Bilbo Baggins

Bilbo

Name - Bilbo Baggins
Other names - Ring-Finder, Ring-Winner, Luck Wearer, Lucky Number, Stinging Fly, Barrel Rider, Burglar
Titles - Ring-bearer, Elf Friend
Race - Hobbit
Parents - Bungo Baggins and Belladonna Took
Homes - Bag End (Hobbiton); Rivendell
Culture - Shire-hobbit, Baggins family
Date of birth - September 22, T.A. 2890
Date of departure to Aman - September 29, T.A. 3021
Date of death - N/A

The Hobbit

Bilbo Baggins is the reluctant hero of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit, Despite being known as a little odd by hobbit standards in regards to his desire for adventure. In the opening chapters of The Hobbit, Bilbo is tricked into holding a party for 13 dwarves, and a certain wizard by the name of Gandalf. Bilbo then becomes one of the group, intent on reclaiming the Lonely Mountain from the fiercesome dragon, Smaug. This mission sees Bilbo travel further than any other hobbit would care to consider, through Rivendell, Mirkwood and Erebor; into dark, dank caves, and dragons dens; against trolls, orcs and spiders. It is of course on this journey, that the journeys of many others unknowingly begins. Bilbo not only meets Gollum, but also finds his precious ring, The One Ring. Bilbo outsmarts Gollum in a competition of riddles, and escapes with his life and The Ring. Despite Bilbo using the Ring's invisibilty powers multiple times during this quest alone, no one, not even Gandalf comprehend it's true power and significance. Thus, Bilbo continues to use the Ring back in Hobbiton, for mundane matters such as hiding from his pesky relatives the Sackville-Bagginses. His journey with the dwarves also allowed for Bilbo to build up friendships with many that the rest of the hobbit's isolated nature would not allow. These friendships allowed for Bilbo to continue to express his adventurous nature, with furthering his friendships with the dwarves and the elves, and of course Gandalf and occasionally travelling with them.

The Lord of the Rings

Although not a major character in the sequel to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo's role is still essential. In Bilbo's bringing The Ring back to Hobbiton in The Hobbit, he has started a sequence of events which will see his cousin Frodo travel to the furthest, darkest corner of Middle Earth. It is also through Bilbo that Gandalf first realises the terrible effect The Ring can have on a person. In realising this himself, Bilbo leaves Bag End for the last time, and heads to Rivendell to a form of retirement, where he writes a history of his life, what is known as 'There and Back Again' (or The Hobbit to us).

Bilbo's Fate

Bilbo's fate is a bittersweet one, depending on your perspective. As a Ringbearer he is granted passage to the Grey Havens, leaving Hobbiton, The Shire, and Middle Earth behind forever, however he is joined by his dearest friends Gandalf, Elrond and of course, Frodo.

Bilbo: The Legend

You can't face dragons and trolls without leaving a bit of a mark on Hobbit history. Bilbo became a legendary hobbit in his long life. Thanks to the Ring he became the oldest living hobbit (at the age of 131!) of course, counting after that would be cheating. His eccentricity led to the name 'Mad Bagginses', immortalised in Hobbit Legend for vanishing in a flash, and returning with jewels.

Bilbo's Wisdom

"Sorry! I don't want any adventures here, thank you. Not today. Good morning!"

"Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.

"Old fat spider spinning in a tree!
Old fat spider can't see me!
Attercop! Attercop!
Won't you stop,
Stop your spinning and look for me?
Old Tomnoddy, all big body,
Old Tomnoddy can't spy me!
Attercop! Attercop!
Down you drop!
You'll never catch me up your tree!"

"Thirty white horses on a red hill,
First they champ,
Then they stamp,
Then they stand still."*

"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

"I have done this and that. I have written some more of my book. And, of course, I make up a few songs. They sing them occasionally: just to please me, I think; for, of course, they aren't really good enough for Rivendell. And I listen and I think. Time doesn't seem to pass here: it just is. A remarkable place altogether."

"I am sorry: sorry you have come in for this burden: sorry about everything. Don't adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story."

"I had thought of putting: and he lived happily ever afterwards to the end of his days. It is a good ending, and none the worse for having been used before. Now I shall have to alter that: it does not look like coming true."

* = Answer is Teeth