What Does Gollum Symbolize?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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What does Gollum symbolize? Gollum plays an interesting role in The Lord of the Rings, because he represents many things at once. He represents

greed, ambition, cleverness

, and yet at the same time also represents some long lost characteristic of himself that is not often addressed: goodness.

Is Gollum a hero or villain?

Type of Villain

Gollum, originally known as Sméagol or Trahald, is a creature of Hobbit origin and

a major antagonist

in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. Gollum is one of the two secondary antagonists in the novel The Lord of the Rings (alongside Saruman), and a supporting antagonist in the novel, The Hobbit.

Why was Gollum so important?

What is the meaning of the name Gollum?

Why does Gollum refer to himself as we?

What is Gollum obsessed with?

Gollum represents the part of Smeagol who is obsessed with

the Ring

, hence why it’s only his precious.

What type of character is Gollum?

Characters variously describe him as

“wretched,” a “vile creature,” a liar, a thief, and a murderer

— all of which are quite true. Corrupt and vindictive, he cheats, steals, lies, sneaks, and betrays.

Does Gollum have multiple personality disorder?

Liz Sampson, concludes that

Gollum was actually suffering from schizoid personality disorder

. In the paper, Sméagol is described as a single, 587 year old, hobbit-like male of no fixed abode. He displays antisocial behaviour, increasing aggression, and preoccupation with the ‘one ring’.

What race is Gollum?

Stoor

Why is Gollum so obsessed with the Ring?


Gollum’s own life becomes swallowed up in his intense preoccupation with the Ring

. He loses sight of those elements that are important and true in his life, supplementing all for a lust for power. For Gollum, life — all life — has lost its meaning, its dignity, its merit.

Why is Gollum so old?

Is Gollum good or evil?

Why does Gollum always say precious?

Gollum speaks in an idiosyncratic manner, often referring to himself in the third person, and frequently talks to himself.

In The Hobbit, he always refers to himself as “my precious”

. When not referring to himself in third person, he sometimes speaks of himself in the plural as “we”, hinting at his alter ego.

Why does Gollum call Sméagol my love?


Smeagol is referring to Deagol as “my love.”

When Gandalf is telling Frodo the story of how Smeagol/Gollum came to possess the One Ring, the phrase is actually used three times.

Why does Gollum call Bilbo precious?

“‘It has been called that before,’ he said, ‘but not by you. ‘” “Precious”, alternatively “the Precious”, “my Precious” or “his Precious”, was a name given to the One Ring by various Ring-bearers.

Its use indicated the morbid covetousness induced in holders of the Ring by the Ring itself

.

Was Sméagol a hobbit or human?

” Gollum, also known as Sméagol, was

a creature (originally a Stoorish Hobbit

) who bore the One Ring. He lived in the Misty Mountains for most of his life. In T.A. 2941 he lost the Ring to Bilbo Baggins.

How smart is Gollum?

Who does Gollum call precious?

What mental illness does Frodo?

What is wrong Gollum?

During his centuries under the Ring’s influence, he developed a sort of

dissociative identity disorder

: Sméagol, his “good” personality, still vaguely remembered things like friendship and love, while Gollum, his “bad” personality, was a slave to the Ring and would kill anyone who tried to take it.

How old is Gollum?

How did Frodo know Sméagol’s name?

In the movies,

when Frodo first spies Gollum stalking them in the Misty Mountains (Moria) he informs Gandalf who tells him a little of Gollum’s history.

Did Gollum ever wear the Ring?

Why did Bilbo’s face change?

Gollum was weaker than Bilbo; the ring completely controlled him from the get-go. So, the major differences were

Gollum’s weakness, and his living conditions which made him anti-social and changed his appearance due to the absence of light

. Bilbo definitely was affected by The Ring, just not to the same extent.

Why does Bilbo age but not Gollum?

Bilbo Baggins carries the Ring for decades — aging very slowly the entire time — only to find it all catching up to him in a few months once he lets it go.

Gollum, on the other hand, was deprived of the Ring for decades, and while he clearly hungered for it fiercely, he suffered no effects of aging.

Is The Lord of the Rings about addiction?

The theme of addiction to power in The Lord of the Rings is central, as the Ring, made by the Dark Lord Sauron to enable him to take over the whole of Middle-earth, progressively corrupts the mind of its owner to use the Ring for evil.

Is Gollum good or evil?

Is the One Ring alive?

Of the several bearers of the One Ring,

three were still alive

following the One Ring’s destruction: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, and Samwise Gamgee.

Does Gandalf know Bilbo has the Ring?

Is Gollum good or evil?

Does Gollum turn good?

In short,

yes, Gollum cared for Frodo

– quite deeply, in fact. When he saw Frodo sleeping in Sam’s lap on the stairs near Cirith Ungol, he had a change of heart. He saw the beauty and kindness of Frodo, saw the pain the Ring was causing him, and was very sympathetic.

Is Golem evil Lord of the Rings?

Was Gollum loyal?

Leah Jackson
Author
Leah Jackson
Leah is a relationship coach with over 10 years of experience working with couples and individuals to improve their relationships. She holds a degree in psychology and has trained with leading relationship experts such as John Gottman and Esther Perel. Leah is passionate about helping people build strong, healthy relationships and providing practical advice to overcome common relationship challenges.