Lord of the Rings: Why Smeagol Is Called Gollum
In The Lord of the Rings, Gollum is called by a different name on occasion: Smeagol. Throughout J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy series, the character is referred to both as Smeagol and Gollum, with each name holding separate significance: one is his birth name, while the other represents the monster he became, born out of lust and tragedy.
Smeagol began his life a simple hobbit. He discovered the titular ring when he was out fishing with his cousin, and both hobbits were immediately drawn to it. Smeagol killed his cousin for the ring, and its negative power warped his body and mind. One way in which he was transformed was constantly making a horrible gurgling and swallowing sound, which sounded like the word «gollum.» As he began to change, his friends and family mocked him and cast him out of his home, calling him Gollum. The name stuck. He took to the shadows, which is where the fellowship stumbled upon Gollum in the LOTR movie The Fellowship of the Ring.
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The name Gollum in The Lord of the Rings is a cruel and mocking onomatopoeia. But since Tolkien was known for utilizing multiple sources and styles for his naming conventions, Gollum actually has a deeper meaning in addition to just being a nod to the sound he makes. This name in particular is widely believed to be a reference to Tolkien's deep religious background.
A few theories have circulated about the deeper meaning of Gollum's name, but one of the most common ones is that the moniker is a nod to the word «golem.» Tolkien was known for his love of language, and Hebrew was one of the many languages he had studied. The phrase can be found in Jewish and Christian folklore. A golem is an
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