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PrinceOfTheHalflings · 08-17-2009, 11:17 AM

I don't normally get involved in Bombadil threads, but I think we can rule out a few possibilities just by asking the author. He did say quite a lot about what Bombadil is not:

Letter 144, written in 1954:

"He has not connexion in my mind with the Entwives", "...only the Victory of the West will allow Bombadil to continue, or even to survive. Nothing would be left for him in the world of Sauron." He says that if you have no interest in power or control then "the questions of the rights and wrongs of power and control" have no meaning to you. "It is a natural pacifist view".

Letter 153, also written in 1954, in response to the claim the Bombadil is God/Eru because Goldberry says "He is":

"...I really do think you are being too serious ... Frodo has asked not 'What is Tom Bombadil' but 'Who is he' .... Goldberry gives what I think is the correct answer... Goldberry and Tom are referring to the mystery of names."

In other words you can only explain who Tom Bombadil is by the statement "He is Tom Bombadil". He is the one and only Tom Bombadil. As Tom asks Frodo, "Don't you know my name yet? That's the only answer. Who are you, alone, yourself and nameless?"

So, Tolkien implicitly rejects that Tom is Eru and hints that he is really in a class of his own.

As for the suggestion that Tom is Tolkien himself, or the reader, well that really is unhelpful. Besides, Tolkien said the character he mosts identifies with is Faramir - see, for example Letter 180; both the comment that Faramir shares Tolkien's dream of the "Giant Wave" and also his footnote, "As far as any character is 'like me' it is Faramir".

So from the author's own words... Bombadil is not:

- The author.

- God

- An ent or entwife.

Bombadil is:

- One of a kind.

- A 'natural pacifist'. He does not get involved or seem to be concerned about events in the outside world.

- Eldest. He was there before anything else.

So, we also know that he is not mortal, for he seemingly has lived for as long as middle-earth itself. Also, he does not disappear when he wears the Ring ... this is only true for immortals. Therefore he can't be some kind of strange man or hobbit.

In the story his function seems to be to show that the Ring has no effect on someone with no interest in power and control. Thus, even Frodo and Bilbo do have, at least in some measure, some hidden desire for power and control. There has to be something inside you that the Ring can work on.

Insofar as he can be compared to any character, I would say that he is the anti-Melkor. Whereas Melkor from the very beginning wished to impose his own will on things, and this desire (when denied) became an impulse to ruin everything and oppress everyone, Tom has no personal interest whatsoever in controlling anything. Tom, of course, cannot oppose someone like Melkor or Sauron in any meaningful way, because he does not wield power in the way that they do. So when I say he is the anti-Melkor I don't mean that he is 'equal' to Melkor (or the 'antidote' to Melkor) because to be Melkor's true opposite means he cannot oppose evil. Indeed, in general he is oblivious to it. That isn't to say that Tom is powerless ... indeed he is 'Master' of his own little land ... he has profound influence through his 'songs' ... but he has no "personal interest" in power. He does not use power to enhance his standing or boost his ego.

One interesting thing to notice is that Tom does say "his songs are stronger". He does seem to maintain order in his land through his songs. It's hard not to be reminded of the Music of Eru at this moment, as Tom's songs seem to have some kind of deep influence on reality. This doesn't mean that Tom is Eru, just that he knows the Music! I seem to recall reading a theory that Tom actually is a manifestation of the Music brought to life as a conscious being. A spirit of the Music, if you like.

08-17-2009, 11:17 AM	#220
PrinceOfTheHalflings Wight Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 120	I don't normally get involved in Bombadil threads, but I think we can rule out a few possibilities just by asking the author. He did say quite a lot about what Bombadil is not: Letter 144, written in 1954: "He has not connexion in my mind with the Entwives", "...only the Victory of the West will allow Bombadil to continue, or even to survive. Nothing would be left for him in the world of Sauron." He says that if you have no interest in power or control then "the questions of the rights and wrongs of power and control" have no meaning to you. "It is a natural pacifist view". Letter 153, also written in 1954, in response to the claim the Bombadil is God/Eru because Goldberry says "He is": "...I really do think you are being too serious ... Frodo has asked not 'What is Tom Bombadil' but 'Who is he' .... Goldberry gives what I think is the correct answer... Goldberry and Tom are referring to the mystery of names." In other words you can only explain who Tom Bombadil is by the statement "He is Tom Bombadil". He is *the one and only* Tom Bombadil. As Tom asks Frodo, "Don't you know my name yet? That's the only answer. Who are you, alone, yourself and nameless?" So, Tolkien implicitly rejects that Tom is Eru and hints that he is really in a class of his own. As for the suggestion that Tom is Tolkien himself, or the reader, well that really is unhelpful. Besides, Tolkien said the character he mosts identifies with is Faramir - see, for example Letter 180; both the comment that Faramir shares Tolkien's dream of the "Giant Wave" and also his footnote, "As far as any character is 'like me' it is Faramir". So from the author's own words... Bombadil is not: - The author. - God - An ent or entwife. Bombadil is: - One of a kind. - A 'natural pacifist'. He does not get involved or seem to be concerned about events in the outside world. - Eldest. He was there before anything else. So, we also know that he is not mortal, for he seemingly has lived for as long as middle-earth itself. Also, he does not disappear when he wears the Ring ... this is only true for immortals. Therefore he can't be some kind of strange man or hobbit. In the story his function seems to be to show that the Ring has no effect on someone with no interest in power and control. Thus, even Frodo and Bilbo do have, at least in some measure, some hidden desire for power and control. There has to be something inside you that the Ring can work on. Insofar as he can be compared to any character, I would say that he is the anti-Melkor. Whereas Melkor from the very beginning wished to impose his own will on things, and this desire (when denied) became an impulse to ruin everything and oppress everyone, Tom has no personal interest whatsoever in controlling anything. Tom, of course, cannot oppose someone like Melkor or Sauron in any meaningful way, because he does not wield power in the way that they do. So when I say he is the anti-Melkor I don't mean that he is 'equal' to Melkor (or the 'antidote' to Melkor) because to be Melkor's true opposite means he cannot oppose evil. Indeed, in general he is oblivious to it. That isn't to say that Tom is powerless ... indeed he is 'Master' of his own little land ... he has profound influence through his 'songs' ... but he has no "personal interest" in power. He does not use power to enhance his standing or boost his ego. One interesting thing to notice is that Tom does say "his songs are stronger". He does seem to maintain order in his land through his songs. It's hard not to be reminded of the Music of Eru at this moment, as Tom's songs seem to have some kind of deep influence on reality. This doesn't mean that Tom is Eru, just that he knows the Music! I seem to recall reading a theory that Tom actually is a manifestation of the Music brought to life as a conscious being. A spirit of the Music, if you like.