Race: Hobbits
Date of Birth: September 22, 2968
Date of Death: Unknown
Residence: Bag End, Hobbiton, The Shire
Parents: Drogo Baggins & Primula Brandybuck
Siblings: None
Spouse: None
Children: None
Hair color: Brown
Sword: Sting
Pony: Strider
Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit
of the Shire, became one of the most legendary figures in the history
of Middle-earth when he undertook the quest to destroy Sauron's Ring
of Power in order to bring about the Dark Lord's downfall. Frodo bore
the Ring deep into Mordor despite great hardship and personal sacrifice,
proving himself to be a hero of equal stature to the greatest warrior.
Frodo was born on September
22, 2968, to Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck Baggins. He spent
much of his youth at Brandy Hall in Buckland, the home of his mother's
people. He was considered something of a rascal, particularly by Farmer
Maggot from whom Frodo stole mushrooms. In 2980, when Frodo was still
a child, his parents took a boat out onto the Brandywine River and were
drowned. Frodo had no siblings, so he was left alone in the crowded
tunnels of Brandy Hall until his cousin Bilbo Baggins adopted him and
made Frodo his heir.
Bilbo and Frodo had a
comfortable life at Bag End, a spacious Hobbit hole under the Hill in
Hobbiton in the Westfarthing. Bilbo had once gone on an adventure and
had returned with wealth and knowledge of the world outside the Shire.
Frodo learned much from him about the peoples, legends, and languages
of Middle-earth. The wizard Gandalf the Grey was a frequent visitor
at Bag End, as were a number of Dwarves, and it was believed that Frodo
would sometimes meet Elves in the woods of the Shire. For these reasons,
Frodo was considered quite unusual for a Hobbit.
Bilbo and Frodo shared
a birthday - September 22 - and they enjoyed throwing grand parties
to celebrate. In 3001, when Bilbo turned 111 and Frodo came of age at
33, they gave a party of special magnificence. At this party, Bilbo
announced his intention to leave the Shire and vanished (with the help
of his magic ring) much to the consternation of his guests. Frodo inherited
Bag End and most of Bilbo's possessions, including the magic ring.
As the years passed, Frodo
seemed to stop aging and appeared at age 50 like a robust Hobbit just
out of his tweens. Frodo was red-cheeked and rather stout, but taller
and fairer than most Hobbits, with brown hair, bright eyes, and a cleft
in his chin.
Frodo soon began to grow
restless with his quiet life in Shire. On April 12, 3018, Gandalf arrived
and told Frodo that the magic ring Bilbo had found in Gollum's cave
was in fact the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, who needed the Ring's
power to take over Middle-earth. Frodo was shocked and dismayed by this
news, but he realized that in order to save the Shire he loved, he needed
to take the Ring far away.
"I should like to
save the Shire, if I could - though there have been times when I thought
the inhabitants too stupid and dull for words, and have felt that an
earthquake or an invasion of dragons might be good for them. But I don't
feel like that now. I feel that as long as the Shire lies behind, safe
and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable: I shall know
that somewhere there is a firm foothold, even if my feet cannot stand
there again."
The Fellowship of the Ring: "The Shadow of the Past," p. 71
Frodo intended to travel to Rivendell accompanied by his gardener Sam
Gamgee. He sold Bag End to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins on the pretense
that his money was running out and he was moving to a smaller residence
at Crickhollow in Buckland. Frodo set out on his journey on September
23, the day after his fiftieth birthday.
In the Woody End, the Hobbits hid from a strange Black Rider who appeared
to be seeking something. Frodo felt a desire to put on the Ring, but
he did not do so. On the second occasion, the Black Rider was disturbed
the the appearance of a party of Elves passing through the Shire, singing
as they went. Gildor Inglorion, the leader of the Elves, invited the
Hobbits to spend the night in their company. Gildor praised Frodo on
his knowledge of Elvish and named him Elf-friend. He advised Frodo to
flee from the Black Riders and to continue on his journey with haste
and with friends that he could trust.
In the Marish, Frodo met
Farmer Maggot for the first time in many years. Frodo was relieved to
discover that the farmer and his dogs bore him no ill will, but he was
troubled to learn that a Black Rider had stopped at Maggot's farm looking
for him.
At Crickhollow, Frodo's
friends Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took surprised him with their knowledge
of his quest and their intention to come with him. Frodo was reluctant
to lead his young friends into danger, but he recalled Gildor's advice
and accepted their offer. The Hobbits set out at dawn the next day.
On the east side of the
Old Forest, the Hobbits encountered Tom Bombadil. Tom was able to see
Frodo when Frodo put on the Ring, and the Ring seemed to have no power
over Tom. The Hobbits continued through the Barrow-downs and became
disoriented in the fog. Frodo found himself inside a barrow, with his
friends lying cold and unconscious on the ground. He was able to resist
the temptation to put on the Ring and struck out at the Barrow-wight
as it reached out for his friends. Frodo called for Tom Bombadil, who
came to their rescue.
The four Hobbits continued
on to the Prancing Pony in Bree. In the inn's Common Room Frodo was
approached by a Ranger called Strider, who warned him that Pippin's
careless tales about Bilbo's Farewell Party could lead to trouble. Frodo
tried to distract the crowd by jumping onto a table and singing, but
he fell and the Ring slipped onto his finger causing him to disappear.
The people in the Common Room were astounded, and one Man named Bill
Ferny gave Frodo a knowing look before leaving the inn with a squint-eyed
Man of the South. Frodo and his friends retreated to their parlour.
There they found that
Strider had followed them. The Ranger offered Frodo his protection and
guidance, and then the innkeeper Barliman Butterbur produced a letter
from Gandalf which he had forgotten to send to Frodo three months earlier.
The letter revealed that Strider was a friend of Gandalf and that his
real name was Aragorn. Frodo accepted Strider's help, saying:
"I believed that
you were a friend before the letter came, or at least I wished to. You
have frightened me several times tonight, but never in the way that
servants of the Enemy would, or so I imagine. I think one of his spies
would - well, seem fairer and feel fouler, if you understand."
The Fellowship of the Ring: "Strider," p. 183
The inn was attacked during the night, but the Hobbits remained unharmed
hidden by Strider. Strider led the Hobbits into the Wild to Weathertop,
where they were attacked by five Ringwraiths on October 6. In their
presence, Frodo succumbed to the overwhelming temptation to put on the
Ring, but he resisted their attempt to take him by drawing his sword
and invoking the name of Elbereth Gilthoniel, one of the Valar. The
Witch-king, Lord of the Ringwraiths, stabbed Frodo in the shoulder,
but Frodo's defiance and the appearance of Strider armed with flaming
brands drove the Ringwraiths away.
Frodo's wound appeared small, but the tip of the Witch-king's Morgul-knife
remained in his body working its way toward his heart. Frodo became
gravely ill as the Ringwraiths continued to pursue them. They were met
by the Elf-lord Glorfindel, who set Frodo upon his horse Asfaloth. As
the Ringwraiths drew near, Asfaloth carried Frodo toward the Ford of
Bruinen and the safety of Rivendell beyond. Once across the Ford, Frodo
turned and saw the Nine Ringwraiths on the other side. They commanded
him to give up the Ring, but Frodo refused, saying, "By Elbereth
and Luthien the Fair, you shall have neither the Ring nor me!"
(FotR, p. 226-7) The Ringwraiths were then swept away by a flood created
by Elrond and Gandalf.
Frodo awoke in Rivendell
on October 24 and was surprised to find Gandalf at his bedside. Frodo
had been healed by Lord Elrond, though the wound continued to trouble
him for as long as he remained in Middle-earth. He was reunited with
Sam and Merry and Pippin and was overjoyed to learn that Bilbo was now
living at Rivendell.
On October 25, Frodo was
summoned to a Council called by Elrond to determine what should be done
with the Ring. Frodo hoped his task was complete, but he realized that
this was not to be, and he volunteered to take the Ring to Mordor to
destroy it.
A great dread fell on
him, as if he was awaiting the pronouncement of some doom that he had
long foreseen and vainly hoped might after all never be spoken. An overwhelming
longing to rest and remain at peace by Bilbo's side in Rivendell filled
all his heart. At last with an effort he spoke, and wondered to hear
his own words, as if some other will was using his small voice.
"I will take the Ring," he said, "though I do not know
the way."
The Fellowship of the Ring: "The Council of Elrond," p. 284
Eight companions were chosen to accompany Frodo: Sam, Merry, Pippin,
Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas the Elf, Gimli the Dwarf, and Boromir of Gondor.
Bilbo gave Frodo his sword Sting and his coat of mithril mail and on
December 25, the Fellowship of the Ring left Rivendell and headed south.
Unable to cross the Misty Mountains over the Redhorn Gate because of
a snowstorm, the Fellowship went through the Mines of Moria. They were
attacked by Orcs in the Chamber of Mazarbul. Frodo struck the first
blow, stabbing a Cave-troll in the foot. He was skewered by a spear,
but was saved by Bilbo's mithril shirt. The Fellowship continued on
to the Bridge of Khazad-dum. There, Frodo's friend and mentor Gandalf
fell into shadow while confronting a Balrog.
The bereaved Fellowship
continued to Lothlorien, home of the Lady Galadriel. Galadriel tested
Frodo's resolve by offering him a look into her Mirror. In his vision,
Frodo saw an old man who resembled Gandalf but was clad in white; Bilbo
pacing in his room at Rivendell; the Sea; a white seven-tiered city
and a ship with black sails and a banner bearing the emblem of the White
Tree of Gondor; a grey ship sailing off into the mists; and finally,
Frodo saw the Eye of Sauron searching for him.
Galadriel revealed that
she was the bearer of the Elven-ring Nenya and that should the One Ring
be destroyed, the Three Rings of the Elves might lose their power. Frodo
offered the One Ring to Galadriel, but she resisted the temptation and
commended Frodo for responding to her test by testing her own resolve.
Galadriel's gift to Frodo on his departure was a Phial filled with the
light of the star Earendil.
The Fellowship traveled
south to Amon Hen. There Boromir tried to convince Frodo to bring the
Ring to Gondor. When Frodo refused, Boromir tried to take it from him
by force. Frodo put on the Ring and escaped to the Seat of Seeing, where
he saw war brewing everywhere and the Eye of Sauron searching for him.
He heard himself crying
out: Never, never! Or was it: Verily I come, I come to you? He could
not tell. Then as a flash from some other point of power there came
to his mind another thought: Take it off! Take it off! Fool, take it
off! Take off the Ring!
The two powers strove in him. For a moment, perfectly balanced between
their piercing points, he writhed, tormented. Suddenly he was aware
of himself again. Frodo, neither the Voice nor the Eye: free to choose,
and with one remaining instant in which to do so. He took the Ring off
his finger.
The Fellowship of the Ring: "The Breaking of the Fellowship,"
p. 417
At this moment, Frodo
resolved to go to Mordor alone without telling his companions. But he
did not find it so easy to leave Sam behind; his faithful servant caught
up with him and insisted on coming with him.
Across the Anduin in the Emyn Muil, Frodo encountered Gollum, who had
followed him from Moria. When he saw the miserable creature, Frodo felt
pity at what the Ring had done to him, and he recognized in Gollum what
he himself might yet become. And so, although Frodo had once told Gandalf
that he wished Bilbo had killed Gollum, Frodo spared his life. This
act of mercy, more than any other single act after Frodo's acceptance
of the burden of the Ring, allowed the quest to succeed.
Gollum swore to serve
the Master of the Precious. Frodo warned Gollum that such a promise
would bind him. He appeared stern and lordly as Gollum grovelled at
his feet, yet the Ring formed a connection between them.
Gollum guided Frodo and
Sam through the Dead Marshes. Frodo was entranced by the dead faces
in the mere and had to be urged away by Sam. As they drew nearer to
Mordor, Frodo began to feel the weight of the Ring increase. Worse still
was the sense that the Eye was ever-present, seeking a way through his
frail defenses.
The Hobbits reached the
Black Gate and saw that it was guarded and impassable, but Frodo was
determined.
His face was grim and
set, but resolute. He was filthy, haggard, and pinched with weariness,
but he cowered no longer, and his eyes were clear. "I said so,
because I purpose to enter Mordor, and I know no other way. Therefore
I shall go this way. I do not ask anyone to go with me."
The Two Towers: "The Black Gate Is Closed," p. 245
Gollum begged Frodo not to go and then said that he knew a secret way
into Mordor. After much thought, Frodo accepted Gollum's guidance. Frodo
recognized that the creature's fate was tied to the Ring and to his
quest. But he warned Gollum that the Ring was treacherous and would
try to twist his promise and could betray him in the end. Frodo said
that if necessary he would put on the Ring and Gollum would be unable
to resist any command he gave.
Gollum led them south throuth Ithilien, where the Hobbits met Faramir,
brother of Boromir. Faramir learned that Frodo bore the One Ring but
vowed that he would not take the Ring from him and instead promised
to help Frodo on his way. Gollum was found lurking by the Forbidden
Pool and Frodo begged Faramir to spare Gollum's life, but Gollum thought
that Frodo had betrayed him by allowing him to be captured.
The Hobbits parted company
with Faramir and continued toward Mordor with Gollum as their guide.
As they passed Minas Morgul, Frodo saw the Witch-king leading a great
army. Frodo felt as if some outside force was compelling him to put
on the Ring, but he resisted, and instead he reached for the Phial of
Galadriel.
Gollum led the Hobbits
to his secret passage, which turned out to be the lair of the Great
Spider Shelob. Frodo used the Phial of Galadriel and Sting to evade
Shelob but she pursued him and stung him in the neck, paralyzing him
with her poison. Believing Frodo to be dead, Sam chose to continue the
quest alone.
Frodo was taken by the
Orcs Gorbag and Shagrat to the Tower of Cirith Ungol, where he was stripped
and tortured. Sam came to his rescue, but Frodo despaired, thinking
that the Ring had been taken and all was lost. When Sam revealed that
he had the Ring in his safekeeping, Frodo lashed out at Sam and snatched
the Ring from him. Frodo immediately regretted his actions toward his
friend, realizing that the Ring's hold on him was getting ever stronger.
As Frodo and Sam crossed
the Plain of Gorgoroth heading for Mount Doom, Frodo could feel the
weight of the Ring dragging on him and his mind became wholly consumed
by his burden.
"No taste of food,
no feel of water, no sound of wind, no memory of tree or grass or flower,
no image of moon or star are left to me. I am naked in the dark, Sam,
and there is no veil between me and the wheel of fire. I begin to see
it even with my waking eyes, and all else fades."
The Return of the King: "Mount Doom," p. 215
At last, when Frodo could no longer walk, Sam carried him up the slopes
of Mount Doom. Gollum attacked them suddenly, but Frodo fought back
with surprising fury to prevent the Ring from being taken from him,
and he cast Gollum down.
Frodo continued up the mountain to Sammath Naur, wherein lay the Cracks
of Doom. There, at the end of his quest, after resisting the will of
the Ring for so long through terrible hardships, Frodo was unable to
resist any longer. He claimed the Ring as his own and refused to destroy
it. Then Gollum, whose life Frodo had spared out of pity, attacked Frodo
and bit off the finger that bore the Ring. Gollum fell into the fiery
chasm and the Ring was destroyed.
Frodo and Sam were rescued
from the destruction of Mordor by Gandalf and the Eagles and their wounds
were tended to by Aragorn. They were honored as heroes by the Host of
the West. At Aragorn's coronation, Frodo carried the Crown of Gondor.
Queen Arwen gave Frodo a white jewel to bring him comfort when his wounds
and memories troubled him, and she told him that if he could bear it
no longer he could take her place on the ship bearing the Elves away
from Middle-earth.
The Hobbits returned home
and discovered that the Shire had been taken over by rough Men apparently
at the command of their Chief, Lotho Sackville-Baggins. While his three
companions rallied their fellow Hobbits to drive out the invaders, Frodo's
primary concern was to prevent the killing of any Hobbits. At the Battle
of Bywater, Frodo did not draw his sword, and he made sure that those
who surrendered were not killed.
At Bag End, Frodo found
that the Wizard Saruman was the real Chief. Frodo had hoped to save
Lotho, for he realized that Lotho had been tricked by Saruman's agents,
but Lotho was dead. Frodo declared that Saruman's life should be spared,
even after the Wizard tried to stab him. Saruman said that Frodo had
grown, calling him wise and cruel to leave him indebted to his mercy.
As Saruman left Bag End, he was slain by his lackey Grima.
Frodo agreed to be Deputy
Mayor while Will Whitfoot recovered from his imprisonment in the Lockholes.
His only act was to return the Shirriffs to their previous number and
functions. Frodo's main occupation during this time seems to have been
adding his account of the War of the Ring to the Red Book begun by Bilbo.
While his three companions
were able to return to their former lives and were hailed as heroes,
Frodo could not find peace in the Shire or acceptance by his fellow
Hobbits. Physically, he had changed. He was no longer the stout, red-cheeked
Hobbit who had set out from the Shire the year before. Both Gandalf
and Sam had perceived a clear light shining faintly within Frodo, and
to Sam Frodo's face had become "old and beautiful, as if the chiselling
of the shaping years was now revealed in many fine lines that had before
been hidden, though the identity of the face was not changed."
(TTT, p. 260)
Frodo became ill on the
anniversaries of his encounters with the Witch-king and Shelob. He was,
as he put it, "wounded with knife, sting, and tooth, and a long
burden." (RotK, p. 268) A worse burden was the guilt Frodo felt
for not being able to destroy the Ring and the desire he still felt
for the Ring. "It is gone for ever, and now all is dark and empty,"
he said during one of his periods of illness. (RotK, p. 304)
At last, Frodo decided
that the only way he could find healing was to leave Middle-earth forever.
"But," said
Sam, and tears started in his eyes, "I thought you were going to
enjoy the Shire, too. for years and years, after all you have done."
"So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam.
I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It
must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give
them up, lose them, so that others may keep them."
The Return of the King: "The Grey Havens," p. 209
On September 29, 3021, Frodo came to the Grey Havens accompanied by
Sam. Merry and Pippin were there to meet them. Frodo said goodbye to
his three friends and boarded a ship with Bilbo and the bearers of the
Three Elven-rings: Gandalf, Galadriel and Elrond. The ship set sail
to the Undying Lands.
The Undying Lands were across the Sea to the west of Middle-earth. The
spirits called the Valar dwelled there as did many Elves. Mortals were
not normally allowed to go to the Undying Lands, but because of the
great burden they had borne, Frodo and Bilbo were given special permission.
Galadriel had made a special prayer to the Valar that Frodo be allowed
to pass into the West, and Arwen also asked Gandalf, as an emissary
of the Valar, to intercede on Frodo's behalf.
Although Frodo's ultimate
fate is not recorded, it is believed that he lived out the rest of his
days on Tol Eressea - an island off the coast of the main continent
of Aman where Valinor was located. There Frodo may have finally found
the peace and healing he sought.
Frodo was mortal and he
remained so. He eventually died, though the year of his death is not
recorded. Sam Gamgee, the last of the Ring-bearers, was allowed to sail
to the Undying Lands in the year 61 of the Fourth Age, and it is hoped
that these two great friends were reunited one last time before they
died.
Frodo
Family Tree
Galadriel's gift: Phial
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