the hobbit

Samwise Gamgee

Samwise “Sam” Gamgee is a main character in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is a Hobbit who joins the Fellowship of the Ring and its quest to destroy it and defeat Sauron. He is a gardener in the Shire. When Gandalf catches Sam eavesdropping on his conversation with Frodo, he demands he partake in the journey. He becomes Frodo’s closest companion, and carries him up Mount Doom to cast the Ring into the fire. Sam is not affected by the Ring’s persuasion because he is morally good. In the movie adaptations of Tolkien’s novels, Sean Astin plays this role.

Elrond in The Hobbit

Elrond is a minor character in The Hobbit. He is the wise and noble half-elf who rules Rivendell, as its original founder. He is also the father of Arwen. He offers shelter to  Bilbo Baggins and his company of dwarves. He befriends Bilbo and gives him advice for his quest. When Bilbo leaves The Shire for good, Elrond gives him permanent residence in Rivendell. In the film adaptation, Hugo Weaving plays this role. Elrond appears again with a more pivotal role in Lord of the Rings. 

John Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien

People all over the world have fallen in love with Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, the elves of Lothlorien and Rivendell, and the fierce Dwarves of Middle Earth. And if it weren’t for J.R.R. Tolkien, none of those beings would exist at all.

Born January 03, 1892 Tolkien lived through the most tumultuous times of the 20th century. It was not an easy period and Tolkien used every bit of it to inspire his books. They, in turn, have gone on to inspire millions.

This year on his birthday – or for Tolkien Reading Day on March 25th – you can honor Tolkien by dressing up as him or one of his many characters and enjoying a Lord of the Rings-themed party!

If you choose to dress as Tolkien your costume will be pretty straight-forward. You’ll need a three-piece tweed suit and white shirt, a ties, and some Oxford shoes. Slick your hair back with a little pomade and grab some round glasses, then find your favorite writing pen and a nice book of blank paper.

Gollum from The Lord of the Rings

Gollum from Lord of the Rings

Sauron’s Ring of Power changed many hands throughout the centuries, until one fateful day, it ended up in the grubby hands of Gollum (Andy Serkis). The Ring corrupted him, mind and body, but added years to his already miserable life, and Gollum grew addicted to the power it granted him until one day, a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins made Gollum quit cold turkey. As a result, Gollum swore revenge against the Bagginses, including Bilbo’s nephew Frodo.

Frodo Baggins

Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is the protagonist and primary Ring Bearer in the Lord of the Rings book, video game, and film series. He is a meek Hobbit who is tasked with delivering the One Ring to Mount Doom, overcoming physical and mental struggle along the way. He eventually becomes one of Middle Earth’s greatest heroes.

Gandalf the Grey

In the Lord of the Rings, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) is a wizard who leads the Fellowship of the Ring. He faces off against some of the biggest and baddest, including the Balrog, Sauron, and Saruman the White.

Bilbo Baggins

In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is a hobbit who’s settled down comfortably in Hobbiton. That is until the wizard Gandalf and 13 Dwarves recruit the unlikely hero to help them on their quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug.

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