How Long Do Hobbits Live in LotR? (& 3 Oldest)
Among all of the different races that live on Middle-Earth, the Hobbits are the most interesting because of the fact that they are not entirely strong or smart but were still able to affect the course of history due to their heart and simplicity. Of course, Frodo and Sam were responsible for ultimately destroying the One Ring, but there are some Hobbits that actually became legendary in their own right in the Shire due to their advanced ages. But how long do Hobbits live?
Hobbits can live up to more than a century as the oldest Hobbit in history reached 130 years old without the help of magic. As such, they have longer lifespans than men but don’t live as long as dwarves do. Nevertheless, with the aid of the One Ring, a Hobbit can reach nearly 600 years old.
Initially useless at first glance, the Hobbits are incredibly hardy creatures that love to enjoy life, and that’s why Gandalf is especially fond of them. Of course, their lives aren’t that long, and that’s why Hobbits tend to try to make the best out of whatever years they have left to live. Now, in that regard, let’s look at how long Hobbits get to live in The Lord of the Rings.
How Long Do Hobbits Live In The Lord Of The Rings?
When we look at JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, it is easy to see that there are a lot of great beings like the wizards and the elves in terms of their power, wisdom, and strength. But, despite that, Tolkien focused more on the journey of the Hobbits, who are simple creatures that are half the size of men and don’t exactly excel in one area except for eating and enjoying life.
Nevertheless, it is the fact that they enjoy simple lives that makes them so special, as the One Ring couldn’t corrupt Frodo Baggins immediately. It took a long time for him to eventually fall to fall to the temptation of the One Ring because, like all Hobbits, Frodo wasn’t easily tempted by material wealth and power.
That said, Hobbits love to live simple lives that can be quite long, depending on how they live them. Usually, Hobbits tend to eat, drink, and be merry after working in their fields. In many ways, they live the rural lives that most people in the countryside live.
It is this simplicity that made Gandalf especially attracted to them, as Hobbits were able to live fruitful lives no matter how short or long they may be. But how long do Hobbits get to live in The Lord of the Rings?
There is no definite lifespan for a Hobbit because not all Hobbit ages are recorded. However, the oldest Hobbit to ever live without the aid of any special trinkets (the One Ring) reached 130 years old. That means that it is possible for Hobbits to live past a century, although it might be a rarity for them to reach ages close to 130, considering that there was only one Hobbit that lived that long.
Nevertheless, we can be sure that Hobbits have longer lifespans compared to men, who rarely live past the age of 100 and are already quite old when they reach 70 or 80. However, Hobbits don’t live as long as dwarves. And they certainly aren’t immortal like the elves are.
Who Are The Oldest Hobbits In Lord Of The Rings?
At this point, we don’t know a lot of Hobbits that grew to become quite old because JRR Tolkien wasn’t too specific with the ages of his characters. Nevertheless, we do have three Hobbits that are older than all of the other Hobbits.
3. Gerontius Took
Gerontius Took was also called Old Took because of how long he lived. He was able to reach the age of 130 and was, at that time, the oldest living Hobbit in the history of Hobbits. Old Took was also the 26th Thain or military leader of the Hobbits, who aren’t really known for their fighting abilities. Of course, like a lot of the other Hobbits, he was an old friend of Gandalf’s and was the ancestor of the other Hobbits with lineages that can be traced to the Tooks.
2. Bilbo Baggins
Bilbo Baggins was able to exceed Old Took’s age because he possessed the One Ring for many decades. It was because he was the possessor of the One Ring that he was able to live up to 131 years old. We don’t know if he could have exceeded Gerontius Took’s age had he not possessed the One Ring, but he may have still reached a rather advanced age because of his adventurous personality.
1. Sméagol/Gollum
The oldest Hobbit in history is Sméagol, who is the creature called Gollum. Although it might be a stretch to call him a Hobbit during the time of The Lord of the Rings, he was still once a Hobbit that found the One Ring long ago and was able to hold on to it for centuries. Sméagol retreated to the mountains as the influence of the One Ring affected his mind and body to the point that he became a grotesque being that was obsessed with it (he called it Precious). Due to the power of the One Ring, Sméagol reached 589 years old.
