The Hero's Journey In The Hobbit By Bilbo Baggins

In the book The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit and the protagonist of the story, goes through a hero’s journey. The hero’s journey can be summed up in three parts and he goes through all three parts. The first part is Departure.It means breaking away from the old life to go on the hero’s journey. The second part is the Initiation. During this part, the hero learns how to live in the new world away from the comforts of his home. The third and final part is the Return. THis is when the hero returns to his home.

The first step to Departure is the call of adventure. During the call of adventure, the hero is compelled to leave a dull life and go on an adventure. Bilbo Baggins experiences this when Gandalf comes to his door saying, “I am looking

for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging.” (Tolkien 4) The next step is the refusal of the call. In this step the hero thinks that the adventure is too risky. Bilbo doesn’t want to go on the journey when Gandalf asks him to go saying,”Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you.” (Tolkien 6) The third step is the supernatural aid. Supernatural aid is a person or gift that helps the hero on his journey. Bilbo’s supernatural gift is Gandalf who gave him and the dwarves a map and key to get into the mountain. (Tolkien 20) The next step is crossing the first threshold. During this step the hero leaves the old world behind and enters the new. Bilbo crosses the first threshold when he is put to the test by the Thorin, the leader of the dwarves, “Now it’s the burglar’s,” they said, meaning Bilbo. You must go on and find out all about that light, and what it is for, and if all is perfectly safe and canny.” The final step is the belly of the whale. This is the step when the hero must face his faults. Bilbo is in the “belly of the whale” when he encounters the trolls, his first adventure in his journey. After all of this, he starts the Initiation phase.
The first step to Initiation is the road of trials.

During the road of trials, the hero learns that life in the world of adventure can be difficult. Bilbo learns this when he is captured by goblins. (Tolkien 59) After that step is the meeting with the goddess step. In this step, a wise magical woman gives guidance or advice to the hero. He finds this person in the Goblin cave and her name is Gollum and he more or less gives him a magical ring. (Tolkien 79) The next step is the woman as temptress. The woman as temptress is something that tries to distract the hero from his goal. For Bilbo, the ring is his woman as temptress because it is tempting to put it on and use its magical powers. (Tolkien 68) The fourth step is atonement with the father. This step is when the hero comes up against a “father figure” whose approval must be achieved. His “father figure” is Beorn because his approval must be won for Bilbo and his friends to find shelter and food and for his help in the war of the five armies. (Tolkien 118) Next step is Apotheosis. This step is when the hero recognizes his true identity. He finds his true identity in mirkwood when his friends get captured by giant spiders and wood elves. (Tolkien 164) The last step is the ultimate boon. This is when the hero succeeds in his mission. In the case of Bilbo, he finds the treasure guarded by Smaug. (Tolkien 212) Once he has found the treasure he starts his

return.
Refusal of return is the first step of the Return.

In this step, the hero wonders if it is possible to return to the old life. Bilbo goes through this step when he faces the dragon instead of going back to his hobbit hole.(Tolkien 216) Next, the step is magic flight. Once the hero decides to return home, he must flee from another danger. He undergoes this when he tries to avoid war by giving Bard and the Elvenking the Arkenstone which Thorin longed for; and from that action a war begins. “It is this!”.... “The Arkenstone of Thrain!” said Bilbo to Bard and the Elvenking. The third step is rescue from without. This step is when the hero escapes with a little outside help. Bilbo and his allies are saved from the war of the five armies by Beorn and the Eagles, “But even with the the Eagles they were still outnumbered. In the last hour Beorn himself had appeared.” (Tolkien 291) After that step, is crossing the return threshold. In this step, Bilbo finally returns to his hobbit hole. (Tolkien 303) The fifth step is the mastery of two works. This is when the hero realizes he can be at home in two worlds. He is at home because he is still friends with elves and dwarves, but still lives in his hobbit hole. The last step is the freedom to live. After facing evil, the hero is free from powerlessness and fear. Bilbo stays in his hobbit hole saying farewell to Gandalf. (Tolkien 305) That is the end to the Bilbo’s hero’s

journey.
Bilbo Baggin’s Hero’s Journey is a perilous journey with lots of troublesome adventures. His Hero’s journey can be summed up into three parts, Departure, Initiation, and Return. Each of those three parts have multiple sub parts that go into more detail about Bilbo’s journey. During his journey, he makes many new friends from all over the region. In the end, Bilbo goes from a Hobbit who has never gone on an adventure to a Hobbit who is a master of two worlds.