Bilbo Character Development

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Although Bilbo is timid at the beginning of The Hobbit, he grows to fit the characteristics of an epic hero, similar to those of Beowulf. Bilbo experiences significant character development throughout his journey as the burglar in the Quest of Erebor. When on the topic of Bilbo’s character development, Victoria Gaydosik says that “the Bilbo of chapter one lacked the experience… but the adventures he undergoes makes him a stronger and wiser hobbit…” (Gaydosik, Victoria). When Bilbo is carried back to Thorin Oakenshield by Gandalf the wizard, Thorin greets Bilbo with high regard which, in turn, shows his character development. Thorin Oakenshield, who is close to death, takes the time to confront Bilbo’s courage in his battles: “I am glad that …show more content…
This is no mere hanger-on in hero’s armour” (Beowulf lines 247-251). The watchman sees Beowulf as the mightiest man on Earth and a nobleman. He carries the attitude of a strong warrior because of the struggles and pursuits he has been through. Altogether, both Beowulf and Bilbo hold the esteem familiar to epic heroes. As Beowulf battles Grendel in Beowulf, so Bilbo experiences a struggle with Gollum in The Hobbit. The comparable struggles of Beowulf and Bilbo further expand on the idea that Bilbo and Beowulf are similar in their characteristics. In “The King under the Mountain: Tolkien’s Children’s Story,” Chance expands on Bilbo’s external struggles with Gollum. Chance explicates the plot line and reason being not only Bilbo’s battle with Gollum but also his part in the battle with Smaug the dragon: “In the similarly structured Hobbit, Bilbo also battles with his two adversaries, Gollum and Smaug the dragon, at various rising moments only,” (Chance, Jane). Bilbo’s fight with Gollum, and later, the battle with Smaug the dragon are paramount points in The Hobbit. The fight is similar to how Beowulf battled with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon at various rising points in the plot. In …show more content…
R. R. Tolkien took inspiration from Beowulf to create an external struggle involving a dragon and a battle that kills it in The Hobbit. Not only is the struggle that both Beowulf and Bilbo go through went facing the dragon similar but the dragon itself is also similar. In “Dragons in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien,” Rudd analyzes the connection between Smaug the dragon and its counterpart in Beowulf. Rudd believes Tolkien “modeled his dragons on those he knew from Old English and Old Norse literature, in particular, the fire-breathing serpent of Beowulf… who was great and powerful, with an impenetrable hide, and was killed by Sigurd’s sword thrust into his soft underbelly” (Rudd, Jay). Rudd provides an extra point of view of both Tolkien’s inspiration from Beowulf and the similarities between both protagonists battles with their respective dragons. The death of Smaug in The Hobbit is similar to that of the dragon in Beowulf. As Smaug the dragon encircles the town, Bard uses his saved black arrow to provide a fatal blow to the dragon: “The black arrow sped straight from the string, straight for the hollow by the left breast where the foreleg was flung wide” (Tolkien 170). Similar to how Beowulf provided a fatal blow to the dragon in Beowulf in his flank or ribcage, an arrow wound to the left breast kills Smaug the dragon. When Beowulf is left by most of his comrades to fight the dragon alone, Wiglaf stays to aid him. During the battle, the dragon bites
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