Doom

Tragedy, Estrangement,

and Absolute Loss

“Riddles were all he could think of. Asking them, and sometimes guessing them, had been the only game he had ever played with other funny creatures sitting in their holes in the long, long ago, before he lost all his friends and was driven away, alone, and crept down, down, into the dark under the mountains.”

Gollum and the Devil: A Study in Corruption and Obsession

Both Gollum, the tragic character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and the Devil, a central figure in Christian theology, serve as enduring symbols of corruption and the moral downfall of once-pure beings. Their narratives share striking similarities in their origins, motivations, and symbolic roles, offering a profound commentary on the nature of evil and the human (or non-human) condition. While Gollum is a product of Tolkien’s literary imagination and the Devil arises from theological traditions, their parallels reveal universal truths about the dangers of obsession and moral decay.

Fall from Grace

Both Gollum and the Devil begin their journeys as beings of promise who succumb to the lure of power. Gollum, once a hobbit-like creature named Sméagol, was an ordinary and relatively innocent being until he discovered the One Ring. Its malevolent influence quickly corrupted him, leading him to murder his friend and claim the Ring for himself. Similarly, the Devil, often portrayed in Christian theology as Lucifer, was once an angel of great beauty and wisdom. However, pride and a desire for power led him to rebel against God, resulting in his fall from Heaven.

In both cases, their falls from grace mark the beginning of their transformation into figures of moral corruption. Gollum’s descent is physical as well as spiritual, with his body twisted into a grotesque form that reflects his inner decay. The Devil’s fall, while often described in spiritual terms, similarly transforms him into a being defined by his opposition to goodness and truth.

Obsession and Corruption

A defining characteristic of both Gollum and the Devil is their obsession with power and possession. For Gollum, the Ring becomes his “precious,” an object of desire so consuming that it destroys his identity and humanity. He is unable to let go of the Ring, even when it is clear that doing so would free him from its torment. In Christian theology, the Devil’s obsession with power and his refusal to submit to divine authority lead him to continuously work against God’s plan, seeking to dominate and corrupt humanity.

This obsession serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked desire. Both characters lose their former selves to their obsessions, becoming defined by their cravings. Gollum is no longer Sméagol but a shadow of his former self, while the Devil transforms from a being of light to the embodiment of darkness.

Manipulation and Deception

Both Gollum and the Devil use manipulation and deceit as tools to achieve their goals. Gollum, in his interactions with Frodo and Sam, oscillates between moments of genuine vulnerability and cunning deceit. He plays on Frodo’s compassion while simultaneously plotting to reclaim the Ring. Similarly, the Devil, in Christian tradition, is known as the great deceiver, tempting humanity into sin by twisting the truth and exploiting weaknesses.

Their methods of manipulation highlight their complex natures. Gollum, though pitiable, cannot be trusted, as his desire for the Ring overrides any sense of loyalty or morality. The Devil, too, is a figure of profound cunning, using his intellect to lead others astray.

Symbolism of Evil

Both Gollum and the Devil serve as symbols of evil, though in different ways. Gollum represents the internal struggle between good and evil within every individual. His dual nature, with Sméagol embodying his remaining humanity and Gollum his darker impulses, reflects the constant battle between morality and corruption. The Devil, on the other hand, is a more absolute figure of evil, embodying rebellion, pride, and the deliberate choice to oppose goodness.

Despite these differences, both characters remind us of the destructive power of unchecked desires and the ease with which one can slip into moral decay. They illustrate that evil is not an external force alone but something that begins within, often as a whisper of temptation or a moment of weakness.

Tragic Ends

Both Gollum and the Devil are ultimately tragic figures, though their endings diverge. Gollum’s death, falling into the fires of Mount Doom while clutching the Ring, is a poignant culmination of his obsession. His demise brings about the destruction of the Ring, ironically fulfilling the quest he had sought to undermine. The Devil, in Christian eschatology, is prophesied to face eternal defeat and punishment, a final judgment that reflects his absolute separation from redemption.

These endings reinforce their symbolic roles. Gollum, though consumed by his obsession, indirectly serves the greater good, suggesting that even the most corrupted beings can contribute to redemption, albeit unintentionally. The Devil’s fate, by contrast, underscores the permanence of his rebellion and the consequences of choosing evil.

Conclusion 1

The parallels between Gollum and the Devil reveal a shared narrative about the dangers of corruption, the destructive power of obsession, and the duality of human (or non-human) nature. While their stories arise from different traditions, they both serve as cautionary tales that warn against the allure of power and the ease with which one can fall into darkness. Through their tragic journeys, Gollum and the Devil remind us of the importance of humility, compassion, and the constant struggle to resist temptation.

“Behold me then: me for him, life for life
I offer: on me let thine anger fall;
Account me Man; I for his sake will leave
Thy bosom, and this glory next to thee
Freely put off, and for him lastly die
Well pleased; on me let Death wreak all his rage.”

Pathetic Nature: Tragedies in Corruption

Gollum and the Devil, despite their roles as antagonists in their respective narratives, are profoundly pathetic figures. Both embody the tragic consequences of ambition and obsession, but it is their vulnerability, loss, and pitiable existence that evoke a sense of sorrow alongside their menace. Far from being entirely terrifying, their pathetic natures humanize them and make them more complex symbols of moral and spiritual failure.

A Ruin of Their Former Selves

Both Gollum and the Devil are pitiable because they were once beings of promise who fell from grace. Gollum, originally Sméagol, was a hobbit-like creature with a simple life. The One Ring’s corrupting influence twisted him physically and emotionally, reducing him to a wretched shell of his former self. His haggard appearance, fragmented speech, and tortured inner conflict reflect a being utterly consumed by an obsession he cannot control.

Similarly, the Devil, in Christian theology, was once Lucifer, an angel of great beauty and wisdom. His rebellion against God led to his fall, leaving him as a figure consumed by hatred and pride. The grandeur of his origins contrasts sharply with his current role as the embodiment of evil, emphasizing the depth of his degradation. Like Gollum, the Devil is a ruin of his former self, defined by loss and a twisted sense of purpose.

Isolation and Loneliness

Both characters are profoundly lonely, further underscoring their pathetic nature. Gollum’s obsession with the Ring isolates him from all meaningful relationships. Even when he briefly allies with Frodo and Sam, his inability to trust or let go of his “precious” ensures that he remains alone. His split personality, with the “Gollum” side tormenting the “Sméagol” side, shows how deeply his corruption has fractured his identity.

The Devil’s loneliness, though less explicitly depicted, is implied in his eternal separation from God and Heaven. His pride and rebellion isolate him from the divine love and community he once enjoyed. In literary depictions such as Milton’s Paradise Lost, Satan is portrayed as a tragic figure who laments his lost glory even as he defiantly embraces his fallen state. His infamous declaration, “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven,” is tinged with bitterness and regret, revealing a deep awareness of what he has lost.

Dependency on Their Obsessions

Both Gollum and the Devil are pathetic because their entire existence revolves around their obsessions, which define and ultimately destroy them. Gollum’s life is dominated by the Ring, which he craves even as it brings him endless suffering. He clings to it not because it brings him joy but because he cannot imagine life without it. His dependency strips him of agency and reduces him to a creature ruled entirely by compulsion.

Similarly, the Devil’s obsession with rebellion and undermining God defines his existence. In many traditions, he continues to fight a battle he knows he cannot win, driven by pride and spite. His refusal to repent or seek redemption, even when faced with eternal suffering, underscores his tragic inability to break free from his own self-destructive nature.

Vulnerability and Self-Awareness

Both Gollum and the Devil are aware, at least to some extent, of their own pathetic states, which makes them even more pitiable. Gollum’s internal dialogue reveals a creature torn between his lingering humanity (Sméagol) and the monstrous force he has become (Gollum). His moments of vulnerability, such as when he briefly bonds with Frodo, show that he is not entirely beyond redemption, though his addiction to the Ring ensures that he cannot escape his fate.

The Devil’s self-awareness is most famously explored in Paradise Lost, where Milton portrays him as a figure torn between defiance and despair. His speeches reveal a deep understanding of his fall and the futility of his rebellion, yet he continues on his path out of pride and spite. This awareness of his own tragedy adds a layer of complexity, making him more than a one-dimensional villain.

Physical and Emotional Degradation

The pathetic nature of both Gollum and the Devil is also reflected in their physical and emotional states. Gollum’s skeletal frame, pallid skin, and hunched posture mirror the toll the Ring has taken on him. His fractured speech and erratic behavior further emphasize his brokenness. He is not a fearsome villain but a pitiable creature whose tragedy lies in his inability to overcome his inner torment.

The Devil, while often depicted as a powerful being, is nonetheless degraded in comparison to his former glory. His physical form is frequently portrayed as grotesque, reflecting his moral corruption. In literature like Paradise Lost, his emotional state is one of bitterness, regret, and an unending struggle to assert dominance in a world where he has already been defeated.

Conclusion 2

Gollum and the Devil are pathetic figures because their stories are not merely about evil but about the tragedy of corruption and loss. Both were beings of promise who fell into obsession and despair, their former glory reduced to wretchedness. Their loneliness, dependency, and self-awareness make them pitiable even as they commit acts of deception and malice. By highlighting their pathetic natures, Tolkien and theological traditions invite us to reflect on the consequences of unchecked ambition and the fragility of morality in the face of temptation. Their stories serve as poignant reminders that evil often arises from profound weakness rather than inherent strength.

“At first, of course, it is a matter of a firm direction of the will, which the scientist establishes in himself, aimed at the certain capacity for reactivation. If the goal of reactivatability can be only relatively fulfilled, then the claim which stems from the consciousness of being able to acquire something also has its relativity: and this relativity also makes itself noticeable and is driven out. Ultimately, objective, absolutely firm knowledge of truth is an infinite idea.”

The Origin of Geometry: The Tragic Loss of Meaning

Husserl’s The Origin of Geometry delves into the human capacity to create and preserve meaning through acts of communication and cultural inheritance. It emphasizes the fragility of meaning when disconnected from its origin and the risk of it becoming an empty form when it loses its context. In a similar vein, the stories of Gollum and the Devil embody a parallel loss of purpose and meaning, illustrating how obsession, corruption, and isolation can lead to a profound estrangement from one’s origins and the values that define existence.

By examining Gollum and the Devil through the lens of Husserl’s philosophical framework, their pathetic nature becomes a metaphor for the existential tragedy of beings who have severed their connection to the “origin” of their existence, losing not only their moral grounding but also their place in a larger, meaningful order.

Husserl’s Concept of Origin and the Fall from Grace

Husserl argues that geometry, as an ideal system, is meaningful only insofar as it remains connected to its origins in human activity and practical necessity. When its connection to these origins is forgotten, it risks becoming an abstract, lifeless artifact. This concept parallels the fall of both Gollum and the Devil, who begin their narratives as beings of promise, connected to meaningful roles and origins, but are ultimately consumed by forces that sever them from their foundational purpose.

Gollum: Sméagol, before encountering the One Ring, was a simple creature rooted in the community and traditions of his people. The Ring disrupts this connection, introducing an obsession that supplants all other values. Much like Husserl’s description of geometry losing its origin, Gollum’s transformation into a wretched figure is a result of losing touch with his original self, his relationships, and the moral framework that once defined him.
The Devil: Similarly, the Devil’s fall from Heaven represents a catastrophic severance from his divine origin and purpose. Once an angel tasked with glorifying God, his rebellion isolates him from this foundational role, leaving him adrift in a self-created world of pride and defiance. In Husserlian terms, the Devil becomes a being untethered from the “lifeworld” that gave his existence meaning, rendering his rebellion ultimately hollow and pathetic.

Obsession as a Loss of Intentionality

Husserl’s phenomenology emphasizes the importance of intentionality—the directedness of consciousness toward objects of meaning. In The Origin of Geometry, intentionality is key to the creation and transmission of knowledge. When intentionality is lost or misdirected, meaning becomes distorted or empty. Both Gollum and the Devil exemplify this misdirection, as their obsessions cause them to focus exclusively on objects (the Ring for Gollum, power for the Devil) at the expense of broader meaning.

Gollum: His fixation on the Ring reflects a complete collapse of intentionality. The Ring is no longer a means to an end but an end in itself, consuming his entire being. He cannot think beyond the Ring, and this narrow focus traps him in a cycle of misery and degradation. His pathetic state mirrors the risk Husserl identifies: when intentionality is misdirected, it leads to the collapse of meaningful existence.
The Devil: The Devil’s obsession with rebellion and power similarly represents a misdirected intentionality. By fixating on opposing God, he reduces his existence to negation rather than creation or meaningful contribution. This singular focus leaves him in a state of eternal bitterness and futility, mirroring the stagnation Husserl warns against when the origin of meaning is forgotten.

Isolation and the Loss of Cultural Transmission

In The Origin of Geometry, Husserl underscores the importance of cultural transmission in preserving meaning across generations. When knowledge or values are isolated from their communal context, they become fragmented and lose their vitality. Gollum and the Devil both embody this isolation, as their obsessions alienate them from the communities and traditions that could provide them with redemption or meaning.

Gollum: His withdrawal from society, both physically and emotionally, is a tragic consequence of his obsession with the Ring. Cut off from the culture of his people, he becomes a solitary figure whose existence lacks the shared meaning that Husserl sees as essential for preserving purpose.
The Devil: The Devil’s rebellion isolates him from Heaven and the divine order, leaving him as a solitary figure defined by his opposition. In rejecting the communal and divine framework of Heaven, he severs himself from the source of his own purpose, leading to his eternal despair and futility.

The Tragedy of Forgotten Origins

The most profound connection between Husserl’s essay and the stories of Gollum and the Devil lies in the tragedy of forgetting one’s origin. For Husserl, the loss of connection to the origin of meaning risks reducing even the most profound truths to empty forms. Similarly, Gollum and the Devil, by abandoning their origins—whether as Sméagol or Lucifer—become hollow versions of their former selves, defined not by their potential but by their corruption.

Gollum’s pathetic existence as a fractured being torn between Sméagol and Gollum reflects the disintegration of his connection to his past and his community.
The Devil’s eternal defiance, marked by his self-imposed exile from divine grace, represents a willful forgetting of his origin as a being of light and purpose.

Conclusion 3

Through the lens of Husserl’s The Origin of Geometry, Gollum and the Devil can be seen as tragic symbols of the loss of origin and meaning. Their pathetic natures arise not merely from their corruption but from their estrangement from the foundations that once gave their existence purpose. Like Husserl’s geometry untethered from its practical roots, Gollum and the Devil are figures adrift, consumed by obsession and isolated from the contexts that could restore them. Their stories serve as cautionary tales about the dangers of forgetting one’s origins and the existential emptiness that follows.

“…we are not wondering whether some form of metaphysical heritage has been able, here or there, to limit the vigilance of the phenomenologist. Rather we are wondering whether the phenomenological form of this vigilance is not already ordered by metaphysics itself.”

Speech and Phenomena: The Tragic Echoes of Meaning and Absence

Jacques Derrida’s Speech and Phenomena critiques and expands upon phenomenology, particularly Husserl’s ideas, by deconstructing the relationship between presence, absence, and meaning. Derrida argues that meaning is never fully present; it is always deferred, mediated through signs and traces that gesture toward an unattainable origin. This interplay between presence and absence parallels the tragic figures of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings and the Devil in Christian theology. Both characters are haunted by a loss of origin and a futile desire to reclaim it, embodying Derrida’s notion of deferral and the impossibility of full presence.

Through their pathetic states—defined by longing, obsession, and fragmentation—Gollum and the Devil illustrate Derrida’s insights about the instability of meaning, the interplay of absence and presence, and the tragic consequences of attempting to grasp an ideal that remains forever out of reach.

The Deferred Origin

In Speech and Phenomena, Derrida critiques the phenomenological emphasis on presence, asserting that meaning is always mediated and deferred through systems of signs. Gollum and the Devil, similarly, are beings caught in a cycle of deferral, eternally chasing an origin or ideal they can never fully reclaim.

Gollum: His obsession with the Ring symbolizes his futile desire to regain the presence of meaning and identity that has been lost. The Ring, described as his “precious,” promises power and fulfillment, yet it only brings torment and emptiness. The more Gollum clings to the Ring, the more he becomes a fractured being, defined by the absence of the self he once was. The Ring is a “trace” in Derridean terms, pointing to an unattainable fullness of being that forever eludes him.
The Devil: The Devil’s rebellion against God similarly reflects a desire to assert his own presence and autonomy, yet his actions are haunted by the absence of divine grace. In Derridean terms, his identity is constructed around a negation, an endless deferral of the ultimate origin—God—he has rejected but cannot escape. His pathetic state arises from his inability to achieve the self-sufficiency he craves, as his very opposition to God remains dependent on the divine presence he denies.

The Trace and the Fractured Identity

Derrida’s concept of the “trace” is key to understanding the pathetic nature of Gollum and the Devil. A trace is the mark of an absence, a sign of something that was once present but is no longer fully accessible. Both Gollum and the Devil are beings whose identities are shaped by such traces, rendering them fragmented and incomplete.

Gollum’s Trace: Gollum is haunted by the trace of Sméagol, the being he once was before the Ring consumed him. His split personality—Sméagol and Gollum—reflects the impossibility of fully reclaiming his former self. The trace of Sméagol lingers as a reminder of what has been lost, yet it can never be fully reconstituted, leaving Gollum in a liminal state of absence and presence.
The Devil’s Trace: The Devil, as a fallen angel, carries the trace of his former glory. His identity as Lucifer, the “light-bringer,” persists as an absence within his current state of rebellion and darkness. This trace of his divine origin underscores his tragedy, as his defiance only highlights the absence of the grace and purpose he once embodied.

Obsession as a Metaphor for Différance

Derrida’s notion of différance—the interplay of deferral (delay) and difference (distinction)—can be seen in the obsessive desires of Gollum and the Devil. Both characters are trapped in a state of deferral, perpetually reaching for an ideal that is always out of reach, and their obsessions highlight their inability to reconcile presence and absence.

Gollum’s Obsession: Gollum’s fixation on the Ring is an endless cycle of différance. He believes the Ring can restore his lost identity and bring fulfillment, but every moment he possesses it only deepens his torment. The Ring’s promise is never realized, as its power is rooted in the perpetual deferral of satisfaction.
The Devil’s Rebellion: The Devil’s rebellion is similarly rooted in différance. His quest for autonomy and power is an attempt to assert a presence independent of God, yet this presence is always deferred, as his identity remains tied to his opposition to divine authority. His tragic state lies in the impossibility of achieving the self-sufficient autonomy he desires.

Pathetic Isolation and the Absence of Community

In Speech and Phenomena, Derrida critiques the idea of direct communication, emphasizing that meaning is always mediated and deferred. This insight resonates with the isolation of Gollum and the Devil, who are cut off from meaningful relationships and community. Their pathetic states are defined not only by their internal fragmentation but also by their inability to connect with others.

Gollum’s Isolation: Gollum’s obsession with the Ring isolates him from all other beings. Even when he briefly allies with Frodo and Sam, his mistrust and fixation prevent genuine connection. His speech, fragmented and repetitive, reflects his inability to communicate meaningfully, as his words are echoes of his inner torment rather than bridges to others.
The Devil’s Isolation: The Devil’s defiance isolates him from God and the community of angels, leaving him as a solitary figure defined by negation. His rhetoric, as depicted in works like Milton’s Paradise Lost, is persuasive yet hollow, as it serves to rationalize his isolation rather than bridge the gap between himself and others.

Tragic Awareness of Absence

Perhaps the most poignant parallel between Derrida’s ideas and these characters is their awareness of the absence that defines them. Both Gollum and the Devil are acutely conscious of what they have lost, yet they are powerless to reclaim it.

Gollum’s Awareness: Gollum’s moments of vulnerability reveal his awareness of the absence of Sméagol. His internal dialogues, where Sméagol pleads for redemption while Gollum asserts dominance, reflect a tragic self-awareness of his fractured identity.
The Devil’s Awareness: In Paradise Lost, the Devil’s speeches reveal his awareness of the grandeur he has lost. His defiance is tinged with bitterness and regret, as he acknowledges the futility of his rebellion even as he persists in it. This self-awareness makes his isolation and despair all the more tragic.

Conclusion 4

Derrida’s Speech and Phenomena provides a powerful lens through which to view the tragic and pathetic nature of Gollum and the Devil. Their stories illustrate Derrida’s insights about the instability of meaning, the interplay of presence and absence, and the inescapable deferral of fulfillment. Gollum’s obsession with the Ring and the Devil’s rebellion against God reflect the impossibility of reclaiming an origin that is always already lost. In their fragmented identities, futile desires, and isolation, they embody the existential tragedy of beings trapped in the cycle of différance, forever haunted by the traces of what they once were.

“This arche-writing … cannot and can never be recognized as the object of a science. It is that very thing which cannot let itself be reduced to the form of presence. The latter orders all objectivity of the object and all relation of knowledge.”

“’The graphic image is not seen; and the acoustic image is not heard. The difference between the full unities of the voice remains unheard. And, the difference in the body of the inscription is also invisible.”

Of Grammatology: The Tragic Struggle Between Presence and Writing

In the first half of Of Grammatology, Derrida deconstructs the traditional privileging of speech over writing in Western metaphysics, arguing that meaning is never fully present and that both speech and writing are marked by absence, deferral, and instability. The stories of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings and the Devil in Christian theology resonate deeply with Derrida’s critique. Both characters embody the futile pursuit of an originary presence—a lost unity of self or divine grace—while being trapped in a state of deferral and fragmentation.

By examining Gollum and the Devil through Derrida’s framework, their pathetic natures become symbolic of the broader philosophical struggle between presence and absence, and their obsessions and tragic fates reveal the impossibility of fully reclaiming an origin that is always already mediated and deferred.

The Logocentric Obsession with Origins

Derrida critiques the Western philosophical tradition’s logocentrism, which prioritizes the spoken word (logos) as the immediate presence of meaning. Both Gollum and the Devil reflect an analogous logocentric obsession with an idealized origin—a state of presence and unity they believe they can reclaim but that remains forever out of reach.

Gollum’s Logocentric Desire: Gollum’s fixation on the Ring represents his longing for a lost presence—his original identity as Sméagol. The Ring functions as a false logos, a symbol of ultimate power and fulfillment, yet its promise is deceptive. Like Derrida’s critique of logocentrism, Gollum’s obsession reveals the instability of this ideal; the closer he comes to possessing the Ring, the more fragmented and hollow he becomes.
The Devil’s Logocentric Rebellion: The Devil’s rebellion against God similarly reflects a logocentric desire to assert his own presence and autonomy. He rejects the divine origin (God’s logos) but remains fixated on it, unable to escape its influence. His pathetic state arises from the impossibility of achieving a self-sufficient presence, as his identity is defined by his opposition to the origin he denies.

Writing as Trace and the Inescapability of Deferral

In Of Grammatology, Derrida argues that writing, traditionally viewed as secondary to speech, reveals the structure of différance—meaning as always deferred and mediated. Both Gollum and the Devil are caught in this structure, as their identities and desires are shaped by traces of a lost origin that they can never fully reclaim.

Gollum’s Trace: Gollum’s dual identity—Sméagol and Gollum—exemplifies Derrida’s notion of the trace. The presence of Sméagol is always mediated by its absence, lingering as a fragmentary memory rather than a fully recoverable state. Gollum’s speech patterns, with their fragmented repetitions and shifts between “I” and “we,” reflect the instability of his identity, which is marked by the trace of his lost self.
The Devil’s Trace: The Devil’s identity is similarly haunted by the trace of his former glory as Lucifer. His rebellion, though an assertion of autonomy, is always mediated by the divine presence he seeks to reject. In Derrida’s terms, the Devil’s defiance is a form of writing—an inscription that both negates and depends upon the origin it opposes, revealing the impossibility of complete separation from the trace of God.

Supplementarity: The Ring and Rebellion as Poisoned Gifts

Derrida introduces the concept of the supplement as something that both adds to and displaces an origin, revealing the origin’s incompleteness. For Gollum and the Devil, the Ring and rebellion serve as supplements that promise fulfillment but ultimately reveal their dependence on the very origins they seek to transcend.

The Ring as Supplement: For Gollum, the Ring is a supplement to his identity, promising to restore his sense of self and power. Yet, its influence only displaces his original identity, deepening his fragmentation and dependence on it. The Ring’s role as a supplement underscores Derrida’s insight that the origin is never complete in itself but always relies on something external, which destabilizes it.
Rebellion as Supplement: The Devil’s rebellion similarly functions as a supplement to his identity. By rejecting God, he seeks to assert his own presence, yet his defiance only underscores his dependence on the divine origin. His pathetic state arises from the realization that his rebellion does not replace God’s authority but perpetuates his separation from it.

The Pathos of the Written Mark

Derrida’s discussion of writing as a form of absence resonates with the pathos of Gollum and the Devil. Both characters are marked by a form of writing—inscriptions of their loss and deferral—that underscores their tragic inability to achieve presence.

Gollum’s Speech as Writing: Gollum’s fragmented and repetitive speech reflects the instability of his identity and his inability to reconcile the traces of Sméagol and Gollum. His language becomes a written mark of his loss, a record of the absence that defines him.
The Devil’s Inscription: The Devil’s rebellion can be seen as a form of writing, a permanent inscription of his separation from God. Like writing in Derrida’s sense, this act both asserts and undermines meaning, as it depends on the presence of what it seeks to negate. The Devil’s pathetic state arises from the realization that his inscription does not create a new origin but perpetuates the deferral of fulfillment.

Isolation and the Impossibility of Redemption

Derrida’s critique of logocentrism emphasizes the impossibility of achieving pure presence or immediate meaning. Gollum and the Devil are isolated not only by their actions but by their awareness of this impossibility, which makes their desires all the more tragic.

Gollum’s Isolation: Gollum’s isolation from Frodo, Sam, and the larger world reflects his inability to bridge the gap between his present state and the lost origin of Sméagol. His obsession with the Ring isolates him further, as it represents an unattainable promise of presence that can never be fulfilled.
The Devil’s Isolation: The Devil’s eternal separation from God mirrors Derrida’s insight that presence is always mediated and deferred. His isolation is not merely physical but existential, as his rebellion traps him in a cycle of negation that reinforces his separation from the divine origin he both desires and rejects.

Conclusion 5

Through the lens of Derrida’s Of Grammatology, Gollum and the Devil can be seen as tragic figures caught in the interplay of presence and absence, origin and trace, speech and writing. Their obsessions with the Ring and rebellion, respectively, illustrate the impossibility of reclaiming an idealized origin that is always already deferred and mediated. Their fragmented identities and pathetic states embody Derrida’s critique of logocentrism, revealing the instability of meaning and the tragic consequences of longing for a presence that can never be fully achieved. By deconstructing their struggles, we see how their stories resonate with Derrida’s insights into the human condition, offering profound reflections on loss, deferral, and the fragility of meaning.

“The idea of Infinity is neither the immanence of the I think nor the transcendence of the object.”

“The Other is metaphysical.”

Totality and Infinity: Estrangement from the Infinite

Emmanuel Levinas’ Totality and Infinity centers on the ethical relationship between the self and the Other, focusing on how genuine encounters with the Other transcend the totalizing grasp of the self and open a path toward the Infinite. The final chapter, “The Name,” emphasizes the unique and irreducible nature of the Other, particularly in the relationship with God, whose name signifies an ethical transcendence beyond comprehension. Gollum and the Devil, when viewed through Levinas’ framework, represent tragic failures of this ethical relationship. Both are estranged from the Other and, ultimately, from the Infinite, rendering their existence pathetic and hollow.

By tying Levinas’ ideas to the narratives of Gollum and the Devil, we can see how their obsession with power, isolation from others, and inability to transcend themselves reflect the existential and ethical tragedy of severing the self from the transcendent Infinite.

Totality and Obsession: Gollum and the Devil’s Ethical Failure

Levinas critiques the totalizing tendencies of the self, which seeks to dominate and assimilate the Other into its own terms. For both Gollum and the Devil, this totalizing impulse defines their downfall, as their obsessive desires to possess the Ring and rebel against God isolate them from the ethical relationship that could bring them transcendence.

Gollum’s Totalizing Obsession: Gollum’s fixation on the Ring represents a totalizing reduction of the world to a single object. The Ring becomes the entirety of his being, erasing his ability to engage with others ethically. His interactions with Frodo and Sam are marked by manipulation and mistrust, as his obsession prevents him from encountering them as irreducible Others.
The Devil’s Totalizing Rebellion: The Devil’s rebellion against God is similarly rooted in a totalizing impulse. By seeking to assert his autonomy, the Devil reduces the Infinite Other (God) to a rival, denying God’s transcendence and ethical call. His rebellion is an act of egoistic self-enclosure, cutting him off from the Infinite and rendering him a figure of eternal despair.

Isolation from the Face of the Other

Levinas emphasizes the ethical importance of encountering the “face of the Other,” which disrupts the self’s totalizing tendencies and calls it to responsibility. Both Gollum and the Devil are isolated from such encounters, as their obsessions and rebellions prevent them from truly seeing or responding to the Other.

Gollum’s Isolation from the Face: Gollum’s obsession with the Ring blinds him to the humanity of Frodo and Sam. Even when Frodo shows him compassion, Gollum’s inability to transcend his obsession prevents him from genuinely responding to Frodo as an Other. His isolation is both physical and ethical, as he remains trapped in a self-referential totality.
The Devil’s Isolation from the Face: The Devil’s rebellion isolates him from God’s face, the ultimate expression of the Infinite. By rejecting God’s transcendence, the Devil reduces the divine to a concept he can oppose, severing himself from the ethical relationship that could bring him redemption. His isolation is absolute, as he refuses to acknowledge the Otherness of God or the beings he seeks to corrupt.

Estrangement from the Infinite

For Levinas, the Infinite represents a transcendence that cannot be reduced to the self’s grasp. Gollum and the Devil, in their totalizing impulses, are estranged from this Infinite, rendering their existence tragic and pathetic.

Gollum and the Infinite: Gollum’s estrangement from the Infinite is symbolized by his obsession with the Ring, which promises ultimate power but delivers only emptiness. The Ring, as a false Infinite, traps Gollum in a cycle of desire and despair, preventing him from transcending himself or engaging ethically with others. His pathetic state arises from his inability to move beyond the illusion of totality the Ring represents.
The Devil and the Infinite: The Devil’s rebellion is an explicit rejection of the Infinite. By seeking to assert his autonomy, the Devil denies God’s transcendence and reduces the Infinite to a totality he can oppose. His pathetic state arises from his self-imposed exile from the Infinite, as his rebellion leaves him isolated in a realm of negation and despair.

The Name and the Irreducible Other

In the final chapter of Totality and Infinity, Levinas explores “The Name” as a symbol of the unique and irreducible nature of the Other. God’s name, in particular, signifies the Infinite and transcendent relationship that calls the self to responsibility. Both Gollum and the Devil are estranged from this ethical dimension of the Name, as their totalizing impulses prevent them from encountering the Other as irreducible and transcendent.

Gollum and the Loss of the Name: Gollum’s estrangement from the Name is reflected in his fragmented identity. The loss of his original name, Sméagol, symbolizes his ethical and existential disintegration. Without a name to ground his identity, Gollum becomes a hollow being, defined by his obsession with the Ring rather than any meaningful relationship with the Other.
The Devil and the Denial of the Name: The Devil’s rebellion is a denial of God’s Name, an attempt to erase the Infinite Other from his existence. Yet, in denying the Name, the Devil loses his own identity as Lucifer, the light-bringer, and becomes a being defined by negation. His tragic state arises from his refusal to acknowledge the ethical call of the Name, leaving him isolated from the Infinite.

Conclusion 6: The Ethical Tragedy of Estrangement

Through the lens of Levinas’ Totality and Infinity, Gollum and the Devil emerge as figures of profound ethical and existential tragedy. Their obsessions with the Ring and rebellion represent totalizing impulses that sever them from the Other and the Infinite. In their isolation, they embody the consequences of rejecting the ethical relationship that Levinas sees as central to human existence.

The chapter on “The Name” underscores the ultimate tragedy of their estrangement. Both Gollum and the Devil lose their connection to the transcendent Name, leaving them as hollow beings defined by absence and negation. Their stories serve as cautionary tales about the dangers of totality and the existential emptiness that follows the rejection of the Infinite. By reflecting on their failures, we are reminded of the ethical responsibility to transcend ourselves and encounter the Other in its irreducible uniqueness—a path that leads not to despair but to the Infinite.

“the name is different from both the act of naming and the thing named”

“the merits of the pious are demerits in those who have drawn near to Allah.”

The Ninety-Nine Names of Allah: Estrangement from Divine Attributes

Imam Al-Ghazali’s exploration of The Ninety-Nine Names of Allah provides a profound lens through which to view the spiritual and ethical failures of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings and the Devil in Christian theology. Ghazali teaches that understanding and embodying Allah’s names and attributes is the path to divine closeness, ethical living, and ultimate fulfillment. Each of these names reflects a balance between mercy and justice, power and humility, and presence and transcendence.

Gollum and the Devil, however, represent beings who fail to align themselves with these divine attributes, becoming trapped in their own totalizing desires and obsessions. Their tragic stories illustrate the consequences of severing oneself from the ethical and spiritual dimensions embodied in the Divine Names. Through this lens, their pathetic states reveal their spiritual estrangement not only from others but also from the divine harmony that could have guided them to redemption.

Divine Names as the Path to Transcendence

According to Ghazali, the Asma’ al-Husna (Beautiful Names of Allah) serve as a roadmap for spiritual growth. By reflecting and embodying these names—such as Al-Rahman (The Most Merciful), Al-Hakim (The All-Wise), and Al-Adl(The Just)—one can transcend egoistic desires and align oneself with the divine order. Gollum and the Devil, however, fail to engage with these attributes and instead embody qualities that oppose them, trapping themselves in cycles of obsession and rebellion.

Gollum’s Failure to Embody Divine Names: Gollum’s life is defined by greed and obsession, centered on the Ring. His fixation with power prevents him from embodying qualities like mercy (Al-Rahman) or gratitude (Al-Shakur). Instead of seeking guidance through wisdom (Al-Hakim), Gollum succumbs to his basest impulses, severing himself from any possibility of divine harmony.
The Devil’s Rejection of Divine Attributes: The Devil’s rebellion reflects his refusal to acknowledge God’s sovereignty (Al-Malik) and wisdom (Al-Hakim). His defiance of the divine will represents a rejection of humility (Al-Khafid, The Abaser) and gratitude (Al-Shakur), as he seeks to elevate himself above his ordained place. By rejecting these attributes, the Devil isolates himself from the ethical and spiritual order established by God.

Obsession as a Distortion of Al-Ahad (The One)

Both Gollum and the Devil distort the concept of Al-Ahad (The One), which represents the unity and singularity of God. Instead of submitting to the divine unity, they fixate on false objects of devotion that promise fulfillment but lead only to emptiness and despair.

Gollum and the Ring as a False Unity: For Gollum, the Ring becomes a false Ahad, a singular object that he believes will bring him ultimate fulfillment. This distorted devotion consumes him, leading to the loss of his identity and ethical relationships. His obsession with the Ring mirrors the dangers of associating partners with God (shirk), as it replaces the divine unity with a material idol.
The Devil’s Ego as a False Unity: The Devil’s rebellion stems from his desire to elevate his own ego to the level of Al-Ahad. By refusing to bow to Adam, he places his pride and autonomy above divine unity, severing himself from God’s mercy and grace. His rebellion represents a profound distortion of Tawhid (the oneness of God), as he seeks to create his own fractured, self-centered reality.

Divine Justice and Mercy: The Path Not Taken

Ghazali emphasizes the balance between God’s justice (Al-Adl) and mercy (Al-Rahman), teaching that divine justice holds individuals accountable, while divine mercy offers the opportunity for redemption. Both Gollum and the Devil are offered paths to redemption, yet their inability to align themselves with these divine attributes leaves them in a state of spiritual ruin.

Gollum and the Denial of Mercy: Frodo’s compassion toward Gollum reflects Al-Rahman, offering him a chance to rediscover his humanity. However, Gollum’s fixation on the Ring prevents him from accepting this mercy, as he cannot let go of his obsession long enough to embrace the possibility of redemption.
The Devil and the Rejection of Mercy: In Islamic theology, the Devil (Iblis) is offered the opportunity for repentance but refuses to accept God’s mercy, clinging instead to his pride. This refusal underscores his alienation from Al-Ghaffar (The Forgiving) and Al-Rahim (The Most Compassionate), leaving him trapped in a state of eternal rebellion and despair.

The Name and the Irreducible Divine

In the final chapter of Levinas’ Totality and Infinity, “The Name” represents the transcendence and irreducibility of the Other, particularly God. Ghazali’s understanding of Allah’s names complements this idea, as each divine name reflects an aspect of God’s infinite and incomprehensible nature. Gollum and the Devil fail to engage with this transcendence, reducing the Infinite to objects of their own making.

Gollum and the Loss of Divine Transcendence: Gollum’s obsession with the Ring represents a failure to see beyond the material world to the transcendence embodied in God’s names. His inability to recognize Al-Nur (The Light) or Al-Hadi (The Guide) leaves him spiritually blind, unable to move beyond his self-imposed darkness.
The Devil and the Denial of the Name: The Devil’s rebellion represents a refusal to acknowledge the irreducible nature of God’s names. By attempting to rival God’s sovereignty (Al-Malik) and knowledge (Al-Alim), the Devil reduces the Infinite Other to a finite adversary, severing himself from the transcendent reality of the divine.

Conclusion 7: Estrangement from Divine Harmony

Through the lens of Ghazali’s The Ninety-Nine Names of Allah, Gollum and the Devil emerge as figures who embody the spiritual and ethical consequences of estrangement from the divine attributes. Their obsessions and rebellions reflect a failure to align themselves with the balance, mercy, and transcendence embodied in the divine names, leaving them trapped in cycles of despair and self-destruction.

Their stories serve as cautionary tales, illustrating the dangers of totalizing impulses and false unities. By rejecting the ethical and spiritual guidance of the divine names, they sever themselves from the Infinite and reduce their existence to hollow, pathetic pursuits. In contrast, Ghazali’s teachings remind us of the path to redemption through embodying the divine attributes, offering a way to transcend egoistic desires and return to divine harmony.

I surrendered to the Lord of the Dawn

from the evil of created things

from the evil of the darkness at its peak

from the evil of the ego’s pique

from the evil of the peeker

Epilogue

The singular act of prayer and liturgy, when viewed as non-intellectual, centers on the embodied, lived experience of devotion rather than abstract thought. In Islam, the physicality of prayer (salah)—the bowing, prostration, and recitation—emphasizes submission (islam) to Allah in an act that transcends rational comprehension. It becomes a direct encounter with the Divine through surrender, humility, and the acknowledgment of God’s infinite transcendence.

Levinas complements this view by emphasizing that ethics and spirituality are grounded in the encounter with the Other, rather than in intellectual constructs. For Levinas, true openness to the Infinite involves responding to the ethical call of the Other, which precedes and transcends rationality. Similarly, in Islamic prayer, the focus is on being present before the Other—Allah—who is beyond comprehension and totalization.

Prayer thus becomes an act of aligning the self with the Infinite, a movement away from ego and intellectual control toward an embodied humility and ethical responsiveness. Both Islam and Levinas affirm that through this non-intellectual surrender, one participates in a transcendence that cannot be reduced to thought, but is instead lived and felt as a relational and transformative encounter. Thanks Sam.