# What are your thoughts on Gollum.



## Gandalf_White (Jul 16, 2002)

This seems to be a big issue on the forum. I would like to know everyone's honest opinion on the matter.
IMHO I think Gollum was awesome! Sure he had his ups and downs, but hey nobody's perfect.


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## Ponte (Jul 16, 2002)

He is awesome.


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## Lantarion (Jul 16, 2002)

Well, seeing as you put such radical opposites as 'love' and 'hate' on the poll, It really is quite hard to say. I feel sorry for him, and pity him because of what the Ring had done to him; I very much dislike what he did when the lust for the Ring was upon him. So generally I do like him, but as there is no option for this I wold have to say in between.


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## elf boy (Jul 16, 2002)

I say in between, I certainly don't love him... but I don't absolutely hate him either, he has a lot of bad points, but part of what is hated about him is due to the ring, and the effects of the ring can be a little hard to blame on him because the same effects could be seen on well liked characters like Frodo, Bilbo, and even Isuldur (did i spell that right?).


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## Gil-Galad (Jul 16, 2002)

I can't say that he's my favourite character but I would say that I love him.Probably because he is in power of the ring and he is cursed forever,that makes me feel awful about him.That's why I don't hate him.


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## YayGollum (Jul 16, 2002)

Yay everybody! Yay Gollum! It's Isildur. *runs away*


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## Flame of Anor (Jul 16, 2002)

I said that he was in between. Hey, what can I say? Gollum is a mixed bag, literally. I did not like the Gollum character for he was a conniving little fellow. But I do feel that his other half (Smaegol) was in fact sincere. So as you can see I have mixed feeling about Gollum/Smaegol.

-Flame


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## Darth Saruman (Jul 16, 2002)

Gollum is a tragic character who deserves our sympathy.


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## Darth Saruman (Jul 16, 2002)

And maybe he could try brushing his teeth a bit more.


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## Ithrynluin (Jul 16, 2002)

He's in between for me.I do feel sorry for him but I find his evil intentions quite loathsome at times.

_Originally posted by Darth Saruman_
Gollum is a tragic character who deserves our sympathy.

Let's not get *too* carried away - that's a bit blown out of proportion.He does deserve some of our sympathy because the Ring corrupted him,but he was sort of evil before he came in touch with the ring.


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## Darth Saruman (Jul 16, 2002)

The ring lures the weak-minded. It can twist noble souls to evil. Gollum was an amiable chap, but more mentally vulnerable than most. He was an easy conquest for the One Ring.


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## HLGStrider (Jul 17, 2002)

I'm surprised there are so many in betweens on this one. I thought everyone was pretty dogmatic on this subject. However, I voted middle too.
I do pitty the fellow (but heck, I pity Maeglin). I think there is nothing that can excuse his misconduct... but I looooooooooooove the way he talks. I think he is almost funny. Sad character yes, when you think about it, bad guy, yes, when you think about it, but anyone who is singing about fishes and telling riddles touches my funny bone... 

Besides I feel empathy towards anyone who talks to himself.


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## Phenix (Jul 17, 2002)

I wuld say that He is in between.


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## LadyGaladriel (Jul 17, 2002)

If you were making a techinally accurate assumption on the Effectiviness of Gollum the yes , he is a good character as enforces the terror of the Rings power. Tolkien showed us how the Ring was evil. 
On a personal note. I loved Gollum because he is very Emotive and evokes a response out of us. I pity Golum and yet I laugh at his insanity.


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## My_Precious (Jul 17, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Darth Saruman _
> *And maybe he could try brushing his teeth a bit more. *


Mmmmmmm...With what? Grass?
Gollum is awesome.


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## Bilbo Baggins57 (Jul 23, 2002)

I'm surprised at all the in betweens too! I think there should also be "Like him" & "Dislike him" options as well. I strongly dislike his character but I don't totally hate him.


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## Maeglin (Jul 28, 2002)

I don't love him, I have a lot of sympathy for him, but I don't like him much. I definitely don't hate him either though, I thank his stupidity, after all if he wasn't dumb enough to dance around with the ring when he finally got it back it never would have been destroyed and he could have became ruler of middle-earth.


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## HLGStrider (Jul 28, 2002)

Gollum was far from being that capable. The Nazgul would've snatched it out of his hand a minute later, giving it back to Sauron.


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## Maeglin (Jul 28, 2002)

I didn't think of that, good point Strider, but remember the nazgul king was already dead.


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## Sam's Story (Jul 28, 2002)

*Little Pity*

Let's not forget how he got the Ring. Smeagol is a murderer. He is quite a selfish brute. One decision he made (to murder Deagol) got him mixed up with the most deceiving device known to Middle-earth. I'd pity him, but then I would have to pity all murderers. 

Seems like I know this story from somewhere-a creature gives in to a lustful craving, acts selfishly, and pride dominates him and controls him...
oh yeah, I do that all the time. So does everybody.

Samwise


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## HLGStrider (Jul 29, 2002)

I'm going to take my time to answer this because I need to use up that sixty seconds you have to have between posts... And they wonder why I have that post count... It helps if you run two windows at once both on the Tolkien forum...

Yes, he's nasty enough. Still, I love the way he talks.

The biggest baddest Nazgul was dead, but there were plenty around to come in, and Gollum wasn't capable of facing even one.


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## Lady_of_Gondor (Jul 29, 2002)

When I think about Gollum, I begin to realize that he is a very sad character that deserves a certain amount of pity. However, while reading the Lord of the Rings for the first time, I absolutely hated him. There were times when I felt sorry for him of course (e.g. during the gollum/smeagol episodes). But when he led Frodo and Sam into Shelob's lair, that was it for me. I hated him, and could no longer pity him. It was obvious to me that the evil in him had indeed prevailed, and I could no longer hope for any sort of redemption. I voted mixed, mostly because of my initial pity for him. but if there were a catergory strongly dislike rather than absolutely hate, I would have chosen that.


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## HLGStrider (Jul 29, 2002)

I don't think I absolutely hate any character. Even the ones you should hate, like Sauron... I don't have an opinion on Sauron. He's a badguy so he's supposed to do bad things, so I don't hate him that much...

My brother is listening to his James Bond theme CD... Goldeneye... driving me insane... Sorry... where was I?

In my own writing I always leave room for a little pity for all characters. If I don't necessarily have it one of the other characters has it.
My main bad guy had a good son, for instance. My really nasty guy who kept on doing bad things had a pretty tender relationship with one girl who was in turn a nasty person, but she died to save the nasty guy so that sort of redeemed her character... See what I mean? I'm a bleeding heart!!!


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## Gandalf_White (Jul 31, 2002)

I am still surprised at all the in between votes. I thought most people had a solid opinion of Gollum. Oh well. I am thankful there are only three Gollum haters so far.


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## Galadhwen (Aug 3, 2002)

I too voted in between. I really pity Gollum/Smeagol especially when Tolkien describes him as an old hobbit and you see that come through when Sam and Frodo r both asleep-Gollum could've taken his precious but Smeagol doesn't and if Sam hadn't woken with a curse to him might he have changed his mind bout going to Sheoleb? Also love his speech. Hate what the Ring did to him.


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## kohaku (Aug 9, 2002)

gollum is one of my favorite characters, which may seem odd because he leads my other two favorite characters to shelob... i do pity him, but my predominate feeling about him is fascination. his amazing physical abilities, the way he talks, everything about him makes for one interesting character. my favorite scenes involve him interacting with frodo, as they seem to reach some sort of understanding of each other, even respect, a development that was tragically cut short.


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## Aule The Smith (Aug 9, 2002)

I said gollum was in between because you cant help but fell sorry for him,cursed for etenity and all
I also like the way he talks
Nasty little hobbitses!


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## #1ArcherLegolas (Aug 9, 2002)

I haven't even read any of the replies but i have to say i agree with
YAY Gollum


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## hpfan55 (Aug 9, 2002)

I just felt sorry for him because he was alone for like ever and all he had was the ring and it corupted his mind


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## tur-kheleden (Aug 9, 2002)

i can give no love to him as he is pityfull creature. friends i hold in more value as any ring. i do not pity him however i merely tolerate his excistance afterall how would Olorin win without gollums help in the rings destruction.


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