Gollum from Lord of the Rings gets a Health check
Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 1:31 am
Gollum, the creepy character in "Lord of the Rings" with the dual personality and eerie voice, suffered from a schizoid personality disorder, according to a group of medical students.
Thirty students at University College London were asked to explain the odd behavior the character displayed in the films based on the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy.
The students noted his solitary habits, spiteful behavior, odd interests, difficulty in forming friendships, emotional changeability, nervousness and paranoia.
"He fulfils seven of the nine criteria for schizoid personality disorder, and, if we must label Gollum's problems, we believe this is the most likely diagnosis," Dr Elizabeth Sampson, who headed the research team, said in the British Medical Journal on Friday.
His two personalities -- Gollum and Smeagol -- convinced some students it was a case of schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder.
But schizophrenia was ruled out because delusions were not in keeping with Gollum's culture. The interaction between the two personalities shows Gollum is aware of both Smeagol and Gollum at the same time, which is inconsistent with multiple personality disorder, in which one is usually suppressed.
His bulging eyes and weight loss also suggests a thyroid problem, they added.
Thirty students at University College London were asked to explain the odd behavior the character displayed in the films based on the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy.
The students noted his solitary habits, spiteful behavior, odd interests, difficulty in forming friendships, emotional changeability, nervousness and paranoia.
"He fulfils seven of the nine criteria for schizoid personality disorder, and, if we must label Gollum's problems, we believe this is the most likely diagnosis," Dr Elizabeth Sampson, who headed the research team, said in the British Medical Journal on Friday.
His two personalities -- Gollum and Smeagol -- convinced some students it was a case of schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder.
But schizophrenia was ruled out because delusions were not in keeping with Gollum's culture. The interaction between the two personalities shows Gollum is aware of both Smeagol and Gollum at the same time, which is inconsistent with multiple personality disorder, in which one is usually suppressed.
His bulging eyes and weight loss also suggests a thyroid problem, they added.