Which character is the central protagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit?

Bilbo Baggins is the central protagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

Bilbo begins the novel as a comfort-loving hobbit from Bag End. Gandalf recruits him to join Thorin Oakenshield and a company of Dwarves on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and its treasure from Smaug. Bilbo is initially reluctant, but he gradually becomes resourceful and courageous.

During the journey, Bilbo finds a mysterious ring in the Misty Mountains after meeting Gollum. He also uses the name “Baggins” carefully while escaping, and the experience becomes a turning point in his character.

Bilbo is distinct from Frodo, who is the principal ring-bearer in The Lord of the Rings. Thorin leads the Dwarves, but Bilbo remains the viewpoint character and the story’s central hero.