The Transformation to a Hero: Bilbo Baggins Essay

The Transformation to a Hero: Bilbo Baggins

Take a moment and think of what you would imagine a hero to be; what do you picture? You are most likely picturing someone tall, muscular, and handsome. In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins is an unlikely hero. In looking at his inadequate appearance it is almost unbelievable that he would change, and essentially save, Middle Earth. Bilbo Baggins was not a hero by any of todays standards, but he did not need any of those characteristics. Bilbo possessed a hidden reserve of inner strength, that even he did not perceive when the quest began. In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins was transformed into an outstanding hero. Mr. Baggins was a man of many traits, yet courage, reliability, and intelligence made him most heroic.

The first quality that Bilbo Baggins displayed which made him a hero was courage. Throughout the novel Bilbo demonstrates courage in multiple situations. For example, Mr. Baggins is very courageous when he slaughters the giant spider in the midst of the night. Somehow the killing of this giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark . . . made a great difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt a different person, and much fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty stomach, as he wiped his sword on the grass and put it back into its sheath (Tolkien 156). Defeating this enemy in Mirkwood gives Bilbo a glimpse of confidence that he did not previously have. This is essentially a turning point for Bilbo Baggins, and he displays courage from this point on. Other instances in the novel, when Bilbo exhibits bravery, are when he enters the tunnel to Smaugs lair alone. Although Bilbo is horribly terrified, he still has the courage to do what he needs to.

Another quality that Bilbo contains is reliability. Throughout the novel Bilbo has many chances where he is able to abandon the dwarves and Thorin. In fact, deserting the dwarves would have made everything much simpler for Bilbo Baggins. One instance in which Bilbo demonstrates reliability is when he saves the dwarves from the elves of Mirkwood. Bilbo saw the time had come to explain his idea, as far as he could; but he did not feel at all sure how the dwarves would take it. His fears were quite justified, for they did not like it a bit, and started grumbling loudly in spite of their danger (Tolkien 179). Bilbo risks his life to save the dwarves from the imprisonment they were put in by the elves of Mirkwood, however the dwarves can only complain. Bilbo had promised the dwarves, Thorin, and Gandalf that he would not leave them behind; and he is able to keep his promise. Bilbo Baggins shows reliability when he chooses not to take the simple way out.

The last trait that Bilbo exerts that transforms him into a hero, in the novel The Hobbit, is intelligence. In order to be a hero, you must be able to out think others and be clever. Bilbo exposes his quick wit when he is in the Misty Mountains with Gollum. In order to escape from Gollum, Bilbo is challenged to a duel of riddles. Very well, said Bilbo, who was anxious to agree, until he found out more about the creature, whether he was quite alone, whether he was fierce or hungry, and whether he was a friend of the Goblins (Tolkien 73). Bilbo is smart enough to agree to the battle of riddles, so that he can buy more time to find out information about Gollum. Another important time that Bilbo Baggins uses his mind to solve a problem is when he finds the hidden door on the Lonely Mountain. Without him and his intelligence, the dwarves would never have retrieved their gold back and Middle Earth would have perished.

Heroes may come in all shapes and sizes, and Bilbo Baggins is a prime example of that. He undergoes many changes within the novel, The Hobbit, that cause him to become heroic. As the story starts out, you would not believe that this small, humble hobbit would have such a huge impact on the world. In the end of the novel, Thorin says There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world (Tolkien 290). Thorin acknowledges that even though Bilbo started out as a nuisance he became the leader, and the hero. Bilbo is transformed into a hero by displaying bold traits; such as bravery, dependability, and brilliance.