Would Poor Old Gollum have recovered if Frodo had done his job?

[TrackerOrc]

So here's the scenario:

Frodo makes it to the Sammath Naur and does what he's supposed to do, throwing the Ring into the fire and getting out of there quick smart.

Sam meets him outside, having for once not given in to his homicidal rage against poor old Gollum, and they are rescued by Gandalf.

Gollum, being exponentially cleverer and more resourceful than the hobbits, makes his escape from the immediate surrounds and holes up somewhere nice and quiet. Other nice things have already happened, what with Tracker Orc on his way down South with his friendly Oliphaunt, so it's not too improbable.

So what happens now? We know that Frodo recovers very quickly once the Ring has been destroyed, so would Gollum be the same? If this is the case, then does he age gracefully and then shuffle off his mortal coil as he was supposed to do centuries ago?

Or, does he get an invitation to pass over Sea as a Ringbearer? He's got more qualifications than anyone else when you think about it, and he did keep the Ring safe from Sauron for 500 years or so.

Whether he would take up the invitation is, of course, an entirely different matter.

 

[Ent]

Oooohhhhhh.... pondering. Responses formulating. "More at 11" (as newscasters used to say.)

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

This has been asked many times (not to say that this post isn’t important as well). But here’s some past threads on the topic:

What if Gollum had survived the Ring's destruction?

The thought crossed my mind just now and it would be interesting to see what would have happened to his personality had the dangerous influences of his "precious" been removed. Obviously, if, for instance, he'd been somewhere else in Mordor when the Ring went down (maybe a fight between Frodo...

thetolkien.forum

If Gollum have not died...

I aways wondered, if Gollum had not died at the end and the Eldar were willing to take him to the undying lands would him have been able to recover (both in body and mind)?

thetolkien.forum

If Gollum did not die.....?

Do you think that he would be allowed to go to the Grey Havens? And would anyone would want to kill him after all that.

thetolkien.forum

Would Gollum have sailed from the Grey Havens had he survived?

Let's say the Ring simply tumbled into the fire below during the fight between Gollum and Frodo. Then would Gollum have sailed with the other ring bearers? Would he have been too heart-broken to survive the destruction of his precious?

thetolkien.forum

What if Gollum wasnt there?

Ive seen a few what if threads around and thought of this one What if Gollum didnt go to Mount Doom? And Frodo claimed the Ring? What would have happened if Sauron regained the Ring and Aragorn was defeated? Please provide your thoughts and if you want criticise my thread THANKYOU :D Note...

thetolkien.forum

Would Gollum have gone over the Sea?

Would Gollum have gone over the Sea had he not died? Assuming he wasn't too crazy, would he be invited to leave because he was a ring-bearer, or was he too corrupted by Sauron's evil to be accepted? I would think that he would be able to be sanitized (made sane hehe) in Aman...

thetolkien.forum

 

[Ent]

Yes, once all the above has been digested, we'll see what we may see.

Also, perhaps some clarification on what we mean by 'recovered' would be a good thing?!

(Frodo, for example, never fully recovered. And there was some question as to whether Samwise would, or whether he too might need to take the journey into the West. The journey was indeed a 'gift' for Frodo's services - which Gollum never performed by the way - but it was also a great mercy, due to the remaining impact of the ring, and the lingering impact of 'the evil that remains' in the world - also Sam's problem going forward.)

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

(Frodo, for example, never fully recovered. And there was some question as to whether Samwise would, or whether he too might need to take the journey into the West. The journey was indeed a 'gift' for Frodo's services - which Gollum never performed by the way - but it was also a great mercy, due to the remaining impact of the ring, and the lingering impact of 'the evil that remains' in teh world - also Sam's problem going forward. )

That's a good point. Gollum didn't really willingly help at all, he only wanted to get the Ring back for himself. Frodo and Sam were selfless and their sole intent was to get rid of the thing and go back to drinking ale and smoking pipe weed in the Shire (sounds like a good life!)

 

[Idril Celebrindal]

After the Ring was destroyed Bilbo aged considerably and abruptly. He became phisically 131 years old and would have probably died soon if he had not left Middle Earth. Gollum, sensing that the prolonging of his age would be removed, mentions to Sam that if the Ring were to be destroyed then he would die. I think that if Gollum had been alive when the Ring was destroyed his age would have caught up with him and he would have phisically become hundreds of years old. I do not think that the poor wretch would have been able to escape the destruction of Mordor in this state, and even if he could have he would have probably died a few days after that, being many times older that the normal lifespan of a Hobbit.

 

[Ent]

I would return to the words of this thread for a moment, if I may.. particularly, "if Frodo had done his job."

Having pondered, I believe Frodo did his job perfectly, and without failure... much to my own surprise.
Did he actually 'destroy' the ring? No.
BUT:
Was he 'charged' with destruction of the ring? Also no.

Let's look at the first thing said to be done. It is merely "to walk into peril - to Mordor. We must send the ring to the fire."
The INTENT is for its destruction. But it is not said the bearer of the ring is to do that. Only to get it to the fire.
---------------

This passage speaks of some awareness on Elrond's part events unknown are afoot. The path is clear. The details are far from so.

-----------
Now, let's look at the charge actually laid upon Frodo: again we find an atonishing thing.
He is NOT charged with its destruction. He is charged:
1. Not to cast it away. He doesn't.
2. Not to deliver it to any servant of the enemy. He doesn't.
3. Not to let any handle it, save of the "Company" of the Council, meaning those appointed to his aid. He doesn't.
----------

----------
There is an 'assumption' made by all - possibly except for Gandalf - his is the charge to destroy it.
But it's not.

As Elrond says in response to Erestor's question "who will read this riddle for us?" in the first post above:
"....none can foretell what will come to pass, if we take this road or that. But it seems..clear which is the ROAD....."

So the only certain thing was for Frodo to try to 'get the ring to the fire' with only the 3 charges noted above.

And he achieved all 3 of those charges.

Until now, I have felt (and said) "Frodo failed in his mission."
I must, absent other evidence of a Charge directly laid on him, recant my thoughts, and my statements.

Frodo was fully successful in accomplishing his charge.

When every other opportunity to thwart his getting the ring to the fire failed, the Ring played its last card and took control of him. But Eru's providence had spared Gollum all this time, to finalize the Quest and undo Morgoth's work through Sauron.

Samwise, likewise, fulfilled his role as a member of the Company by "only handling the ring at a time of greatest need."

I've a totally new perspective on these events, effective now. Thank you @TrackerOrc for bringing this forward.

In great Grace to Sam and Frodo for rightly fuilfilling their charges, and for their service to the Free Peoples, and in great Mercy to remove them from the lingering effects of the evil of the Ring, made of the substances of the Earth forever tainted by Morgoth, forged and wielded by his servant Sauron, they both were granted the passage West.

Such would not apply to Gollum. On him was laid no charge - and he paid no service to the Free Peoples, but only to Self. He was merely the agent used by Eru to fulfill destruction of the ring - again, the last thing anyone would expect - although we are aware just as Elrond saw the path though unclear on events, so Gandalf had some inkling - some prescience - of a role for Gollum yet, if equally unclear as an event.

Tolkien's work continues to grow ever, ever deeper for me.
Sorry I'm so slow on the uptake on many of these matters.

 

[1stvermont]

I would return to the words of this thread for a moment, if I may.. particularly, "if Frodo had done his job."

Having pondered, I believe Frodo did his job perfectly, and without failure... much to my own surprise.
Did he actually 'destroy' the ring? No.
BUT:
Was he 'charged' with destruction of the ring? Also no.

Let's look at the first thing said to be done. It is merely "to walk into peril - to Mordor. We must send the ring to the fire."
The INTENT is for its destruction. But it is not said the bearer of the ring is to do that. Only to get it to the fire.
---------------
View attachment 37067

This passage speaks of some awareness on Elrond's part events unknown are afoot. The path is clear. The details are far from so.

-----------
Now, let's look at the charge actually laid upon Frodo: again we find an atonishing thing.
He is NOT charged with its destruction. He is charged:
1. Not to cast it away. He doesn't.
2. Not to deliver it to any servant of the enemy. He doesn't.
3. Not to let any handle it, save of the "Company" of the Council, meaning those appointed to his aid. He doesn't.
----------
View attachment 37065
----------
There is an 'assumption' made by all - possibly except for Gandalf - his is the charge to destroy it.
But it's not.

As Elrond says in response to Erestor's question "who will read this riddle for us?" in the first post above:
"....none can foretell what will come to pass, if we take this road or that. But it seems..clear which is the ROAD....."

So the only certain thing was for Frodo to try to 'get the ring to the fire' with only the 3 charges noted above.

And he achieved all 3 of those charges.

Until now, I have felt (and said) "Frodo failed in his mission."
I must, absent other evidence of a Charge directly laid on him, recant my thoughts, and my statements.

Frodo was fully successful in accomplishing his charge.

When every other opportunity to thwart his getting the ring to the fire failed, the Ring played its last card and took control of him. But Eru's providence had spared Gollum all this time, to finalize the Quest and undo Morgoth's work through Sauron.

Samwise, likewise, fulfilled his role as a member of the Company by "only handling the ring at a time of greatest need."

I've a totally new perspective on these events, effective now. Thank you @TrackerOrc for bringing this forward.

In great Grace to Sam and Frodo for rightly fuilfilling their charges, and for their service to the Free Peoples, and in great Mercy to remove them from the lingering effects of the evil of the Ring, made of the substances of the Earth forever tainted by Morgoth, forged and wielded by his servant Sauron, they both were granted the passage West.

Such would not apply to Gollum. On him was laid no charge - and he paid no service to the Free Peoples, but only to Self. He was merely the agent used by Eru to fulfill destruction of the ring - again, the last thing anyone would expect - although we are aware just as Elrond saw the path though unclear on events, so Gandalf had some inkling - some prescience - of a role for Gollum yet, if equally unclear as an event.

Tolkien's work continues to grow ever, ever deeper for me.
Sorry I'm so slow on the uptake on many of these matters.

Technically, you are correct, but didn't Tolkien (in letters) say Frodo faced a form of purgatory, a waiting period (or am I thinking of Bilbo) for giving in to the ring's temptation? Of course, I guess this would not disprove your post as he could have only been charged by Elrond and the council with certain things he completed yet also failed outside of those obligations to Eru, who judges the hearts of men.....and hobbits!

 

[Eljorahir]

Gollum, sensing that the prolonging of his age would be removed, mentions to Sam that if the Ring were to be destroyed then he would die.

Gollum at his most dramatic, perhaps...

'Don't kill us,' he wept. 'Don't hurt us with nassty cruel steel! Let us live, yes, live just a little longer. Lost lost! We're lost. And when Precious goes we'll die, yes, die into the dust.' He clawed up the ashes of the path with his long fleshless fingers. 'Dusst!' he hissed.

Off topic, but I just took note of the death and dust and ashes in this passage. I wonder if Tolkien had the "ashes to ashes...dust to dust" reference in mind while choosing his words here (a funereal portent for poor Smeagol.)

 

[Ent]

but didn't Tolkien (in letters) say Frodo faced a form of purgatory, a waiting period (or am I thinking of Bilbo) for giving in to the ring's temptation?

I am unaware of this, but will certainly check.
That aside, what would that 'form of purgatory' be, and when?
He boarded the "last ship" with Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond and the others headed 'to the west'.

Yet he is "of the race of men" as we are inclined to think hobbits are... and "the fate of men is unknown."
Perhaps there is some form of purgatory he must face on the way.
But he is nonetheless granted the massive blessing of eternal life in the West.

It does set up a bit of a conflict, if in fact some 'punishment' is meted out for this 'failure' when it is no part of his given charge. (That I have yet found.)

Research is needed.

Thanks much.

 

[Ent]

Aha @1stvermont - both letters 191 and 246 speak to Frodo's 'failure'.
But not in relation to his charge. The point of reference seems to be in his ultimate ability to 'resist evil.' at its strongest point.

Letter 246 is particularly instructive.
And Tolkien also makes clear his failure was not a 'moral failure'. The Ring took him past a "finite creature's ability to resist."
A Moral Failure would have constituted an entirely different matter.
As it is, Tolkien also says he will pass away. "No mortal could, or can, abide forever on earth, or within time."
So when he went (west), he "went both to a purgatory, and to a reward."

We understand Purgatory to be: "a state of temporary suffering or purification after death, where souls are cleansed of impurities and prepared for heaven."

Frodo's (and Bilbo's) 'purgatory' was a time of purification from the stain of the darkness - a "period of reflection and peace" explained as Tolkien puts it here:

So Frodo's (and Bilbo's) "purgatory" was a very merciful thing for them to experience before their passing.

Thanks again for bringing it up... it closes the loop for me, clarifies one point, and does not setup a conflict as my first (and errant) conception of the 'purgatory' he faced took me to.

There are many kinds of 'purgatory' in the Elements of Religion Tolkien wrapped into his work. (Of course, this is not clearly explained in the "Canon" but in his letters - so we must deduce it from other things to be unfolded within the context of physical, endurable, vs. moral failure, and consequences thereof, how they are redressed, etc. and so on.)

Wonderful stuff, thank you...!!!!

 

[TrackerOrc]

This has been asked many times (not to say that this post isn’t important as well). But here’s some past threads on the topic:

What if Gollum had survived the Ring's destruction?

The thought crossed my mind just now and it would be interesting to see what would have happened to his personality had the dangerous influences of his "precious" been removed. Obviously, if, for instance, he'd been somewhere else in Mordor when the Ring went down (maybe a fight between Frodo...

thetolkien.forum

If Gollum have not died...

I aways wondered, if Gollum had not died at the end and the Eldar were willing to take him to the undying lands would him have been able to recover (both in body and mind)?

thetolkien.forum

If Gollum did not die.....?

Do you think that he would be allowed to go to the Grey Havens? And would anyone would want to kill him after all that.

thetolkien.forum

Would Gollum have sailed from the Grey Havens had he survived?

Let's say the Ring simply tumbled into the fire below during the fight between Gollum and Frodo. Then would Gollum have sailed with the other ring bearers? Would he have been too heart-broken to survive the destruction of his precious?

thetolkien.forum

What if Gollum wasnt there?

Ive seen a few what if threads around and thought of this one What if Gollum didnt go to Mount Doom? And Frodo claimed the Ring? What would have happened if Sauron regained the Ring and Aragorn was defeated? Please provide your thoughts and if you want criticise my thread THANKYOU :D Note...

thetolkien.forum

Would Gollum have gone over the Sea?

Would Gollum have gone over the Sea had he not died? Assuming he wasn't too crazy, would he be invited to leave because he was a ring-bearer, or was he too corrupted by Sauron's evil to be accepted? I would think that he would be able to be sanitized (made sane hehe) in Aman...

thetolkien.forum

Well there's definitely nothing new under the Sun!

I've had a quick squint at the threads and there's a lot I agree with concerning poor old Gollum, but also a lot where I completely differ in my interpretation.

There's almost too many old threads to look at!

Yes, once all the above has been digested, we'll see what we may see.

Also, perhaps some clarification on what we mean by 'recovered' would be a good thing?!

(Frodo, for example, never fully recovered. And there was some question as to whether Samwise would, or whether he too might need to take the journey into the West. The journey was indeed a 'gift' for Frodo's services - which Gollum never performed by the way - but it was also a great mercy, due to the remaining impact of the ring, and the lingering impact of 'the evil that remains' in the world - also Sam's problem going forward.)

I think I've always almost subconsciously felt that once you get to the Undying Lands (presuming you want to, that is) you are basically 'healed' and 'renewed'. I don't think of Bilbo, for example, tottering about as the rather decrepit figure he cuts on the road to the Havens, rather thinking that he has a new lease of life, so to speak.

Yet, now I give this a bit of thought, I don't know of any hard evidence for this, it just seems common sense really.

I mean, if Bilbo and Co. get to stay alive forever, it would be rather bizarre if he wasn't physically changed for the better as well, wouldn't it?

That's a good point. Gollum didn't really willingly help at all, he only wanted to get the Ring back for himself. Frodo and Sam were selfless and their sole intent was to get rid of the thing and go back to drinking ale and smoking pipe weed in the Shire (sounds like a good life!)

Well I wouldn't say 'only' want the Ring back, I'd say that the power of the Ring compelled him - he was under the malign influence of this terrible thing for much longer than anyone else in the entire story, let's not forget.

And, not to put too fine a point on things, Frodo and Sam failed to get rid of it - if it wasn't for the incredible endurance shown by Gollum, Sauron would win. This is the ultimate service that he, and not the hobbits, performed. Not that I'm blaming the hobbits - the Ring is horrendously powerful and it's perfectly understandable that Frodo fails at the end.

In fact, it's the most interesting thing about him. If I was in a churlish mood (which we Orcs, thankfully, are not prone to) I'd say it's almost the only interesting thing about him. It elevates him (and indeed the book itself) to a serious work based on the fantastic as opposed to a simple fantasy where the hero does what heroes always do, which is often just really facile.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

I mean, if Bilbo and Co. get to stay alive forever, it would be rather bizarre if he wasn't physically changed for the better as well, wouldn't it?

They won't stay alive forever. They'll just live out their remaining days in a peaceful place where they can heal.

 

[TrackerOrc]

After the Ring was destroyed Bilbo aged considerably and abruptly. He became phisically 131 years old and would have probably died soon if he had not left Middle Earth. Gollum, sensing that the prolonging of his age would be removed, mentions to Sam that if the Ring were to be destroyed then he would die. I think that if Gollum had been alive when the Ring was destroyed his age would have caught up with him and he would have phisically become hundreds of years old. I do not think that the poor wretch would have been able to escape the destruction of Mordor in this state, and even if he could have he would have probably died a few days after that, being many times older that the normal lifespan of a Hobbit.

Logically this seems right, but I think so highly of the old guy that I've constructed a different theory which has a little bit of logic to it as well.

If we accept (as I do) that you go to the Undying Lands and are then 'renewed' (I mean this in a physical sense as much as anything), then Gollum as Ringbearer (indeed, as The Ringbearer you could say) would surely qualify for this renewal as well?

Now I have no doubt that Gollum would refuse the invitation (he doesn't exactly get on with the Elves does he, and I doubt he'd want to spend any more time than necessary with anyone called Baggins), so he stays in Middle-earth, maybe finds a nice cave and pool somewhere like the old days. Might meet Tracker Orc and bury the hatchet over a nice fish and chip supper somewhere?

So we now have two options: is he, to all intents, immortal in Middle-earth? This just doesn't seem right somehow.
Much more likely (and attractive) is him living out his life for about another century or so, as the ur-hobbit he once was is supposed to do. He was bushwacked by the horrible Ring when he was fairly young, so I reckon he is 'owed' this much.

Well I'm glad this has been settled.

 

[Ent]

I mean, if Bilbo and Co. get to stay alive forever, it would be rather bizarre if he wasn't physically changed for the better as well, wouldn't it?

They don't get to stay alive forever though... see letter #246 for example.

 

[TrackerOrc]

I would return to the words of this thread for a moment, if I may.. particularly, "if Frodo had done his job."

Having pondered, I believe Frodo did his job perfectly, and without failure... much to my own surprise.
Did he actually 'destroy' the ring? No.
BUT:
Was he 'charged' with destruction of the ring? Also no.

Let's look at the first thing said to be done. It is merely "to walk into peril - to Mordor. We must send the ring to the fire."
The INTENT is for its destruction. But it is not said the bearer of the ring is to do that. Only to get it to the fire.
---------------
View attachment 37067

This passage speaks of some awareness on Elrond's part events unknown are afoot. The path is clear. The details are far from so.

-----------
Now, let's look at the charge actually laid upon Frodo: again we find an atonishing thing.
He is NOT charged with its destruction. He is charged:
1. Not to cast it away. He doesn't.
2. Not to deliver it to any servant of the enemy. He doesn't.
3. Not to let any handle it, save of the "Company" of the Council, meaning those appointed to his aid. He doesn't.
----------
View attachment 37065
----------
There is an 'assumption' made by all - possibly except for Gandalf - his is the charge to destroy it.
But it's not.

As Elrond says in response to Erestor's question "who will read this riddle for us?" in the first post above:
"....none can foretell what will come to pass, if we take this road or that. But it seems..clear which is the ROAD....."

So the only certain thing was for Frodo to try to 'get the ring to the fire' with only the 3 charges noted above.

And he achieved all 3 of those charges.

Until now, I have felt (and said) "Frodo failed in his mission."
I must, absent other evidence of a Charge directly laid on him, recant my thoughts, and my statements.

Frodo was fully successful in accomplishing his charge.

When every other opportunity to thwart his getting the ring to the fire failed, the Ring played its last card and took control of him. But Eru's providence had spared Gollum all this time, to finalize the Quest and undo Morgoth's work through Sauron.

Samwise, likewise, fulfilled his role as a member of the Company by "only handling the ring at a time of greatest need."

I've a totally new perspective on these events, effective now. Thank you @TrackerOrc for bringing this forward.

In great Grace to Sam and Frodo for rightly fuilfilling their charges, and for their service to the Free Peoples, and in great Mercy to remove them from the lingering effects of the evil of the Ring, made of the substances of the Earth forever tainted by Morgoth, forged and wielded by his servant Sauron, they both were granted the passage West.

Such would not apply to Gollum. On him was laid no charge - and he paid no service to the Free Peoples, but only to Self. He was merely the agent used by Eru to fulfill destruction of the ring - again, the last thing anyone would expect - although we are aware just as Elrond saw the path though unclear on events, so Gandalf had some inkling - some prescience - of a role for Gollum yet, if equally unclear as an event.

Tolkien's work continues to grow ever, ever deeper for me.
Sorry I'm so slow on the uptake on many of these matters.

If I'm ever up on a serious charge I definitely want you as my Barrister! This is masterful, but sadly, I have to disagree with almost everything you put forward.

'We must send the Ring to the Fire' absolutely (to me, anyway) means the destruction of the Ring; how can it mean anything else? If Frodo got to the Fire and simply laid the Ring on the ground, would that suffice? Of course not. The whole point of the Council is to decide what to do with the Ring - once the wrong answers have been dealt with (give it to Bombadil, send it over Sea etc) the correct (and only) decision is made - it has to be destroyed. This is the entire purpose of the Quest.

Once Frodo (to his great credit) agrees to take the Ring, he is agreeing to try to destroy it; this is obvious. So obvious that it doesn't need to be repeated. That charge he has accepted, it hasn't been laid on him. The other three charges that Elrond lays on Frodo are, crucially, extra charges laid subsequent to the Council which has agreed to the Ring's (attempted) destruction. They pertain to Frodo's actions whilst he is attempting the first and, indeed, far most important charge of the Ring's destruction.

Ultimately, Frodo fails utterly, but this is entirely understandable and, indeed, logical. This thing is simply too powerful for Frodo (as it would be for anyone else), so ther's no real problem here.

Now I don't think Eru has any place in LoTR so Grace and Mercy don't apply to how I look at the story. If Frodo (and Sam) get a ticket to the Undying Lands, to me, it's simply because they were Ringbearers. If great service to the Free Peoples qualified you, then the place would be massively overcrowded very quickly! I've always wondered about Gimli in this respect - obviously it's a nice thing to happen, but why, for instance, wouldn't Merry and Pippin be treated the same way? They are extremely important to the narrative after all?

Given this, if Gollum somehow survived the destruction of the Ring, then he too would qualify for the journey because he held the Ring (much longer than anyone else, so he would be first on the Ship!) I don't believe he was merely an agent of Eru at all - this smacks too much of him being a plot device for my taste.

Couldn't agree more about Tolkien's work being an almost endlessly deep reservoir for us to dip into!

 

[TrackerOrc]

They won't stay alive forever. They'll just live out their remaining days in a peaceful place where they can heal.

But how many days does Bilbo have left then? It seems weird for him to make the journey only to die rather quickly anyway?
I think I've always just thought that the healing would be a physical renewal as much as anything.

 

[TrackerOrc]

Gollum at his most dramatic, perhaps...

'Don't kill us,' he wept. 'Don't hurt us with nassty cruel steel! Let us live, yes, live just a little longer. Lost lost! We're lost. And when Precious goes we'll die, yes, die into the dust.' He clawed up the ashes of the path with his long fleshless fingers. 'Dusst!' he hissed.

Off topic, but I just took note of the death and dust and ashes in this passage. I wonder if Tolkien had the "ashes to ashes...dust to dust" reference in mind while choosing his words here (a funereal portent for poor Smeagol.)

Hopefully he is exaggerating for effect and will enjoy more of the ordinary life that the Ring robbed him of.

 

[Ent]

If we accept (as I do) that you go to the Undying Lands and are then 'renewed' (I mean this in a physical sense as much as anything), then Gollum as Ringbearer (indeed, as The Ringbearer you could say) would surely qualify for this renewal as well?

A few things here:
1. They are not 'renewed'. They are simply removed to a place where they can heal emotionally in an area (a land) not completely and irreversibly corrupted by Melkor. (Until Eru acts in the end, the 'song is sung aright' and everything is renewed,)
2. I think you might be overlooking the issues of 'morals' and 'motivation' in Gollums case, and in the hobbits'. This is the huge difference.

Gollum NEVER worked on behalf of anyone but himself. Gollum "failed" continually - especially morally. Oh yes, he argued with himself from time to time.. he had his "spaces of opportunity to repent" - but like Saruman at Orthanc, and like Melkor at his opportunity, and Sauron at his - Gollum did not 'repent'.

No, to the end, he simply wanted the ring for himself.

Frodo and Bilbo and Sam were honored, and received a 'purgatory' and life for a time in peace away from the corrupted 'evil that remains'
Why Bilbo, we say? What did he do?
Well, it wasn't just his 'keeping of the ring' for a few years. It was his willingness to sacrifice himself for the Free Peoples as voiced at the Council.

There is a world of difference between the corrupt Gollum, on whom the ring so quickly acted turning him into a murder of Deagol, and Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam.

Yes, Gollum hid the ring for many years. But the Ring at last acted on its own behalf 'as soon as there was opportunity.'
Why was there opportunity? Sauron had 'taken shape again' and was exerting what power he had. Something not happening for a very long time - in fact, those same number of years.

Recall in The Hobbit Gandalf leaves the party to go 'deal with Sauron' away south in Mirkwood. He is driven out, but only to flee to Mordor, which he has been preparing.

The Ring's decision to move on is completely consistent with Sauron's taking shape and exerting power again. The two are 'in synch.'

There's no reason to attribute any great morals or reasons for Gollum to receive the same kind of consideration as the hobbits.
Other than that he WAS given his opportunities to repent - but failed.
He was not 'pushed beyond his point of endurance' by the power of the Ring as Frodo was - whose failure was not a 'moral' one.
Gollum's failure was driven by a 'moral corruption' from the beginning.

 

[TrackerOrc]

They don't get to stay alive forever though... see letter #246 for example.

Ah, but I don't regard the Letters in anything like the same light as the actual Text. There doesn't seem to be any definitive argument either way in the actual books, unless I've missed something?