Gollum/Smeagol
by elenna
In “The Two Towers”,
specifically in the chapter ‘The Taming of Sméagol’,
Sméagol makes a promise to Frodo. After a bit of back and forth
between Frodo and Sméagol as to what this promise might mean,
Sméagol is ordered to ‘speak’ his promise to Frodo:
“’We promises, yes I promise!’ said Gollum. ‘I will serve the master of
the Precious. Good master, good Sméagol, gollum, gollum!’” (TTT,
page 225)
By using the ‘I’ instead of ‘we’, it is Sméagol making this
promise.
It is a known fact that Professor Tolkien wrote many double meanings
into his works. So, we see here Sméagol swearing service to
Frodo in appearance and actuality. As his actions will take them down
paths they do not wish to tread, in a sense he is swearing service to
the Dark Lord even though he hates and fears him. By these paths I am
referring to bringing the Ring to Mordor and the Ring’s power over
Frodo. Sméagol is also swearing service to himself as he was
also the ‘master of the Precious’ at one time.
Frodo understood Gollum’s need for the Ring:
“’No! Not on it,’ said Frodo, looking down at him with stern pity. ‘All
you wish is to see it and touch it, if you can, though you know it
would drive you mad. Not on it. Swear by it if you will. For you know
where it is. Yes, you know, Sméagol. It is before you.’” (TTT,
page 225)
Gollum sees the Ring as something pretty and desirable to have, but he
doesn’t want the power associated with it or at least does not
understand the power that is in it. He would be more than happy to have
a full belly and his ‘precious’ to gaze upon.
Gandalf said that Gollum would have a part to play before the end.
Sméagol did serve well in getting Frodo and Sam to Mordor. When
Gollum bit off Frodo’s finger bearing the Ring in his attempt to
repossess the Ring, he played his role as an unwitting means to an end
in the act of mercy in saving Frodo from his fate and thereby met his
own doom. There may be those who are upset with the notion of Frodo’s
failure. I did not write the material. It is in black and white written
by Professor Tolkien. He meant this. The point here is ‘mercy’.
As Ring-bearers, Frodo, Bilbo and Sam were each accorded a blessing in
being allowed to take the ship from the Grey Havens and pass over the
Sea to live out their days. As Sméagol/Gollum had also served as
a Ring-bearer for some time and played a strong role in getting Frodo
and Sam to their destination and was used in saving Frodo, if he had
not been killed and if Frodo had been able to cast the Ring into the
fire, is it possible that the elves would have given him the same
honor? Would he have been denied out of principle for the nature in
which he obtained the Ring? Would there have been mercy for
Sméagol in the end? Maybe his mercy was that he met his end
there and then as opposed to the torment that would have awaited him at
Sauron’s hands, if he had been captured while in possession of the Ring
to say nothing of what would have happened to him if he had tried to
wield it
