Sméagol

by Andres Vega

Sméagol, or often called “Gollum”–his evil personality, is a character of the book series by J. R. R. Tolkien that later on would be brought up to the movies series “The Lord of The Rings”. Sméagol is a Stoor Hobbit of the River-folk that later on after he being consumed by the power of the One Ring became a horrible creature. Consequently his name was changed to Gollum because of a gargling noise that he would do with his throat. Sméagol was first introduced in the 1937 children's fantasy novel “The Hobbit”. Moreover, he is first seen in the movie “The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring.” Sméagol is the fourth bearer of the One Ring, after Sauron, Isildur and Déagol.

Furthermore, Sméagol became the bearer of the Ring after Its power dragged him to kill Déagol who found the Ring in the bottom of a river while fishing with him. Thanks to the Ring, Sméagol’s life was extended far beyond the Earth could have imagine, and throughout the years his body was changed into a horrifying looking creature, usually walking on his four extremities. Under centuries under the influence of It he developed a double personality: Gollum–the good one and Sméagol–the evil one. One day, he lost the ring while fighting with an imp goblin, and Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit found it. Sméagol devastated after his loss, regained contact with it after Bilbo gave the Ring to Frodo, his eldest cousin, often referred to him as nephew because of its age difference. As Frodo began a journey to destroy the Evil Ring, Sméagol managed to find him and tricks him to escort him to Mordor, the only place where the Ring could be destroyed. When they get there, Sméagol, consumed by Its power decides to try to take the Ring from Frodo several times, until his last try, at Mount Doom, a Volcano in Mordor. Frodo and Sméagol get into a fight which ends up with Sméagol’s body deep into the Lava of Mount Doom.

Sméagol is mostly known for being an evil oriented character. Often characterized as clever, sneaky, selfish, and evil, when he acts as his alter-ego Gollum, but he can also be kind, unselfish helpful, and generous when he is not influenced by the Ring. During Frodo’s journey he was usually caught up in bad situations, and also fighting with Sam all the time who wasn’t nice to him to begin with. Smeagol wasn’t always a bad person, he was once full of life, and enjoying the outdoors just like every other Hobbit does. Nevertheless, he was unlucky that the Ring looked for him and destroyed him as a person, isolating him from the world.

His personality issues are due to the fact that the Ring took over his life. He isolated himself into a Cave in the Misty Mountains, were he began to question the goodness in him and started talking to himself because of his loneliness. Sméagol represents more than just an evil character, he represents the struggle that humans have in decided whether to act right or wrong. He meant good, but struggled to perform in good ways, just like people do all the time. The Ring represents the things that we are enslaved to such as, our phones, alcohol, drugs, and any other addiction that forces us to act in a wrong way. Thanks to Sméagol we can realize that there is always good in a person, and that we only need to give up on that one thing that holds us back from performing good in the world.

History of how Sméagol became the bearer of the Ring