/arda/ - Tolkien's Legendarium

>>86

It really felt like Tolkien was projecting himself as Bilbo in both stories. I think it fits perfectly for someone sitting alone on a nice day grading papers. He felt like he was that stuffy gentleman Bilbo started out as that needed a prod out the door. Though Tolkien has had a great deal of world traveling himself at this point. In LotR Tolkien was much older when he wrote it and so was Bilbo. He was the old man sitting, watching, and recording tales for future generations, almost detached from the world as an observer.

Frodo on the other hand I feel is the exemplification of Tolkien's virtues. Not sure I could pick a favorite but I might have to pick Bilbo of the Tolkien parallels.

Sam > Bilbo > Frodo

But yeah, Bilbo was a better protagonist. It helps that the tale was simpler, so you grew to like him more and became more attached to his story

Frodo was alright until the moment he took the burden of the ring. At that point seemed like he became an instrument of fate, becoming far more wiser and powerful and being unable to break the pull of the ring. At that point he stopped being a character and became a walking plot device.

Full Hobbit Rankings:

Sam > Bilbo > Merry > Pippin > Bandobras > Frodo > Lobelia > Elanor > Everybody else > Lotho