The Lord of The Rings - Main Characters

Main Characters

Protagonists:

• Frodo Baggins, a well-to-do hobbit from the Shire, who inherits the One Ring from Bilbo. Frodo accepts the task of destroying the Ring in the fire of Mount Doom.
• Samwise Gamgee, gardener and friend of the Bagginses, who accompanies Frodo on the quest to destroy the Ring.
• Meriadoc Brandybuck, or Merry, Frodo's cousin and companion in the Fellowship.
• Peregrin Took, Pip or Pippin, Frodo's cousin and companion in the Fellowship.
• Gandalf, a wizard, who guides Frodo in his quest. He is a Maia, an angelic being sent by the godlike Valar to contest Sauron.
• Aragorn, descendant of Isildur and rightful heir to the thrones of Arnor and Gondor. He becomes a loyal companion to Frodo.
• Legolas Greenleaf, an elf prince, who aids Frodo and the Fellowship. Son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood
• Gimli, son of Glóin, A representative of the Dwarves in the Fellowship.
• Denethor, ruling Steward of Gondor and Lord of Minas Tirith.
• Boromir, the eldest son of Denethor and member of the Fellowship. tempted by the power of the Ring he tries to take it from Frodo by force.
• Faramir, younger brother of Boromir and not favoured by Denethor.
• Galadriel, royal Elf, co-ruler of Lothlórien, and grandmother of Arwen Undómiel (Arwen Evenstar). Keeper of one of the three elven rings.
• Celeborn, husband of Galadriel, co-ruler of Lothlórien, and grandfather of Arwen Undomiel.
• Elrond, Lord of Rivendell and father to Arwen Undomiel.
• Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's adoptive uncle.
• Théoden, King of Rohan.
• Éomer, the 3rd Marshal of the Mark, Théoden's nephew. Later King of Rohan after Théoden's death.
• Éowyn, sister of Éomer, who disguises herself as a male warrior named Dernhelm to fight beside Théoden.
• Treebeard, an Ent, who rescues Meriadoc and Pippin from orcs and who helps to turn the tide of battle.

Antagonists:

• Sauron, the Dark Lord and titular Lord of the Rings, a fallen Maia who helped the Elves forge the Rings of Power long ago. He forged the One Ring in secret to control all the other Rings of Power.
• The Nazgûl or Ringwraiths, nine servants of Sauron. Kings of old, they were enslaved to the One Ring through nine of the Rings of Power.
• The Witch-king of Angmar, the Lord of the Nazgûl, and Sauron's most powerful servant, who commands Sauron's army.
• Saruman, a corrupted wizard who seeks the One Ring for himself. Brainwashed by Sauron through use of the palantír. Like Gandalf, he is in fact a Maia, lesser (but still mighty) member of godlike kin of Valar.
• Gríma Wormtongue, a servant of Saruman and traitor of Rohan, a go-between from Saruman to Théoden who poisons Théoden's perceptions with well placed "advice".
• Gollum (named Sméagol in earlier life), who once possessed the Ring, which warped his mind and body and gave him unnaturally long life and poisoned his soul.
• Various Orcs, soldiers of Mordor or Isengard. Those who play significant roles in the story include Uglúk, captain of the Uruk-hai of Isengard, Grishnákh, orc of Mordor and Uglúk's antagonist, Shagrat of Cirith Ungol, and Gorbag of Minas Morgul.
• Shelob, a giant spider who dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul.
• The Balrog, a fire-demon dwelling beneath the Mines of Moria awakened by the digging and mining of Dwarves.
• The Haradrim, evil men south of Gondor. Allies with Sauron
• Easterlings, men of the East of Middle-earth.
• Corsairs of Umbar, enemies of Gondor