Why Bilbo? [Merged]

[Goldberry]

Ever wonder why Gandalf chose Bilbo? Why a hobbit at all? I read somewhere that Tooks were more adventurous, and in the past some of Bilbo's Took ancestors had gone off on adventures with Gandalf before, but why Bilbo? I get the feeling Gandalf knew something, or had a feeling that Bilbo would play an important part in his mission to destroy Sauron forever.

[Gamil Zirak]

I don't think Bilbo was Gandalf's first choice. Gandalf stated in the Hobbit that he tried to find a hero, but they were off fighting wars of their own. Bilbo was picked because he was a desendant of Old Took. I'm not sure exactly why a Hobbit was chosen. I guess by the process of elimination. The men were too busy fighting against Sauron. The Elves wouldn't want to help a Dwarve at this particular time. So, what's left. A hobbit or an ent. I think Gandalf knew that the hobbits would play a key role in the war of the rings.

[tom_bombadil]

in the book the unfinsihed tales it explains why. it gives gandalfs account. he sent him because he had know bilbo twenty years earlier and bilbo had a very diffrent personallity back then he was advetourus active and he wanted to see the outside world. gandalf thought bilbo would still be like this but he wasnt.l gandalf only managed to convince the dwarves to take him with them the morning after the party

[Beorn]

Remember that under a hobbit's skin, there is a lot of courage. They are special b/c although they are small, they are valiant!

[Dûndorer]

i agree with you tom_bombadil the book does say that.

[Rangerdave]

Hobbits smell diferently than dwarves (better?) and Smaug had never smelled a Hobbit before. Also Hobbits are much more quiet in their movements.

So stealth and disguise were major considerations.

RD

[Anarchist]

I think Rangerdave is correct. Remember that the dwarves were looking for a burglar. Well hobbits move quite silently when they want to so a hobbit would make a good burglar. Also, perhaps Gandalf saw in Bilbo's heart that he was brave and would make a good companion.

[Legolam]

But in the UT, the dwarves weren't originally looking for a burglar. They just latched onto something Gandalf said (can't remember, maybe someone with books can help me out here) and decided that Bilbo was a burglar. Gandalf never intended them to see Bilbo's role as this.

[Rangerdave]

Originally posted by Legolam
But in the UT, the dwarves weren't originally looking for a burglar. They just latched onto something Gandalf said (can't remember, maybe someone with books can help me out here) and decided that Bilbo was a burglar. Gandalf never intended them to see Bilbo's role as this.


Gandalf did sort of bully Thorin into taking Bilbo along with him. The whole scent and stealth thing was the reasons he gave Thorin to convince him.

Of course, Gandalf's reasons were purely his own

RD

[Ice Man]

Gandalf wasn't any ordinary bloke, I think his 6th sense simply told him to chose Bilbo, and he did!

[Úlairi]

Here it is to shut you all up:

"'Listen t me Durin's Folk!' I cried. 'If you persuade this Hobbit to join you, you will succeed. If you do not, you will fail. If you refuse to even try, then I have finished with you. You will get no more advice or help from me until the Shadow falls on you.'"

Those were the words of Gandalf to Thorin and Co., they did not wish to take Bilbo. Yet Gandalf had the premonition that Bilbo must go with them, otherwise they would fail, so he told them that withut Bilbo, they would do so. How foresighted was Gandalf?

[Gary Gamgee]

I think Gandalf also wanted to get the Shire folk more involved with the world outside, because of the threat he guessed was coming. He knew about the Necromancer and where he was, directing the company away from him. And yes he also knew of the hidden strenght of Hobbits and their stout hearts.

[Úlairi]

That had nothing to do with it Gary. Here is another quote:

"'Somehow I had been attracted by Bilbo long before, as a child, and a young hobbit: he had not quite come of age when I had last seen him. He had stayed in my mind ever since, with his eagerness and his bright eyes, and his love of tales, and his questions about the wide world outside of the Shire.'"

Gandalf remebered Bilbo long before and deemed him perfect for the job as no other hobbit in Hobbiton would go he deemed. That is all. Gandalf did not wish for the Shire-folk to get more involved in the world outside, in fact, it was probably quite the opposite with the Shadow of Sauron stirring once again he would have wanted to keep them as secluded and oblivious to the world as much as he possibly could.

[Theoden]

hmm.... I think I agree with Ulairi...:rolleyes:

[Úlairi]

You agree with me Theoden, yet you roll your eyes. I am unsure if that is directed at me or not, but if it is, then I can't say much for you.

[Theoden]

oh.. I'm sorry... I did not mean it as rolling my eyes... I ment it more as **Thinking** than **rolling_my_eyes**
Sorry. :(
Still kinda new at this.

-me

[Úlairi]

No problem Theoden. My apologies.

[Samwise_hero]

It was because Bilbo wanted to go on anadventure. He just didn't exactly know it but Gandalf did.

[Úlairi]

Yes, I guess you could say that Samwise_hero.

[The Necromancer]

In the begining of The Hobbit, when Gandalf says " You have asked me for an adventure threee times now" what does that mean?

[Úlairi]

Originally posted by The Necromancer
In the begining of The Hobbit, when Gandalf says " You have asked me for an adventure threee times now" what does that mean?

Sorry, The Necromancer, I don't have my copy of The Hobbit here. If I did, I would certainly help you. If you give me the quote in full, I could also.

[taylorstaten1]

i totally and completely agree

[Bilbo Baggins57]

Good point Ulairi. But also:

"Five feet high the door, & 3 may walk abreast" (Passage to the Lower Halls of Smaug's lair)

I doubt any other creature (besides hobbits & dwarves) would be able to fit in there. And like someone else said, Smaug would be used to the smell of dwarves & reconize it all too soon. Gandalf probably figured that the hobbit's smell might confuse him, therefore making the dragon less likely to attack Bilbo right away.

[Úlairi]

The quote I posted was the main reason, that is undisputed. However, Bilbo was ideal for many purposes along the journey I agree.

[Chymaera]

Originally posted by The Necromancer
In the begining of The Hobbit, when Gandalf says " You have asked me for an adventure threee times now" what does that mean?

'...Indeed for your old grandfather Took's sake, and for the sake of poor Belladonna, I will give you what you ask for.'

'I beg your pardon, I haven't asked for anything!'

'Yes you have! Twice now. My pardon. I give it you. In fact I will go so far as to send you on this adventure. Very amusing for me, very profitable for you, very likely, if you ever get over it.'

'Sorry! I don't want any adventues, thank you. Not today. Good morning! But please come to tea - any time you like! Why not tomorrow. Come tomorrow! Good bye!'

[The Hobbit: An unexpected party]
I think that it was all part of swindle on Gandalf's part fast talking the Hobbit to keep him off balance. And it seems to have worked very well.:D

[Úlairi]

I disagree. I believe that Bilbo might have asked Gandalf when he was a young hobbit, as he wanted to know about the wide-world. I believe that when he was a young hobbit he may have asked to go with Gandalf once or twice. Gandalf is no liar I assure you.

[Theoden]

I agree with Ulairi. Gandalf might be a bit pushy at times, and maybe even a bit cunning, but I would never label him a "swindler".

-me

[Seph]

Chymaera's quote from the book itself is what explains it all, but I feel it is more than this.

Gandalf did not select Bilbo or any hobbit at random. He came for him and no other. He did it for a reason. Gandalf the Grey is an Istari, which are very powerful and in this case he could most likely sense the "Tookishness" in Biblo and maybe even sense that he would be best for this adventure.

I don't think that Bilbo was just the random hobbit he selected. He may have selected a hobbit because of the reasons said earlier, how the entrance is not very tall, etc, but it still would not explain the choosing of Bilbo.

[Bilbo Baggins57]

I agree w/ u Seph. Gandalf could tell that there was a part of Bilbo that wanted to travel but had been repressed because it wasn't the socially acceptable thing to do in Bag End. He knew Bilbo was capable of this journey but just needed the extra push to get out there, otherwise he never would've done it on his own.

[Maeglin]

Gandalf did not choose Bilbo just because he has stealth and because Gandalf if all-knowing, as you people are seemingly putting it, but also because, if you remember, he told the dwarves that they needed a 14th member of the party to succeed, with just 13 they would fail.

[Gil-Galad]

I don't have the book right now but anyway.Gandalf says that he took Bilbo with him because he thought so,and always he was right.Bilbo was taken because there was reason of his travelling with the dwarves.
And Gandalf is right.Later Bilbo shows how important he is not only for Thorin and co, but for the whole Me.

[Idril]

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but ...

does anyone know or have any ideas as to why Gandalf chose Bilbo for the Dwarve's quest? Bilbo was such an unlikely character to enlist in this adventure. Hence 'why Bilbo?'

[Niniel]

In the UT; The quest of Erebor, there is a story where Gandalf tells about how he chose Bilbo:

'Somehow I had been attracted by Bilbo long before, as a child, and as a young hobbit; he had not quite come of age when I had last seen him. He had stayed in my mind ever since, with his eagerness and his bright eys, and his love of tales, and his questions about the wide world outside of the Shire.'
Later Gandalf tried to persuade Thorin to take Bilbo with them, but that was very hard. But 'I knew in my heart that Bilobo must go with him, or the whole quest would be a failure-or, as I should say now, the far more important events by the way would not come to pass.'
But Gandalf did not actually foresee what Bilbo would do; or he doesn't admit that he knew.
'In that far distant time I said to a small and frightened hobbit: Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by its maker, and you therefore were meant to bear it. And I might have added: and I was meant to guide you both to those points. To do that I used in my waking mind only such means as were allowed to me, doing what lay to my hand according to such reasons as I had. But what I knew in my heart, or knew before I stepped on these grey shores, that is another matter.'
So maybe Gadalf did know what would happen if Bilbo found the Ring, but he doesn't say so. But at least he must have felt that it was important that Bilbo came along.

[Idril]

Thanks:) , I've not read UT yet - next on the long list.