Was
Sam really jealous of the
Frodo/
Smeagol relationship? I thought he was simply protecting Frodo from the treachery they were both expecting might eventually come from
Gollum.
Bit of "word" clarification is needed here.
First keep in mind that
Tolkien knew how to use words, knew their real meanings.... and many people nowadays don't.
They confuse , conflate and/or totally misuse a word. For example, how many people correctly use the words imply and infer? How many people know what "penultimate" means, (a word that shows up in the LOTR appendices.)
Anyway I digress.
So , a person cannot be jealous of a relationship between other people; he CAN be envious of it, tho'. That is, he can be desirous of having a similar relationship with that person.
A person can only be jealous of his OWN relationship with a person. It means he is overly protective of it, even unhealthily possessive of it., not at all keen of someone else having a relationship with that person., especially if that third party might displace himself.
For the Christians here, there is a good example of this ... How often have you read something along the lines of " the Lord
God is a jealous God".
It means God wants His relationship with you to be your primary relationship, everything else being secondary, even spousal/family relationships, and especially any relationship with material things, e.g. money, fame, etc. He is so jealous (possessive) of it that He gives you every help, every chance to make it your primary relationship (not exclusive, but primary).
A dark, perverted human version of this are those relationships where one person is so jealous (possessive) of the other person that they cut (or attempt to cut) the person off from any family members, friends, co-workers, even strangers. e E.g., they don't even want the person talking to, say, a cashier. [sick-o]
Now Sam is human, and therefore fallen and can be inordinately jealous [possessive] (as can any person) of his friendship with Frodo.
I seriously question that Sam thought Smeagol might displace him, but Smeagol wasn't a trustworthy person, and Sam being jealous (possessive) of Frodo, didn't want Smeagol anywhere near him, if only for safety's sake.
Conversely Smeagol can be both envious and jealous. He is envious of the relationship between Sam and Frodo, vaguely recalling such friendships from long ago. But he can also be jealous of his current albeit nascent "relationship' with Frodo.
** People may say , well that is not how people use the word "jealous" nowadays . And all I have to say to that (other than "if everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you?" ) is "
Abusus not tollit usum." Abuse [of something] does not cancel its [proper] use ... in this case, a word.