Tom Bombadil

[deagol]

When I think of Tom the one word that simply won't go away is "outside."

Outside, in its literal form, obviously. Tom is attuned to all things natural (that is, in nature) and to eschew the unnatural (manufactured), expressed primarily in the One Ring having no power over him. But more than that, I see Tom as "oustside" the entire tale. Tom is described (if I remember correctly) as always having been. Eternal, if you will. I think Tom is from somewhere else entirely and, perhaps, not of the music at all. I don't think we're meant to know -- as, apparently, no one in the tale itself seems to know -- where Tome came from or what he is about. He just is, and cannot be explained. I also liken this theory to what happens to me when I try to picture him in my mind. He's a timeless child, impossibly old and young at the same time. I can't explain it any better than that.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by deagol

When I think of Tom the one word that simply won't go away is "outside."

Outside, in its literal form, obviously. Tom is attuned to all things natural (that is, in nature) and to eschew the unnatural (manufactured), expressed primarily in the One Ring having no power over him. But more than that, I see Tom as "oustside" the entire tale. Tom is described (if I remember correctly) as always having been. Eternal, if you will. I think Tom is from somewhere else entirely and, perhaps, not of the music at all. I don't think we're meant to know -- as, apparently, no one in the tale itself seems to know -- where Tome came from or what he is about. He just is, and cannot be explained. I also liken this theory to what happens to me when I try to picture him in my mind. He's a timeless child, impossibly old and young at the same time. I can't explain it any better than that.

"Outside" is also the place Tom says the Dark Lord (Morgoth) originated from. I see this as the Void.
This is in line with what the Elves thought of Ungoliant:

The Eldar knew not whence she came; but some have said that in ages long before she descended from the darkness that lies about Arda, when Melkor first looked down in envy upon the Kingdom of Manwë.

Silmarillion Of the Darkening of Valinor

Tom said he "knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless--before the Dark Lord came from outside."

I think "outside" could well be the key, and I see a parallel between Tom and Ungoliant. In line with what narfforc said, both are creatures obviously not of the Children of Ilúvatar, seeming to each have their own desires apart from those of the "divine" in Arda, the Valar, their attendant Maia, and the rebels, Melkor and those who served him.

Perhaps Tom and Ungoliant were merely Ainu who came to Arda seperately from (and completely unknown to) the Valar, to either fulfill a part in the Music known only to the One, or to independantly pursue their own goals.

[Puddleglum]

Originally Posted by deagol

I don't think we're meant to know -- as, apparently, no one in the tale itself seems to know -- where Tome came from or what he is about. He just is, and cannot be explained.

Very true. I read somewhere (I think in one of the "Letters" that Tolkien INTENDED for Bombadil to be an enigma.

Originally Posted by deagol

I think Tom is from somewhere else entirely and, perhaps, not of the music at all.

I think you hit very close to the mark, maybe even in the gold.
Remember this quote from Silmarillion in "Ainulindale"

for to none but himself has Iluvatar revealed all that he has in store
and in every age there come forth things that are new and have no foretelling, for they do not proceed from the past.

I don't believe we need to (or even should try to) fit Bombadil into the list of created beings that are listed in Silmarillion (like Ainur, Maier, etc). Illuvatar is free to bring in other created beings - even some that may be unique.

Bombadil (and Goldberry, and the River Woman, for that matter) could easily be such. And, thus, all we do know of Bombadil is what is directly reported: that he was there when the Elves passed that way first, that no one knows where he came from, that the Ring has no power over him, etc.

[Lalaith]

For some reason, I imagine Tom Bombadil looking like Denholm Elliot in benign (Room with a View) mode (as opposed to sneery Private Function mode)

[Galadriel55]

I see Bombadil as leprechaun that is a bit taller than a dwarf (physically). I think that he was created for the same reason as the ents - to guard nature. They both are the the first living creatures on m-e, except for the valar who came to visit. The difference is that ents, in a way, die - they becoe regular trees. Tom, however, is maore like an elf - he probably didn't change one jot since any thousand years ago.

[Galadriel55]

Could Bombadil perhaps be a Maia?

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

See my post above.

The Downs has gone deep into the detail of Bombadil's nature, possibility of Maiardom included. I believe the consensus is: no, he was not a Maia.

[Khazad-dûm]

The last time I read that chapter I pictured a big brown bearded, big biceped grizzly lumberjack man skipping around in the forest singing to himself. wearing a tunic and tights kinda like Link in N64's Ocarina of Time but different colours and different hat kinda like Gandalfs but not as big and a huge feather sticking out higher then the tip of his hat. I laughed to myself a lot during that chapter lol.