Lord Of The Rings: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Hobbits

Hobbits are creatures of comfort. In many ways they are the image of a retired English gentleman. They eat hearty meals, dress in fine waistcoats; and enjoy the pleasures of good beer and fine tobacco smoke. They prefer the quiet calm of the country side as opposed to the rigours of travel.

All these characteristics make a hobbit the perfect candidate for an adventure story. If want some real tension, take someone completely our of their comfort zone and see how they react. That was certainly what was in Tolkien's mind. He was fascinated with Norse mythology and tales of Anglo-Saxon heroism, but he never much liked the idea of going on an adventure himself.

He admitted being reluctant to enlist at the outbreak of WW1, when all the young men around him were excited for the adventure, stating: "It was a nasty cleft to be in for a young man with too much imagination and little physical courage." This draws a similar parallel with Bilbo's reluctance to go on his own adventure. The horrific things Tolkien witnessed, was further reflected in his writings about the four hobbits being exposed to the War of the Ring.

Later in life Tolkien stated: "I am in fact a Hobbit in all but size." going on to recount his love of pipe smoking, gardens, waistcoats and a lack of interest in travel.