Summary
The inspirations that author J.R.R. Tolkien drew from for the stories, names, and places in hisLord of the Ringsuniverse could fill several books. In fact, they have prompted deep analyses that have found rich parallels between heroic tales from old Germanic and Norse sagas and stories of Tolkien’s legendarium. Fans would be surprised to learn about the deeper meanings behind some of the character names. In particular, the Ringbearer himself, Frodo Baggins, gets his name from Norse mythology.
In 1915, J.R.R. Tolkien graduated from Oxford University with a specialization in English philology (study of language). He had an additional focus on Old Norse, one of the sister languages of English, like German. He translated the Germanic hero epicBeowulfinto English, and read William Morris’ translation of theVölsunga Saga. This heroic story got him so interested in Norse Mythology that he began basing much of his own Middle-earth on it. This expertise is how he developed entire new languages, such as Elvish, to lend more authenticity to his fictional universe. And it is possibly from these mythic stories that Tolkien found the perfect name for the hobbit that would be a central character of hisThe Lord of the Rings.
How Norse Mythology Inspired Frodo’s Name
Tolkien borrowed many names for his fantasy epic from Norse myths, and took thematic inspiration from them as well. For example, his plans for his created universe includeda Ragnarök-inspired Judgment Daythat would end the world before rebuilding it. The names of all the dwarves fromThe Hobbit— Thorin, Bifur, Bofur, Óin, Glóin, Dwalin, and more — were taken from names of dwarves in the Norse epicVöluspá Saga. The name ‘Gandalf,’ too, comes from the name of a dwarf from the same poem. His character, meanwhile, was inspired by the Norse God Odin, who would often disguise himself as an old man with a hat and wander among humans. And it is a descendant of Odin — specifically, a Danish king — that Frodo is named after.
In Norse mythology, Odin is considered to be the father of many Scandinavian royal dynasties, like Völsung and Skjölding. According to the Ynglinga Saga (an Old Norse saga written by Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson), Fróði is the name of several legendary Danish kings, who were descendants of the Norse God Odin. Fróði was believed to have descended from King Fridleif of the Danes, who was descended from Skjöldr, who was considered one of the first legendary kings of the Danes and also appears in the poem Beowulf. Skjöldr was the son of Odin himself, the father of the Norse gods.
Why Did Tolkien Name Frodo Baggins After a Danish King Descended From Odin?
When Tolkien first conceived this character in his early drafts forThe Lord of the Rings, he decided to name him Bingo Bolger Baggins. But eventually, hechanged the name to Frodo Baggins, which is a more apt name. There were many stories about the mythical Danish King Fróði, whose name means ‘clever’, ‘wise’, or ‘learned.’ In many translations, was often fashioned as ‘Frotho’, ‘Frode’, or the latinized ‘Frodo’.
Fróði was considered a good, benevolent, and faithful king. One story talks about the peace and prosperity he brought to his kingdom, known as Fróði’s Peace. During this time, his kingdom is said to have flourished so well that even if a golden ring were left outside, nobody would steal it. It’s a fitting name, then, for a character whose one job was to protect a magical ring and not give in to the temptation to take it for himself. Frodo is named after a king who would stay true to the task himself.
What’s even more fascinating is that Tolkien’s inspiration for the War of the Ring didn’t stop there. One dynasty sired by the Norse God Odin inspired the hero, Frodo Baggins. Meanwhile, another story involving another dynasty sired by Odin, Völsung, inspired the story of the One Ring. The ring in this story shares the characteristic of bringing tragedy upon whoever dared to possess it, or the ability to see andcontrol other ring bearerswhen wearing the One Ring. The Norse myth about the cursed magic ring Andvaranaut, which led to plenty of bloodshed, inspired the designs behind Sauron’s Precious. And as if this parallel wasn’t enough, it was Loki, the Norse God of Mischief, who stole the ring, which caused it to be cursed by its maker.
Tolkien disliked allegory, but he wasn’t averse to being inspired by the old legends and creating something utterly new from them. Anyone who is a hardcore fan ofThe Lord of the Ringsought to go spelunking into these myths, where they are sure to find more parallels with Tolkien’s stories.
