If Tom wasn't Enigmish...

[BlackCaptain]

Is that even a word? Haha oh well...

Now we all know our good ol' friend Tom Bombadil is an enigma, and sadly it ends there.

Here, is a place we can debate and discuss his characteristics, and (if he was classifyable) where he would be classified!

 

[Feanorian]

I think he would have definitly been classified as a Valar or Maiar. He is definitly too powerful to be an Elf, besides not matching their description in even the slightest hint. Think about him, he is as you said an enigma, a mystery of sorts. It seems one so mysterious and powerful as he most be of the higher order.

 

[Aulë]

He was not an Elf, or a Man. He could not have been a Valar unless he was one of the 15, unless he was one of them in disguise. And probably wasn't Iluvatar.

He was most likely of the Ainur (not including the Valar). I believe that he was one of the spirits descended into Arda, but not of the Maia- a spirit of the same power of the Valar who preferred to have his own little place in Arda without having the responsibilities of the Valar.

 

[Arvedui]

If Tom wasn't an enigma, then he wouldn't have been Tom.

 

[Celebthôl]

Well, he was obviously not a Man an Elve, and he isnt Valar as his name doesnt appear on any of the lists and a Maia would have been corrupted by the ring and would have turned invisible.
He is obviously Father Nature

 

[Feanorian]

a Maia would have been corrupted by the ring and would have turned invisible.

and what evidence do you have of that my friend?

What was Sauron? *Drum Roll* A Maia, though he was amongst the most powerful he was still a Maia, thus suggesting that if Tom be a Maia or of some other stature similar to that then he would have been capable of not turning invisible. But your point about him not being tempted is very good and can bring up tons more to his discussion. Why wasn't Tom tempted?

 

[Celebthôl]

Well, lets break this down some:

Anything other than a Valar would have been tempted or turned invisible or both, so he cannot be anything else.

We are left with him being a Valar or something else, he is clearly NOT Valar as he appears on no lists he was not named as being on that entered Arda ever. (Although he could be an unamed one).
There isnt else much he could be, i stand by my alagation that he is Father Nature He was there as soon as Arda was created and he looks after the forest(/s?). Makes sense to me

 

[BlackCaptain]

Originally posted by Arvedui
If Tom wasn't an enigma, then he wouldn't have been Tom.

Hence the exceptions I made when I started this thread

 

[Arvedui]

Yes, BC, I understand that
But you are trying to find out "Who is Tom if he wasn't Tom?"
It would be like asking "who would Gandhi be if he was a Colonel in the US Army?"
And to me, that is just weird.

But that is just me, I guess
Now continue your funny thoughts

 

[BlackCaptain]

Funny thoughts? Pah! Haha I resent that term but oh well

It looks like the majority of us think he'd be Maiar if he were explainable.. Such as I predicted

 

[Elanor2]

I agree with Celebthôl

Tom is part of Arda, not someone that comes from outside of just lives on it. So no Valar/maiar or any of the races that lives on Arda.

Tom is just Tom. Point.

 

[OldTomBombadil]

Tom was definitely an "other". Tolkien purposely left him undefined (within the realm of his cosmos), and that's the way he should remain.

 

[Hammersmith]

Tom was an old fashioned English Country Gentleman.

I am quite happy to blindly follow the school of thought that suggests he was Tolkien personified in his own writing.

 

[Mike]

I always thought Tom was a Maiar...but I could be wrong.