Lobelia Sackville-Baggins
Lobelia Sackville-Baggins (TA 2910–3020) was a Shire Hobbit, the wife of Otho (the first Sackville-Baggins, and Bilbo's first cousin) and the mother of Lotho. She was most renowned for her indomitable greed and a temper universally labelled as shrewish. She spent most of her life trying to weasel the luxurious estate of Bag End away from Bilbo and Frodo. During the feud most Hobbits sided with the Bagginses against the Sackville-Bagginses because of Lobelia's nasty disposition. But when Bilbo was gone for about a year on his adventure in T.A. 2941, and he was heirless at that time, Lobelia and Otho hurriedly attempted to have him declared dead so that they might obtain the estate. Bilbo returned in T. A. 2942 on a gold-laden pony in the middle of the their auction of his estate properties. Lobelia and her family attempted to contest his identity, which Bilbo was able to prove. The feud continued against Bilbo from then on until his disappearance at the Farewell Party in T.A. 3001, when he left them a set of spoons. The estate then, of course, fell to Frodo, whose relationship with Lobelia immediately became strained. When Frodo finally made his decision to leave the Shire for the first time, he left the estate to Lobelia, who finally had what she wanted after nearly eighty years of grasping after it. Despite her nasty disposition, the Hobbits of the Shire found a new respect for Lobelia because of the indomitable spirit she demonstrated during Saruman's occupation of the Shire. During that time, Lobelia tried to whip an insulting rogue with her umbrella although she was very old by that time and certainly less than half his size. She was then imprisoned in the Lock-holes. During her imprisonment, her ridiculed son was murdered by Wormtongue, at Saruman's command. When Lobelia was released during the Battle of Bywater, the Hobbits cheered her for her courage, and this was the first time she had ever been popular in herlife. However, Lobelia was so stricken by her son's death that she gave Bag End back to Frodo and returned to her home in Hardbottle, where she grieved until her death the following Spring. She left her estate to Frodo for care of homeless Hobbits, especially those made bereft because of the occupation of the Shire.
Lobelia's Principal Items[]
- Umbrella
- Tongue — Lobelia has the innate ability to irritate and rile almost anyone.
References[]
- Foster, Robert. The Complete Guide to Middle-earth.
- MERP:Lords of Middle-earth Vol III: Hobbits, Dwarves, Ents, Orcs & Trolls