Beorn and Tom Bombadil [Merged]

[Kit Baggins]

Who or what is Beorn?

I think it says in The Hobbit that he's a 'shape changer', but who actually is he, and who are the Beornings?

~Kit

 

[Harad]

There is only one mention in passing of Beorn in LOTR. I guess he was a one-of-a-kind character invented for the "children's story" who didnt fit into the LOTR universe. Was he a Man, Maia, etc? He seems to be more than a Man but less than a Maia, with regards to his powers.

 

[Beorn]

Beorn was a man...

From The Letters of JRRT. Letter # 144

Beorn is dead; see vol. I p. 241...Though a skin-changer and no doubt a bit of a magician, Beorn was a Man.

 

[Harad]

Well there you go. The authoritative answer. A man that could turn into a bear. Kinda changes your idea of a "man," now don't it?

 

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Harad
Well there you go. The authoritative answer. A man that could turn into a bear. Kinda changes your idea of a "man," now don't it?

He was supposed to come from the mountains? Could he have just been another cteature of Iluvatar? Remember his decendants could change shape 2.

 

[Elbereth]

Kit, you got me thinking....WHO ARE THE BEORNINGS?...Are they decendent of Beorn, or is Beorn a Beorning, or are they people who live in the valley between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood forest?.....I'm so confused

 

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Elbereth
Kit, you got me thinking....WHO ARE THE BEORNINGS?...Are they decendent of Beorn, or is Beorn a Beorning, or are they people who live in the valley between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood forest?.....I'm so confused

To Elebreth i'm sure that the beornings are decendant's of Beorn. That's why they called beornings they lived near were beorn lived and kept the pass form erebor 2 rivendell open. They were not as big or scary as beorn thoough.

 

[ssgrif]

Beorn and Tom Bombadil

I've just finished reading the Hobbit, and came to a revalation afterwards about the similarities between Beorn and Tom Bombadil.

The similarity between the two is a simple one, that they are both very much mysterious characters in their respective tales.

I was thinking that maybe Tolkien had a standard set of character templates (1 good, 1 bad, 1 mysterious etc) he used for his stories?

Has anyone else thought of this concept?

I would love to hear other peoples views on this...

"'Eldest, that's what I am... Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn... He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.'"

 

[ssgrif]

Beorn was:

"The skin-changer who dwelt in the Vales of Anduin near the western eaves of Mirkwood, who could take the form of a Man or a huge black bear. He played a great part in the victory over the Goblins at the Battle of Five Armies. "

"The descendants of Beorn, who dwelt in the Vales of Anduin between Mirkwood and the Great River, and who for many generations retained their ancestor's ability to ake the shape of a bear. "

One thing to also note here is that he (and his descendants) we of the race of men.

 

[GladrielElf1985]

I have not actually thought about this in this sense, but now that it is brought to my attention, I must say, good question. I moreorless think that the similarities between characters in the two stories was not planned, but can be attributed to Tolkien's unique writing style and the fact that all characters are living in the same time and place. There are bound to be simililar characters just as there are in real life. I would personally like to think that Beorn and Bombadil are in some way distant cousins. It helps me to rationalize how they are both so eccentric. But thats just me

 

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by GladrielElf1985
I have not actually thought about this in this sense, but now that it is brought to my attention, I must say, good question. I moreorless think that the similarities between characters in the two stories was not planned, but can be attributed to Tolkien's unique writing style and the fact that all characters are living in the same time and place. There are bound to be simililar characters just as there are in real life. I would personally like to think that Beorn and Bombadil are in some way distant cousins. It helps me to rationalize how they are both so eccentric. But thats just me [/QUOT




I don't beleive they are cousins i think they are not related in any way but are both just masters of themselves and don't speak to many people and keep to themselves. They serve no man but themselves and a part from that are completley different. Tom's supposedley a maia and beorn is maybe a decendants of beats that used to hunt with orome? OR his he a maia as well?

 

[ssgrif]

Beorn was of the race of Men.

 

[7doubles]

Beorn is more like treebeard in treatment.

 

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by ssgrif
Beorn was of the race of Men.

Well i think you could be right but that doesn't explain the being able 2 change into a bear though does it? But it does explain his siblings.

 

[Lord Aragorn]

I believe he died after The Hobbit, and his son was leading his people. So, I think that makes him mortal, equaling a man not a maia.

 

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Lord Aragorn
I believe he died after The Hobbit, and his son was leading his people. So, I think that makes him mortal, equaling a man not a maia.

Yes i think he did. But maybe it was his form like sauron and not his spirit.

 

[Hirila]

Aren`t they descendants of Beor the Old ?(Great-great-great...grandfather to Beren)

Could be! I mean: didn`t Beren take the skin of Draugluin the beast Huan slew. And didn`t Beren take the form of that beast when he pulled the skin over?

I think the beornings are from a sideline of this family tree.

 

[7doubles]

sauroman was killed that did not make him man how do you know beorn did not go to vefintar mandos?

 

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by 7doubles
sauroman was killed that did not make him man how do you know beorn did not go to vefintar mandos?

That's right

 

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Hirila
Aren`t they descendants of Beor the Old ?(Great-great-great...grandfather to Beren)

Could be! I mean: didn`t Beren take the skin of Draugluin the beast Huan slew. And didn`t Beren take the form of that beast when he pulled the skin over?

I think the beornings are from a sideline of this family tree.

they could be?