CALL TO ADVENTURE: A comparison between the outsets of Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins in J R R Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to explore and analyse two specific events in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth mythology, namely the departures from Hobbiton of the two hobbits Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins. These departures are presented in the children’s book The Hobbit, and the more adolescent book The Fellowship of the Ring, the latter the first part of The Lord of the Rings, the sequel to The Hobbit. With the help of Joseph Campbell’s theory regarding the monomyth or the hero’s journey I will focus on the first steps of these journeys and compare the circumstances around the departures and take into consideration, whether the magician Gandalf is actively involved of their respective choices. The monomyth is shown to be useful in revealing the similar structure of literary works from different genres.