Respectability

Respectability in the Shire is a rigid social currency, a measure of predictability, comfort, and adherence to convention that defines a hobbit's standing in the community. For the Baggins family, it is a hereditary trait, a badge of honor earned by generations of never doing anything unexpected. This concept is the bedrock of Bilbo Baggins's identity at the story's outset, and his entire adventure is framed as a departure from—and a redefinition of—this very ideal.

Identity and Social Standing

The Bagginses are described as "very respectable," not only because most of them were rich, but also because "they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him." This predictability is the essence of their respectability. Bilbo's mother, Belladonna Took, came from a less respectable family, the Tooks, who were known for occasionally having adventures and "discreetly disappearing." Though the Tooks were richer, they were not as respectable as the Bagginses. Bilbo himself is a blend of these two lineages: he looks and behaves like his solid, comfortable father, Bungo, but he has inherited a "queer" streak from the Took side, a latent desire for adventure that waits for a chance to emerge. This internal conflict between the Baggins desire for respectability and the Tookish longing for adventure is the engine of his character.

The Loss of Respectability

Bilbo's decision to join Thorin and Company on their quest is a direct assault on his own respectability. The narrator notes that he "may have lost the neighbours' respect" by embarking on this adventure. This loss is confirmed upon his return. When Bilbo arrives back at Bag-End, he finds his belongings being auctioned off, as he had been "Presumed Dead." The legal bother over his return lasts for years, and he is forced to buy back much of his own furniture. More painfully, he finds that he has "lost his reputation." He is no longer considered respectable by the hobbits of the neighborhood; he is held to be "queer." Even his Tookish nephews and nieces are not encouraged by their elders to befriend him. The very stability and predictability that defined his former life are shattered.

Redefinition and Contentment

Despite the loss of social standing, Bilbo does not mind. He is "quite content." The sound of the kettle on his hearth becomes more musical than ever before. He hangs his sword over the mantelpiece, arranges his coat of mail on a stand in the hall, and spends his gold on presents. He takes to writing poetry and visiting elves. Though many shake their heads and say "Poor old Baggins!" and few believe his tales, he remains very happy to the end of his days, which are extraordinarily long. His adventure has given him a new kind of wealth—not of gold, but of experience, friendship, and self-knowledge—that far outweighs the respectability he has lost. He has traded the narrow, comfortable respectability of the Shire for a broader, more meaningful life, becoming an elf-friend and earning the honor of dwarves and wizards.

Thematic Significance

Respectability in The Hobbit is a foil for the true value of adventure and personal growth. The story suggests that a life lived entirely within the bounds of social expectation, while comfortable, is ultimately a shallow one. Bilbo's journey is not just a physical quest for treasure but a moral and psychological one, in which he must choose between the safety of the Baggins side and the daring of the Tookish side. His final contentment, despite being deemed "queer" by his neighbors, demonstrates that the real reward of his adventure is not the gold he brings back but the transformation he undergoes. He has learned to value "food and cheer and song above hoarded gold," a wisdom that the respectable society of the Shire, with its focus on material wealth and social standing, has yet to grasp. The concept of respectability is thus critiqued and ultimately transcended, replaced by a more authentic and fulfilling way of being in the world.