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The Fellowship of the Ring

by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic The Lord of the Rings, published by George Allen & Unwin on 29 July 1954. It opens in the peaceful Shire, where the hobbit Frodo Baggins inherits a… more

First published 1954 · 423 pages · English

26 quotes ★ 4.41 (3,212,122) Classics

Quotes from the Book

All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.
Not all those who wander are lost.
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.
The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.
Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.
The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say
May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.
Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.
All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost.
The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot for ever fence it out.
He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom.
If by my life or death I can protect you, I will.
Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are all alight. Then world behind and home ahead, We'll wander back and home to bed. Mist and twilight, cloud and shade, Away shall fade! Away shall fade!
I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.
It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.
You cannot pass," he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass.
But it does not seem that I can trust anyone,' said Frodo. Sam looked at him unhappily. 'It all depends on what you want,' put in Merry. 'You can trust us to stick with you through thick and thin--to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours--closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo.
For even the very wise cannot see all ends.
Yes, I am here. And you are lucky to be here too after all the absurd things you've done since you left home.
So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.
My dear Frodo!’ exclaimed Gandalf. ‘Hobbits really are amazing creatures, as I have said before. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you at a pinch.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.
The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet it is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: Small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.

Did you know?

  • It was first published on 29 July 1954 in the United Kingdom.
  • The Lord of the Rings was originally written as a single novel and split into three volumes by the publisher for economic reasons.
  • It was followed by The Two Towers (1954) and The Return of the King (1955).
  • The opening chapter centers on Bilbo Baggins celebrating his 'eleventy-first' (111th) birthday.
  • Tolkien composed the work over roughly twelve years, from 1937 to 1949.

About J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) was an English writer, poet, and Oxford professor of Anglo-Saxon and English language and literature. He is best known for his Middle-earth legendarium, including The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

More about the author →

About the book

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic The Lord of the Rings, published by George Allen & Unwin on 29 July 1954. It opens in the peaceful Shire, where the hobbit Frodo Baggins inherits a magic ring from his relative Bilbo. The wizard Gandalf reveals it to be the One Ring forged by the Dark Lord Sauron, whose recovery of it would spell ruin for Middle-earth. Frodo sets out to carry the Ring to safety, and at the Council of Elrond in Rivendell he accepts the perilous quest to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom. A Fellowship of nine companions is formed to aid him on the journey.

At its heart the book explores the corrupting nature of power, the courage and resilience of ordinary individuals, and the bonds of fellowship and sacrifice. Tolkien weaves together the small-scale, homely world of the hobbits with the vast, ancient history of Elves, Dwarves, and Men, giving the tale both intimacy and grandeur. Themes of providence, free will, and the endurance of hope in the face of overwhelming darkness run throughout the narrative.

Originally written as a single novel between 1937 and 1949, the work was split by its publisher into three volumes for economic reasons, and The Fellowship of the Ring proved enduringly influential. It helped define the modern fantasy genre and has been adapted for film, most famously in Peter Jackson's acclaimed 2001 live-action version. Together with its sequels, it remains one of the most beloved and widely read works of twentieth-century literature.

Key characters

  • Frodo BagginsHobbit protagonist who inherits and bears the One Ring
  • Samwise GamgeeFrodo's loyal gardener and steadfast companion
  • GandalfWizard who guides Frodo and reveals the Ring's nature
  • Aragorn (Strider)Ranger and hidden heir who joins the Fellowship
  • Merry BrandybuckHobbit friend of Frodo and Fellowship member
  • Pippin TookHobbit friend of Frodo and Fellowship member
  • BoromirMan of Gondor and Fellowship member tempted by the Ring

Book details

First published
1954
Length
423 pages
Reading time
8 hours
Goodreads rating
4.41 (3.2M ratings)
First line
“When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.”

Series & reading order

  1. 1 The Fellowship of the Ring
  2. 2 The Two Towers
  3. 3 The Return of the King

Movie & TV adaptations

  • IMDb
    The Lord of the Rings 1978

    Ralph Bakshi's animated film covering the early narrative

  • IMDb
    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2001

    Peter Jackson's acclaimed live-action film adaptation

If you liked this, read…

  1. 1
    The HobbitTolkien's earlier Middle-earth novel that precedes the story
  2. 2
    The Two TowersThe direct sequel continuing the quest

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