Was 👁️Sauron Afraid of Smeagol?

[CirdanLinweilin]

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According to J. R. R. Tolkien, yes, Sauron was afraid of Smeagol, that is, Gollum. He was not afraid to torture him for information, nor to keep him in prison for a while. But, after Sauron had gotten all that he could out of Gollum, the sensible thing to do was to kill him. After all, Gollum knew what Sauron knew. Releasing him was a terrible risk. And Sauron had no problem killing other prisoners or keeping them imprisoned until they died. As someone obsessed with keeping his plans secret, Sauron made a huge mistake releasing Gollum. It allowed Gandalf to fully understand the history of the Ring, to confirm that Frodo had the One Ring without talking to Saruman, and to understand how Sauron was using the Nine Riders to get the Ring. Releasing Gollum was arguably one of Sauron’s worst mistakes.

Why did Sauron release Gollum instead of killing him? Tolkien says that, when Sauron looked at Gollum, he “saw something indomitable in him” and was afraid to kill him. (I know people will want the citation. I am trying to find it. It is probably in either “The Quest of Erebor” or Tolkien’s letters. I read it within the past year. I haven’t been able to locate it again since. If anyone finds it, please post a comment and let us know. I’ll keep looking.)

Addition: Steven found the quote I remembered and I am copying it from his answer, with citation and with thanks.

‘Gollum was captured in Mordor in the year 3017 and taken to Barad-dûr, and there questioned and tormented. When he had learned what he could from him, Sauron released him and sent him forth again. He did not trust Gollum, for he divined something indomitable in him, which could not be overcome, even by the Shadow of Fear, except by destroying him.’
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth - Part III: The Third Age - IV. The Hunt for the Ring (i) Of the Journey of the Black Riders according to the account that Gandalf gave to Frodo

What did Sauron see? This is a guess, for Tolkien does not say. But through a reading of the letters, it becomes clear that it was always Eru Iluvatar’s plan that Gollum - willing or unwilling, repentant or unrepentant - would take the Ring and cast it into the fire. I propose that, as the Ring burned away Gollum’s mind, he became dark, but he, like Frodo (as Gandalf tells us) also became transparent to Divine powers. Eru was hidden within Smeagol, guiding him to his destiny.
And Sauron had good reason to be afraid.

Was the Dark Lord hesitant to release Gollum? Was it his greatest mistake?

CL

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

I really like these thoughts:

But through a reading of the letters, it becomes clear that it was always Eru Iluvatar’s plan that Gollum - willing or unwilling, repentant or unrepentant - would take the Ring and cast it into the fire. I propose that, as the Ring burned away Gollum’s mind, he became dark, but he, like Frodo (as Gandalf tells us) also became transparent to Divine powers. Eru was hidden within Smeagol, guiding him to his destiny.
And Sauron had good reason to be afraid.

I, too, believe Sauron's sensing of something "indomitable" within Gollum is of Eru's 'intervention'-- Sauron could not put Gollum to death because he is not 'permitted to'. It is almost an identical correlation to the story of Job in the Bible where Satan inquires of God if he can test Job and see if Job will fall away from his Creator. God allows Satan to do anything but bring him to death. The situation with Sauron and Gollum seems 'iridescent' of this.

Now, this brings into question: Was Gollum doomed to die from the beginning? Well, we know once the Ring was destroyed, Gollum's life pretty much would go with it as his will to live seems very intertwined with the life of the Ring. Which is understandable after being enslaved to it for 500 years. So in one way or another, the destruction of the Ring would have brought about his 'demise' because there are consequences to the actions and choices he has made.

Hence, Eru's plan to incorporate Gollum into the redemption story of Middle-Earth would have most likely ended in the same way it did in the books. If Gollum had repented and continued to help Frodo and Sam to Mt. Doom, I think he would have found the Ring's temptation too great to overcome on his own (Gollum does not rely on Eru, and even for those who do, it is not in the strength of self such evil can be defeated.), and a similar ending would have occurred.

Those are my thoughts initially, and more may come later.

 

[CirdanLinweilin]

I really like these thoughts:

I, too, believe Sauron's sensing of something "indomitable" within Gollum is of Eru's 'intervention'-- Sauron could not put Gollum to death because he is not 'permitted to'. It is almost an identical correlation to the story of Job in the Bible where Satan inquires of God if he can test Job and see if Job will fall away from his Creator. God allows Satan to do anything but bring him to death. The situation with Sauron and Gollum seems 'iridescent' of this.

Now, this brings into question: Was Gollum doomed to die from the beginning? Well, we know once the Ring was destroyed, Gollum's life pretty much would go with it as his will to live seems very intertwined with the life of the Ring. Which is understandable after holding it for 500 years. So in one way or another, the destruction of the Ring would have brought about his 'demise' because there are consequences to the actions and choices he has made.

Hence, Eru's plan to incorporate Gollum into the redemption story of Middle-Earth would have most likely ended in the same way it did in the books. If Gollum had repented and continued to help Frodo and Sam to Mt. Doom, I think he would have found the Ring's tempation too great to overcome on his own (Gollum does not rely on Eru, and even for those who do, it is not in the strength of self such evil be defeated.), and a similar ending would have occurred.

Those are my thoughts initially, and more may come later.

Those are great thoughts!

CL

 

[Olorgando]

As per Appendix B, Sauron was driven from Eriador in 1701 Second Age. The first appearance of the nine Ring-wraiths is noted under 2251 SA, or 550 years later. We do not know how long any of them had held their rings before wraithing, but probably years or decades later. Sauron extending his power eastwards is given under c. 1800 SA, so perhaps Khamûl only received his ring less than 450 before wraithing.

But these were the nine lesser Great Rings for Men. Gollum had held the One Ring for 478 years, until 2941 Third Age, without wraithing. And survived another 68 years without it before being captured in 3009 TA. As a Hobbit, Gollum belonged to the race of Men, if to a small variant. But JRRT pointed out repeatedly that the Hobbits, despite their small size and tendency, when in comfortable circumstances like the Hobbits of the Shire, to get pudgy, were innately seriously tougher than the Big Folk. So first, Sauron was faced by one of the Eruhini, about whom none of the Ainur really knew anything. And then by a specific form which he in his arrogance had never noticed, or thought about even should he have noticed. But which presented him with anther unwelcome surprise, a toughness well beyond that of his nine ring-slaves, who had all been "great" in their time and place. Didn't fit what Sauron had learned (or believed so) about Men.

But Sauron could not shake himself free of his perspective of power: danger can only come from other great beings, so who cares if this runt didn't wraithe. Might be useful in finding this "Shire"; Sauron might have erroneously thought Gollum knew where it lay. which the latter didn't. And Sauron may have underestimated the difficulty of actually keeping track of Gollum, the ultimate sneak. So Sauron may have been mistaken about Gollum. But he was mistaken about a lot of other things, too.

 

[Ent]

Was the Dark Lord hesitant to release Gollum? Was it his greatest mistake?

Gollum was captured in Mordor in the year 3017 and taken to Barad-dûr, and there questioned and tormented. When he had learned what he could from him, Sauron released him and sent him forth again. He did not trust Gollum, for he divined something indomitable in him, which could not be overcome, even by the Shadow of Fear, except by destroying him.’

I believe we have a bit of a distinction to make.
But I'll start by saying clearly Gollum was the Providence of Eru from the beginning... taken directly from a particular Scripture passage I will not cite here.

1) - 'did not trust' - Not trusting, and 'fearing', are two different things. Sauron had some 'unease', but he was not able to discern why. This is natural of the darkness trying to probe into the light.

2) - 'except by destroying him' - Sauron had no question in his mind whether he was able to destroy Gollum or not. Clearly, he could have. BUT.... though he turned him loose, he also knew he could not fully 'trust' nor 'control' Gollum as he could others, because of that 'indomitable something.' (See #3).

3) - somewhere else I believe we read (and I'll find it) Sauron released Gollum knowing Gollum would inevitably work to search out the ring, and Sauron hoped to profit by that.

The entire sequence of events is another example of Providence 'working all things together' so they turn out in the way they are intended to turn out.

At the same time of course, Providence was providing for Bilbo to find, Frodo to 'inherit', Sam to protect, etc. the ring itself, and all the other events to unfold as they did to get from A to Z exactly as planned from the beginning in the Music, and as Melkor attempted to contend with Eru.

Eru simply circumvented him at every turn, 'able to see and provide for the end from the beginning' which of course Melkor had neither power, wisdom nor capabilty of doing. Thus the utter foolishness of his putting his faith in himself to begin with.

Though Melkor was 'the greatest' and 'had a portion of each and all the other Valar's gifts', it all just servs to show the utter folly of thinking no matter how clever, skilled and wonderful we believe we are, we can never manage to get by on our own, and 'rise up to being our own god.' (Satan's mistake as well.)

p.s. - though Sauron did not 'fear' Gollum, Gollum clearly 'feared' the Eye... Sauron. This should also tell us something.

 

[White]

Gollum was captured in Mordor in the year 3017 and taken to Barad-dûr, and there questioned and tormented. When he had learned what he could from him, Sauron released him and sent him forth again. He did not trust Gollum, for he divined something indomitable in him, which could not be overcome, even by the Shadow of Fear, except by destroying him.’

I believe we have a bit of a distinction to make.
But I'll start by saying clearly Gollum was the Providence of Eru from the beginning... taken directly from a particular Scripture passage I will not cite here.

1) - 'did not trust' - Not trusting, and 'fearing', are two different things. Sauron had some 'unease', but he was not able to discern why. This is natural of the darkness trying to probe into the light.

2) - 'except by destroying him' - Sauron had no question in his mind whether he was able to destroy Gollum or not. Clearly, he could have. BUT.... though he turned him loose, he also knew he could not fully 'trust' nor 'control' Gollum as he could others, because of that 'indomitable something.' (See #3).

3) - somewhere else I believe we read (and I'll find it) Sauron released Gollum knowing Gollum would inevitably work to search out the ring, and Sauron hoped to profit by that.

The entire sequence of events is another example of Providence 'working all things together' so they turn out in the way they are intended to turn out.

At the same time of course, Providence was providing for Bilbo to find, Frodo to 'inherit', Sam to protect, etc. the ring itself, and all the other events to unfold as they did to get from A to Z exactly as planned from the beginning in the Music, and as Melkor attempted to contend with Eru.

Eru simply circumvented him at every turn, 'able to see and provide for the end from the beginning' which of course Melkor had neither power, wisdom nor capabilty of doing. Thus the utter foolishness of his putting his faith in himself to begin with.

Though Melkor was 'the greatest' and 'had a portion of each and all the other Valar's gifts', it all just servs to show the utter folly of thinking no matter how clever, skilled and wonderful we believe we are, we can never manage to get by on our own, and 'rise up to being our own god.' (Satan's mistake as well.)

p.s. - though Sauron did not 'fear' Gollum, Gollum clearly 'feared' the Eye... Sauron. This should also tell us something.

This explanation is deep and beautiful. Thank you. Can you explain more about p.s.?

 

[Ent]

Can you explain more about p.s.?

Ah, my dear White. You have encountered Ent, who is, sadly, often a literalist.
"Can" I explain? Yes, I can. "Can" is a term of ability.
But perhaps the better question is "Will i..." - "will" being a term of request or permission.
And with that in view, I feel it would be better to refrain. We would inevitably travel into realms of philosophy, psychology, and possbily even into religious themes.
In other words, into the realm of Speculation - namely Opinion. (Dipping even below Perspective.)
And I would not incite The Religion of Opinion here. I hope and trust those days are behind me.

 

[White]

Ah, my dear White. You have encountered Ent, who is, sadly, often a literalist.
"Can" I explain? Yes, I can. "Can" is a term of ability.
But perhaps the better question is "Will i..." - "will" being a term of request or permission.
And with that in view, I feel it would be better to refrain. We would inevitably travel into realms of philosophy, psychology, and possbily even into religious themes.
In other words, into the realm of Speculation - namely Opinion. (Dipping even below Perspective.)
And I would not incite The Religion of Opinion here. I hope and trust those days are behind me.

I am also a literalist but I know where to be and where not to be. And that is wisdom. Maybe we start preaching to others when we think we know and others don't. If we become mature, we understand that we're not supposed to treat people like teachers and that it is better to try to learn more than to teach. If ignorance exists in others, it exists in us too.

Anyway, I meant "can". and I know what I say and what I mean. For whatever reason you don't explain, it means you can't.

We must learn to be humble when we receive praise.

There is a quote that says: The older he was, the more experience he had and the less courage.

 

[Ent]

The older he was, the more experience he had and the less courage.

Precisely.

Trust me, I appreciate the praise of the answer.
It is experience with certain people, things and events here, leading me to retain the wisdom of silence on going deeper.

The Religion of Opinion, deeply ingrained in humanity, is alive and well, and best left undisturbed in public forum. And given the nature of the 'explanation' I would be obliged to give, I'm afraid the cauldron would just be stirred, from which Opinion would rear its head.

Regarding yourself, I have no knowledge as yet, so cannot speak. And what I say makes no reference to you. About others, however, there is history and evidence demanding a verdict.

You're correct - since I constrain myself, I choose the 'cannot' in speaking regarding the issue, for the benefit of the Forum.

 

[d4rk3lf]

In my eyes, it's a silly question.
No, Sauron was not afraid of Gollum, and releasing him was perfectly sensible decision (I would do the same).
He knew that Gollum would be attracted by the ring, and wanted to use that ability, so his servants (who would follow Gollum) can learn the location of the ring.

And yes, he did see something in Gollum that he did not understand, and that is that the Golum was mostly afraid that Sauron will get his ring back, and Golum opposed that with everything he can, because there's no worst outcome then that, for him personally.
Sauron was Gollum's biggest opponent... his greatest fear... if Sauron gets the ring, then there's ZERO chances for Gollum to get it back.
And this is all nicely explained by professor in Unfinished Tales.

Btw, I am only replying on the first post.. don't have time to read others now... apologies if this was already mentioned.