How is Bilbo a hero in "The Hobbit"?

In addition to all the ways in which Bilbo shows heroism through action, there are also a number of more subtle ways in which he demonstrates heroic qualities. He starts the tale as a mild-mannered hobbit, afraid of the thought of moving beyond his front yard, let alone going far away on an adventure. For the early part of the campaign, he is very much a liability to Thorin and company, but by the time...

In addition to all the ways in which Bilbo shows heroism through action, there are also a number of more subtle ways in which he demonstrates heroic qualities. He starts the tale as a mild-mannered hobbit, afraid of the thought of moving beyond his front yard, let alone going far away on an adventure. For the early part of the campaign, he is very much a liability to Thorin and company, but by the time the party reaches the Misty Mountains, Bilbo is already beginning to establish himself as capable and, even at times, semi-confident.

He defeats Gollum in a game of riddles, often thinking two or three steps ahead in the game. At one point he gives Gollum an easy riddle in order to buy himself a little more time to think of a tricky one. This suggests he is so confident that he will get Gollum's next riddle that he is turning the battle of wits into a chess match. Further, when he meets back up with the dwarves and saves them from the spiders, he ends up taking control of the party, giving orders so that they are able to escape. This arc continues through his rescue of the dwarves when, as they complain about having to ride down the river in the barrels he has used to smuggle them out, he tells them that they are more than welcome to get back in the barrels and go back to prison if they would like to.

Bilbo continues to display heroism through the very end of the tale, when Thorin realizes his own foolishness and begins to understand the heroic qualities that Bilbo exhibits when Bilbo turns over the Arkenstone and tried to diffuse the tension before war erupts. As a hero, Bilbo knows when to take a stand and fight but also when to stand down and compromise.