The Image of a Classic Hero: Bilbo Baggins

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again is a fantasy novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on twenty first of September 1937, to wide critical acclaim and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Bilbo Baggins was a Hobbit of the Shire, the main protagonist of The Hobbit and a secondary character in The Lord of the Rings, the sequel to The Hobbit. Gandalf suggested Bilbo Baggins to be hired by Thorin and The Company to be their burglar in the Quest of Erebor, and later fought in the Battle of the Five Armies. Bilbo was also one of the bearers of the One Ring, and the first to voluntarily give it up, although with some difficulty. He wrote many of his adventures in a book he called There and Back Again. It is believed that Bilbo is an underdog, as there have been many cases where he showed his potential but was shut down. It is evident that Bilbo possesses the qualities of an underdog. Bilbo Baggins can be described as an underdog as he strives to prove he is able to overcome hardships and prevail. The role of the underdog resonates with the reader because they are enchanted by characters that overcome all types of adversity. In the case of Bilbo, it is his physical attributes along with his fear of the unknown that make him fall under the category of an underdog. He embarks on a journey to prove that an underdog can be a hero.

Throughout the novel, Bilbo progresses from being a frightened hobbit to proving he possesses the noble and brave qualities of a hero. When Gandalf is convincing the dwarves of Bilbo, he says ‘There is a lot more in him than… he has any idea of’. This statement is shown many times in the book when Bilbo goes on and uses his wit and cunning personality to overcome his psychological and physical disadvantages, as well as change the way he is perceived by others, to prove he is an unexpected hero. Bravery, loyalty, strength, eloquence and shrewdness, those are some of the main characteristics readers hope to find in a hero of an epic narrative. This idea of epic presents us to a hero who has higher virtues than the common man, to someone who is a natural leader, and is respected by his group. Tolkien, can be certainly considered as an epic, but Bilbo Baggins is not the classical hero type. Bilbo Baggins is sometimes considered as an anti-hero, so many are the differences between his nature and the classic hero’s. Throughout the story, Bilbo goes through many changes, being at the end of the narrative closer to the epic hero than he was on the beginning. Being a hero mostly revolves around the idea of knowing when to spare a life, rather than take one. In chapter five, ‘A sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror, welled up in Bilbo's heart.’, this shows that even though Bilbo has the opportunity to kill Gollum, he doesn't - suggesting that Bilbo is a moral hero and that Gollum's character is complex - he is not pure evil, but a creature worthy of pity. This is the clearest part where Bilbo’s true intentions are highlighted.

The biggest opposition that can be made between Bilbo and characters, happens on the first chapters of The Hobbit. On these first chapters readers can easily realize that this Hobbit is not as “heroic” as readers might originally think: right away readers notice that though curious, he’s not willing to be apart of such a dangerous adventure. In fact, his origins are also a factor that influences him not to go - readers are told that his Baggins side (his father’s family) is made of quiet and domestic people. Eventually, Bilbo “decides” to join the quest and though this journey will reveal itself as an initiating travel to Bilbo, soon readers realize how this Hobbit is different from the classic hero. At times, Bilbo longs for his home, this not only when he is in danger, tired and afraid, but also in moments when he is physically fit, as in Beorn’s house. Bilbo’s not especially strong or courageous; Bilbo needs to be saved by the other members of the group in some instances, as happens in the confrontation with the Trolls, when Gandalf saves them. Moreover, the biggest signs of bravery Bilbo gives the reader happen when he finds the ring can make him invisible - Bilbo Baggins needed to disappear in order to be daring enough and overcome his boundaries. Like so, as he does not have superior qualities than the others, Bilbo’s certainly not in a leadership position among this group (Thorin is the one closest to being the leader). But Bilbo knows that that is not his natural territory, and even when he starts becoming useful for the group, he always has a defensive posture, what can be seen, for instance, in the fact that he is humble; Bilbo doesn’t mock on those he defeats, as the classic hero tended to do. As opposed to the classic epic hero, Bilbo does not also fight great wars; he tends to be protected by chance and luck, what can be confirmed in the biggest brawl in The Hobbit, The Battle of the Five Armies, where Bilbo doesn’t take a direct part in because he was knocked out. In the quote of ‘He felt a different person… fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty stomach.’ it shows that that was the first time Tolkien showed Bilbo as a hero - his transition is slow, but he is beginning to think and feel more like a hero - a reminder that heroism is not born overnight. This also happens for the reason that Bilbo doesn’t have heroic intrinsic qualities, he grows as a hero as he overcomes the dangers, and even when his “heroic qualities” are in the highest level, he always seems very unsure about it, what gets to be proved in the very ending of the story, when Bilbo returns to be a domestic Hobbit - his character proved to be “round”: originally he is domestic, then adventurous, then domestic again, what confirms that, even in a now different way, Bilbo’s more comfortable in being a quiet Hobbit rather than a risk-taking one.

However, something that differs Bilbo Baggins from the classic hero’s concept is the fact that he “betrays” his group. By giving the Arkenstone to Bard, Bilbo is accused of treason, something a hero should never be accused of. But this “treason” is connected with other differences between Bilbo and the classic hero - the fact that he is fair, and far from greedy and obsessive. Bilbo gives the Arkenstone to Bard, because he believed that that was the right thing to do. Not only of differences is the connection between Bilbo Baggins and the classic hero made; the Hobbit shares some features of the epic hero, characteristics, those who become quite clearer after the moment in which Bilbo kills the Spider on his own. If the Baggins side of Bilbo’s family made him fear the adventure, his Took side (his mother’s) impelled him to go into the quest, what can be seen in the temptation he feels to say yes to the quest. But after killing the spider Bilbo reveals himself; from this point on, to have his bravery gradually increasing.

Another main feature that Bilbo shares with the classic hero is the fact that he is very astute. Moreover, both Bilbo and the classic hero are not all that intelligent or erudite, however, they are quick thinkers and are able to get out of tight situations; Bilbo is clever and is then able to survive Gollum’s game and to wait for the right moment to escape from the Elves, when they imprison the Dwarves. Furthermore, the fact that even though Bilbo did not want to have responsibilities in that group, he always performed his duties, and he was always able to get out of the situations he was involved in, no matter how hard they are, being this factor connected with the fact that Bilbo (just like the classic hero) is protected by his heroic fate, Bilbo is destined to perform great duties. It’s quite clear that despite the existence of some fluctuations, there are no in between characters, everyone is either good or bad. This becomes quite clear in the Battle of the Five Armies, where it can be seen who is on each side; but on a deeper analysis of the main characters of the book, readers can see that on the helpers side (those who will assist Bilbo in his quest) are Bard, Beorn, the Dwarves, the Eagles, the Elves, Elrond, Gandalf, Men and Roac. On the other hand, there are characters who try to avoid the goals Bilbo has to achieve - the opponents (the Goblins, Gollum, Smaug, the Spiders, the Trolls and the Wargs). Since very early on in the book, it becomes clear that every character is either good or bad, and that the fluctuations that there are, are usually provoked by some kind of external interference: Thorin’s evil attitude is due to his thirst for gold; Gollum’s positive one is (though unintentionally) providing the ring, which will help Bilbo throughout the story. The fact that Gandalf puts Bilbo in a quest he didn’t want to be in, can also be considered as a fluctuation from helper to opponent, especially when Gandalf leaves the group, letting them in a position of almost no knowledge of what’s to come.

In conclusion, Bilbo Baggins can be described as an underdog as he strives to prove he is able to overcome hardships and prevail. The role of the underdog resonates with the reader because they are enchanted by characters that overcome all types of adversity. From the time of taking the Arkenstone and showing that he is thinking bigger than himself to the point of sparing Gollum, Bilbo can be shown to have much more potential than he lets on. However, very early it becomes clear that every character is either good or bad, and that the fluctuations that there are, are usually provoked by some kind of external interference. But not only of differences is the connection between Bilbo Baggins and the classic hero made; in order to be considered a hero, the Hobbit certainly shares some features of the epic hero, characteristics those who become quite clearer after the moment in which Bilbo kills the Spider all by himself. Bilbo progresses from being a frightened hobbit to proving he possesses the noble and brave qualities of a hero. When Gandalf is convincing the dwarves of Bilbo, he says ‘There is a lot more in him than… he has any idea of’ (chapter one). This statement is shown many times in the book when Bilbo goes on and uses his wit and cunning personality to overcome his psychological and physical disadvantages, as well as change the way he is perceived by others, to prove he is an unexpected hero. Bravery, loyalty, strength, eloquence and shrewdness, those are some of the main characteristics readers hope to find in a hero of an epic narrative and Bilbo proves himself to fall under all of those, leading him to be an underdog at the beginning, but a memorable hero by the end.