Frodo and Bilbo - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Kalimac · 05-10-2002, 11:56 PM

I'd like to second Rae and say that if Elven-Maiden (or Rae) had not made that comment, I would have. Heh heh heh...

Bilbo and Frodo seem to be rather different types even though they had bachelorhood in common; as someone said previously, Bilbo seems much more the ordinary "crusty old bachelor" type. He had gotten to the age of 51 before ever even seeing the Ring, and had showed no inclination to have a family, so you couldn't really say it's the Ring's influence. Frodo, OTOH, seems like he was a much more merry and sociable type before inheriting the Ring, and got a little more withdrawn and remote afterwards. Of course, Frodo was always more bookish than most hobbits. Hard to tell with him, since it's impossible to divine exactly what was due to Frodo's own character and what was due to the influence of the Ring. But with Bilbo we could probably say safely that he just wasn't the marrying kind. Nothing wrong with that, after all - what would all the hobbit-lads and hobbit-lasses do without an amusing bachelor uncle or two?

05-10-2002, 11:56 PM	#13
Kalimac Candle of the Marshes Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Flyover Country Posts: 780	I'd like to second Rae and say that if Elven-Maiden (or Rae) had not made that comment, I would have. Heh heh heh... Bilbo and Frodo seem to be rather different types even though they had bachelorhood in common; as someone said previously, Bilbo seems much more the ordinary "crusty old bachelor" type. He had gotten to the age of 51 before ever even seeing the Ring, and had showed no inclination to have a family, so you couldn't really say it's the Ring's influence. Frodo, OTOH, seems like he was a much more merry and sociable type before inheriting the Ring, and got a little more withdrawn and remote afterwards. Of course, Frodo was always more bookish than most hobbits. Hard to tell with him, since it's impossible to divine exactly what was due to Frodo's own character and what was due to the influence of the Ring. But with Bilbo we could probably say safely that he just wasn't the marrying kind. Nothing wrong with that, after all - what would all the hobbit-lads and hobbit-lasses do without an amusing bachelor uncle or two? __________________ Father, dear Father, if you see fit, We'll send my love to college for one year yet Tie blue ribbons all about his head, To let the ladies know that he's married.