fireworks displays on holidays in Hobbiton, but Bilbo still looks on the old wizard with a suspicious eye. When Gandalf asks if Bilbo...

Words: 1231 - Pages: 5