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Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry)
Gollum, originally a hobbitlike man called Sméagol, is of Frodo and Sam’s former companion who betrayed them on the Stairs of Cirith Ungol. Desperate to reclaim the Ring, which he held for many years before Bilbo took it, he follows Frodo and Sam to Mount Doom in secrecy. On the slope of the mountain, he attacks Frodo and attempts to take the Ring. Sam threatens Gollum with his sword but shows him mercy and demands that he leave the hobbits alone. Instead, Gollum continues to follow Frodo and Sam to the very edge of the mountain’s chasm, biting off Frodo’s finger to finally reclaim the Ring before falling into the fire of Mount Doom and destroying it and himself. Many characters, including Frodo and Sam, pity Gollum. They understand that his desperate desire for the Ring is the main source of his cruelty and treachery. Still, despite being shown mercy many times, Gollum is eventually destroyed by his own lust and greed.
Gollum Quotes in The Return of the King
The The Return of the King quotes below are all either spoken by Gollum or refer to Gollum. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book 6, Chapter 3
Quotes
Sam’s hand wavered. His mind was hot with wrath and the memory of evil. It would be just to slay this treacherous, murderous creature, just and many times deserved; and also it seemed the only safe thing to do. But deep in his heart there was something that restrained him: he could not strike this thing lying in the dust, forlorn, ruinous, utterly wretched. He himself, though only for a while, had borne the Ring, and now dimly he guessed the agony of Gollum’s shrivelled mind and body, enslaved to that Ring, unable to find peace or relief ever in life again.
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Gollum Quotes in The Return of the King
The The Return of the King quotes below are all either spoken by Gollum or refer to Gollum. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book 6, Chapter 3
Quotes
Sam’s hand wavered. His mind was hot with wrath and the memory of evil. It would be just to slay this treacherous, murderous creature, just and many times deserved; and also it seemed the only safe thing to do. But deep in his heart there was something that restrained him: he could not strike this thing lying in the dust, forlorn, ruinous, utterly wretched. He himself, though only for a while, had borne the Ring, and now dimly he guessed the agony of Gollum’s shrivelled mind and body, enslaved to that Ring, unable to find peace or relief ever in life again.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
