Gollum (The Lord Of The Rings)

The tragic ring bearer

Gollum is an important character of the Lord of the Rings, also playing a role in the Hobbit, the movies inspired by the famous novels of J.R.R. Tolkien. A long time after the ring of Sauron was lost by Isildur during the attack that caused his death, it is found by Gollum, at that time a hobbit known as Smeagol. He and his friend find it at the bottom of a lake while fishing and the ring having an immediate hold on them, they fight to keep it and Smeagol kills his friend. For this, he is banished and finds himself alone and in exile. He lives only in caves, avoids the sun and eats raw meat and fish. The ring prolongs his life indefinitely but his physique is very much affected. His skin turns gray, he loses his hair, his face becomes deformed and, wearing only rags, he becomes almost a wild creature. He meets Bilbo while trying to escape from the goblins and Bilbo wins the ring in a bet that puts his life on the line. Later, when the ring is passed on to Frodo, who has a mission to destroy it, Gollum offers to be his guide. He will then be torn between his attraction for the ring and his will to find some humanity with Frodo who treats him with compassion.