Gollum "Trahald" (having to do with the idea of "burrowing", and rendered with a name based on Old English "smygel" of similar meaning). Several critics speculate that "Beowulf" Grendel could have been an inspiration for Gollum due to the many parallels between them – such as their affinity for water, their isolation from society due to personal choices, and their bestial description. Although Tolkien has never explicitly stated this, he has accredited "Beowulf" as one of his "most valued sources" when writing "The Hobbit". The Ring, which Gollum referred to as "my precious" or "precious", extended his life far beyond natural
The Fellowship of the Ring the decision to publish "The Lord of the Rings" in three volumes was made, Tolkien had hoped to publish the novel in one volume, possibly also combined with "The Silmarillion". However, he had proposed titles for the individual six sections. Of the two books that comprise what became "The Fellowship of the Ring" the first was to be called "The First Journey" or "The Ring Sets Out". The name of the second was "The Journey of the Nine Companions" or "The Ring Goes South". The titles "The Ring Sets Out" and "The Ring Goes South" were used in the "Millennium