Frodo Baggins: Difference between revisions

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==Description and equipment==
==Description and equipment==
The only real description of Frodo's appearance is given only once by Gandalf in his letter to Barliman Butterbur, in which he is declared a "stout fellow with red cheeks, taller than some [hobbits], and fairer [more light-haired or more light-skinned, or possibly more handsome] than most", with a cleft chin, a bright eye, and a perky personality.
The only real description of Frodo's appearance is given only once by Gandalf in his letter to Barliman Butterbur, in which he is declared a "stout fellow with red cheeks, taller than some [hobbits], and fairer [more light-haired] than most", with a cleft chin, a bright eye, and a perky personality.


Frodo carried a small Elven sword (actually a dagger) called [[Sting]] and wore a coat of Dwarven chainmail made of [[Mithril]] under his clothes, both given to him by Bilbo. At [[Lothlórien]], [[Galadriel]] gave him an Elven cloak that blends him in with the natural surroundings and a phial carrying the light of the star [[Eärendil]] to aid him on his quest.
Frodo carried a small Elven sword (actually a dagger) called [[Sting]] and wore a coat of Dwarven chainmail made of [[Mithril]] under his clothes, both given to him by Bilbo. At [[Lothlórien]], [[Galadriel]] gave him an Elven cloak that blends him in with the natural surroundings and a phial carrying the light of the star [[Eärendil]] to aid him on his quest.

Revision as of 21:50, 13 December 2012

"I shan't call it the end, till we've cleared up the mess." — Sam
This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of article quality.
This article is about the Ring-bearer. For the the son of Samwise Gamgee, see Frodo Gardner.
Frodo Baggins
Hobbit
Jenny Dolfen - Frodo Baggins.jpg
Biographical Information
Other namesSee Names below
LocationBag End, Hobbiton, Valinor
Birth22 September, T.A. 2968
DeathDate unknown, Valinor
Family
ParentageDrogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck
Physical Description
GenderMale
HeightTaller than most Hobbits
Hair colorBrown
GalleryImages of Frodo Baggins

Frodo Baggins was a hobbit of the Third Age, the most famous of all Hobbits in the histories for his leading role in the Quest of the Ring. During this epic quest, he bore the One Ring to Mount Doom and there destroyed it, giving him renown like no other Halfling throughout Middle-earth. He is also peculiar for being, as a Ring-bearer, one of the three Hobbits who sailed from Middle-earth to Aman, there to die in peace.

History

Childhood and youth

Frodo was the child of the respectable Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck, born on 22 September of S.R. 1368. After his parents died in a boating accident he went to live in Brandy Hall with his mother’s relatives of the Brandybucks. He grew up under the guardianship of the Master of Buckland Rorimac "Goldfather" Brandybuck, who was his uncle. In Brandy Hall he soon developed a reputation as a troublemaker, stealing mushrooms and causing a general fuss; one of his most traumatic experiences was when he was caught by Farmer Maggot who terrified little Frodo with his three dogs.

He was raised by Rory until his uncle Bilbo took him in to live at Bag End, his estate in Hobbiton. He enjoyed life with his "queer" Uncle Bilbo, with whom they shared the same birthday; he taught him to read, and told him stories of the past, even giving him some instruction in the elvish tongue. It is possible Bilbo even took his young cousin to see the elves that wandered about outside the Shire. Frodo developed a profound affection for his mentor. Bilbo made him his heir, frustrating the attempts of the disagreeable Sackville-Bagginses who coveted the inheritance.

Frodo and Bilbo got on like this until T.A. 3001. At this time Bilbo had planned his "disappearance" and withdrawal from the Shire, and threw an enormous birthday party for himself, as he was turning 111. On the same date, Frodo was turning 33 - the coming-of-age for hobbits. As Frodo was told by Bilbo during their preparations, Bilbo disappeared suddenly during the party to the shock of the Hobbits assembled. When Frodo returned home, now as the Master of Bag End, he found that Bilbo had left him the "magic ring".

Master of Bag End

Bag End by Eric Faure-Brac

Frodo took charge of distributing the presents Bilbo had left for the other hobbits, a long and tiring task. The Baggins' old friend Gandalf the wizard, who had come for the festivities, warned Frodo not to use the magic ring, and to keep it secret and safe. He then left back into the wide world, curiosity nagging his mind about the ring.

Frodo, meanwhile, was pretty well off. He lived in peace and respectability for seventeen years, when Gandalf returned with the dreadful revelation that the "magic ring" was really the One Ring of Sauron, a thing of evil power thousands of years old. Furthermore, the Dark Lord was now aware of its survival, and would be searching for it. Gollum had told under torture where it was. After a long discussion and a test by fire of Gandalf's conclusions, the two agreed that Frodo would have to leave the Shire for his own safety and Samwise Gamgee the gardener would go with him. Gandalf recommended Rivendell as a destination, as the road was likely safe and the haven good. He told Frodo to take the alias Underhill abroad. Frodo was reluctant, but bought a house in Crickhollow as an excuse to head east.

Gandalf stayed for two months while Frodo worked out the details. At the end of that time he left to "get some news", as rather disturbing tidings had come to his ears. He promised to be back for the farewell party. Meanwhile, Frodo was not aware that some of his closest friends were watching him; Fredegar "Fatty" Bolger, his cousins Peregrin "Pippin" Took, and Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck, and Sam himself, knew that Frodo and Gandalf were in some trouble concerning the Ring, and that Frodo was preparing for a long adventure.

As autumn passed, Frodo was waiting for Gandalf who did not return, and Frodo grew quite anxious. His friends, Folco Boffin, Fredegar, Pippin and Merry helped him to pack for his travel to Crickhollow. Merry and Fatty later drove the cart of Frodo's belongings ahead, while Frodo still waited for Gandalf. At the last possible day he departed with Pippin and Sam, having sold Bag End to the Sackville-Baggins.

Hobbiton to Crickhollow

Last Sight of Hobbiton by Ted Nasmith

Almost a day into their journeying, Frodo, strangely nervous, requested that the threesome hide upon the approach of a horseman. The rider was dressed in black, upon a black horse, making queer sniffing noises. Frodo felt the urge to put on the Ring and vanish, but just as he was giving in the rider departed at a trot. Samwise (or Sam as he was usually called) then remarked upon the Black Rider that had spoken to his father, Gaffer Gamgee, some time earlier. This made Frodo wary, curious, and frightened at the same time. He wished that he had waited for Gandalf.

That night, they were again overtaken by a Black Horseman. This time it seemed to be able to sniff out their hiding place. But as it approached, it was driven away by the song of a group of Elves. Frodo, knowing the most about Elves, identified them as High Elves, and suggested that they wait to meet them. Their leader, Gildor, greeted the hobbits warmly, and lauded Frodo for his knowledge of their tongue. Frodo tried to get information from Gildor on the Black Riders, but the elf would tell him very little. Gildor foresaw that Frodo would have many dealings with the Riders in the future, and urged him to flee them whenever he met them. He and his party left the Hobbits before daybreak, while they slept.

The next day the threesome agreed to stay off the road. After a brief scare when Sam sighted a Rider, they worried about losing their way. That evening they heard a terrible wail, and Frodo distinguished words in it. Before long they came to Bamfurlong, the property of Farmer Maggot. Although Pippin knew Maggot, Frodo recalled a scare he had received at a young age after caught stealing the farmer’s mushrooms, being threatened with the dogs. He froze when Grip, Fang, and Wolf came forth from the house, but Maggot's hospitality soon won him over. When Maggot told of a Black Rider who had stopped at his house asking for "Baggins," and made several shrewd guesses, Frodo grew uncomfortable. Maggot took them to Bucklebury Ferry in his wagon. There they joined up with Meriadoc. As they were ferried across into Buckland, they caught sight of a dark shape on the landing from which they had come.

It was Merry who came for them.

Crickhollow to Bree

Ted Nasmith - Bathing at Crickhollow

When they reached the house in Crickhollow, Frodo was pleased to find that Merry and Fatty had made everything very homey, and three hot baths were waiting. After relaxing and eating, the other hobbits reveal their knowledge of the One Ring, and promise to stick with him on the road to Rivendell. The next morning, leaving Fatty to keep house, they plunged into the Old Forest.

In time they were driven by the trees down to the Withywindle, where they were ensnared by Old Man Willow. Rescued by Tom Bombadil, the hobbits came to his house. There they met Tom's wife, Goldberry, and Frodo was moved to poetry over her loveliness. He was interested in Bombadil himself, and several times tried to learn who he was. That night he dreamed of a white-haired figure on a pinnacle of stone, borne away by an eagle.

The next day Frodo tried on the Ring, after finding it had no effect on Bombadil. Tom nevertheless could see him, for he was not subjected to the Ring’s power. That night he dreamed once more, a dream he never forgot.

Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to glass and silver, until at last it was rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise.
The Fellowship of the Ring, Fog on the Barrow-downs

Under the Spell of the Barrow-wight by Ted Nasmith

After bidding Goldberry and Tom farewell, the Hobbits went on and passed through the barrow-downs. Getting lost in the mist, however, they were taken by the barrow-wights, Frodo last of all. Frodo woke in the barrow to find the barrow-wight bending over his three friends. He rose and in a tremendous act of bravery and resilience took a sword and smote off the wight's hand. Then he summoned Bombadil with a song taught him, and Bombadil drove the wight away. Bombadil helped him wake Merry, Pippin, and Sam, gave them their ponies, and escorted them all to the road before turning his face back toward Withywindle. The hobbits, meanwhile, entered Bree and took lodging (at Bombadil’s recommendation) at The Prancing Pony inn, Frodo under the name of Underhill, as Gandalf had suggested.

Strider and Weathertop

File:Timothy Ide - Frodo at the Prancing Pony.jpg
Frodo at the Prancing Pony by Timothy Ide

While Merry went out to take a walk in the night air, the other hobbits came down to the common-room and were introduced by the landlord Barliman Butterbur to the gathering, Frodo under his alias and with the story that he was writing a book and came to Bree to gather information. Frodo also asked if Gandalf was present in Bree, only to learn that he had not yet arrived. While Pippin and Sam enjoyed the drink and conversation, Frodo remained withdrawn, soon falling into conversation with a curious ranger called Strider, who gave him a warning about letting his friends talk to much. Pippin began to tell about Bilbo's Birthday Party, and Frodo, at Strider’s encouragement and in an attempt to prevent the name of Baggins from being raised, began to sing The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late. This proved popular with the gathering, but unfortunately, as Frodo relaxed, he fell from the table and the Ring slipped on his finger, causing him to vanish.

Frodo crawled over to Strider's corner and slipped off the Ring. Then he tried to make the best of a bad situation, saying that he had rolled quickly to the side. The suspicious Breelanders, however, grew angry or frightened, and eventually all left the common-room. Frodo and his comrades retired to their room, where they found Strider waiting to talk to them. Strider was honest and blunt, telling what he had overheard and what he knew of them, as well as warning them of the Black Riders and traitors in Bree. He urged them to accept his aide by inviting him into the company. Frodo was leaning to believe the ranger when Butterbur broke in, giving Frodo the long-awaited letter from Gandalf, undelivered by Butterbur’s forgetfulness. After some little bit of light was shed on the situation to the innkeeper, he swore to help the hobbits in any way he could, as a friend of Gandalf and one very much afraid of Mordor. Frodo, reading the letter, learned that Gandalf recommended Strider as one to whom Frodo could go for help. After some further debate, Frodo agreed to let Strider lead them to Rivendell.

The Attack of the Wraiths by Ted Nasmith

Strider arranged for a deception which saved the hobbits’ lives, by moving them to a different room. The next morning, their ponies were gone and the room was ravaged. Butterbur paid for a replacement pony, and the four hobbits and ranger set out into the Wilds. They passed through Chetwood and Midgewater, and finally to the Weather Hills before coming up to Weathertop. Black Riders were sighted from the top of the cairn, and Strider counseled to remain where they were. That night, around a fire, Frodo began to tell of Gil-galad but was cut off by Strider, who chose instead to chant a part of the Lay of Leithian. Shortly after the Black Riders came, and Frodo was stricken down. In desperation he put on the Ring and saw the Nazgûl in their true forms. Frodo then tried to attack in Elbereth’s name, but their leader, the Witch-king of Angmar, stabbed Frodo in the chest before fleeing with his minions from Weathertop.

The War of the Ring

"...It is a long tale..." — Aragorn
This article or section needs expansion and/or modification. Please help the wiki by expanding it.

Frodo almost faded and became a servant of the Dark Lord, but he was brought to House of Elrond, Elrond healed him. There, at Elrond's Council, it was decided that the Ring must be destroyed by casting it into the Crack of Doom. A Fellowship was formed to protect Frodo as the Ring-bearer. His quest to destroy the Ring forms a large portion of The Lord of the Rings. Eventually, he succeeded in reaching Orodruin, where, at the last moment, he attempted to claim the Ring, whose power had grown too great for him. However, at that moment he was attacked by Gollum, who seized the Ring and then fell into the fire with it, thus destroying the Ring.

Two years after the destruction of the Ring, still troubled by the wounds he received during the War of the Ring, Frodo and Bilbo as Ring-bearers were given the right to travel to Valinor where, though remaining mortal, they might rest and be healed, together with Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel. They boarded a ship from the Grey Havens and passed over the sea on 29 September, T.A. 3021. Having no children of his own, Frodo left his estate and passed on the Red Book to Samwise Gamgee who followed Frodo across the sea 61 years later, following the death of his wife Rose (nee) Cotton.

Description and equipment

The only real description of Frodo's appearance is given only once by Gandalf in his letter to Barliman Butterbur, in which he is declared a "stout fellow with red cheeks, taller than some [hobbits], and fairer [more light-haired] than most", with a cleft chin, a bright eye, and a perky personality.

Frodo carried a small Elven sword (actually a dagger) called Sting and wore a coat of Dwarven chainmail made of Mithril under his clothes, both given to him by Bilbo. At Lothlórien, Galadriel gave him an Elven cloak that blends him in with the natural surroundings and a phial carrying the light of the star Eärendil to aid him on his quest.

Before Frodo went back to the Shire (after the Quest of the Ring was completed), Arwen Evenstar, wife of Aragorn and daughter of Elrond, gave Frodo a white stone to wear around his neck.

Etymology and translations

The name Frodo Baggins is an English translation of his Westron name Maura Labingi. The name Maura has the element maur- (wise, experienced), which Tolkien equivalated to the Germanic element frod- of the same meaning. Frodo's name in Sindarin was Iorhael ("old-wise") although in some instance he is mentioned as Daur (probably lenited form of taur).

In the German translation he is called Frodo Beutlin, in Spanish, Frodo Bolsón, in French, Frodon Sacquet, in Norwegian, Frodo Lommelun, in Danish, Frodo Sækker, in Faroese, Fróði Pjøkin in Finnish, Frodo Reppuli and in Dutch, Frodo Balings. In one of three Polish translations he is called Frodo Bagosz, but he keeps his original name in the other two.

Names and epithets

Genealogy

 
 
Balbo Baggins
 
Berylla Boffin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mungo Baggins(grandfather of Bilbo)
 
 
 
Largo Baggins
 
Tanta Hornblower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dora Baggins
 
Drogo Baggins
 
Primula Brandybuck
 
Dudo Baggins
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Frodo Baggins
 
 
 
Daisy Baggins
 
Griffo Boffin
 


Portrayal in adaptations

Frodo Baggins in adaptations
Frodo as a Lego minifigure  

Films

1978: The Lord of the Rings (1978 film):

Frodo was voiced by Christopher Guard. Sharon Baird was the model for Frodo in the live-action recordings Bakshi used for rotoscoping.

1980: The Return of the King (1980 film):

Frodo was voiced by Orson Bean, who had previously played Bilbo in The Hobbit (1977 film).

2001-3: The Lord of the Rings (film series):

Frodo is played by Elijah Wood. He is portrayed as slightly younger than his character in the book. He is also depicted with black hair, though the one (very brief) description of Frodo in the books said that he had fairer hair than most Hobbits (i.e. from light brown to dirty blonde).

2012-14: The Hobbit (film series):

Elijah Wood will reprise his role as Frodo Baggins.[1]

Radio series

1955: The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series):

Oliver Burt provided the voice of Frodo.

1979: The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series):

The voice of Frodo is provided by James Arrington.

1981: The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series):

Frodo is voiced by Ian Holm.

1992: Tales from the Perilous Realm (1992 radio series):

In two episodes telling of the meeting of Frodo and Tom Bombadil, Nigel Planer provided the voice of Frodo.

Games

2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game):

Frodo is one of the playable characters, his story doesn't significantly differ from the book. He is voiced by Steve Staley.

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game):

Frodo is present in all missions from Sam's perspective: escape from Osgiliath, Shelob's Lair, Cirith Ungol and the Crack of Doom. Completing the game allows to replay those missions from Frodo's perspective.

2004: The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring:

Frodo is a "Hero" unit of the Free People, his ability to use the Ring and turn invisible make him ideal for scout missions.

2004: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth:

Unlike most other characters, Frodo and Sam make no appearance in Skirmish battles - they only appear in the storyline campaign.

2006: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II:

Frodo and other Hobbits are no longer permanent units, they are now a temporary power boost available to Free People forces.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Frodo can be first met in Rivendell, preparing for departure. Later, he is found on Cerin Amroth in Lothlorien, weary from the loss of Gandalf. As a notable event, a Hobbit actor portrays Frodo Baggins in a Hobbit-made theater play "The Disappearance of Mad Baggins".

2011: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North:

Frodo is mentioned as "Frodo the Ringbearer", one of the much honored heroes of the War of the Ring, in the introduction of the game.
In The Prancing Pony Aragorn tells that he is waiting on a Hobbit with an important burden, this refers to Frodo and the One Ring.[2]
Latter in the game, Frodo appears in Rivendell, but interactions with him do not affect the main plot.

See also

Frodo Baggins
Baggins Family
Born: 22 September, T.A. 2968 Died: unknown
Preceded by:
Bilbo Baggins
Ring-bearer
22 September, T.A. 3001 - 13 March, T.A. 3019
Followed by:
Samwise Gamgee
Preceded by:
Samwise Gamgee
Ring-bearer
14 March, T.A. 3019 - 25 March, T.A. 3019
Followed by:
Gollum


References

fa:فرودو بگینز