| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| Contents | ||
Tolkien took the name from Gamgee Tissue, a surgical dressing invented by a 19th century BirminghamThis article is about Birmingham in England. See also Birmingham, Alabama or other places called Birmingham. Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Being the country's second largest city, it is usually considered B surgeon called Joseph Sampson GamgeeDr Joseph Sampson Gamgee (born 17 April, 1828, Livorno, Italy; died 18 September, 1886) was a surgeon at the Queen's Hospital (later the General Hospital) in Birmingham, England. He pioneered aseptic surgery (having once shared lodgings with Joseph Lister. "Gamgee" became the colloquial name in Birmingham for cotton wool; Tolkien described why he had chosen that name for his character:
"The choice of Gamgee was primarily directed by alliteration; but I did not invent it. It was caught out of childhood memory, as a comic word or name. It was in fact the name when I was small (in Birmingham) for 'cotton-wool'. (Hence the association of the Gamgees with the Cottons.) I knew nothing of its origin."
It is possible that Tolkien may have subconsciously recalled Dr. Gamgee (who died in 18861886 is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) Events January 18 Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. January 29 Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline-driven automobile. March but is commemorated by a plaque at the Birmingham Medical Institute , only yards from Tolkien's childhood home) but he claimed to be genuinely surprised when, in March 19561956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. see link for calendar) Events January January 1 End of Anglo- Egyptian Condominium in Sudan. January 16 President Gamal Abdal Nasser of Egypt vows to reconquer Palestine January 26 1956 Winter Olympic Games open in, he received a letter from one Sam Gamgee, who had heard that his name was in The Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy story by J. Tolkien, a sequel to his earlier work, The Hobbit''. For more information on the fictional universe the story takes place in, including lists of characters and locations, see Middle-earth. The story's n but had not read the book. Tolkien replied on March 18March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). There are 288 days remaining. Events 37 The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius' will and proclaims Caligula emperor. 1229 Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor declares himself King:
"Dear Mr. Gamgee,
It was very kind of you to write. You can imagine my astonishment when I saw your signature! I can only say, for your comfort, I hope, that the 'Sam Gamgee' of my story is a most heroic character, now widely beloved by many readers, even though his origins are rustic. So that perhaps you will not be displeased at the coincidence of the name of this imaginary character of supposedly many centuries ago being the same as yours."
He proceeded to send Mr Gamgee a signed copy of all three volumes of the book. However, the incident sparked a nagging worry in Tolkien's mind, as he recorded in his journal:
"For some time I lived in fear of receiving a letter signed 'S. Gollum'. That would have been more difficult to deal with."
In the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, pages 1109 and 1111, it is mentioned that the WestronTolkien's fantasy world of Middle-earth, the Westron or Common Speech is the closest thing to a universal language, at least at the time during which The Lord of the Rings is set. Westron is an English word, derived from West not a word from the language form of Sam's name is Banazīr Galbasi (also spelled Galpsi). Banazīr comes from elements meaning "halfwise" or "simple". Galbasi comes from the name of the village Galabas. The name Galabas uses the elements galab-, meaning "game", and bas-, corresponding somewhat to "-wich" or "-wick". Tolkien's English translation, Samwķs Gamwich, could have come to Samwise Gamgee in modern English.