The Two Towers

by

J.R.R. Tolkien

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Gollum (Sméagol) Character Analysis

Gollum is a thin, hobbit-like creature who’s obsessed with the Ring, which he carried for many years while living on an underground lake. During the events of The Hobbit, the Ring abandoned Gollum and was picked up by Bilbo Baggins, who passed it on to Frodo. In the following years, Gollum was captured by Sauron and tortured for information about the Ring, and then released in the hopes that he might find it and bring it to Mordor. Gollum, compelled by his desire for the Ring, follows Frodo and Sam as they travel toward Mordor and eventually swears on the Ring to guide them to the Black Gate. The dreams the Ring tempts Gollum with are uncomplicated: he longs to be powerful enough that no one can take the Ring from him and have plenty of fish to eat. Gollum’s years with the Ring warped both his body and mind, giving him two distinct personalities: the conniving Gollum who would do anything to reclaim the Ring, and the cringing, fawning Sméagol who wants to be loyal to Frodo. Gollum acts more like Sméagol around Frodo, who shows him kindness and shares some kinship with him as a bearer of the Ring. Though Frodo believes Gollum can be saved, ultimately the Ring’s temptation is too strong, and Gollum wins the argument with Sméagol. Gollum leads Sam and Frodo into Shelob’s lair and offers them up as a meal, planning to take the Ring from Frodo once he’s dead.

Gollum (Sméagol) Quotes in The Two Towers

The The Two Towers quotes below are all either spoken by Gollum (Sméagol) or refer to Gollum (Sméagol). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
).
Book 4, Chapter 1 Quotes

I do not feel any pity for Gollum. He deserves death.

Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give that to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.

‘Very well,’ he answered aloud, lowering his sword. ‘But still I am afraid. And yet, as you see, I will not touch the creature. For now that I see him, I do pity him.”

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Gandalf (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Gollum (Sméagol)
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 246
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 2 Quotes

‘No, no! Not that way!’ wailed Sméagol.

‘Yes! We wants it! We wants it!’

Each time that the second thought spoke, Gollum’s long hand crept out slowly, pawing towards Frodo, and then was drawn back with a jerk as Sméagol spoke again. Finally both arms, with long fingers flexed and twitching, clawed towards his neck.

Related Characters: Gollum (Sméagol) (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Sauron
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 268
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 3 Quotes

‘It was an evil fate. But he had taken it on himself in his own sitting-room in the far-off spring of another year, so remote now that it was like a chapter in a story of the world’s youth, when the Trees of Silver and Gold were still in bloom. This was an evil choice. Which way should he choose? And if both led to terror and death, what good lay in choice?’

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Gollum (Sméagol)
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 281
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 4 Quotes

Gollum disappeared. He was away some time, and Frodo after a few mouthfuls of lembas settled deep into the brown fern and went to sleep. Sam looked at him. […] Frodo’s face was peaceful, the marks of fear and care had left it; but it looked old, old and beautiful, as if the chiseling of the shaping years was now revealed in many fine lines that had before been hidden, though the identity of the face was not changed. Not that Sam Gamgee put it that way to himself. He shook his head, as if finding words useless, and murmured: ‘I love him.’

Related Characters: Samwise “Sam” Gamgee (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Gollum (Sméagol)
Page Number: 291
Explanation and Analysis:
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Gollum (Sméagol) Quotes in The Two Towers

The The Two Towers quotes below are all either spoken by Gollum (Sméagol) or refer to Gollum (Sméagol). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Decline and Decay  Theme Icon
).
Book 4, Chapter 1 Quotes

I do not feel any pity for Gollum. He deserves death.

Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give that to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.

‘Very well,’ he answered aloud, lowering his sword. ‘But still I am afraid. And yet, as you see, I will not touch the creature. For now that I see him, I do pity him.”

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Gandalf (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Gollum (Sméagol)
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 246
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 2 Quotes

‘No, no! Not that way!’ wailed Sméagol.

‘Yes! We wants it! We wants it!’

Each time that the second thought spoke, Gollum’s long hand crept out slowly, pawing towards Frodo, and then was drawn back with a jerk as Sméagol spoke again. Finally both arms, with long fingers flexed and twitching, clawed towards his neck.

Related Characters: Gollum (Sméagol) (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Sauron
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 268
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 3 Quotes

‘It was an evil fate. But he had taken it on himself in his own sitting-room in the far-off spring of another year, so remote now that it was like a chapter in a story of the world’s youth, when the Trees of Silver and Gold were still in bloom. This was an evil choice. Which way should he choose? And if both led to terror and death, what good lay in choice?’

Related Characters: Frodo Baggins (speaker), Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Gollum (Sméagol)
Related Symbols: The Ring
Page Number: 281
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 4 Quotes

Gollum disappeared. He was away some time, and Frodo after a few mouthfuls of lembas settled deep into the brown fern and went to sleep. Sam looked at him. […] Frodo’s face was peaceful, the marks of fear and care had left it; but it looked old, old and beautiful, as if the chiseling of the shaping years was now revealed in many fine lines that had before been hidden, though the identity of the face was not changed. Not that Sam Gamgee put it that way to himself. He shook his head, as if finding words useless, and murmured: ‘I love him.’

Related Characters: Samwise “Sam” Gamgee (speaker), Frodo Baggins, Gollum (Sméagol)
Page Number: 291
Explanation and Analysis: