The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Gollum's Purpose/Motives (To Stir Things Up)

enep · 02-09-2001, 04:51 AM

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wight
Posts: 245</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
Re: Gollum

Yes, hmm. Interesting posts. I do agree that he hated everyone; Sauron secretly, because he was to a point in control of Gollum; Shelob; and everyone else.

Gollum's desire was to be powerful, and to (as mentioned before) to do in all the people that had wronged him. I thought about the ring slipping off Gollum's finger, that the ring sensed he was going nowhere; but Gollum's lust for power was his downfall. But my original question remains.

If, (as shown by the quote from Z <img src=wink.gif ALT="

"> ) the Ring 'started' on it's 'owner' immediately, then why didn't he take revenge on his family who had beat him then, rather then going into hiding? Note also that when Bilbo let go of the Ring and it passed to Frodo he felt instantly better (It's 11 and I couldn't be bothered getting the quote) so why did Gollum, when he lost his ring, continue his quest for it? Bilbo walked away. Since we know Gollum was a Stoor, of the same descent as Bilbo, couldn't he have done the same, being of the same character? (To an extent)

The obvious answer was his lust for revenge over Bilbo and his trickery - but surely there was something more to Gollum than that. That was all he let on, but there was something deep down that was hidden; a good side, perhaps a peaceful side of Gollum. I always thought of Gollum having not just Slinker and Stinker but a character who wished to be accepted into 'society' instead of being shunned, an outcast. This is shown by his caressing of Bilbo, where Tolkien's tone of describing him changes notably (Still can't be bothered <img src=rolleyes.gif ALT=":rolleyes"> ) and that forms the basis of my belief.

That he hated the Ring, everything it stood for, and just about everything else. The Ring did not drive him to search for it, he did that of his own will. The Ring talking to him on Mount Doom (Um...I'll leave that argument for now) telling him to never lay hands on it again. It did not want Gollum; he was driven by his revenge and lust for power. There we already have two motives.

Long post, and I said lust too many times. Maybe I should sleep. <img src=tired.gif ALT="/I">

- enep</p>

02-09-2001, 04:51 AM	#10
enep The Ghastly Leprechaun Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 406	<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wight Posts: 245</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE> Re: Gollum Yes, hmm. Interesting posts. I do agree that he hated everyone; Sauron secretly, because he was to a point in control of Gollum; Shelob; and everyone else. Gollum's desire was to be powerful, and to (as mentioned before) to do in all the people that had wronged him. I thought about the ring slipping off Gollum's finger, that the ring sensed he was going nowhere; but Gollum's lust for power was his downfall. But my original question remains. If, (as shown by the quote from Z <img src=wink.gif ALT=""> ) the Ring 'started' on it's 'owner' immediately, then why didn't he take revenge on his family who had beat him then, rather then going into hiding? Note also that when Bilbo let go of the Ring and it passed to Frodo he felt instantly better (It's 11 and I couldn't be bothered getting the quote) so why did Gollum, when he lost his ring, continue his quest for it? Bilbo walked away. Since we know Gollum was a Stoor, of the same descent as Bilbo, couldn't he have done the same, being of the same character? (To an extent) The obvious answer was his lust for revenge over Bilbo and his trickery - but surely there was something more to Gollum than that. That was all he let on, but there was something deep down that was hidden; a good side, perhaps a peaceful side of Gollum. I always thought of Gollum having not just Slinker and Stinker but a character who wished to be accepted into 'society' instead of being shunned, an outcast. This is shown by his caressing of Bilbo, where Tolkien's tone of describing him changes notably (Still can't be bothered <img src=rolleyes.gif ALT=":rolleyes"> ) and that forms the basis of my belief. That he hated the Ring, everything it stood for, and just about everything else. The Ring did not drive him to search for it, he did that of his own will. The Ring talking to him on Mount Doom (Um...I'll leave that argument for now) telling him to never lay hands on it again. It did not want Gollum; he was driven by his revenge and lust for power. There we already have two motives. Long post, and I said lust too many times. Maybe I should sleep. <img src=tired.gif ALT="/I"> - enep</p> __________________ - enep