Bilbo Baggins is a fictional character created by J.R.R. Tolkien. He is a hobbit who lives in the Shire in Middle-earth. He is the hero of The Hobbit, where he is hired as a burglar by dwarves who are trying to reclaim their mountain home. It is on this journey that he comes to posses the One Ring.
His journey begins in the book called The Hobbit, in which the wizard Gandalf enlists him to help thirteen dwarves on a mission to defeat a treacherous dragon. It is on this journey that Bilbo meets Gollum and steals the One Ring from him, which becomes the focal point of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Bilbo also appears in The Lord of the Rings, but in a minor role. At the beginning of that book, he leaves The Shire once again, passing on the Ring to his cousin and adopted heir Frodo Baggins who becomes the central character. Reading The Hobbit before reading or seeing The Lord of the Rings greatly enhances the viewer's comprehension of the movie, especially when Bilbo vanishes when he puts on the ring, and slowly falls prey to its power.
Opening of The Hobbit - Animated Film (1977)
In a hole in the ground, but not a nasty wet hole, there lives a hobbit. It was in the ancient time of Middle-Earth when men shared the land with hobbits, goblins and dragons. Bilbo Baggins enjoys smoking a pipe and relaxing until Gandalf, the wandering wizard, arrives and turns Bilbo’s quiet world upside down.In a hole in the ground, but not a nasty wet hole, there lives a hobbit. It was in the ancient time of Middle-Earth when men shared the land with hobbits, goblins and dragons. Bilbo Baggins enjoys smoking a pipe and relaxing until Gandalf, the wandering wizard, arrives and turns Bilbo’s quiet world upside down.
Bilbo Baggins is introduced in the first pages of The Hobbit, shown here in the opening of an animated version.
Bilbo Baggins Timeline
The Thain's Book: Bilbo Baggins Detailed Timeline
Third Age: September 22, 2890: Born
2941, April 26: Party with the Dwarves
2941, April 27: Sets out to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug with Thorin's Company
2941, May: Encounters Trolls,
2941, Autumn: Lost in Mirkwood | Rescues companions from Spiders & the Elven-King's Prison
2941, September 22: Arrives in Esgaroth
2941, Durin's Day: Finds secret door into the Lonely Mountain, Smaug leaves and is killed
2941, Early Winter: Encounters Gollum and finds the One Ring
2989: Invites orphaned cousin Frodo Baggins to live with him
3001, September 22: Celebrates his 111th birthday
3002: Retires to Rivendell
3018, December 25: Gives Sting and his Mithril Shirt to Frodo
3019: Gives Frodo his memoirs and elvish translations
3021, September 29: Sails into the Undying Lands with Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond & Frodo
References
Fast Facts
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Created By
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First Appearance
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Race
Hobbit
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Film
Portrayed by Ian Holm in the Lord of the Rings film series
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Other Names
Also known as: Ring Bearer, Ring Finder, Barrel Rider, Stinging-Fly
