Shelob and Gollum

Shelob and Gollum's relationship is one of the darkest and most consequential alliances in The Lord of the Rings, a predatory pact forged in the shadows of Cirith Ungol. It is a bond of mutual convenience and mutual treachery, where the ancient spider and the wretched hobbit-creature each seek to use the other for their own ends. Gollum, driven by his insatiable desire for the One Ring, sees Shelob as a means to recover his 'Precious' from Frodo, while Shelob, ever hungry and lusting for sweeter meat than the orcs of Mordor, sees Gollum as a provider of prey. Their alliance is a testament to the corrupting power of the Ring and the depths of Gollum's degradation, and it ultimately plays a crucial, unintended role in the Quest's outcome.

Origins and Nature of the Alliance

Gollum's connection to Shelob predates his encounter with Frodo and Sam. Years before, during his wanderings in the dark places of the world, Gollum had 'beheld her, Sméagol who pried into all dark holes, and in past days he had bowed and worshipped her, and the darkness of her evil will walked through all the ways of his weariness beside him, cutting him off from light and from regret.' This worship was not born of love but of a shared affinity for darkness and a mutual understanding of predation. Shelob, in turn, saw Gollum as a useful servant, a 'Sneak' who could bring her food. Their pact was simple: Gollum would lead victims to her lair, and she would consume them, leaving behind their possessions—including, Gollum hoped, the Ring. As Gollum himself mused, 'It may well be, O yes, it may well be that when She throws away the bones and the empty garments, we shall find it, we shall get it, the Precious, a reward for poor Sméagol who brings nice food.'

The Pact in Action: Betrayal at Cirith Ungol

Gollum's treachery culminates in his leading Frodo and Sam into Shelob's lair, a dark tunnel beneath the Ephel Dúath. He had promised to guide them to Mordor, but his true intention was to deliver them to Shelob. As they enter the tunnel, Gollum slips away, leaving the hobbits to face the spider alone. Shelob, true to her nature, attacks Frodo, stinging him with her venom and binding him in her webs. Gollum, watching from the shadows, gloats over his success, believing that he will soon reclaim the Ring from Frodo's corpse. However, his plan unravels when Samwise, driven by loyalty and fury, confronts Shelob. Using the Phial of Galadriel and Sting, Sam wounds the spider, driving her back into her lair. Gollum, witnessing this, is forced to flee, his hopes dashed.

The Failure of the Alliance and Its Consequences

The alliance between Shelob and Gollum ultimately fails because of its inherent treachery. Shelob, though powerful, is defeated by Sam's unexpected courage, and Gollum, though cunning, is outwitted by the hobbits' resilience. The pact's failure has profound consequences: Frodo is captured by the orcs of Cirith Ungol, leading to Sam's heroic rescue, and Gollum, now desperate and alone, continues to follow Frodo and Sam into Mordor. His obsession with the Ring ultimately leads him to the Crack of Doom, where he seizes the Ring from Frodo and falls into the fire, inadvertently destroying it. Thus, the alliance with Shelob, intended to secure the Ring for Gollum, instead sets in motion the very events that lead to its destruction and Sauron's downfall.

Thematic Significance

The Shelob-Gollum relationship embodies the themes of corruption, betrayal, and the futility of evil. Gollum's worship of Shelob and his willingness to sacrifice his companions for the Ring illustrate the complete moral degradation wrought by the Ring's influence. Shelob, as a creature of pure malice and hunger, represents the raw, mindless evil that serves Sauron but is not truly allied with him. Their pact is a microcosm of the larger alliances of evil in the story, which are always fragile and self-destructive. Moreover, the failure of their alliance highlights the power of loyalty and courage, as embodied by Sam, to overcome even the most treacherous of schemes. In the end, the relationship between Shelob and Gollum serves as a dark mirror to the fellowship of the Ring, showing how evil, when it turns on itself, can bring about its own ruin.