What creature is Tom Bombadil? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 04-05-2007, 03:17 AM

Of course all Tolkien's statements re Tom are attempts to account for him 'after the fact'. Tom existed long before LotR was written (he first appeared in the poem The Adventures of TB published in (I think) The Oxford Magazine in the 1920's) & entered into LotR in order to provide an 'adventure' for the travellers. Hence Tolkien's struggles to explain him & make him fit - he is an 'illegal alien' & doesn't really fit in at all.

Not much point in trying too hard to account for him, & the best explanation is Goldberry's - 'He is.'

(EDIT It was apparently published in 1933-34)

04-05-2007, 03:17 AM	#6
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	Of course all Tolkien's statements re Tom are attempts to account for him 'after the fact'. Tom existed long before LotR was written (he first appeared in the poem The Adventures of TB published in (I think) The Oxford Magazine in the 1920's) & entered into LotR in order to provide an 'adventure' for the travellers. Hence Tolkien's struggles to explain him & make him fit - he is an 'illegal alien' & doesn't really fit in at all. Not much point in trying too hard to account for him, & the best explanation is Goldberry's - 'He is.' (EDIT It was apparently published in 1933-34) __________________ “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." Last edited by davem; 04-05-2007 at 05:52 AM.