Frodo Baggins

Frodo Baggins is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth world, appearing a main character in The Lord of the Rings. Frodo was a Hobbit, who inherits the One Ring from Bilbo Baggins, and has to go on a quest to destroy it.

Biography

Early life

Frodo was a Hobbit from the Shire. He was born in T.A. 2968/S.R. 1368 as the only child of Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck, who both drowned in a boating accident in S.R. 1380. At the age of twenty-one, Frodo was adopted by his cousin Bilbo Baggins and went to live with him. They both shared the same birthday (September 22), as Bilbo said: "we can celebrate out birthday-parties comfortably together". Frodo was also related to Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, both of whom were also close friends to him. In T.A. 3001, Bilbo left the Shire, leaving his home Bag End and the Ring to his heir Frodo.

War of the Ring

In spring and summer of T.A. 3018, Frodo is visited by his old friend Gandalf, who reveals to him the true nature and origin of Bilbo's Ring. Gandalf gives Frodo the task to take the Ring to the Elven refuge Rivendell, accompanied by Frodo's gardener Samwise Gamgee. They leave the Shire in September, and are joined by Merry and Pippin. After several adventures, and pursued by the Ringwraiths, they arrive in Bree. While staying at the Inn of The Prancing Pony, he meets the Ranger Strider, who offers to lead him to Rivendell. At Weathertop they are attacked by the Ringwraiths, and Frodo is severely wounded by a Morgul-blade. Although still being followed, Aragorn manages to lead them to Rivendell.

Frodo's wound is healed by Elrond, Master of Rivendell. During his stay the Council of Elrond is held to share information and decide about the fate of the Ring. It is decided that the Ring shall be destroyed in Mount Doom in Mordor, the only place it can be destroyed, and Frodo is chosen as the Ring-bearer to do it. To accompany him on his quest eight companions are chosen, creating the Fellowship of the Ring: himself and his hobbit friends, Gandalf, and representatives of the other peoples. Bilbo, who has been living at Rivendell, gives Frodo his sword Sting and his Mithril-shirt. The Fellowship set out at the end of the year 3018 and travel south. They go through the Dwarven city Moria under the Misty Mountains, and, after a sty in Lothlórien, travel down the Anduin by boat. At Amon Hen near the Falls of Rauros, Frodo left the Fellowship to continue his quest alone, but is joined by Sam.

On their way east they are followed by Gollum, former bearer of the One Ring, but they manage to overwhelm him, forcing Gollum to be their guide, since he had already been to Mordor before. Gollum leads them to the Morannon, and through Ithilien. Gollum leads them through the Pass of Cirith Ungol but abandons them there, where Frodo is attacked by the great spider Shelob. Stung by her, Frodo is paralyzed and assumed dead by Sam, who takes the Ring and Sting. Frodo is captured by Orcs and taken to the Tower of Cirith Ungol, but is rescued by Sam. They continue though Mordor, narrowly avoiding capture. On the slopes of Mount Doom they are attacked by Gollum, but Sam stays behind to hold him off while Frodo continues. Inside the Sammath Naur Frodo was overwhelmed by the One Ring and, refusing to destroy it and claiming it as his own, put it on. Gollum fights the invisible Frodo and bites of his ring-finger, but stumbles and falls into the fires, still holding the Ring, which finally destroys it. Frodo and Sam witness the defeat of Sauron, and are rescued from the lava by great Eagles sent by Gandalf.

After the War of the Ring, Frodo and the hobbits travel homeward to the Shire. They find their homeland taken over by Saruman and his men, but after the Scouring of the Shire led by the returned hobbits, Saruman is killed and the hobbits can begin reordering their land. Frodo for a while remains living in the Shire, but is still greatly hurt and burdenend by the Ring and the injuries he sustained on his quest. In T.A. 3021, Frodo travels to the Grey Havens, where he bids his hobbit-friends good-bye, and leaves on a ship for the Undying Lands in the West, together with Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel.

Adaptions

In Peter Jackson's film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, Frodo Baggins is played by American actor Elijah Wood.