Which character is the central burglar in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit?

Bilbo Baggins is the central burglar in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Gandalf chooses Bilbo to accompany Thorin Oakenshield and his company of Dwarves on their journey to the Lonely Mountain.

Bilbo begins the story as a comfort-loving hobbit from Bag End, but the expedition forces him to become resourceful and courageous. During the adventure he encounters Gollum beneath the Misty Mountains and obtains the One Ring, although its larger significance is not yet understood in the novel’s early presentation.

Bilbo is often confused with Frodo Baggins because both are major hobbit heroes and both possess the Ring. Frodo is Bilbo’s younger cousin and heir in The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo’s journey is primarily a treasure-reclaiming adventure, while Frodo’s quest is to destroy the Ring in Mount Doom.