The Temptation of the Ring

Peter Jackson directed a movie, released in 2001, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring.

This analysis is the first in a series that examines the movie The Fellowship of the Ring, which depicted how various characters were tempted by the Ring of Power.

  

Leaving the Ring behind

Bilbo was tempted by the ring when he prepared to leave the Shire, following his disappearing act at his 111^th Birthday Party.

Gandalf tried to convince Bilbo to leave the ring behind. 

Bilbo became angry and he called the ring, “my precious,” as he opened his eyes wide. Gollum, the ring’s previous owner, had referred to the ring the same way.

Bilbo’s voice carried a tone that demonstrated he was covetous and possessive towards the ring, and that he was enchanted by it.

When I read the book, this moment, while noticeable, seemed more subtle. A keen reader would notice Bilbo was being tempted by the ring, but it was something that could potentially be dismissed as not particularly significant.

The movie’s portrayal makes the temptation more obvious, which made the scene more dramatic and captivating for the audience.

In the movie, Gandalf and Bilbo’s confrontation escalated, and Bilbo accused Gandalf of wanting to take the ring for himself.

Gandalf’s response showed he took the matter seriously.

“Bilbo Baggins!” he shouted. “Do not take me for some conjurer of cheap tricks. I am not trying to rob you.”

The surrounding light disappeared as the wizard emphasized his power and made clear what he wanted Bilbo to do.  

“I am trying to help you,” Gandalf continued kindly as the light returned to the room.

The confrontation is longer and more drawn out in the book.

In the book, when Gandalf became angry, “he seemed to grow tall and menacing,” as his shadow filled the small room.

As he calmed down, Gandalf, “seemed to dwindle again to an old grey man, bent and troubled.”

The description in the book is potentially ambiguous as to whether Gandalf’s appearance actually changed or if merely Bilbo’s perception of the wizard’s appearance changed.

In the movie, Gandalf’s size doesn’t change, and throughout the encounter he is portrayed as a tall wizard, who would be a force to be reckoned with.

Ultimately, Bilbo chose to leave the ring behind.

 

Bilbo in Rivendell 

After Frodo arrived in Rivendell, he met Bilbo once again.

Bilbo showed himself to be confident and kind.

But for a brief moment, he once again came under the ring’s spell.

During a private conversation with Frodo, after the Council of Elrond, Bilbo asked to hold his old ring.

Instead, Frodo began buttoning up his shirt, concealing the ring once more.

Bilbo, with his hand outstretched, lunged at Frodo. Bilbo’s eyes turned grey as they began to bulge out of his head. His teeth turned pointy and monstrous.

 

After a moment of madness, Bilbo, frightened of what he had just done, apologized to Frodo.

“I’m sorry I brought this upon you, my boy. I’m sorry that you must carry this burden. I am sorry for everything,” Bilbo, clearly distraught, said before crying.

 

In the book, this interaction took place before the Council of Elrond.

Frodo took out the ring after Bilbo asked to see it.

 

“Bilbo put out his hand. But Frodo quickly drew back the Ring. To his distress and amazement he found that he was no longer looking at Bilbo; a shadow seemed to have fallen between them, and through it he found himself eyeing a little wrinkled creature with a hungry face and bony groping hands. He felt a desire to strike him.

The music and singing round them seemed to falter and a silence fell. Bilbo looked quickly at Frodo’s face and passed his hand across his eyes.

‘I understand now,” he said. ‘Put it away! I am sorry; sorry you have come in for this burden; sorry about everything. Don’t adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story. Well it can’t be helped. I wonder if it’s any good trying to finish my book? But let’s not worry about it now—let’s have some real News! Tell me all about the Shire!

Frodo hid the Ring away, and the shadow passed leaving hardly a shred of memory. The light and music of Rivendell was about him again.” (The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter 1)

 

In the book, Bilbo’s transformation into, “a little wrinkled creature with a hungry face and bony groping hands” appeared to happen primarily in Frodo’s mind.

Bilbo, who appeared not to be nearly as phased by the moment, waved his hand in front of Frodo’s face, before apologizing to Frodo for giving him the burden of carrying the ring.

Bilbo quickly transitioned to talking about developments in the Shire.

The movie’s version of this interaction is more dramatic and portrays the ring’s power over those who seek it as intense and unmistakable.

Isildur fails to destroy the ring 

Of course, Bilbo wasn’t the first person to be tempted by the ring.

In the movie, during a conversation with Gandalf before the Council of Elrond, Elrond recounted Isildur’s earlier encounter with the ring. After the previous defeat of Sauron, Isildur had chosen not to destroy the Ring of Power by casting it into Mount Doom.

Isildur and Elrond were shown on a bridge inside Mount Doom, where the ring could be destroyed by a single toss of the hand.

 

 

Instead, Isildur chose to keep it, against Elrond’s advice.

In the book, during the Council of Elrond, Elrond recounted advising Isildur to destroy the Ruling Ring by casting it into Mount Doom.

Isildur decided to keep it, instead.

But in the book, Elrond never said that he and Isildur had made it as far as Mount Doom before Isildur chose to keep the ring.

The movie’s version once again shows the intense power of the ring over those who possess it. Isildur had been so close to destroying Sauron forever. Instead, he chose to keep the ring himself, with disastrous results for both himself and Middle Earth.

 

‘Beautiful and terrible’ 

The ring also tempted Lady Galadriel during another memorable scene.

Galadriel used her psychic abilities to read Frodo’s mind after Frodo used Galadriel’s magic mirror.

“If you ask it of me, I will give you the One Ring,” Frodo thought.

Galadriel was surprised by Frodo’s offer.

“You offer it to me freely,” she said. “I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired this.”

Galadriel turned into a silhouette of white, black, and green as her voice boomed in discordant tones.

“In place of a Dark Lord, you would have a queen,” she said. “Not dark, but beautiful and terrible as the dawn. Treacherous as the sea. Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair.”

The ring’s power passed, and Galadriel’s appearance and voice returned to normal. 

“I pass the test,” she said. “I will diminish and go into the West — and remain Galadriel.”

 

Galadriel’s consideration of whether to accept the ring, and the dialog surrounding it, are longer in the book. 

I explored the book’s portrayal of this scene at length in an analysis last year.

In the book, Galadriel, who already wore one of the Elven Rings, appeared to grow as she considered whether to accept the Ring of Power.

 

“She lifted up her hand and from the ring that she wore there issued a great light that illuminated her alone and left all else dark. She stood before Frodo seeming now tall beyond measurement, and beautiful beyond enduring, terrible and worshipful.

Then she let her hand fall, and the light faded, and suddenly she laughed again, and lo! she was shrunken: a slender elf-woman, clad in simple white, whose gentle voice was soft and sad.” (The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter 7)

 

Galadriel’s size doesn’t change in the movie.

Nonetheless, the movie’s depiction of the scene does a good job showing the power of the ring and its affect on those who are tempted to use it.

I believe the movie did a good job adapting the scene for film, and I’m sure the movie’s special effects team had fun adding the scene’s visual and audio effects.

 

Differences between the book and the movie

There are a few notable differences between the book and the movie. Here are some of the differences I haven’t covered in earlier posts.  

In the movie, Saruman begins on Sauron’s side, whereas in the book, he is originally working independently to gain the ring for himself.

Gandalf tells Frodo that Gollum will likely have an important role to play in the future. In the movie, this conversation takes place in the abandoned mines of Moria. In the book, it takes place in the Shire when Gandalf tells Frodo about the origin of the Ring of Power.

In the movie, Galadriel warns Frodo that Boromir will try to take the ring, although she doesn’t mention Boromir by name. Galadriel makes no such warning in the book.

 

Additional thoughts

Howard Shore composed the soundtrack to the Lord of the Rings, which adds emotional depth to the movies. Shore’s music is iconic and memorable.

The movie does a masterful job imagining what a fight between two powerful wizards might look like. Gandalf and Saruman both used their staffs to cast magic to thrust their opponent forcefully into the air, without even touching each other.

In my next analysis, I will examine the movie’s portrayal of Boromir’s death and the separation of the Fellowship of the Ring.

 

Prominent Actors 

The following actors played major characters mentioned in this analysis of The Fellowship of the Ring.  

Bilbo             Ian Holm

Gandalf         Ian McKellen

Frodo             Elijah Wood

Elrond            Hugo Weaving

Isildur            Harry Sinclair

Galadriel       Cate Blanchett

Saruman       Christopher Lee

Similarities between Magic Tavern and Lord of the Rings

During my recent deep dive into the books of J.R.R. Tolkien, I was reminded of parallels between his works and the improvised fantasy podcast, “Hello from the Magic Tavern.”

In the Silmarillion, Tolkien explains the wizards are known by many names.

“In the likeness of Men they appeared, old but vigorous, and they changed little with the years, and aged but slowly, though great cares lay on them; great wisdom they had, and many powers of mind and hand.

Long they journeyed far and wide among Elves and Men, and held converse also with beasts and with birds; and the peoples of Middle-earth gave to them many names, for their true names they did not reveal.

Chief among them were those whom the Elves called Mithrandir and Curunir, but Men in the North named Gandalf and Saruman.” (The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age)

Usidore, one of the co-hosts of Hello from the Magic Tavern, is a wizard who enthusiastically lists his various names at least once an episode.

 

“I am Usidore,

Wizard of the 12th Realm of Ephysiyies,

Master of Light and Shadow,

Manipulator of Magical Delights,

Devourer of Chaos,

Champion of the Great Halls of Terr'akkas.

The elves know me as Fi’ang Yalok.

The dwarves know me as Zoenen Hoogstandjes.

And I am also known in the Northeast as Gaismunēnas Meistar.”

 

Matt Young, the actor who plays Usidore, explained the backstory of Usidore’s various names during an episode of Behind the Tavern, a series available to paid subscribers on Stitcher Premium.

 

“I remember very clearly sitting at my desk and writing out the Usidore name the night before we were recording. I was putting words into Google Translate and bastardizing them to come up with the weird elvish and dwarvish names, but I couldn’t come up with a good name.

I didn’t have Usidore. I had all the other stuff mostly worked out. The next day at work I found a wizard name generator online, or it might have been a DND name generator. I just pushed the button a bunch of times and I was like, Usidore, I like that.” (Behind the Tavern, Season 1, Ep. 1) 

 

Matt anticipated he would provide his full list of names one time.

He expected to reference his secondary names only when he met a character that would know him by one of those names.

But when Matt recorded the first episode of Magic Tavern, one of his cohosts, Arnie Niekamp, who plays a fictionalized version of himself, asked Usidore to repeat his full name.

At that point, Matt realized he would say Usidore’s full name over and over as an recurring joke.

Matt, Arnie, and Adal Rifai discussed Usidore’s many names during the 2018 Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo. That discussion begins 8 minutes and 25 seconds into the video of their panel discussion.

Sam the improviser

A passage from The Fellowship of the Ring also made me think of Hello from the Magic Tavern.

Sam improvised and sang a song about a troll as he rested with his fellow travelers.

 

“'Where did you come by that, Sam?' asked Pippin. 'I've never heard those words before.'

Sam muttered something inaudible.

'It's out of his own head, of course,' said Frodo. 'I am learning a lot about Sam Gamgee on this journey. First he was a conspirator, now he's a jester. He'll end up by becoming a wizard — or a warrior!'

'I hope not,' said Sam. 'I don't want to be neither!'” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 12)

 

Hello from the Magic Tavern is a weekly podcast where improvisers spontaneously create an entire magical world.

The Lord of the Rings is a series of books that feature a meticulously planned fantasy world that was created by J.R.R. Tolkien over many years.

That series features a fictional character, Sam, who improvised a story on the spot, as the creators of Magic Tavern do every week.

 

Shout-out

In September, I received a shout-out on Hello from the Magic Tavern.

I tagged several of the show’s creators on Twitter with links to my blog posts about the show and my posts about The Lord of the Rings.

The Mysterious Man, played by Tim Sniffen, concludes episodes with sarcastic remarks about Magic Tavern actors as he reads the credits. 

In September, the Mysterious Man, one of the characters who introduces Magic Tavern episodes, mentioned me in his introduction to that week’s show. 

 

“People of Earth… You know, hearing myself say that, I tend to address you as one big easily-misled group.

But the truth is I can see each one of you.

Why don’t we take a moment for a few shout-outs?

Jason, those are some beautiful painted figurines behind you. But we both know that’s not a Saurmon maquette. It’s Gandalf and you somehow filed down the hat, and the lie is killing you.” (Magic Tavern, Season 3, Ep. 57 — Together). 

A maquette is a small, preliminary model used by a sculptor before creating a full-sized work of art.

I am fairly certain the reference was made in response to my tweets about Magic Tavern and The Lord of the Rings.

For the record, I don’t own any Lord of the Rings figurines, nor have I made any Lord of the Rings art.

But I do appreciate the shout-out from one of my favorite podcasts.

Female characters in The Fellowship

[This is the fourth and final analysis in a series that examines the portrayal of female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring.]

Female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring are largely shown in a positive light. However, they are far less relatable to the general reader than the book’s more prominent male characters.

In this series, we examined the minor characters of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, Goldberry, and Arwen.

Lobelia Sackville-Baggins is a rude and jealous hobbit who is generally disliked in the Shire.

While Lobelia is portrayed negatively, there are real people who, like Lobelia, act in a mean-spirited and petty way.

Lobelia is a well-developed and memorable character who adds value to the story in its early chapters.

Other female characters in The Fellowship are portrayed far more favorably.

Goldberry is a joyful woman, full of love for the natural world, who lives happily with her husband in the wilderness. Goldberry and her husband Tom have an understanding and loving relationship, and they are very hospitable to their hobbit guests.

Arwen, King Elrond’s daughter, is briefly discussed during Frodo’s visit to Rivendell. Arwen is mentioned largely for her striking physical beauty.

Lady Galadriel, a major character who we examined last year, is shown to be a wise and powerful ruler who is well respected by her elven subjects. Her monologue regarding whether to accept the Ruling Ring is one of my favorite passages in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Overall, female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring are portrayed positively.

But none of the members of the Fellowship itself are female.

All of the proactive and daring adventurers who go on an exciting and dangerous journey to destroy the Ring of Power are male.  

I believe the female characters, while fascinating and well-developed, are not as relatable to the general reader. To be clear, I find this to be an interesting observation, rather than a criticism of the book.

Few people would relate to the ill-tempered and envious Lobelia.

Goldberry lives in a secluded world, along with her husband, far from the rest of society. They show a deep understanding of each other that developed over a long time.

Most readers live in daily contact with the lots of other people, whereas both Tom and Goldberry are distant from almost all of the other people of Middle Earth.

I enjoy the idea of living alone with someone you have a deep connection with, away from the rest of the world, which doesn’t understand you nearly as well.

As such, I find both Tom and Goldberry highly relatable characters.

But I imagine that is likely not the case for most readers, who are probably more socially inclined than I am. 

Very few readers have ruled a kingdom, as Galadriel does. Galadriel’s high social status and immense power are also far beyond those of most readers. 

Arwen makes such a brief appearance that she isn’t particularly relatable, at least when the reader only considers her background as described in The Fellowship. 

 

Expanding Arwen’s role

The lack of relatable female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring is likely one of the reasons why the story of Arwen was expanded in the movie.

Frodo was stabbed and seriously wounded by one of the horsebound Ring Wraiths who pursued him.

In the film, Arwen saves Frodo’s life by transporting him on horseback to Rivendell, where he could receive the medical care he needed.

With the Ring Wraiths close behind, she risked her own safety to protect Frodo.

Arwen isn’t involved in these events in the book.  

Arwen’s love story with Aragorn, and her decision to give up immortality to be with him, are also part of the movie.

Arwen’s role in the film was likely expanded to give the film a more central love story.

Foregrounding Arwen and Aragorn’s commitment to each other also heightens the stakes for Aragorn, who could easily die during his dangerous journey.

Neither Lobelia nor Goldberry (nor Tom for that matter) appear in the movie, which had to omit many of the side stories that appear in the book. 

 

In my next blog post, I will discuss two passages from Tolkien’s works that reminded me of another story set in a fantasy world, Hello from the Magic Tavern.

Arwen

[This analysis is the third in a series that examines the portrayal of female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring.]

 

The beautiful elf Arwen, King Elrond’s daughter, makes only a slight appearance in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Arwen gave up her immortality to be with Aragorn, a mortal man, in a love story described in Part 5 of Appendix A of The Return of the King.

In The Fellowship, Arwen is briefly mentioned during a celebration in the hall of Elrond’s home. Frodo was struck by her beauty.

 

“In the middle of the table, against the woven cloths upon the wall, there was a chair under a canopy, and there sat a lady fair to look upon, and so like was she in form of womanhood to Elrond that Frodo guessed that she was one of his close kindred.

Young she was and yet not so. The braids of her dark hair were touched by no frost, her white arms and clear face were flawless and smooth, and the light of stars was in her bright eyes, grey as a cloudless night; yet queenly she looked, and thought and knowledge were in her glance, as of one who has known many things that the years bring.

Above her brow, her head was covered with a cap of silver lace netted with small gems, glittering white; but her soft grey raiment had no ornament save a girdle of leaves wrought in silver.” (The Fellowship, Book Two, Chapter 1)

 

According to Tolkien Gateway, Arwen’s mother was Celebrian, who was herself the daughter of King Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. Celeborn and Galadriel ruled Lorien, an elven kingdom where Arwen sometimes lived. 

 

“So it was that Frodo saw her whom few mortals had yet seen; Arwen, daughter of Elrond, in whom it was said that the likeness of Luthien had come on earth again; and she was called Undomiel, for she was the Evenstar of her people.

Long she had been in the land of her mother's kin, in Lorien beyond the mountains, and was but lately returned to Rivendell to her father's house. But her brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, were out upon errantry: for they rode often far afield with the Rangers of the North, forgetting never their mother's torment in the dens of the orcs.

Such loveliness in living thing Frodo had never seen before nor imagined in his mind; and he was both surprised and abashed to find that he had a seat at Elrond's table among all these folk so high and fair.” (The Fellowship, Book Two, Chapter 1)

 

In my next analysis, I will discuss the depiction of Lobelia, Goldberry, Arwen, and Galadriel to analyze the overall portrayal of female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring. 

Goldberry

[This analysis is the second in a series that examines the portrayal of female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring.] 

Frodo and his hobbit companions visited the House of Tom Bombadil on their way to Rivendell.

Tom’s home was an oasis of food, rest, and merriment during their dangerous journey.

During their stay, Frodo and his friends spent time with Tom Bombadil and his wife, Goldberry.

Tom and Goldberry’s marital status isn’t specified in The Fellowship of the Ring.

But it is confirmed in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, a collection of poems written by J.R.R. Tolkien, which can be found in Tales from the Perilous Realm, a book which features several of Tolkien’s lesser-known works. 

It isn’t clear which fantasy race Tom or Goldberry belong to.

Goldberry described Tom as the “Master of wood, water, and hill.” 

Both Tom and Goldberry referred to Goldberry as “River-daughter.”

“Five Great Tom Bombadil Theories,” a wonderful video from the YouTube channel “Nerd of the Rings,” examines several fan theories about the background and origin of Tom Bombadil.

Our focus today, however, is Tom’s wife Goldberry, a joyful woman who regularly broke into song and lived happily with her husband surrounded by the beauty of the natural world. 

 

Music 

When the hobbits arrived at Tom and Goldberry’s home, Goldberry welcomed them with a song.

“Then another clear voice, as young and as ancient as Spring, like the song of a glad water flowing down into the night from a bright morning in the hills, came falling like silver to meet them:

Now let the song begin! Let us sing together

Of sun, stars, moon and mist, rain and cloudy weather,

Light on the budding leaf, dew on the feather,

Wind on the open hill, bells on the heather,

Reeds by the shady pool, lilies on the water:

Old Tom Bombadil and the River-daughter!

And with that song, the hobbits stood upon the threshold, and a golden light was all about them.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 6)

 

Soon after meeting Goldberry, Frodo himself broke into song. The hospitality of Tom and Goldberry inspired happiness among their guests.  

 

“’Fair lady Goldberry!’ He said again. Now the joy that was hidden in the songs we heard is made plain to me.

O slender as a willow-wand! O clearer than clear water!

O reed by the living pool! Fair River-daughter!

O spring-time and summer-time, and spring again after!

O wind on the waterfall, and the leaves’ laughter!’” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 7)

  

The hobbits sang merrily during their first meal at the Bombadil residence.

“Before long, washed and refreshed, the hobbits were seated at the table, two on each side, while at either end sat Goldberry and the Master. It was a long and merry meal.

Though the hobbits ate, as only famished hobbits can eat, there was no lack.

The drink in their drinking-bowls seemed to be clear cold water, yet it went to their hearts like wine and set free their voices. The guests became suddenly aware that they were singing merrily, as if it was easier and more natural than talking.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 7)

 

Natural beauty 

Tolkien’s description of Goldberry highlights her deep connection to the natural world.

“In a chair at the far side of the room facing the outer door, sat a woman. Her long yellow hair rippled down her shoulders; her gown was green, green as young reeds, shot with silver like beads of dew; and her belt was of gold, shaped like a chain of flag-lilies set with the pale-blue eyes of forget-me-nots.” (The Fellowship, Book 1, Chapter 7)

 

Forget-me-nots are flowers that come in several different colors, including blue, pink, white, yellow, and purple.  

(Blue forget-me-not flowers)

White flowers surrounded Goldberry when her guests arrived. 

“About her feet in wide vessels of green and brown earthenware, white water-lilies were floating, so that she seemed to be enthroned in the midst of a pool.” (The Fellowship, Book 1, Chapter 7)

The hobbits were immediately struck by Goldberry’s physical beauty.

 

“Enter, good guests!’ she said, and as she spoke they knew that it was her clear voice they had heard singing. They came a few timid steps further into the room, and began to bow low, feeling strangely surprised and awkward, like folk that, knocking at a cottage door to beg for a drink of water, have been answered by a fair young elf-queen clad in living flowers.

But before they could say anything, she sprang lightly up and over the lily-bowls and ran laughing towards them; and as she ran her gown rustled softly like the wind in the flowing borders of a river.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 7)

 

After Goldberry wished the hobbits good night, Tolkien described Goldberry using imagery to compare the “river-daughter” to the calming sound of flowing water.   

“The sound of her footsteps was like a stream falling gently away downhill over cool stones in the quiet of night.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 7)

 

A loving relationship 

During their second supper at the Bombadil home, the hobbits observed the deep connection between Tom and Goldberry, who lived alone with each other, far away from the settlements of hobbits, men, elves, and dwarves.  

They acted in harmony with one another as they prepared the table for their guests.

 

“Quickly he returned, bearing a large and laden tray. Then Tom and Goldberry set the table; and the hobbits sat half in wonder and half in laughter: so fair was the grace of Goldberry and so merry and odd the caperings of Tom.

Yet in some fashion they seemed to weave a single dance, neither hindering the other, in and out of the room, and round about the table; and with great speed food and vessels and lights were set in order. The boards blazed with candles, white and yellow. Tom bowed to his guests.

‘Super is ready,’ said Goldberry; and now the hobbits saw that she was clothed all in silver and a white girdle, and her shoes were like fishes’ mail.

But Tom was all in clean blue, blue as rain-washed forget-me-nots, and he had green stockings.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 7)

 

After super, Goldberry sang for her guests and evoked images of beautiful waters. 

 

“After they had eaten, Goldberry sang many songs for them, songs that began merrily in the hills and fell softly down into silence; and in the silences they saw in their minds waters wider than any they had known, and looking into them they saw the sky below them and the stars like jewels in the depths.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 7)

 

In my next analysis, I will examine Arwen, the daughter of King Elrond, an elf woman who was renowned for her beauty. 

Lobelia Sackville-Baggins

[This analysis is the first in a series that examines the portrayal of female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring.]

 

The Fellowship of the Ring begins in the Shire, home to Bilbo, Frodo, and their fellow hobbits.

The hobbits of the Shire are largely unconcerned with the wider world, but very much concerned with the affairs of their hobbit neighbors.

The Shire is a place of gossip, rumor, and at times, petty grievances.

No one better demonstrated the self-absorbed nature of the Shire than Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.

Lobelia, one of Bilbo’s relatives who desired to inherit Bilbo’s home at Bag End, is portrayed as a jealous and entitled woman who was disliked by her extended family and others in the Shire.

While Lobelia isn’t a likable character, her presence helps establish the narrow-focused culture and sensibilities of the Shire, which Tolkien contrasted with the larger struggle against the Dark Lord the Shire was largely oblivious to.

  

An unexpected auction

Bilbo returned from his heroic journey in The Hobbit to learn that he was presumed dead and that his possessions were being sold at auction.

While Lobelia isn’t mentioned by name, the Sackville-Baginses were preparing to inherit Bilbo’s home, known as Bag End.

 

“It was now nearly lunch-time, and most of the things had already been sold, for various prices from next to nothing to old songs (as is not unusual at auctions).

Bilbo's cousins the Sackville-Bagginses were, in fact, busy measuring his rooms to see if their own furniture would fit. In short Bilbo was "Presumed Dead," and not everybody that said so was sorry to find the presumption wrong.” (The Hobbit, Chapter 19)

It came as quite a surprise when Bilbo showed up at his old home, very much alive.

 

“The people who had got specially good bargains at the Sale took a deal of convincing; and in the end to save time Bilbo had to buy back quite a lot of his own furniture.

Many of his silver spoons mysteriously disappeared and were never accounted for. Personally he suspected the Sackville-Bagginses. On their side they never admitted that the returned Baggins was genuine, and they were not on friendly terms with Bilbo ever after. They really had wanted to live in his nice hobbit-hole so very much.” (The Hobbit, Chapter 19)

 

Bilbo’s return prevented the Sackville-Bagginses from inheriting Bag End, and they weren’t gracious upon learning that their cousin had returned alive and well.

 

Frodo inherits Bag End

Upon his return, Bilbo wasn’t on visiting terms with the Sackville-Bagginses.

The hopes of the Sackville-Baginses to inherit Bag End were thwarted once again when Bilbo adopted his younger cousin Frodo as his heir.

Bilbo used his invisibility ring to dramatically vanish during a speech at his 111^th birthday party, ahead of his planned departure from the Shire.

Bilbo left several sarcastic presents for Frodo to give away to friends and family following Bilbo’s disappearance.

Bilbo even left a gift for Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.

 

“For LOBELIA SACKVILLE-BAGGINS, as a PRESENT, on a case of silver spoons. Bilbo believed that she had acquired a good many of his spoons, while he was away on his former journey. Lobelia knew that quite well. When she arrived later in the day, she took the point at once, but she also took the spoons.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 1)

 

Lobelia and her husband, Otho, were quite rude during their visit with Frodo following Bilbo’s unexpected departure.

Frodo clearly didn’t look forward to seeing them.

 

“In the middle of the commotion the Sackville-Bagginses arrived. Frodo had retired for a while and left his friend Merry Brandybuck to keep an eye on things. When Otho loudly demanded to see Frodo, Merry bowed politely.

'He is indisposed,' he said. 'He is resting.'

'Hiding, you mean,' said Lobelia. 'Anyway we want to see him and we mean to see him. Just go and tell him so!'

Merry left them a long while in the hall, and they had time to discover their parting gift of spoons.

It did not improve their tempers.

Eventually they were shown into the study. Frodo was sitting at a table with a lot of papers in front of him. He looked indisposed — to see Sackville-Bagginses at any rate; and he stood up, fidgeting with something in his pocket. But he spoke quite politely.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 1)

 

The item in Frodo’s pocket was almost certainly the invisibility ring Bilbo had given to him. Frodo was likely determining whether to use the ring to escape his disagreeable visitors.

 

“The Sackville-Bagginses were rather offensive. They began by offering him bad bargain-prices (as between friends) for various valuable and unlabelled things. When Frodo replied that only the things specially directed by Bilbo were being given away, they said the whole affair was very fishy.

'Only one thing is clear to me,' said Otho, 'and that is that you are doing exceedingly well out of it. I insist on seeing the will.'

Otho would have been Bilbo's heir, but for the adoption of Frodo. He read the will carefully and snorted.

It was, unfortunately, very clear and correct (according to the legal customs of hobbits, which demand among other things seven signatures of witnesses in red ink).” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 1)

 

Bilbo had made very clear that his home would be given to Frodo, rather than the Sackville-Baginses. To ensure it, Bilbo had properly prepared his will.

 

“'Foiled again!' he said to his wife. 'And after waiting sixty years. Spoons? Fiddlesticks!' He snapped his fingers under Frodo's nose and slumped off.

But Lobelia was not so easily got rid of. A little later Frodo came out of the study to see how things were going on and found her still about the place, investigating nooks and corners and tapping the floors.

He escorted her firmly off the premises, after he had relieved her of several small (but rather valuable) articles that had somehow fallen inside her umbrella.

Her face looked as if she was in the throes of thinking out a really crushing parting remark; but all she found to say, turning round on the step, was:

'You'll live to regret it, young fellow! Why didn't you go too? You don't belong here; you're no Baggins — you — you're a Brandybuck!'” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 1)

 

Otho was rude and provocative. Lobelia was rude and persistent.

But Frodo and his friends did their best to take their disagreeable actions in good humor.

 

“'Did you hear that, Merry? That was an insult, if you like,' said Frodo as he shut the door on her.

'It was a compliment,' said Merry Brandybuck, 'and so, of course, not true.'” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 1)

 

‘Ours at last!’

Seventeen years later, Frodo prepared to leave on his own journey with the Ruling Ring, which Gandalf had informed him was far more powerful, dangerous, and important than he could have ever guessed.

Frodo made arrangements to appear as if he was moving to Buckland to allow his departure to be discrete, to avoid detection by the minions of the Dark Lord.

Part of those arrangements was to sell Bag End… to none other than Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, who had coveted it for so long.

Lobelia was pleased to finally receive ownership of Bag End, even though she wasn’t particularly grateful towards Frodo regarding the sale.

 

“After lunch, the Sackville-Bagginses, Lobelia and her sandy-haired son, Lotho, turned up, much to Frodo's annoyance.

“'Ours at last!' said Lobelia, as she stepped inside. It was not polite; nor strictly true, for the sale of Bag End did not take effect until midnight.

But Lobelia can perhaps be forgiven: she had been obliged to wait about seventy-seven years longer for Bag End than she once hoped, and she was now a hundred years old.

Anyway, she had come to see that nothing she had paid for had been carried off; and she wanted the keys. It took a long while to satisfy her, as she had brought a complete inventory with her and went right through it.

In the end, she departed with Lotho and the spare key and the promise that the other key would be left at the Gamgees' in Bagshot Row.

She snorted and showed plainly that she thought the Gamgees capable of plundering the hole during the night. Frodo did not offer her any tea.

He took his own tea with Pippin and Sam Gamgee in the kitchen.

It had been officially announced that Sam was coming to Buckland 'to do for Mr. Frodo and look after his bit of garden'; an arrangement that was approved by the Gaffer, though it did not console him for the prospect of having Lobelia as a neighbour.” (The Fellowship, Book One, Chapter 3)

 

The Gaffer, Sam’s father, gave his approval for his son to leave for Buckland. But the Gaffer didn’t look forward to living so close to Lobelia.

Clearly, Bilbo and Frodo weren’t the only ones who held a negative view of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.

 

 

In my next analysis, I will examine a very-different character, Goldberry, a joyful woman who lived alone with her husband, Tom Bombadil, surrounded by the beauty of the natural world.