Tom Bombadil

[Inderjit S]

I think the Bombadil is a enigma quote comes from Letter #131, but I'm not sure.

The one ring could not effect Sauron in the same way as the others since he made it. He was visible when he fought Elendil and Gil-Galad and when he greeted the Númenóreans and was in Númenór.

Saruman tells the Black Riders that if he had the ring they would be calling him 'lord' but does not talk about him being invisible or any other effects of the ring. Of course this does not disprove anything, but it is interesting nonetheless.

 

[Arvedui]

I found it. It is in Letters # 144.

And even in a mythological Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. Tom Bombadil is one (intentionally).

 

[Khazad]

If there always have to be a enigma then lets Tom be it. I never intended to be over Tolkiens ideas, and I never have read Letters, so thats fine for me. Still in my own nice imaginery M-E Tom will be a maia. Thats just easier for me (no beans into your noses), I like to categorize him under rules of M-E "reality". I can still understand Tolkiens idea about enigma, and approve it.

Now, you said that Goldberry would also be the same. Hmmm....I would like to think about River Women (or Lady). I do not have any Tolkiens books around so I have to rely on my memory (not good). There was some Ulmos maiar and I think there was one who liked calm water, mayby rivers. I cannot say nothing for sure not even was that maia she or he. But if there was she, could she be Goldberry's "mother". Goldberry could have been her servant, some lesser maia.

 

[Arvedui]

I agree, Khazad. I must admit that I was a bit too hasty when commenting on Goldberry. IMO, she might well be a maia or something.

 

[jallan]

Readers of Tolkien (and of other authors of imagined histories and imagined worlds) are often more interested in fitting things in exactly than the authors are.

The author may prefer that a mysterious stranger remain a mysterious stranger, unless a superior explanation occurs to the author.

If an answer doesn't come to the author about areas of unrevealed history than it is perhaps better for the author to let them remain unrevealed than to force an uninspired answer.

 

[Khazad]

In fact I got my answer from debate concerning Goldberry and Tom. Very nice depate and I will give my vote for Grond.

I totally admit that Tom is Tolkiens childhood homes representative, but in M-E there is no Tolkiens childhood home, it do not belong there. Tom will be a enigma right here in our world, but in M-E I would like to "classify" him as something that is "logical" within that frame. Somehow that makes my sleep calmer

So who is Tom? He is Tolkiens childhood countrysides enigma in constantly changing world, for example.