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And I also greatly resent the suggestion that my intepretation of a fictional tale is somehow akin to the lynch mob mentality that leads to the victimisation of those who are suspected of being paedophiles or (in the past) of being witches on scant evidence.
I brought up the witch hunt...so I'm taking it as I am one of the people you are addressing here? I think you've read too deeply into things. The witch hunt was an example of what hysteria could cause. It was an example that 'rumours' and 'tales' don't mean 'truth' and what overwhelming fear can do to people and the 'tales' that come from it. It serves as an example that reminds me of the Woodsmen tales that have been infamously talked about in this thread. In absolutely no way was I making any remarks towards your posts (which I have found to be full of insight).
Since I brought up the persecution of assumed paedophiles, I guess Iam another and I can only echo Boro's words and state categorically that my comments were not directed at your post but at the one that preceded it (which I assumed was obvious and so did not quote). On the whole I think it likely that Gollum was responsible for many horrors but I merely wished ot point out information presentedin such a way presented cannot be taken as absolute proof - any more (to give a Middle Earth example
) than the Rohirric and Gondorian stories of the Lady of the Golden wood could be taken as the truth about Galadriel.
I wrote my dissertation on Fear, madness and the supernatural in Guy de Maupassant's horror stories, an oevre into which Gollum's alleged escapades would have fitted in nicely. Having spent over a year pondering the "truth" of those tales may have inclined me to pick apart too much the basis of this one but I was not criticising your interpretations ..and indeed I would not dare....
