Who or What is Tom Bombadil? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Legolas · 12-12-2005, 10:27 PM

Even if Goldberry's nature was as unexplained as Tom, I don't think she would have attracted the amount of speculation Tom has. The point with Tom is not that he is male, but that his physical acts (and subsequent conclusions drawn about his mentality) show that he is quite an oddity - he skips about through the woods carelessly, and is completely unmoved by the Ring? He's not just an unexplained character. He's an unexplained character that leaps out and thumps the reader in the eyeball.

View Poll Results: Who or What is Tom Bombadil
A nature spirit?	14	29.17%
The spirit of Middle-earth itself?	11	22.92%
A Maiar?	5	10.42%
A Vala?	3	6.25%
An Elf?	0	0%
A Dwarf?	1	2.08%
An immortal Man?	0	0%
The reader?	1	2.08%
Eru?	0	0%
I'll tell you in my post!	13	27.08%
Voters: 48. You may not vote on this poll

12-12-2005, 10:27 PM	#1
Legolas A Northern Soul Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Valinor Posts: 1,847	Even if Goldberry's nature was as unexplained as Tom, I don't think she would have attracted the amount of speculation Tom has. The point with Tom is not that he is male, but that his physical acts (and subsequent conclusions drawn about his mentality) show that he is quite an oddity - he skips about through the woods carelessly, and is completely unmoved by the Ring? He's not just an unexplained character. He's an unexplained character that leaps out and thumps the reader in the eyeball. __________________ ...take counsel with thyself, and remember who and what thou art.