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{{ttchapters}}
{{chapter
'''The Taming of Sméagol''' is the first chapter of the fourth book in ''[[The Two Towers]]''.
| image=Ted Nasmith - No Way Down.jpg
| title=The Taming of Sméagol
| book=The Two Towers
| number=12
| event=[[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise]] meet [[Gollum]] and tame him.
| date=[[26 February|26]]-[[30 February]] {{TA|3019|n}}
| location=[[Emyn Muil]]
| perspective=[[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise]]
| previous=The Palantír
| next=The Passage of the Marshes
}}
 
'''The Taming of Sméagol''' is the first chapter of the second book in ''[[The Two Towers]]''.


===Summary===
===Summary===
The narrative returns to [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] on the third day after they departed from their companions at the end of [[The Fellowship of the Ring]]. The [[Hobbits]] wander the barren slopes of the mountains called [[Emyn Muil]], striving to make their way to [[Mordor]], but frequently getting lost and having to retrace their steps. Standing on the edge of a tall cliff, they can see the way down into Mordor, but have no way to descend the cliff. Sam complains to Frodo about their desperate situation. He has been lugging cooking gear for days, but there is nothing to cook. The Hobbits survive only on old [[lembas]] cakes, and Sam yearns for a pint of beer and a chunk of bread. He expresses his hope that they have lost [[Gollum]], the creature who has been pursuing them for some time. Frodo agrees, but says that he is more troubled by the unending hills of the landscape, which torture his feet. He observes that there is no turning back, as Orc warriors now patrol the banks of the river they have crossed.
The narrative returns to [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] on the third day after they departed from their companions at the end of ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. The [[Hobbits]] wandered the barren slopes of the mountains called [[Emyn Muil]], striving to make their way to [[Mordor]], but frequently getting lost and having to retrace their steps. Standing on the edge of a tall cliff, they could see the way down into Mordor, but had no way to descend the cliff. Sam complained to Frodo about their desperate situation. He had been lugging cooking gear for days, but there was nothing to cook. The Hobbits survived only on old [[lembas]] cakes, and Sam yearned for a pint of beer and a chunk of bread. He expressed his hope that they had lost [[Gollum]], the creature who had been pursuing them for some time. Frodo agreed, but said that he was more troubled by the unending hills of the landscape, which tortured his feet. He observed that there was no turning back, as [[Orcs|Orc]] warriors now patrolled the banks of the [[Anduin|river]] they had crossed.
 
Sam and Frodo continued to follow the cliff northward for several more days, finally arriving at a spot where it appeared they might be able to climb down. Sam insisted on going first, against Frodo’s objections. Sam lowered himself down the cliff without looking first to see where he was going, only to be pulled back to the edge by Frodo. The latter then began to climb down himself, when suddenly a great dark shape appeared far overhead with a horrible wind and a crack of thunder. Frodo tried to hide his face in fear, but he lost his foothold and fell down onto a ledge below. It began to rain.  Sam suddenly remembered that he had a strong, thin [[Elves|Elf]]-rope in his bag. He measured it out, and found that it was long enough to allow the two hobbits to lower themselves to the ground below.
 
After descending safely, Sam and Frodo prepared to go onward to Mordor. Sam regretted abandoning the rope, which was still attached to a rock overhead and could not be untied. Suddenly, as if by magic, the rope was released and fell into his hands. Frodo suspected that the knot was not tied well, but both wondered whether it was perhaps enchantment that had freed the rope.


Sam and Frodo continue to follow the cliff northward for several more days, finally arriving at a spot where it appears they might be able to climb down. Sam insists on going first, against Frodo’s objections. Sam lowers himself down the cliff, when suddenly a great dark shape appears overhead with a horrible wind and a crack of thunder. Sam loses his hold on the rock and falls, but is saved by a narrow ledge below. Frodo tries to hide his face in fear, but he loses his foothold and falls down onto a ledge below. It begins to rain. Sam suddenly remembers that he has a strong, thin Elf rope in his bag. He measures it out, and finds that it is long enough to allow the two hobbits to lower themselves to the ground below.
As the hobbits huddled in the cold, Frodo spotted a crawling insect-like creature on a distant cliff, clinging to the wall by its hands. Sam realized the creature was Gollum. As the creature drew nearer, he leapt on Sam. They wrestled. Frodo drew his knife [[Sting]] from its sheath and thrust it against Gollum's neck, forcing him to free Sam and demanding obedience from the creature. Gollum was suddenly subservient and vowed total servitude, but Frodo did not trust him entirely. Gollum suddenly bounded away, attempting escape. The hobbits got him back and harnessed him with the Elf-rope, which caused him great pain. Gollum again vowed obedience, and this time he seemed sincere. The creature led his Hobbit masters onward to Mordor.
After descending safely, Sam and Frodo prepare to go onward to Mordor. Sam regrets abandoning the rope, which is still attached to a rock overhead and cannot be untied. Suddenly, as if by magic, the rope is released and falls into his hands. Frodo suspects that the knot was not tied well, but both wonder whether it was perhaps enchantment that freed the rope.
==Composition==
As the hobbits huddle in the cold, Frodo spots a crawling insect-like creature on a distant cliff, clinging to the wall by its hands. Sam realizes the creature is Gollum. As the creature draws nearer, he leaps on Sam. They wrestle. Frodo draws his knife Sting from its sheath and thrusts it against Gollum’s neck, demanding obedience from the creature. Gollum is suddenly subservient and vows total servitude, but Frodo does not trust him entirely. Gollum suddenly bounds away, attempting escape. The hobbits get him back and harness him with the Elf rope, which causes Gollum great pain. Gollum again vows obedience, and this time he seems sincere. The creature leads his Hobbit masters onward to Mordor.
After a long hiatus ([[Tolkien]] didn't progress the book during [[1943]]) he resumed in Spring [[1944]], picking up the adventures of Frodo and Sam, and did some "painful work" on this chapter.<ref>{{CG|CG}}, p. xxv</ref><ref>{{L|58}}, p. 69</ref>
{{References}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taming of Smeagol}}
[[Category:The Two Towers chapters]]

Latest revision as of 06:31, 27 November 2022

Ted Nasmith - No Way Down.jpg
The Taming of Sméagol
Chapter of The Two Towers
Number12
Synopsis
EventFrodo and Samwise meet Gollum and tame him.
Date26-30 February 3019
LocationEmyn Muil
PerspectiveFrodo and Samwise
Navigation
<  The Palantír
The Passage of the Marshes  >

The Taming of Sméagol is the first chapter of the second book in The Two Towers.

Summary[edit | edit source]

The narrative returns to Frodo and Sam on the third day after they departed from their companions at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring. The Hobbits wandered the barren slopes of the mountains called Emyn Muil, striving to make their way to Mordor, but frequently getting lost and having to retrace their steps. Standing on the edge of a tall cliff, they could see the way down into Mordor, but had no way to descend the cliff. Sam complained to Frodo about their desperate situation. He had been lugging cooking gear for days, but there was nothing to cook. The Hobbits survived only on old lembas cakes, and Sam yearned for a pint of beer and a chunk of bread. He expressed his hope that they had lost Gollum, the creature who had been pursuing them for some time. Frodo agreed, but said that he was more troubled by the unending hills of the landscape, which tortured his feet. He observed that there was no turning back, as Orc warriors now patrolled the banks of the river they had crossed.

Sam and Frodo continued to follow the cliff northward for several more days, finally arriving at a spot where it appeared they might be able to climb down. Sam insisted on going first, against Frodo’s objections. Sam lowered himself down the cliff without looking first to see where he was going, only to be pulled back to the edge by Frodo. The latter then began to climb down himself, when suddenly a great dark shape appeared far overhead with a horrible wind and a crack of thunder. Frodo tried to hide his face in fear, but he lost his foothold and fell down onto a ledge below. It began to rain. Sam suddenly remembered that he had a strong, thin Elf-rope in his bag. He measured it out, and found that it was long enough to allow the two hobbits to lower themselves to the ground below.

After descending safely, Sam and Frodo prepared to go onward to Mordor. Sam regretted abandoning the rope, which was still attached to a rock overhead and could not be untied. Suddenly, as if by magic, the rope was released and fell into his hands. Frodo suspected that the knot was not tied well, but both wondered whether it was perhaps enchantment that had freed the rope.

As the hobbits huddled in the cold, Frodo spotted a crawling insect-like creature on a distant cliff, clinging to the wall by its hands. Sam realized the creature was Gollum. As the creature drew nearer, he leapt on Sam. They wrestled. Frodo drew his knife Sting from its sheath and thrust it against Gollum's neck, forcing him to free Sam and demanding obedience from the creature. Gollum was suddenly subservient and vowed total servitude, but Frodo did not trust him entirely. Gollum suddenly bounded away, attempting escape. The hobbits got him back and harnessed him with the Elf-rope, which caused him great pain. Gollum again vowed obedience, and this time he seemed sincere. The creature led his Hobbit masters onward to Mordor.

Composition[edit | edit source]

After a long hiatus (Tolkien didn't progress the book during 1943) he resumed in Spring 1944, picking up the adventures of Frodo and Sam, and did some "painful work" on this chapter.[1][2]

References

  1. ↑ Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, p. xxv
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 58, (dated 3 April 1944), p. 69
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