Hobbits are the small, long-lived inhabitants of the Shire in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works.
Tolkien describes Hobbits as a people fond of peace, comfort, good food, gardens, and a settled rural life. Their ordinary habits contrast with the epic conflicts surrounding them, which makes their involvement in major events especially striking.
Bilbo Baggins is the protagonist of The Hobbit, while Frodo Baggins becomes the principal Ring-bearer in The Lord of the Rings. Other important Hobbits include Samwise Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, and Peregrin Took.
The Shire is their best-known homeland, but Hobbits also appear elsewhere in Tolkien’s histories. Their courage is not based on physical strength or military power. Instead, Tolkien repeatedly emphasizes endurance, loyalty, resilience, and the ability of seemingly insignificant individuals to influence the fate of the world.