The Hobbits’ Ages in Equivalent Man-Years
I always had a hard time keeping this straight, so I’m laying it out for myself as much as for anyone else who is interested to know. Hobbits, as we all know, don’t age like humans do; they take a bit longer to “get grown” as my mom put it. In particular, they come of age at 33, where it is stated that Men come of age at 18. (this also explaining why Hobbits live so long compared to what we, as humans expect; Bilbo’s ‘oddness’ was not so much that he was 111 years old, but that he didn’t look much older than 50. Most hobbits live to around 100 or above by a few years or even decades)
So if we equate 33 to 18, we can do a bit of algebra and figure up the ‘human’ equivalents of the hobbits’ ages in the Lord of the Rings books. The formula used here is 33/given age = 18/x, where x is the human equivalent. (You multiply 18 by the age given for them in the book, and then divide by 33.)
Frodo Baggins Given age at start of quest: 50. Human equivalent: 27
Samwise Gamgee Given age at start of quest: 36 Human equivalent: 19, closer to 20
Meriadoc Brandybuck Given age at start of quest: 37 Human equivalent: 20
Peregrin Took Given age at start of quest: 28 Human equivalent: 15
Bilbo Baggins Given age at the long expected party: 111 Human equivalent: 60, or if we’re rounding up 61. His age when Frodo found him in Rivendell was 69, almost 70.
I love thinking about the Hobbits in these terms. Being that I am now older than ¾ of the guys who went on the quest, and closer to Frodo than I am to the others, it makes them a whole lot more relatable. This might also explain why a lot of people are put off by how they behave; if you’re looking at them like humans of the ages listed in Hobbit-years, their behavior doesn’t make a ton of sense, particularly Pippin’s. But when you realize they are young adults closer to being teenagers than ‘real grownups’ (with the exception of Frodo), they become much more understandable, and much more relatable. They’re still naive, and Pippin is still a goofy child. Frodo is young enough to be fun-loving and a little care-free, but old enough for people to expect sobriety, maturity, and a certain amount of disdain for his younger friends’ shenanigans. (Especially in a society like Hobbiton, which is way too Upper Class for Pip and Merry’s tomfoolery.)
So instead of a 50 year old and a few 30-somethings, think of them more like this:
Frodo, the young adult who is, perhaps a little too old to be called a “young” adult anymore, but is still trying to hold on to his youth, and prefers the company of his kid cousins to the stuffy old folks at the “grown-ups table.” Frodo, who is still trying to figure out who he is outside of the context of his famous (and infamous) uncle, and who turns to his younger friends and family because they see him for him, not his adopted lineage.
Sam, the impressionable, under-educated son of a poor day-laborer who loves the boss who treats him like an equal and a friend, despite being so much older and wealthier and “smarter” than him, and who looks out for him and gives him a job despite not really needing an employee. Sam, the young man who is barely not a child anymore, who is unwaveringly loyal to the man who treats him more like a younger brother than a landscaper, because he wants to be so much more than a landscaper who barely learnt his letters.
Merry, the self-appointed mom friend who put off his childishness too soon, and who often forgets he’s not the oldest, while still marveling at the fact that he’s one of the grown ups now. Merry, who wants to look after the literal child that’s tagging along with them, his cousin the more-or-less prince who needs him to protect him, often from himself. Merry who still feels protective over Frodo when really Frodo is the one who really should be looking after him, and shutting Frodo down when he tries to do so.
Pippin, the baby who got in way over his head because of love for his family, and a thirst for excitement. The child who wants to be adult enough for the adventure, but is still immature enough to play in the bath. The child who had to grow up too fast because he was too curious. Pippin, the teenager who became a warrior of necessity, who wasn’t even an adult by the time they got back, and who took on the War of all Wars because he couldn’t stand to leave his family and friends to do it alone.
The hobbits seem a lot older when you go by numbers, but if you look at it in our terms, they suddenly become a little more human and a lot more complex, at least in my opinion.
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