Frodo Baggins

Frodo Baggins
First appearanceThe Fellowship of the Ring (1954)
Last appearanceBilbo's Last Song (1974)
In-universe information
AliasesMr. Underhill
RaceHobbit
GenderMale
AffiliationCompany of the Ring
FamilyBilbo Baggins
HomeThe Shire

Frodo Baggins (Westron: Maura Labingi) is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings and one of the protagonists in The Lord of the Rings. Frodo is a hobbit of the Shire who inherits the One Ring from his cousin Bilbo Baggins, described familiarly as "uncle", and undertakes the quest to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor. He is mentioned in Tolkien's posthumously published works, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales.

Frodo is repeatedly wounded during the quest and becomes increasingly burdened by the Ring as it nears Mordor. He changes, too, growing in understanding and compassion, and avoiding violence. On his return to the Shire, he is unable to settle back into ordinary life; two years after the Ring's destruction, he is allowed to take ship to the earthly paradise of Valinor.

Frodo's name comes from the Old English name Fróda, meaning "wise by experience". Commentators have written that he combines courage, selflessness, and fidelity and that as a good[1] character, he seems unexciting but grows through his quest, an unheroic person who reaches heroic stature.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stanton 223 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).