“A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart” -Hercules. In the book The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins had to make many decisions, which could be considered to be heroic, but he isn’t necessarily considered to be a hero because of his physical strength. What does it mean to be a hero? In the book Beowulf, many considered Beowulf to be a hero because of his strong, and prideful personality, and his large, and mighty size. Bilbo on the other hand was quiet and generous, and he was also only three feet tall, which made people question his bravery, and strength. Bilbo’s heroic qualities couldn’t always be easily notices, but were definitely always there. Through many of his experiences his bravery, kindness, …show more content…
Many heroes are brutal in order to show their manliness or strength. Bilbo was strong because of his good heart and mind. He showed his kindness through his generosity, his level head, and his loyalty. Many would believe Bilbo agreed to the quest because of the treasure he knew he would receive. He did indeed earn the treasure, but out of the goodness of his heart, Bilbo heroically gave up all of it and shared with the people in need (44). Not only was Bilbo generous, but also he was always determined to right. Bilbo always was sure to think through every decision he made to make sure he was doing the best for others and himself. He took into consideration the well being of others and not just what they thought about him (47). Bilbo showed his kindness not only by putting others first, but also through his loyalty. He chose to give the precious Arkenstone away to Bard, and return home to his friends. He said, “I don’t think I ought to leave my friends like this, after all we have gone through together” (244). Bilbo was kind to everyone he was loyal and generous, which all show his …show more content…
He made a decision when he received his sword, which was that he would not be violent with it unless he needed to be. He chose to only use it for self-defense, which showed he was a gentle hero. Bilbo put his decision to the test when he was over Gollum with his sword raised ready to strike, but stopped himself after thinking before acting. He realized that had no defense, nor had he given any threat on Bilbo’s life. A merciless warrior would have killed Gollum the way that Beowulf killed Grendel, but instead Bilbo showed one of the most heroic qualities one could possess. He showed mercy (80). Bilbo’s merciful spirit also shined through when he refused to fight in the Battle of Five Armies. The thought of violence repels him. “Bilbo’s heart fell, both at the song and the talk: they sounded much too warlike” (236). Bilbo was not violent. He was gentle, and in Bilbo that was a heroic quality. Bilbo was a hero. Although Bilbo did not necessarily have the same qualities that cause Beowulf to be considered a hero, he had his own special characteristics. He was brave, kind, and gentle. He proved himself a hero because of his thoughtfulness and consideration of others. Bilbo was a perfect example of a true hero. Through his actions he shows others it is possible to be brave but still kind, and fierce but still merciful. The definition of hero depends on the actions and motive of the hero, and what their decisions show
Finally, the bravest moment of Bilbo Baggins is when he gives the Arkenstone to Bard and the Elven King in order for his friends to accept the deal that was to be made. This is brave because he was risking getting abandoned by his friends in order to
Even though this part of the hero’s journey was portrayed pretty similarly, there is still a bit of a difference. They both used their instincts, but Bilbo was influenced a bit by the dwarves. His Took side had shown while the dwarves were contemplating whether he was fit for the adventure or not. This made him want to prove himself to them. Instincts aren’t normally the cause of the call to adventure, but for some reason, these two very different novels are similar this way.
Bilbo’s beliefs throughout his life before his great adventure were fairly narrow-minded. He believed that having an extravagant home with the approval of his neighbors was extremely important. Doing anything out of the ordinary was unexpected out of Mr. Bilbo Baggins as he was very predictable in all his actions. As mentioned in the book, you could tell what a Baggins would say even before he answered your question. I believe that Bilbo always had the same beliefs throughout the book, but that some came out clearer in different situations.
This quote shows Bilbo’s cowardly nature because he is too fearful to partake on this adventure with Gandalf. He is so afraid that he doesn’t even bother to listen to Gandalf to understand what the adventure entails. Instead he just denies Gandalf’s request, and immediately tries to get rid of him, proving his cowardice. Another example of Bilbo’s cowardice is shown when Bilbo and the dwarves are meeting in his house to discuss
Thorin comments that if more of the contentious warriors of the world lived the way hobbits do, it would be a happier world, and Bilbo’s return to Hobbiton seems an acknowledgment of the same idea. Heroism is important in a world beset with evil, but Tolkien suggests that if everyone lived the simple life of hobbits, evil would be obsolete. So, in a sense, Bilbo does belong in Hobbiton, even if he does not in the eyes of the hobbit community. 3 Is Thorin in any sense a heroic leader? Do his actions in the novel make him deserving of his death at the end?
A Hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, or noble qualities; i,e Brave, Adventurous, and Honest. Bilbo’s journey closely resembles the Hero’s Journey because he shows the characteristics of an ordinary hero while still being extraordinary in the same process. As Bilbo follows the Hero’s Journey he has become extraordinary. Bilbo has become extraordinary during his refusal to call because he was going to prove that he could do it even if he wasn't adventurous in the beginning. After being proposed an adventure Bilbo replies with ”Sorry!
In the story “The Hobbit” Bilbo can be seen as the hero when he sacrifices his family’s name to be a part of the quest to get Thorin's gold back Bilbo's first approach is his attempt on stealing the trolls’ treasure. He later is met by the goblins, Gollum, elves, and spiders. Each fear he faces develops Bilbo as a hero, getting him ready for his greatest quest, stealing the treasure from Smaug.. Another example of Bilbo putting others before himself is the treasure he willing to give in order to bring peace to the men, elves, and dwarves. Last, but not least, Bilbo is willing to sacrifice his life for a cause bigger than himself.
Since it has been substantiated that Bilbo does not possess any anti-hero qualities, the focus will solely be on the fact that Bilbo completes virtuous deeds at his own expense. One can clearly observe this in the two prior instances cited-- namely, when he spares Gollum’s life and hands the Arkenstone over to Bard. In both occurrences, Bilbo sacrifices something to do what is virtuous; reprieving an unarmed Gollum for his troubling actions, positions Bilbo in a potentially fatal predicament, and relinquishing the Arkenstone leaves Bilbo on bad terms with Thorin and possibly nothing to bring home. Of course, Bilbo does not die, Thorin forgives and respects him, and he acquires two chests of silver and gold to carry home. Virtuous actions unwittingly earns Bilbo more than he ever bargained for, but these are not the details one should focus on.
At the beginning of the story, Bilbo seems very cowardly, but soon proves that he is indeed brave. Bilbo is very tied up in his very boring, monotonous life and he really does not want to go on the adventure that he is
He could have bailed and ran away the first chance he had but rather he stayed and assisted the dwarves in their quest. Not only did Bilbo help the dwarves in one of their last acts, he also saves his companions from being held hostage by the Elvenking. Bilbo risked his own life and “did not wish to desert the dwarves'' (Tolkien 80). Bilbo is selfless and willing to risk his life to save his friends, even when the odds are against him. He put himself in harm’s way to rescue them.
Bilbo was brave, but not aggressively so. He was loyal, but that did not mean he never had doubts. Bilbo Baggins, of Bag End was an honorable Hobbit. He was also the greatest hero of them all, although he may not seem like it.
Along the way, they overcome many obstacles that threaten their lives and put their trust for one another to the test. Bilbo learns that there is more to him than he realizes and through hard work and dedication, he can accomplish almost anything. Overcoming these problems and learning more about himself helped Bilbo change from an ordinary, self-doubting hobbit into a clever, courage-filled, loyal hero. In the beginning, Bilbo has no desire to go on an adventure of any kind, but he quickly learns about the cleverness he obtains when he is forced to make quick decisions.
For instance he improves on being a leader, which makes him become more ingenious, diligent, and brave, these help him immensely. Along with that, he improves on being a peacemaker. Which make him more decisive, forgiving, and friendly. These traits all change Bilbo for the better (for the most part), to help him grow as a person and improve at his roles. First Bilbo improves on being a better burglar, making him over confident, selfish, and greedy.
Bilbo perfectly fits Joseph Campbell’s definition of a hero and his adventure parallels the journey that Campbell formulated many years ago. Bilbo’s actions and journey show that he risks his life for something bigger than himself, making himself a great
In a fight with Gollum, Bilbo ponders whether to kill him. He thinks “He must stab the foul thing, put its eyes out, kill it. It meant to kill him. No, not a fair fight. He was invisible now.