Height, Characteristics and Origins of the Hobbit
Hobbits were between two and four feet which is about a range of 60cm to 120 cm. Hobbits were even shorter beings than the dwarves. Hobbits had a longer life span than ordinary humans, and although much smaller, hobbits were similar to humans the most.
Hobbits had however stronger feet so they didn’t require shoes and they were extremely stealth and quiet. Hobbits were also called halflings as they were similar to humans and but much smaller. There aren’t any descriptions of the exact origins of the hobbits by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The first records of the hobbits came up during the 3rd Age where hobbits first appeared at the Vales of the Anduin River on the east side of the Misty Mountains.
The first hobbits dwelled and thrived on the Vales of Anduin. The hobbit Smeagol who would later become Gollum also was one of the hobbits that used to live near the Vales of the Anduin River. Possibly J.R.R. Tolkien created and named the hobbits after the concept of a hobgoblin.
As J.R.R. Tolkien first wrote “The Hobbit” based on some of his scribbles “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit”, J.R.R. Tolkien may have created the term hobbit from a hobgoblin prefix ‘hob’ and a rabbit.
Hobbits, Shire and Pipe-weed
However, the hobbits somehow crossed the Misty Mountains possibly by the darkness of Dol Guldur caused by Sauron. The hobbits would climb the Misty Mountains and migrated further west to the lands of Eriador. Hobbits then settled in the lands of Eriador in locations such as Bree and the Shire.
Hobbits acquired the permission to settle on the lands of the Shire by the recognition of the king of Arthedain, a kingdom that descended from the Northern Kingdom Arnor.
The hobbits pledged their loyalty to Arthedain in return for settlement in the Shire. The Shire was very fertile and one of the most recognizable specialties of the Shire was the Pipe-weed, the tobacco of Middle Earth.
The Shire became famous for the hobbit inhabitants and pipe-weed which deven Gandalf and Saruman favored smoking.
Nature of the Hobbits
Hobbits were beings that enjoyed the small goods of life and they were docile, gentle and shy in nature. Hobbits were known to enjoy peace and didn’t interfere much with the history of Middle Earth.
Hobbits even discouraged adventures with the exception of Bilbo Baggins who was considered a very odd hobbit among the hobbits.
However, the frugal, peace loving and non-ambitious nature of the hobbits made hobbits like Frodo and Bilbo Baggins the most important beings of the history of Middle Earth.
The basic kind and selfless peace-loving nature of hobbits made hobbits extremely resistant to the evil soul and temptation of Sauron embraced in the One Ring.
Hobbits and Thesis of the Lord of the Rings
The main thesis of the Lord of the Rings is highlighted by Gandalf’s quote and core belief that “I’ve found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay”.
The ambition of the elves already put the whole Middle Earth into war and the dwarves craved treasure while the humans also failed to cleanse Middle Earth from evil.
All the strong and powerful races of Middle Earth failed to save Middle Earth from evil even including the wizards like Saruman and Gandalf that were angel-like being Maia sent by the Valars themselves.
J.R.R. Tolkien wanted to emphasize that the savior of Middle Earth wouldn’t be those ambitious and willing powers for their purpose but would be the humble and selfless hobbits.
The nature of the hobbits and their actions eventually made them the saviors of Middle Earth. By the hobbits, J.R.R. Tolkien wanted to highlight that the small actions that we do every day is what holds the society and maintains the grace of life rather than sheer power and ambition.
Peregrin Took – Pippin
Peregrin Took or Pippin Took was the cousin of Merry Brandybuck and Frodo Baggins and he was the youngest among the four hobbits that departed from the Shire as part of the Fellowship of the Ring.
The Took family was the descendant of the leader of Shire when the hobbits first settled n the Shire. Possibly by his family history, Pippin was the most courageous and reckless hobbit as the Took family was somewhat considered the royal family among the hobbits.
Pippin was the hobbit that would confront danger unlike the other hobbits but he was also reckless so Gandalf put an eye on him.
Meriadoc Brandybuck – Merry
Meriadoc Brandybuck or Merry was the cousin of Pippin and closest friend as well. While Pippin was reckless, Merry was the friend that would mediate and calm him down. Among the four hobbits, Merry was the smartest.
Samwise Gamgee – Sam
Sam was the best friend of Frodo Baggins who would serve Frodo Baggins during their journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring.
Sam was somewhat stubborn, however he was also in other words very determined that greatly aided Frodo Baggins during the Fellowship of the Ring.
Frodo Baggins
Frodo Baggins was adopted from his far relative Bilbo Baggins after Frodo lost his parents during an accident. Bilbo Baggins didn’t like other hobbits much but he sincerely loved hid far cousin Frodo Baggins and adopted him with joy as Frodo was kind and sincere.
Unlike the shy and passive hobbit, Frodo Baggins was also one of the curious and adventurous kind of hobbit like his far uncle Bilbo Baggins and this was considered odd among the other hobbits. Frodo Baggins was the tallest among the other four hobbits of the Fellowship of the Ring.
Eventually Frodo Baggins became the Ring-Bearer of the Fellowship of the Ring as he inherited the One Ring that Bilbo Baggins obtained during his journey to Erebor to defeat the dragon Smaug.
Frodo Baggins accepts his fate and wields the fate of Middle Earth in his hands after Bilbo Baggins handed over the One Ring to Frodo after Bilbo Baggins’s 111st birthday.
