Gollum is a corrupted hobbit-like creature in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Before becoming Gollum, he was named Sméagol and belonged to a river-dwelling people related to hobbits. He acquired the One Ring after killing his relative Déagol, and the Ring’s influence helped isolate, deform, and morally ruin him over many centuries.
Gollum’s two names reflect the divided character Tolkien presents: Sméagol represents his surviving link to his former identity, while Gollum is associated with his harsh voice and predatory life beneath the Misty Mountains. He is both a dangerous antagonist and a tragic figure.
A frequent mistake is to classify Gollum as an orc because he lives underground and behaves violently. Tolkien’s history for the character instead makes his hobbit ancestry central to the story, especially to the Ring’s long chain of ownership.