[Imladris]

I totally agree with Willie. It is because of Sam's assumptions, the way he treated Gollum as if he was less than the dirt they treaded, and the insults that he attributed to Gollum are the reasons I have never liked Sam. I agree that Gollum could not be entirely trusted, thus Sam was right to have watched him closely...but that does not include abusing him, insulting him.

I like the way Frodo treated him much better. The passage before the stairs of Cirith Ungol is what I had particularly in mind when I posted this...it just breaks my heart.

Yet we all have a "Stinker" within us, even Sam did. And Smeagol was hurt by Sam's threats and insults as is seen when he Frodo awakes and Gollum says that he's been off "sneaking." He was a "human" being with a soul.

Yes, I believe that Gollum was responsible for his action, yet I think that Sam and Frodo and Gollum had a cause and effect thing going. Gollum trusted Frodo, and when Faramir threatened to kill Gollum, Frodo saved the miserable creature the only way he knew how: deceiving him and leading him into the waiting arms of Faramir's men. That to Gollum's small, pitifull, trusting mind was, put buntly, horrible betrayal to his thirsting soul. I'm sure he was angry with Frodo and, blinded by his fury, he determined to go to Shelob. Have none of you become angry with someone you love and said and done things you have regretted? I believe this is what happened with Gollum. When he calmed down and saw the two together and saw their love, he, too, yearned for it and began to regret it, maybe even to repent of his wickedness. Then Sam opened his big mouth and pushed Gollum too far. I don't know about you, but sometimes, when I feel sorry for something that I have done or said, and somebody goads me or hurts me verbally, I become angry, stubborn, and defiant, without a shred of the former repentance around me. Same with Gollum, I think.

I think I read somewhere in one of Tolkien's letters that Smeagol/Gollum would have had to die. The first was the way it is written, but the second, I think, is even more tragic: Smeagol, still enslaved to the Ring, is so devoted to Frodo that he would satisfy his obsession for the Ring and his great desire to please and save Frodo by taking the Ring from Frodo and casting himself into the fiery depths of Mount Doom.

Any more thoughts?