Editing Samwise Gamgee (section)

{{Short description|Hobbit character in The Lord of the Rings}}
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{{Use British English|date=October  2022}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Samwise Gamgee
| series = [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]
| first = ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' (1954–1955)
| race = [[Hobbit]]
| affiliation = [[Company of the Ring]]
| spouse = [[Rosie Cotton]]
}}
'''Samwise Gamgee''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|æ|m|ˌ|w|aɪ|z|_|ˈ|ɡ|æ|m|ˌ|dʒ|iː}}, usually called '''Sam''') is a fictional character in [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s [[Middle-earth]]. A [[hobbit]], Samwise is the chief supporting character of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', serving as the loyal companion (in effect, the manservant) of the [[protagonist]] [[Frodo Baggins]]. Sam is a member of the [[Company of the Ring]], the group of nine charged with destroying the [[One Ring]] to prevent the Dark Lord [[Sauron]] from taking over the world.

Sam was Frodo's gardener. He was drawn into Frodo's adventure while eavesdropping on a private conversation Frodo was having with the wizard [[Gandalf]]. Sam was Frodo's steadfast companion and servant, portrayed as both physically strong for his size and emotionally strong, often supporting Frodo through difficult parts of the journey and, at times, carrying Frodo when he was too weak to go on. Sam served as [[Ring-bearer]] for a short time when Frodo was captured by [[orcs]]; his emotional strength was again demonstrated when he willingly gave the Ring back to Frodo. Following the [[War of the Ring]], Sam returned to [[the Shire]] and his role as a gardener, helping to replant the trees which had been destroyed while he was away. He was elected Mayor of the Shire for seven consecutive terms.

The name Gamgee derives from a local{{where|date=May 2025}} name for cotton wool, from a surgical dressing invented by [[Sampson Gamgee]]; hence [[Rosie Cotton|Sam's girlfriend Rosie]] is from the Cotton family. Scholars have remarked on the symbolism in Sam's story, which carries [[Christianity in Middle-earth|echoes of Christianity]]; for instance, his carrying of Frodo is reminiscent of [[Simon of Cyrene]]'s carrying of Christ's cross. Tolkien considered Sam [[ Heroism in The Lord of the Rings|a hero of the story]]. Psychologists have seen Sam's quest as [[Psychological journeys of Middle-earth|a psychological journey]] of love. Tolkien's biographers have noted the resemblance of Sam's relationship with Frodo to that of [[Batman (military)|military servants]] to [[British Army]] officers in the [[World War I|First World War]].