Summary
A scene inThe Lord of the Ringsshowed Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee talking about the roles of heroes and villains, leading Sam to wonder about Gollum: “I wonder if he thinks he’s the hero or the villain?” The answer to this, however, is not so simple: although Gollum came a long way towards redemption, he ultimately failed.
In fact, it can be argued that his recovery was undone in one swift motion by Sam — which brings forth the suggestion that Sam should be blamed for Gollum’s death. Even J.R.R. Tolkien sided with the “old starved pitiable thing”, and implied that Sam’s interference had led to what happened at the end ofThe Lord of the Rings.
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Could Gollum Have Found Redemption?
Originally a Stoorish Hobbit, Gollum (then known as Sméagol) first discovered the One Ring in TA 2463 in the Gladden Fields. While fighting with his cousin Déagol over it, he eventually killed him. Due to the Ring’s influence,he lost his name over timeand, consequently, himself. He shrunk both in stature and spirit, and went on to live alone in the Misty Mountains for centuries — until Bilbo Baggins arrived and stole the Ring. Although he had the chance to kill Gollum then, Bilbo pitied the creature and decided not to.
Frodo questioned this decision years later, when Gollum trailedthe Fellowship of the Ringto reclaim his “precious”. However, Gandalf said to Frodo, “I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it.” Having only lurked in the background before, Gollum came to the forefront when he was confronted by Frodo and Sam in the Emyn Muil. After he bit and nearly strangled Sam, he was threatened by Frodo withthe Elvish sword, Sting, and tied up with an Elvish rope. When this pained Gollum, Frodo released him after making him swear that he would help them. This gesture brought out Gollum’s better nature, causing him to battle with the personality born from his use of the Ring for the first time in about five centuries. Even though Gollum believed that “poor Sméagol” is no more, Frodo called him by his former name, which caused a dramatic change in his character: “He spoke with less hissing and whining, and he spoke to his companions direct, not to his precious self […] he was friendly, and indeed pitifully anxious to please.” Sméagol emerged more often during their travels, and even remembered “tales from the South”, tearfully telling the other two about old Gondor. According to Letter 64 fromThe Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, he had been“temporarily tamed” by Frodo.
Frodo’s kindness could have stemmed from the fact that Gollum had also been a Ring-bearer, and he possiblysaw his future in the creature— propelling him to save him so, in a way, he could save himself. However, this abruptly changed when Frodo inadvertently caused Gollum to be captured byFaramir and his Rangersin Henneth Annûn. As a result, he felt betrayed by his new “master”, and his doubts caused him to be swayed by the power of the Ring again — serving as a reminder that, even though Sméagol had been tamed, Gollum had not. This raises the question of whether there had ever been any opportunity for his redemption. Tolkien answered this in Letter 181:
Gollum was pitiable, but he ended in persistent wickedness […] The domination of the Ring was much too strong for the mean soul of Sméagol. But he would have never had to endure it if he had not become a mean sort of thief before it crossed his path.
Why Did Tolkien Blame Sam for Gollum’s Death?
While Frodo’s ‘treachery’ might have played a part in Gollum’s death, it was Sam who definitely pushed him over the edge. He had been suspicious of him from the outset, and the protectiveness he felt for Frodo made him extra cautious of Gollum’s capacity to deceive. HIs simple mind failed to understand the moral complexities; even though he acknowledged the creature’s fractured personalities, he did not believe there was any difference in their loyalty. He even mocked him by calling the wretched Gollum ‘Stinker’ and the fawning Sméagol ‘Slinker’. It is likely that he was jealous of the fact that his master shared the bond of the Ring with Gollum. Despite the latter technically being of their own kind, Sam failed to recognize him as an equal who was worthy of basic human decency.
When the trio found the Black Gate well-guarded, Gollum convinced the other two that there wasan alternative way into Mordorand led them to Cirith Ungol. He then slipped away to visit the giant spider Shelob, as he planned to give away the Hobbits to her so he could take the Ring. He found them sleeping upon his return: “A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and gray, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away […] as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo’s knee — but almost the touch was a caress.” However, Sam woke up at that point and, thinking he was “pawing” at Frodo, called him an “old villain”. In Letter 96, Tolkien called this “the tragedy of Gollumwho at that moment came within a hair of repentance – but for one rough word from Sam”. He indirectly blamed Sam for Gollum’s death in Letter 246:
Sam fails to note the complete change in Gollum’s tone and aspect […] His repentance is blighted and all Frodo’s pity is (in a sense) wasted. Shelob’s lair became inevitable.
There were no signs of duality in Gollum from then onwards, and he followed through with his plans: he led Frodo and Sam to Shelob, where Frodo was stung and then taken prisoner by the Orcs. Sam eventually rescued him and theyheaded to Mount Doom, unknowingly followed by Gollum once more. When they had almost reached the top, Gollum attacked them but failed to get hold of the Ring. Sam tried to bring himself to kill him but turned away: “He himself, though only for a little while, had borne the Ring, and now dimly he guessed the agony of Gollum’s shriveled mind and body, enslaved to that Ring.” Still, Sam’s pity came far too late — Gollum continued to follow them, and fought with Frodo until he bit off his finger. Dancing in glee, he lost his balance andfell into the Cracks of Doomwith the Ring.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.
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