Here’s Which Lord of the Rings Character You Are, Based on Your Myers-Briggs® Personality Type

I’ve always enjoyed trying to figure out the personality types of the characters in my favorite movies, particularly The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. These movies (and especially the books) have been favorites of mine since childhood, and I love how each character has their own unique way of fighting for their cause, be it good or bad. I recently re-watched all The Lord of the Rings films with my kids and fell in love with them all over again. If you’re also a fan, welcome! This place is for you. Let’s figure out which character aligns with your personality type!

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Here’s Which Lord of the Rings Character You Are, Based On Your Personality Type

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

 ISTJ – Thorin Oakenshield

Reserved, determined, and practical, Thorin Oakenshield is an ISTJ with both good and negative qualities. He is intensely pragmatic and singularly-focused on restoring his home to its former glory. His belief and reverence for the past, his no-nonsense, direct manner of speaking, and sense of duty are all classic ISTJ qualities. Find out more about his type: The ISTJ Leader

ISFJ – Samwise Gamgee

Loyalty and faithfulness are hallmarks of the ISFJ personality type, and Samwise Gamgee embodies these traits well. While he loves the Shire and enjoys the routine he has there, he’s willing to risk it all to stand by his friend and keep his word. ISFJs are firm believers in following through on what they say, and he shows this so plainly as he tromps through the water after Frodo, insisting “I made a promise, Mr. Frodo, a promise. Don’t you leave him, Samwise Gamgee. And I don’t mean to. I don’t mean to.” Find out more about the ISFJ personality type: A Look at the ISFJ Leader

ESTJ – Boromir

Boromir embodies the strong ESTJ with his natural leadership capabilities, his no-nonsense outlook, and his respect for traditions. He yearns for leadership, seeing the choices of the fellowship as too impractical and needlessly inefficient. He values empirical evidence, and has no problem speaking his mind when he feels that the facts are being misrepresented. While he’s occasionally able to speculate about new ideas and foresee meanings (for example, when he predicted that the snow on the mountains was Sauron’s doing) he is more focused on his past experience and his duty than following after theories and the ideas of wizards.

ESFJ – Bilbo Baggins

Friendly, sentimental, and practical, Bilbo Baggins is one of the best examples of a male ESFJ hero there is. In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, no matter how much he may dislike a crowd of dwarves invading his home, Bilbo tries as hard as possible to remain polite and hospitable. He fills his home with heirlooms and nostalgic details and loves the familiar life of his hobbit hole in the Shire. While initially he might be afraid of change, after some thought and persuasion he can’t resist the pull of a journey to somewhere new. Because ESFJs have tertiary extraverted intuition, they often feel these longings in mid-life as that function develops.  Bilbo solves problems using common sense and insight into the motivations of others.

ISTJ – Aragorn

Aragorn is, more than anything, bound by his loyalties and his duties. He keeps his inner feelings hidden, like most ISTJs, revealing only his pragmatism and his course of action. Although he feels deeply, his emotions are typically internalized and he doesn’t share needlessly; not even getting into the friendly arguments that Legolas and Gimli are bound to enjoy. Aragorn has the sensibility, dutifulness, and emotional reserve of the ISTJ personality type, while also having this type’s inner depth and loyalty.

ISTP – Legolas

Legolas thinks quickly on his feet, reacts to the present moment, and keeps a witty, clever tongue on him at all times. Like most ISTPs, he’s quiet, but he also enjoys playful banter with Gimli, turning his conquests into a game rather than getting overwhelmed by the heat of battle and the threat of imminent death. At the same time, like all ISTPs, Legolas’s sensing side and intuitive side work in tandem. We can see this through his near spiritual connection to nature, the trees, and even the wind. He’s someone who is very present in the real world, but can also sense deeper meanings and patterns. ISTPs and ISFPs also have this back and forth, symbiotic relationship with their sensing and intuitive sides.

ESTP – Gimli

Active and adventurous, Gimli captures the humor, cleverness and bravado of the ESTP perfectly. Despite his smaller size, he’s able to hold his own in battle by reacting quickly to ever-changing situations. He is excited by danger, stimulated by a challenge, and isn’t afraid to state his opinion or enjoy some humorous banter with Legolas while slaying orcs.

ESFP – Pippin

Pippin captures the enthusiasm, humor, and liveliness of the ESFP in an unforgettable way. He is driven by curiosity and a sense of adventure. He is highly empathetic to the plight of Faramir and others he meets along his journey, and he believes in telling the truth even if it might be dangerous for him. His kind-hearted, spontaneous, playful personality is what makes him and other ESFPs so lovable.

INTJ – Gandalf

Perceptive, strategic, and rational, Gandalf is the embodiment of the healthy INTJ. At one time in my life, I thought he could be an INFJ, but I believe that’s more Galadriel’s realm. Gandalf is straightforward, direct, but also kind, like the healthy INTJ. He doesn’t sugarcoat things and he’s no empath, rather he critiques directly when there’s a problem and helps everyone stay on task and aware of their part in battles. His eye for strategy, commanding nature, and alignment with his values against all odds are in alignment with INTJs at their very best. While he does care deeply for others, he’s not a “warm and fuzzy” kind of person, he simply tries to keep everyone’s eye on the big picture and the promise of an unrealized future. His intuitive abilities make him able to see past the turmoil of the present moment to the vision he has of what the world could be.

INFJ – Galadriel

Galadriel has a far-reaching vision, as well as an insight into human nature that epitomizes the INFJ personality type. She is always peering behind the surface of what’s going on in real time, seeing people’s true feelings and motivations, even when they try to hide them. During Frodo’s struggles, she repeatedly comes to him in visions to aid him, and the elves have come to rely on her for her wisdom, perceptiveness, and ability to sense patterns and outcomes. She knows that Boromir will try to take the ring from Frodo after only a few moments, and can sense Frodo’s struggles, as well as her own potential corruption where she to be given the One Ring. This ability to sense what will unfold, see patterns that aren’t obvious to others, and intuit others’ emotional experiences is characteristic of the INFJ personality type.

ENTJ – Saruman

Fiercely powerful and intensely strategic, Saruman has the intellect and far-reaching vision typical of ENTJ personality types. Unfortunately he demonstrates this in unhealthy or corrupted ways, but we can still appreciate his strengths nonetheless. He is knowledgeable, rational, and extremely perceptive of how events will likely play out in the future. He has strong leadership capabilities and knows how to place people (and orcs) to achieve his goals.

ENFJ – Faramir

Faramir is willing to do whatever it takes for the good of his people, even if it conflicts with what he believes internally makes sense. He is a good example of how ENFJs value both logic and feeling, but will choose following their values and the needs of others over what they know is the most sensible plan sometimes. He is highly empathetic with others and clearly moved by his values and the feelings of those around him. He is deeply wounded by his father’s rejection of him, but rises to the occasion anyway because he is so personally moved by his father’s desires.  He would make a strong leader, capable of bringing many different people together, but his father prefers his brother’s more headstrong way of handling things. Find out more about the ENFJ personality type here.

INTP – Smaug

Curious, clever, and wildly independent, Smaug is the perfect example of an INTP villain. Unlike a TJ villain, he doesn’t wish to control or have power over others. He craves a solitary life, and the only people who interest him are the ones who challenge his intellectual capabilities and make him think and toy with ideas.

INFP – Frodo

Willing to give up everything for the cause he believes in, Frodo embodies the most valiant of INFPs. His open-minded, gentle demeanor hides a fiery passion for the fate of the Shire and the world at large. Frodo can’t live unless he adheres to his convictions and values, and this is evident in every decision he makes. His compassion for Gollum, his willingness to turn his whole life upside down the moment he is needed, and his integrity are all qualities that reveal his mature INFP nature.

Find out more about INFPs: What Each Myers-Briggs® Personality Type Loves About INFPs

ENTP – Merry

Merry (or Meriadoc) is known as being intellectual, clever, and the most perceptive of the Hobbits in the Lord of the Rings books. He is far more strategic in the books than in the movies; realizing even before the Quest of the Rings what is about to happen and how to prepare. He is stimulated by change and capable of switching gears as the situation changes, finding ingenious solutions in the midst of turmoil.

ISFP – Arwen

Quiet, contemplative, and deeply passionate, Arwen has all the mystery and insightfulness of the ISFP personality type. More than anything, she must do what she believes is right, even if it goes against the grain of her community or her father’s expectations. She’s also swift to react to changes in her environment, paying attention to details, and managing to evade threats quickly without getting overwhelmed. Yet Arwen has a symbiotic relationship between her sensing and intuition. She has a heightened awareness of the present moment, but also can future-forecast how things may go in the future, tending towards a singular vision of what she must do. Find out more about the ISFP functions here: The ISFP’s Cognitive Functions Guide

ENFP – Tom Bombadil

Spry, quick, and playful, Tom Bombadil emulates the energy and enthusiasm of the ENFP personality type. Although left out of the movies, Tom Bombadil plays an integral role in the books, even rescuing Merry and Pippin from an angry tree towards the beginning of the stories. He has power over the forest and can communicate with all the living things within it. Like most ENFPs, Tom is more interested in dreams, theories, and concepts than raw reality. He speaks in riddles, songs, and musings, jumping from one idea to the next, and showing no vulnerability to the Ring whatsoever, even going so far as to play with it and then hand it right back to Frodo. Maybe one day they will include Tom Bombadil in a Lord of the Rings series, but today is not that day.

INTJ – Elrond

Elrond can see beyond the present and anticipate future potentials, much like any Intuitive Judging personality type. But he also has the straightforwardness, rationality, and directness of a TJ type. Tolkien described Elrond as a “strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer.” INTJs at their best can emulate all of these things. They  have the insight that can lead others to make effective decisions, the eye for strategy and logic, and the inner values and principles that keep them compassionate. While we may rarely see Elrond smile (typical INTJ), we know that his heart is loyal to what he believes is right.

ISFP – Eowyn

Eowyn marches to the beat of her own drum and doesn’t want to be relegated to the typical female tasks of her day. She’s driven to do what she believes is right, even if it may put her in the face of danger or cause her to disregard her father’s orders. As an ISFP, her values come first, against all odds. She’s also highly attuned to her environment, reacting quickly in the face of danger and keeping a calm outlook. This attunement to the environment is something that Sensing-Perceivers are known for and something that we can see in both her and Arwen, her fellow ISFP.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Do you agree with my assessment on these Lord of the Rings characters? Disagree? Let us know what you think! We are always open-minded if you have a good argument for a different type for any of the characters 🙂 In fact, I’ve recently modified this post after talking to some of you more in depth about the characters and realizing I was wrong about two of the types (Aragorn I initially typed as ISTP, and Gandalf as INFJ).

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