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Analysis Of Bilbo Baggins 's ' The Hobbit '

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Bilbo Baggins is one of the main characters of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Being a main character in a story, especially an adventure story, typically comes with some pretty hefty responsibilities. More often than not, the main character is also the hero. A hero is defined as “a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities,” and these are not necessarily qualities readily attributed to Bilbo Baggins (oxforddictionaries.com). This essay will look at three ways in which Bilbo contrasts the traditional characteristics of a hero and what transformations he ends up making to fit the mold more closely. It will examine his lineage, his strength, and his attitude as well as the changes he makes throughout the story. One of the first things that people realize about a hero is where they stand as far as nobility. For example, King Arthur is viewed as a hero. The first thing that one may notice about this specific hero is that his name actually proves his nobility and lineage. He is King Arthur, not just Arthur. Bilbo, on the other hand, is simply Bilbo Baggins. His name does not prove that he is anything special and it does not hint at any nobility or lineage. That is because Bilbo is not noble and does not come from a prestigious family lineage. James L. Hodge writes, “Bilbo, while not exactly a stepchild, is a ‘Took-Baggins’ and not a ‘Sackville-Baggins,’ ergo he is not quite respectable” (212). Although people may

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