Top 4 The Fellowship of the Ring quotes
“They were, perhaps, so unwearyingly fond of good things not least because they could, when put to it, do without them, and could survive rough handling by grief, foe, or weather in a way that astonished those who did not know them well and looked no further than their bellies and their well-fed faces.”
Prologue
Tolkien presents a pleasant picture of the race of hobbits in the prologue, where he describes them as rather soft creatures that are used to domestic comforts. In the above, the author reveals a hardier aspect of their characters that serves to explain how Frodo and the other hobbits would function in the face of difficult circumstances. Hobbits are thus shown to be unused to difficult lives, but they are unknown to possess the ability to withstand adversity.
“A Ring of Power looks after itself, Frodo. It may slip off treacherously, but its keeper never abandons it. At most he plays with the idea of handing it on to someone else’s care—and that only at an early stage, when it first begins to grip.”
Gandalf, Book 1, Chapter 2
The old wizard learns of the true origins of Bilbo’s magical ring and attempts to explain the power of the ring to him. He tells Frodo about how the ring is bound to Sauron’s will and it plots to ultimately return him. He uses the example of Gollum, whom the ring had abandoned when it saw an opportunity to return to Sauron through Bilbo. Gandalf talks about the powerful corruption that the Ring carries with it, as it forces an addiction to the ring on the wearer.
“Courage is found in unlikely places.”
Gildor, Book 1, Chapter 3
Frodo and his hobbit friends meet the Elves as they begin to leave the shire and become pursued by black riders. The Elves provide the hobbits with succor and an Elf named Gildor shares some advice with Frodo who is venturing out of the shire for the first time in his life. This famous quote is extracted from his advice, and it prepares both the Hobbits and the readers to be brave even in the face of challenging circumstances. The quote is also an appropriate summation of the core principle of the book, as it is Hobbits who ultimately bear the burden of the ring, despite being surrounded by the many other valorous races of middle-earth, like the Elves, Dwarves, and Men.
“He wished with all his heart that he was back there, and in those days, mowing the lawn, or pottering among the flowers, and that he had never heard of Moria, or mithril—or the Ring.”
Frodo, Book 2, Chapter 4
Frodo experiences homesickness several times over the course of his journey. He does not truly desire these objects of mythical value that most other characters in the book tend to prioritize. This is perhaps the reason why Frodo remains mostly immune to the corrupting power of the ring, since he only just wants the pleasure of home, even when it’s weighed against objects of unimaginable value.
