Shade of Carn Dûm
Posts: 444
Re: Gollum's Purpose/Motives (To Stir Things Up)
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Bilbo too, in case you remember, lied to the other hobbits about the Ring at first.
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A lie and murder are fair worlds apart, I'd say. Lots of people come into contact with the Ring "second-hand", the way Sméagol did with Déagol, and none of them are inspired to throttle anyone. Pippin, Merry, and Sam all refrain. Even Boromir attacks only after weeks of traveling together with Frodo -- and then immediately repents. Although, I have to admit, if Boromir
had gotten his hands on the Ring, the chances that he would have repented so readily seem pretty dim. Anyways, Tolkien himself describes Gollum as being "a mean sort of thief before it [the Ring] crossed his path." Perhaps he wasn't an evil killer beforehand, but I'd say it's stretching it to assert that he was "normal".
Edited by: Mister Underhill at: 2/15/01 11:41:58 am