In 1954, writer and scholar of English literature J. R. R. Tolkien published The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of three volumes in his novel The Lord of the Rings. Considered a founding text of high fantasy, The Lord of the Rings is widely regarded as a modern classic. The saga’s roots in epic poetry, philology, and mythology have influenced both academia and popular culture, inspiring scholarship, Tolkien societies, and film adaptations, including Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated movie and Peter Jackson's acclaimed 2001-2003 trilogy. The Fellowship of the Ring is a continuation of the world Tolkien created in The Hobbit (1937); the posthumously published The Silmarillion (1977) takes place in the same setting. Volumes two and three of The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers (1954) and The Return of the King (1955), complete the central story of the Bagginses and protagonist Frodo's efforts to destroy the One Ring of ultimate power before the evil Sauron can regain the weapon.

This guide refers to the 2012 Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt edition.

Plot Summary

Frodo Baggins is an orphan hobbit (a small humanoid being) who was adopted by his older cousin Bilbo and lives an unassuming life in the Shire, a pastoral region of the wider fantasy realm of Middle-earth. The Fellowship of the Ring begins 60 years after the events of The Hobbit, when Bilbo stole an invisibility-granting ring from the cave-dwelling creature Gollum. On Bilbo’s 111th birthday, Bilbo announces his retirement and journeys to the mountains. He bequeaths his entire estate and, with some reluctance, the ring to Frodo. Bilbo's wizard friend, Gandalf, is wary of the ring and advises Frodo to keep it secret while Gandalf investigates its origins.

Seventeen years later, Gandalf discovers that the ring is not merely magical. Unbeknownst to Bilbo, the ring is the One Ring, an all-powerful instrument of evil that was forged millennia ago in the blighted land of Mordor. The Ring, which has its own volition, is intent on returning to its creator, Sauron, the Dark Lord who forged the weapon to control other Rings of Power divided among the various sentient peoples of Middle-earth: Elves, Dwarves, and Men.

The One Ring granted Sauron extraordinary powers of domination, and he was close to absolute victory when Isildur, the son of King Elendil of the most powerful kingdom of Men, vanquished him by cutting the ring from his hand. Sauron was reduced to a weakened, spirit form, but Isildur kept the Ring for himself instead of destroying it as he should have. The ring eventually passed into Gollum’s hands and then to Bilbo. Still spectral but back in his realm of Mordor, Sauron has discovered that the Ring still exists, and he plots to recover the weapon, sending out forces to pursue the hobbit who now has it.

Gandalf explains all of this to Frodo and warns him never to wear the Ring; though it imparts invisibility, wearing it causes Sauron to gain a hold over one's will, eventually causing the wearer to permanently fade into a servant of evil. Such was the fate of nine kings who bore the Rings of Power and now exist eternally as Ringwraiths in service to Sauron.

Fearful of endangering lives in the Shire, Frodo takes the Ring and leaves his home with his trustworthy friends—his gardener Samwise Gamgee, Pippin Took, and Merry Brandybuck. They travel through the sinister Old Forest and haunted Barrow-downs to seek counsel in Rivendell, a settlement of Elves. On their way, the hobbits stop in the town of Bree, where they join forces with a mysterious man named Strider, an avowed friend of Gandalf who pledges his life to save the hobbits. Pursuing them are the Ringwraiths, one of whom manages to wound Frodo with his blade before Frodo, his friends, and Strider escape. A poison splinter from the Ringwraith’s sword nearly turns Frodo into a wraith himself, but he reaches Rivendell in time, and the Elf Lord Elrond heals him.

In Rivendell, Frodo reunites with Bilbo and Gandalf, and at the Council of Elrond, representatives from the major peoples of Middle-earth gather to determine their course of action. Gandalf surmises that their only solution is to destroy the Ring in the volcanic Cracks of Doom in Mordor where it was forged. Also present at the meeting is Boromir, a valiant yet proud defender of the kingdom of Gondor, where Isildur once ruled. He proposes to use the Ring against Sauron, but Elrond and Gandalf tell him that the Ring’s power of corruption is too strong; no one can wield it without succumbing to evil. Saruman the White, the leader of the Order of Wizards, has himself become corrupt and can no longer be trusted.

Though Gondor faces assault by Sauron, Boromir shares that he’s traveled to Rivendell to seek not military alliance but help interpreting a dream that involved Isildur. To Boromir’s disbelief, Strider reveals himself to be Aragorn, a direct descendent of Isildur. Though his lineage makes him heir to the currently vacant throne of Gondor, Aragorn has been living among the Rangers—a wandering people protecting the North, living in secrecy but honoring their responsibility to safeguard Middle-earth. He promises Boromir he will fight in the war on behalf of Gondor.

At last, to the surprise of the council members, Frodo volunteers to take the Ring to Mordor. Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, and Gandalf the Grey agree to accompany Frodo and Sam. With much persistence, Merry and Pippin join the group—the fellowship of the Ring.

On the first leg of their journey, a blizzard thwarts their attempt to reach a mountain pass. Reluctantly, they detour through the Mines of Moria, the ancient, now abandoned homeland of the Dwarves, and come under attack by goblinlike creatures called Orcs. More frightening is the demonic Balrog, a winged and fiery creature awoken from the depths of the mines. Gandalf holds off the beast for his friends to escape but plummets down a chasm with the Balrog to his death.

The fellowship travels to the Elven city of Lórien, where Frodo and Sam meet the Lady Galadriel, a powerful Elf who wears one of the Elven Rings of Power. She invites them to look in the Mirror of Galadriel, which shows portentous images that may or may not come true. Sam envisions the destruction of the Shire while Frodo sees black sails, a figure like Gandalf dressed in white, and the Eye of Sauron. Despite the fearful images in the mirror, Sam and Frodo resolve to continue their journey. Frodo offers the One Ring to Galadriel, and though tempted to wield its power for good, she resists taking it.

Galadriel bestows on each member a parting gift, and the fellowship travels some distance southward by boat before stopping to rest on shore. There, Aragorn leaves the decision of their path to Frodo: The fellowship can either fight the war with Boromir in Gondor or accompany Frodo to Mordor. Frodo requests time alone to contemplate, and Boromir secretly follows him. When Boromir lunges for the Ring, Frodo puts it on to escape. Knowing that the fellowship is now compromised and that the Ring only further endangers them, Frodo decides to protect his friends and head to Mordor alone.

Meanwhile, Boromir returns to the group and admits that Frodo disappeared, but he does not elaborate. In haste, they spread out to search for Frodo; only Sam intuits that Frodo is afraid and means to leave without them. He finds Frodo leaving by boat, and at risk of drowning, he leaps into the waters to follow. Frodo rescues Sam, and the two divine that they are meant to accomplish the quest together.