3/20/2024 0 Comments Lord of the rings water creatureThe “horrible swallowing noise” written as “gollum” is “how he got his name”. All in all, an engaging character who promises us an adventure but who, for many reasons, we can’t take very seriously as a threat to Bilbo’s life. But he uses “choice” and “tasty” which continue the theme of “cute” diction that makes Gollum so odd a villain. He calls Bilbo “it”, “guessing” that the hobbit is either a feast or a morsel, a large or small meal – confirming that, for all the quaint mannerisms, Gollum is supposed to be a mortal threat who hopes or intends to kill and eat Bilbo. He hisses or lisps, so that precious runs off with three extra s’s – providing another comic sound effect for the reader-aloud. He says “my precioussss”, which as I have argued elsewhere is a common nursery endearment that children would find funny coming out of the mouth of a monster. He says “bless us and splash us”, which I have always suspected is an old Christian imprecation based on baptism – more charming than terrifying, like an tetchy old priest or nun might say. He doesn’t, on the other hand, address Bilbo. This is Gollum’s opening line, and it lets us know a great deal about him. “Bless us and splash us, my precioussss! I guess it’s a choice feast at least a tasty morsel it’d make us, gollum!” How does he do that? This place has no light whatsoever. Gollum with his eyes “like telescopes” can tell from some distance, that is from his island in the lake, that Bilbo is “no goblin at all”. Why doesn’t the Great Goblin, who seems like a rather responsible monarch, show more curiosity, or guts, in solving this mystery? Speaking of the goblins who “sometimes” don’t come back from the fishing expeditions Nevertheless at this point in the story the writing is very plain and even emphatic: Gollum never leaves his lake. It seems that Gollum never risks discovery by going up the tunnels to hunt goblins-except that later in this chapter it appears he does after all (otherwise he would not know the way out, to Bilbo’s benefit). Goblin he thought good, when he could get it.” Clearly, Goblin is one option among many. Again, is Tolkien being metaphorical or literal here? Also, the illusion of illumination that we get when we see some animals’ eyes reflecting a campfire or flashlight back at us in the dark is powerfully suggestive of original generation of light.ĭ. But medieval theorists of sight thought for a long time that the eyes did give off rays of vision. In a bit that is characteristic of a number of creatures in Tolkien, Gollum’s eyes are called “lamp-like” as if they gave off light – which eyes never do, at least in our world. Does this mean he has what we would call black skin (or deep brown, whatever)? Lewis was wrong to call Gollum a fish-type creature, but I guess I didn’t notice this particular line.ī. I argued earlier in this discussion that C.S. Sliminess typifies amphibian creatures, not reptiles or mammals the slime keeps their skin moist while it is out of the water. He is a “small slimy creature” evidently. Doesn’t the phrase “old Gollum” convey a kind of folksiness to the character? He was Gollum - as dark as darkness, except for two big round pale eyes in his thin face. I don’t know where he came from, nor who or what he was. We have just been warned that “the original owners are still there in odd comers, slinking and nosing about” and sure enough, the next line makes it real:ĭeep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum, a small slimy creature. Let’s pick up the story with Bilbo splashing to a halt in the lake at the bottom of the mountain tunnel. – Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum original content and design Copyright © 1999-2019 Scott Cummings, All Rights Reserved.** The Hobbit, “Riddles in the Dark”** 2. The Lord of the Rings Items Available at eBay - Scroll for additional items However, it is interesting that in its malice, it targeted Frodo, who is the Ringbearer. The creature's origins are vague and like the Balrog is not a servant of Sauron. The Fellowship manage to rescue Frodo and flee back into Moria as the creature slams the doors shut and then piles boulders outside blocking the entrance behind them. Something slithers out of the lake and grabs Frodo. Once inside, they discover dead Dwarves and orcish weapons. Meanwhile, Gandalf has opened the door and The Fellowship enters Moria. Aragorn advises them to stop, but it is too late. The lake had only in the past few years risen so close to the entrance to Moria. While Gandalf is figuring out how to open the Hollin Gate into Moria, Merry and Pippin toss stones into the lake nearby. Click here to go directly to included content.
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