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Child of the 7th Age · 06-25-2002, 02:56 PM

Thanks for everyone's help in finding where this is. And the whole thing did start with the revisions Tolkien made with the Hobbit. The original text in 1937 only mentions his eyes being big, and pale, and lamp-like. That's at the beginning of his meeting with Bilbo when Gollum isn't thinking about the Ring.

But the 1951 revisions change the latter part of the text, and there are many references to the light in his eyes in the scene where he discovers the Ring is gone. Gollum is getting pretty upset at this point and his eyes become "like small green lamps". Or in another place: "As suspicion grew in Golum's mind, the light of his eyes burned with a pale flame." And then he gets REALLY upset: "But now the light in Gollum's eyes had become a green fire, and it was coming swiftly nearer."

So, it sounds like big pale or white eyes are alright, but when they turn a burning green, Gollum is getting pretty greedy about the Ring, and you'd better watch out! And Elanor's point about Smeagol/Gollum is a continuation of that.

So Guinevere was right in that orginally he had big fish eyes, but the greed for the Ring could turn them into something else!

This is interesting. I'd never noticed this before.

sharon, the 7th age hobbit

[ June 25, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

06-25-2002, 02:56 PM	#7
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Thanks for everyone's help in finding where this is. And the whole thing did start with the revisions Tolkien made with the Hobbit. The original text in 1937 only mentions his eyes being big, and pale, and lamp-like. That's at the beginning of his meeting with Bilbo when Gollum isn't thinking about the Ring. But the 1951 revisions change the latter part of the text, and there are many references to the light in his eyes in the scene where he discovers the Ring is gone. Gollum is getting pretty upset at this point and his eyes become "like small green lamps". Or in another place: "As suspicion grew in Golum's mind, the light of his eyes burned with a pale flame." And then he gets REALLY upset: "But now the light in Gollum's eyes had become a green fire, and it was coming swiftly nearer." So, it sounds like big pale or white eyes are alright, but when they turn a burning green, Gollum is getting pretty greedy about the Ring, and you'd better watch out! And Elanor's point about Smeagol/Gollum is a continuation of that. So Guinevere was right in that orginally he had big fish eyes, but the greed for the Ring could turn them into something else! This is interesting. I'd never noticed this before. sharon, the 7th age hobbit [ June 25, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ] __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.