Gollum

Gollum is a fictional character from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Before becoming the monster known as Gollum, he was a regular person (some think he may have been a hobbit) called Smeagol. His cousin Deagol found the One Ring, but it exerted its power of Smeagol and enthralled him, so much so that he murdered Deagol and took the ring. He spent several hundred years living in a cave, hunting any living thing that entered, including orcs, but lost it to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins when he dropped it before a riddle game. Gollum is also a pivotal character in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and plays a crucial role in the final fate of the One Ring.

Of all the characters who inhabit Middle-Earth, Gollum is one of the richest and most complex. Though his inner conflict is made explicit, Gollum is a tragically selfish figure who is tormented for years by loneliness and lust for treasure. His centuries of isolation with the magical item has transformed him into a monomaniacal monster who frequently talks to the ring, calling it his Precious. Many critics have interpreted Gollum as a metaphoric character who warns of the danger of materialism, though J.R.R. Tolkien was reluctant to confirm or deny any figured context of any aspect of his epic trilogy.

• The Thain's Book: Gollum Important Dates

• Third Age, 2463: Murders Deagol for the One Ring

• 2470: Moves into cave in the Misty Mountains

• 2941: Bilbo Baggins beats him at riddles and steals the One Ring

• 2944: Begins searching for the One Ring

• 2980: Meets Shelob

• 3017: Sauron captures and tortures him

• 3018, February 1: Aragorn captures him

• 3018, March 21: Brought to Mirkwood

• 3018, March 23: Gandalf questions him

• 3018, June 20: Escapes Mirkwood

• 3019, January: Begins following The Fellowship of the Ring

• 3019, February 26: Picks up Sam and Frodo's trail

• 3019, February 29: Swears to serve Frodo after he is captured

• 3019, March 1: Leads Sam and Frodo through the Dead Marshes

• 3019, March 5: Leads hobbits away from the Black Gate

• 3019, March 8: Faramir's guard captures him, he believes Frodo betrayed him

• 3019, March 10: Leads hobbits to Cirith Ungol

• 3019, March 12: Leads hobbits into Shelob's lair

• 3019, March 25: Attacks Frodo on the edge of Mount Doom | Falls into the Crack of Doom with the Ring and dies