Hobbits are the small folk who live in the Shire in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. They are portrayed as comfort-loving people with a strong attachment to food, gardens, family traditions, and peaceful domestic life.
Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins are the best-known hobbit characters. Samwise Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, and Peregrin Took are also central to The Lord of the Rings. Although most hobbits prefer to avoid large events, several become essential to the defeat of Sauron.
Hobbits are distinct from Tolkien’s Dwarves, Ents, and Elves. Dwarves are renowned for mining and craftsmanship, Ents are tree-like shepherds of forests, and Elves are immortal beings with a much older history. The Shire is located in northwestern Middle-earth and is especially associated with hobbit settlements such as Hobbiton and Buckland.