Thanks for that quote!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inziladun
Being in the story, for whatever metaphysical reason, he must either aid Frodo or thwart him. Ignoring the plight of the Hobbits would have been a choice as well: a choice against the Good that Frodo served.
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That is very true for the logic within the given situation of the story. But Tolkien constructed this situation in that way. Without Old Man Willow or a mean Barrow-Wight, there would be no need for Bombadil to make this call.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inziladun
Tom, I think, knew that one day he would have his part to play in the greater history, but he only stepped into the story for as brief a time as was absolutely necessary.\, just long enough to get Frodo out of the Old Forest and the Downs.
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So it seems to me that even if you have "renounced control [...] and the means of power" (as Tolkien puts it) there comes a time when this concept (or philosophy) reaches its limit.