It feels different near the Shire.... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 10-10-2002, 09:55 AM

Nar, I'm not sure of the connection between Bombadil & the Green Man, can you enlighten me? As far as I'm aware the G.M. isn't specifically Celtic, but pre-Celtic if anything. If you accept the identification of the Green Man with Robin Hood, then there's possible a link with Bombadil via a figure like Herne/Cernunos, but this is to get very mixed up, I feel. And Herne & Robin are Saxon, not Celtic. Robin Hood certainly manifests aspects of both the G.M. & Herne, or at least has been linked to both, even though one is the Lord/Spirit of the flora, the other of the Fauna. But these figures seem to have a different relationship to the land/animals to the one Bombadil displays. They display Control - see the giant in the Mabinogion, or the giant in Gilgamesh. They seem too primal & 'chaotic' to be analogous to Bombadil.
Don't know if you agree?

10-10-2002, 09:55 AM	#11
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Nar, I'm not sure of the connection between Bombadil & the Green Man, can you enlighten me? As far as I'm aware the G.M. isn't specifically Celtic, but pre-Celtic if anything. If you accept the identification of the Green Man with Robin Hood, then there's possible a link with Bombadil via a figure like Herne/Cernunos, but this is to get very mixed up, I feel. And Herne & Robin are Saxon, not Celtic. Robin Hood certainly manifests aspects of both the G.M. & Herne, or at least has been linked to both, even though one is the Lord/Spirit of the flora, the other of the Fauna. But these figures seem to have a different relationship to the land/animals to the one Bombadil displays. They display Control - see the giant in the Mabinogion, or the giant in Gilgamesh. They seem too primal & 'chaotic' to be analogous to Bombadil. Don't know if you agree? __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."