Tom Bombadil: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
(Added link to Category:Images of Tom Bombadil)
(144 intermediate revisions by 35 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|Tom|[[Tom (disambiguation)]]}}<center>{{quote|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.|Tom Bombadil, ''[[In the House of Tom Bombadil]]''.}}</center>
{{quote|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.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[In the House of Tom Bombadil]].}}
[[File:Olanda Fong-Surdenas - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|250px|''Tom Bombadil'' by Olanda Fong-Surdenas]]
[[Image:Brothers Hildebrandt - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|300px|''Tom Bombadil'' by [[Brothers Hildebrandt]].]]
'''Tom Bombadil''' was an enigmatic figure that lived throughout the history of [[Arda]]. Living in the depths of the [[Old Forest]], he seemed to possess unequaled power in the land around his dwelling. Although seemingly benevolent, he was not allied to the [[Free peoples]].
'''Tom Bombadil''' is an enigma in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[the Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]''.  
 
His existence passed into Hobbit lore and was referenced in poems such as ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]''.  


==History==
==History==
In the first book of Tolkien's fantasy epic ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', Frodo and his company meet Bombadil in the Old Forest. He is a quite mysterious figure living far from any settlement with his wife, [[Goldberry]], "Daughter of the River". He speaks in stress-timed metre. His appearance is brief, but behind Bombadil's simple façade there are hints of great knowledge – he can see the Ring-bearer when invisible and is unaffected by wearing the [[One Ring|Ring]] himself. [[Gandalf]] later says that this is because the Ring has no power over him.
===Origins===
[[Image:John Howe - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|left|[[John Howe]] - ''Tom Bombadil'']]
{{quote|He is a strange creature.|[[Elrond]], ''[[The Council of Elrond]]''}}
The origins and [[Tom Bombadil/Nature|nature of Tom Bombadil]] are unknown; however, he already existed when the [[Morgoth|Dark Lord]] came to [[Arda]],<ref name="house">{{FR|Bombadil}}</ref> signifying he was alive even before the coming of the [[Valar]].


As to the nature of Bombadil, Tolkien himself said that some things should remain mysterious in any mythology, hidden even to its inventor. He placed the fate of the [[Entwives]] in this category, as well as the Cats of [[Queen Berúthiel]], although hints of the latter story have emerged in posthumously released materials.
His role and nature in the [[Elder Days]] is unknown, but he must have witnessed most of the major events and battles. He also witnessed the reducing of the great forests that covered all [[Middle-earth]], and perhaps of his powers.<ref name="CoE"/>


It is clear, though, that Bombadil was not in Tolkien's conception part of Middle-earth from the start; he was invented in honour of a Dutch doll belonging to his children, to whom Tolkien told stories about Tom Bombadil. These predate the writing of [[Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring|film]] and radio adaptations of the story, in which Bombadil is conspicuous by his absence, possibly because nobody knows quite what to do with him.
The level of his interactions with the outside world is also unclear; however, he seemed to have a name among many peoples and perhaps became a folkloric figure in the traditions and legends of Elves, Dwarves and Men.<ref name="CoE"/><ref name="Adv">{{AB|Preface}}</ref>


''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', a book of verse published in 1966, purported to contain a selection of [[The Hobbit]] poems, two of which were about Tom Bombadil.  
During the [[Third Age]], Tom Bombadil lived in a little house by the river [[Withywindle]] in the [[Old Forest]], together with his lovely wife [[Goldberry]]. He had contact with the [[Bucklanders]]<ref name="Adv"/> and [[Farmer Maggot]], and perhaps it was this to which he owed his jolly and whimsical attitude.


''See also:'' ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', with special reference to Letters [[Letter 144|144]] and [[Letter 153|153]].
However, since he was merry and benevolent, some of the Free Peoples considered him a potential ally (for example, [[Elrond]] and [[Erestor]] considered that he should be present at the [[Council of Elrond]]). However, according to [[Gandalf]], Tom Bombadil was perhaps not fully aware of the struggle of Light and Darkness and could not prove useful to their causes.<ref name="CoE"/>


== Tom Bombadil's Nature ==
===War of the Ring===
[[Image:John Howe - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|left|''Tom Bombadil'' by [[John Howe]].]]
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Willow Man is Tamed.jpg|thumb|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''The Willow Man is Tamed'']]
Tom Bombadil's mythological origins in the cosmology of [[Middle-earth]] have puzzled even erudite fans. Speculative ideas about his true nature range from simply a wise [[Elves|Elven]] hermit to an angelic being (a [[Maiar|Maia]] or [[Valar|Vala]]), to the creator, that is, God, who is called [[Eru Ilúvatar]] in [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s mythology. Tolkien explicitly denied this last possibility.
On [[26 September]], {{TA|3018}}, he encountered [[travellers|four hobbits]] while he was searching for water-lilies for his wife. Two of those Hobbits, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], had been captured by [[Old Man Willow]]. Tom, who was the master of the Old Forest, rescued them, and took all four of them to his house.<ref name="OldF">{{FR|Forest}}</ref>


Tom seems to have unlimited power inside the boundaries that he set for himself. The most common theory is that Bombadil is a Maia, and perhaps the reason of why he has such powers might be the fact that he set himself limits in which he is master. "[[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." The Dark Lord that Bombadil refers to is probably [[Melkor]] and not [[Sauron]]. But in that case, Tom was already there even before the [[Valar]] entered the world, dismissing the theory that he is a Maia. Bombadil could be part of the [[Music of the Ainur]] and that would explain why he was there in the beginning, but if he was indeed part of the music, it is not said why he exists.
The four hobbits stayed two nights, and he told them many tales and songs. Apparently, [[Gildor|Gildor Inglorion]] had been to Tom's house, as he knew the hobbits were fleeing [[the Shire]]. With cunning questions, he made [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] tell him of the [[The One Ring|Ring]]. When Tom tried it on nothing happened but he then took it off and flipped it in the air and made the ring itself disappear showing that indeed within his realm Tom was master. However, when Frodo put the ring on Tom could still see him. He bade the Hobbit to come back and sit down; his hand was fairer without the ring.


Other possibilities (compatible with the above theory) are that he is an abstract, a concept; possibly the embodiment of [[Arda]] itself, a "Father Nature" if you will, or some kind of 'spirit' which (unlike the Maiar) was of non-divine nature. Not only does the Ring have no effect on him, Tom himself seems unable to affect the Ring in return which shows that Tom was outside the divine plan and struggle and had no position in it. When Goldberry was asked by [[Frodo Baggins]] who he was, she simply said "He is".  This is echoed by the following excerpt from Tom's songs:
The following morning, Tom warned his guests of the [[Barrow-downs]], and advised them to pass any barrow on the western side. He also taught them a song, should they come to peril.<ref name="house"/>


<poem>
And they did come to peril. Tom chased off a [[Barrow-wights|wight]] with song, and broke the spells on the barrow in which the four hobbits were captured. While he sent the Hobbits into calm down, he went for provisions. He also brought the ponies that had belonged to Merry. After that, he broke the spells of the barrow. From the barrow's mighty hoard, he took a brooch for Goldberry, and gave a [[Daggers of Westernesse|dagger]] to each of the hobbits. He then advised them to make for ''[[The Prancing Pony]]'' in [[Bree]].<ref>{{FR|Barrow}}</ref>
''Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow,''
''Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow.''
''None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the master:
''His songs are stronger songs, and his feet are faster.''
</poem>
== Other Names ==
Gandalf calls Tom Bombadil the eldest being in existence; this is also evident by his [[Sindarin]] name '''''Iarwain Ben-adar''''' ("Eldest and Fatherless"). [[Dwarves]] called him '''''Forn''''', [[Men]] '''''Orald'''''. All these names apparently mean "Eldest". However, [[Treebeard|Fangorn]] is also called the eldest inhabitant of [[Middle-earth]]. If Tom Bombadil is indeed not a normal being but rather a supernatural being or "concept" this is, however, not necessarily a contradiction.


And, for still another description, here is a note from J.R.R. Tolkien himself. In a letter to one of his admirers, he wrote: "Even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. Tom Bombadil is one (intentionally)."
The peril of the hobbits was not over; an attack on their lives was carried out, and their ponies were set loose. The ponies apparently remembered the care they were given in the house of Tom Bombadil, and returned to stay beside Tom's own pony, [[Fatty Lumpkin]]. He returned them to [[Barliman Butterbur]], the proprietor of ''The Prancing Pony''. Since he had paid eighteen pence as compensation for the loss, he was now the owner of five fine ponies.<ref>{{FR|Knife}}</ref>


In keeping with this last characterization, Tom is never easily pinned down -- not even in Professor Tolkien's own writings. He has appeared in different ways in very different books. He has been presented in The Lord of the Rings of course, and in the poems in his own small book, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. But he has also appeared elsewhere: there are interesting passages pertaining to Tom in some of the professor's letters, as is shown above, and fascinating bits of poetry or narrative that were abandoned for one reason or another over the years. Tolkien's biographer, Humphrey Carpenter, relates that Tom was inspired by a Dutch doll that belonged to the professor's eldest son Michael. This doll was said to have looked very splendid (it had a real feather in its hat!) but Michael's brother John did not like it and one day stuffed it down the lavatory. The doll was rescued, and survived to become one of the heroes of the spontaneous stories that were told to the children at bedtime.
==Etymology and other names==
Tom Bombadil went by many names:
* To the [[Elves]] and [[Dúnedain]], he was known as '''''[[Iarwain]] [[penadar|Ben-adar]]''''', which translated to "oldest and fatherless".<ref name="CoE">{{FR|Council}}</ref> Iarwain literally means "Old-young"<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'' p. 128; quoting an unpublished letter by Tolkien</ref>
* To [[Men]] of the [[Vales of Anduin]] and [[Rohan]], he was known as '''''Orald'''''.<ref name="CoE"/> This is an [[Old English]] word meaning  "very ancient.<ref name="nomen">{{HM|N}}, p, 761</ref>
* The Dwarves knew him as '''''Forn'''''. This too is a reference to his age: it is [[North Germanic languages|Old Norse]] for "(belonging to) ancient (days)".<ref name="nomen"/> In some imprints of ''[[The History of Middle-earth Index]]'', this name was accidentally spelled with a "P" as the first letter.<ref>{{HM|IX}}, "Tom Bombadil (VII)", p. 435</ref>
* ''Tom Bombadil'' is said to be a [[Buckland|Bucklandish]] name, added by Hobbit chroniclers to his many older ones. It is, like many names of the Bucklanders, untranslatable.<ref name="Adv"/>


Occasionally, Professor Tolkien would record the stories that he made up for his children, although they were often left unfinished. Among these early stories is a tale about Tom Bombadil, set in "the days of King Bonhedig:"
==Inspiration==
 
As the years went by, Tolkien himself began to have interesting conversations with many fans who were curious about Tom -- conversations that took place through the mail. The Lord of the Rings had become, of course, a huge success. Tolkien received letters from readers all over the world. But unlike some famous authors, he took time to answer each letter personally, and sometimes at great length.
 
In one of these letters, he described Tom's role in The Lord of the Rings and how he fit with the rest of the story:
 
"Tom Bombadil is not an important person -- to the narrative. I suppose he has some importance as a 'comment.' I mean, I do not really write like that: he is just an invention (who first appeared in The Oxford Magazine about 1933), and he represents something that I feel important, though I would not be prepared to analyze the feeling precisely. I would not, however, have left him in, if he did not have some kind of function."
 
Having shared this much, however, it seems that Tolkien could not resist analyzing the matter just a little more. He continued:
 
"I might put it this way. The story is cast in terms of a good side, and a bad side, beauty against ruthless ugliness, tyranny against kingship, moderated freedom with consent against compulsion that has long lost any object save mere power, and so on; but both sides in some degree, conservative or destructive, want a measure of control. But if you have, as it were, taken 'a vow of poverty', renounced control, and take your delight in things for themselves without reference to yourself, watching, observing, and to some extent knowing, then the questions of the rights and wrongs of power and control might become utterly meaningless to you, and the means of power quite valueless...


"It is a natural pacifist view, which always arises in the mind when there is a war... the view of Rivendell seems to be that it is an excellent thing to have represented, but that there are in fact things with which it cannot cope; and upon which its existence nonetheless depends. Ultimately only the victory of the West will allow Bombadil to continue, or even to survive. Nothing would be left for him in the world of Sauron."
Tom Bombadil was inspired primarily from a doll Tolkien's son, Michael, toyed with.{{fact}}


Later in the same letter, he adds a comparison of Tom to the Ents, along the same lines of the discussion between Treebeard and Pippin: "He is in a way the answer to them in the sense that he is almost the opposite, being say, Botany and Zoology (as sciences) and Poetry as opposed to Cattle-breeding and Agriculture and practicality."
[[Paula Marmor]] notes that ''bobadil'' is an archaic word meaning "braggart", as seen in the character "Captain Bobadill" in the English play ''[[Wikipedia:Every Man in His Humour|Every Man in His Humour]]''. Because of its Bucklandish form, ''[[An Introduction to Elvish]]'' lists the name Bombadil under the "[[Celtic]]-sounding names". However, it is said that the word derives from '''[[Wikipedia:Boabdil|Boabdil]]''', the Spaniard name of [[Wikipedia:Muhammad XII of Granada|'''Abu Abdillah''' Muhammad XII]], the last Moorish ruler of Granada.<ref>[[Jim Allan]], ''[[An Introduction to Elvish]]'', Giving of Names</ref>


In another letter, Professor Tolkien wrote to a reader offended by what he thought were religious overtones to Tom's characterization. Since Tom is described as "Master," he asked, and "Eldest", and "Fatherless," and seems to be possessed of great knowledge and power, wasn't Tolkien implying that Tom Bombadil is God? He responded:
[[John D. Rateliff]] has noted a theory launched by scholar Justin Noetzel. In the latter's paper "Beorn and Tom Bombadil: Mythology, Narrative, and The Most (Non) Essential Characters in Middle-earth", Noetzel suggests an association of Tom Bombadil with the [[Wikipedia:Celtic Otherworld|Celtic Otherworld]] and tales of the [[Wikipedia:Tuatha Dé Danann|Tuatha Dé Danann]].<ref>{{webcite|author=[[John D. Rateliff]]|articleurl=http://sacnoths.blogspot.se/2013/03/valparaiso-day-three.html|articlename=Valparaiso, Day Three|dated=12 March 2013|website=Sac|accessed=14 March 2013}}</ref>


"As for Tom Bombadil, I really do think you are being too serious, besides missing the point... He is master in a peculiar way: he has no fear, and no desire of possession or domination at all. He merely knows and understands about such things as concern him in his natural little realm. He hardly even judges, and as far as can be seen makes no effort to reform or remove even the Willow."
==Portrayal in adaptions==


In this second letter, he again wrote that he did not like to examine Tom too closely:
Because he is left out of the three major adaptations ([[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Ralph Bakshi]], [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|BBC's 1981 series]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|Peter Jackson's]]), Tom Bombadil's main role (providing the [[Daggers of Westernesse|Barrow-blades]]) is omitted. He does have several appearances in other adaptations, though.


"I don't think Tom needs philosophizing about, and is not improved by it. But many have found him an odd or indeed discordant ingredient. In historical fact I put him in because I had already 'invented' him independently... and he wanted an adventure on the way. But I kept him in, and as he was, because he represents certain things otherwise left out.
{{Gallery
|title=Tom Bombadil in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:WiMe-Bombadil-1-.png|''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''</small>
|File:Tom Bombadil viv lotr.JPG|[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
|File:BFME2 - Tom Bombadil 03.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]''</small>
|File:Tom Bombadil LOTRO.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
}}
'''1955: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1956 radio series)|BBC Radio's The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:[[Norman Shelley]] voiced Bombadil, and Tolkien thought his portrayal "dreadful". [[Goldberry]] was portrayed as his daughter, rather than his wife<ref>{{L|175}}</ref>.  


"I do not mean him to be an allegory -- or I should not have given him so particular, individual, and ridiculous a name... [he is meant as] a particular embodying of pure (real) natural science: the spirit that desires knowledge of other things, their history and nature, because they are 'other' and wholly independent of the inquiring mind, a spirit coeval with the rational mind, and entirely unconcerned with `doing' anything with the knowledge...
'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:In this series, Tom was voiced by [[Bernard Mayes]]. Like Norman Shelley before him, he also voiced [[Gandalf]].


"Also Tom Bombadil exhibits another point in his attitude to the Ring, and its failure to affect him. You must concentrate on some part, probably relatively small, of the World (Universe), whether to tell a tale, however long, or to learn anything however fundamental -- and therefore much will from that 'point of view' be left out, distorted on the circumference, or seem a discordant oddity. The power of the Ring over all concerned, even the Wizards or Emissaries, is not a delusion -- but it is not the whole picture, even of the then state and content of that part of the Universe."
'''1988: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]'':'''
:Tom Bombadil can be found outside his house in the Old Forest.


Tom is not merely a silly character. As we have seen, Tom is so powerful that the Ring of the Dark Lord has no effect on him. And yet this power does not define him, either. He receives a number of surprises and set-backs from not only the Barrow-wights and Old Man Willow, but even from a family of badgers! Whenever and wherever Tom appears, he displays many such incongruities.
'''1990: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Volume I]]'':'''
:Tom Bombadil rescues the party from the Willow Man, and provides information, supplies, shelter, and side-quests for the party. He later rescues the party from the Barrow Wights, and very briefly joins as a temporary playable character while inside the barrow.  His role runs almost directly parallel to the original, with some related passages of ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' quoted directly.  However, [[Goldberry]]'s role is significantly changed to provide a quest for the party.


This is certainly a part of his charm, and it may be part of his secret, too. As I noted above, Tom can embody certain aspects of humanity, such as silliness. In this way, of course, he is like any character in any story or poem. But there is even more to it than that, I think, because of the very fact that he embodies so many qualities that are incongruous and contradictory. If there is really a secret to be found in all this, or a message to be discerned, it may have to do with this abundance of contradictions. I suspect, finally, that the paradoxes of his character echo the paradoxes of being human, and that is why Tom Bombadil can be so intriguing. We are all of us, at times, powerful, and victimized; clumsy, and graceful; wise, and forgetful; troubled, and full of joy.
'''1992: ''[[Tales from the Perilous Realm (1992 radio series)|BBC Radio's Tales from the Perilous Realm]]'':'''
:When he adapted the 1981 [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|radio series]], [[Brian Sibley]] deeply regretted cutting Bombadil from the radio series.<ref>[[Brian Sibley]], ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On]''</ref> When he made ''[[Tales from the Perilous Realm]]'' into a radio series, he decided to change the section "[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]". Rather than several (unadaptable) Hobbitish poems, Sibley adapted the chapters from ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Bombadil is voiced by [[Ian Hogg]].


Perhaps this also further clarifies Tolkien's distrust of analysis. The complexity that Tom presents cannot be analyzed or defined, because after all it is related to the very nature of the human spirit -- mysterious territory, indeed! This territory can be explored, certainly, and pondered -- but misdirected "philosophizing" will lead only to a dead end. Tom himself presents us with the one of the best ways of approaching any mystery: happily, and with great interest, and with a sense of celebration.
'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Daran Norris]] portrayed Bombadil with a Scottish accent. His role is much like that in the book, and as one of the few characters in this video game, he keeps most of his songs.  


Professor Tolkien wrote that some of his readers found Tom to be "an odd or indeed discordant ingredient" in The Lord of the Rings. He even wrote this of himself: "I mean, I do not really write like that: he is just an invention." Now, of course, he did in fact "write like that" time and again, throughout almost forty years as a writer. Otherwise there would never have been a Tom Bombadil for us to consider! But this is another side of what Tom presents: even Professor Tolkien could be uncomfortable with him at times.
'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:In the [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (extended edition)|extended edition]], some of Bombadil's poems are transferred to [[Treebeard]], and so is his encounter with [[Old Man Willow]].


Here is a final description of Tom from the hobbit Sam Gamgee: "He's a caution and no mistake. I reckon we may go a good deal further and see naught better, nor queerer." Although this observation is expressed in the typically comic language of hobbits, it is meant, I think, as the highest kind of praise.
'''2006: ''[[EA's The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Bombadil is a summonable power. Once summoned, he can plow through enemy lines. His most powerful weapon is a "Sonic Song". As soon as [[Electronic Arts|EA]] secured the rights to the books, it was decided that Tom Bombadil should be in it; his appearance is kept close to his description in the book.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/battleformiddleearth2/news.html?sid=6139678 The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II Q&A - Enter Tom Bombadil], [http://www.gamespot.com/ GameSpot.com]</ref>


==Portrayal in Adaptions==
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Tom can be found either inside or outside his house in the Old Forest. He helps the player track down crebain scouts possessing important information, and later arrives to rescue the player from the Barrow-Downs when (s)he gets himself in more than (s)he is prepared for, much like the Hobbits in the Book.


One of the few things known about the [[The Lord of the Rings (1956 radio series)|1956 radio series]] of ''The Lord of the Rings'' is that [[Norman Shelley]] voiced him, and Tolkien thought his portrayal "dreadful". [[Goldberry]] was portrayed as his daughter, rather than his wife.
===Collectibles===
 
In [[April]] [[2008]], [[Gentle Giant]] released the Tom Bombadil Mini Bust.
Tom Bombadil was deleted from the [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|1981 radio series]], [[Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings|Ralph Bakshi's movie]] and [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings|Peter Jackson's movies]]. He contributed little to the storyline. The obtaining of the [[Daggers of Westernesse|Barrow-blades]] is omitted or retold in all.
 
In the [[2001]] video game ''[[Vivendi's The Fellowship of the Ring (game)|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' by [[Vivendi]], Tom Bombadil was voiced by [[Daran Norris]].
 
In the Recorded Books Inc recorded book that [[Rob Inglis]] narrated, he sang Tom's songs in a rollicking Scottish style.
 
==Inspiration==
Tom Bombadil may have been inspired by the character Väinämöinen (spelt 'Wainamoinen' in English) in the Finnish national epic [[Kalevala]], or Father [[Francis Xavier Morgan]] at the [[Birmingham Oratory]]:
{{quote|...… Father Francis Xavier Morgan, then aged forty-three, who shortly after the Tolkiens moved into the district [Edgbaston] took over the duties of parish priest and came to call. In him Mabel soon found not only a sympathetic priest but a valuable friend. Half Welsh and half Anglo-Spanish (his mother’s family were prominent in the sherry trade), Francis Morgan was '''not a man of great intellect, but he had an immense fund of kindness and humour and a flamboyance''' that was often attributed to his Spanish connections. Indeed '''he was a very noisy man, loud and affectionate, embarrassing to small children at first but hugely lovable when they got to know him.'''|[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]}}


==See also==
==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Tom Bombadil|Images of Tom Bombadil]]
*'''[[Tom Bombadil/Nature|The Nature of Tom Bombadil]]'''
*[[:Category:Images of Tom Bombadil|Images of Tom Bombadil]]


== External Links ==
== External links ==
* [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/t/tombombadil.html Entry in the Encyclopedia of Arda] (a concise overview of the discussion)
* [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/t/tombombadil.html Entry in the Encyclopedia of Arda] (a concise overview of the discussion)
* [http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/Bombadil.html ''What is Tom Bombadil?''] by Steuard Jensen (a detailed explanation)
* [http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/08/27/count-count-weigh-divide/ Count, Count, Weigh, Divide] by [[Michael Martinez]] (discusses Tom Bombadil's moral aspects at length)
* [http://www.cas.unt.edu/~hargrove/bombadil.html ''Who is Tom Bombadil?''] by Gene Hargrove (a somewhat unorthodox but well-presented essay)
* [http://www.whoistombombadil.blogspot.com/2013/01/tom-bombadil-as-music-of-ainur_9.html Tom as the Music of the Ainur] discusses the major theories of Tom's origins and proposes a new theory.
* [http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/4786/76065 Count, Count, Weigh, Divide] discusses Tom Bombadil's moral aspects at length
* [http://www.cas.unt.edu/~hargrove/tombomb.html Who Is Tom Bombadil?] (an essay by Gene Hargrove)
 
{{references}}


[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[de:Tom Bombadil]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/tom_bombadil]]
[[fi:Tom Bombadil]]

Revision as of 15:54, 4 November 2014

The name Tom refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Tom (disambiguation).
"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."
― Tom Bombadil, In the House of Tom Bombadil.
Tom Bombadil by Olanda Fong-Surdenas

Tom Bombadil was an enigmatic figure that lived throughout the history of Arda. Living in the depths of the Old Forest, he seemed to possess unequaled power in the land around his dwelling. Although seemingly benevolent, he was not allied to the Free peoples.

His existence passed into Hobbit lore and was referenced in poems such as The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

History

Origins

John Howe - Tom Bombadil
"He is a strange creature."
Elrond, The Council of Elrond

The origins and nature of Tom Bombadil are unknown; however, he already existed when the Dark Lord came to Arda,[1] signifying he was alive even before the coming of the Valar.

His role and nature in the Elder Days is unknown, but he must have witnessed most of the major events and battles. He also witnessed the reducing of the great forests that covered all Middle-earth, and perhaps of his powers.[2]

The level of his interactions with the outside world is also unclear; however, he seemed to have a name among many peoples and perhaps became a folkloric figure in the traditions and legends of Elves, Dwarves and Men.[2][3]

During the Third Age, Tom Bombadil lived in a little house by the river Withywindle in the Old Forest, together with his lovely wife Goldberry. He had contact with the Bucklanders[3] and Farmer Maggot, and perhaps it was this to which he owed his jolly and whimsical attitude.

However, since he was merry and benevolent, some of the Free Peoples considered him a potential ally (for example, Elrond and Erestor considered that he should be present at the Council of Elrond). However, according to Gandalf, Tom Bombadil was perhaps not fully aware of the struggle of Light and Darkness and could not prove useful to their causes.[2]

War of the Ring

Ted Nasmith - The Willow Man is Tamed

On 26 September, T.A. 3018, he encountered four hobbits while he was searching for water-lilies for his wife. Two of those Hobbits, Merry and Pippin, had been captured by Old Man Willow. Tom, who was the master of the Old Forest, rescued them, and took all four of them to his house.[4]

The four hobbits stayed two nights, and he told them many tales and songs. Apparently, Gildor Inglorion had been to Tom's house, as he knew the hobbits were fleeing the Shire. With cunning questions, he made Frodo tell him of the Ring. When Tom tried it on nothing happened but he then took it off and flipped it in the air and made the ring itself disappear showing that indeed within his realm Tom was master. However, when Frodo put the ring on Tom could still see him. He bade the Hobbit to come back and sit down; his hand was fairer without the ring.

The following morning, Tom warned his guests of the Barrow-downs, and advised them to pass any barrow on the western side. He also taught them a song, should they come to peril.[1]

And they did come to peril. Tom chased off a wight with song, and broke the spells on the barrow in which the four hobbits were captured. While he sent the Hobbits into calm down, he went for provisions. He also brought the ponies that had belonged to Merry. After that, he broke the spells of the barrow. From the barrow's mighty hoard, he took a brooch for Goldberry, and gave a dagger to each of the hobbits. He then advised them to make for The Prancing Pony in Bree.[5]

The peril of the hobbits was not over; an attack on their lives was carried out, and their ponies were set loose. The ponies apparently remembered the care they were given in the house of Tom Bombadil, and returned to stay beside Tom's own pony, Fatty Lumpkin. He returned them to Barliman Butterbur, the proprietor of The Prancing Pony. Since he had paid eighteen pence as compensation for the loss, he was now the owner of five fine ponies.[6]

Etymology and other names

Tom Bombadil went by many names:

Inspiration

Tom Bombadil was inspired primarily from a doll Tolkien's son, Michael, toyed with.[source?]

Paula Marmor notes that bobadil is an archaic word meaning "braggart", as seen in the character "Captain Bobadill" in the English play Every Man in His Humour. Because of its Bucklandish form, An Introduction to Elvish lists the name Bombadil under the "Celtic-sounding names". However, it is said that the word derives from Boabdil, the Spaniard name of Abu Abdillah Muhammad XII, the last Moorish ruler of Granada.[10]

John D. Rateliff has noted a theory launched by scholar Justin Noetzel. In the latter's paper "Beorn and Tom Bombadil: Mythology, Narrative, and The Most (Non) Essential Characters in Middle-earth", Noetzel suggests an association of Tom Bombadil with the Celtic Otherworld and tales of the Tuatha Dé Danann.[11]

Portrayal in adaptions

Because he is left out of the three major adaptations (Ralph Bakshi, BBC's 1981 series and Peter Jackson's), Tom Bombadil's main role (providing the Barrow-blades) is omitted. He does have several appearances in other adaptations, though.

Tom Bombadil in adaptations

1955: BBC Radio's The Lord of the Rings:

Norman Shelley voiced Bombadil, and Tolkien thought his portrayal "dreadful". Goldberry was portrayed as his daughter, rather than his wife[12].

1979: The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series):

In this series, Tom was voiced by Bernard Mayes. Like Norman Shelley before him, he also voiced Gandalf.

1988: J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth:

Tom Bombadil can be found outside his house in the Old Forest.

1990: J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Volume I:

Tom Bombadil rescues the party from the Willow Man, and provides information, supplies, shelter, and side-quests for the party. He later rescues the party from the Barrow Wights, and very briefly joins as a temporary playable character while inside the barrow. His role runs almost directly parallel to the original, with some related passages of The Fellowship of the Ring quoted directly. However, Goldberry's role is significantly changed to provide a quest for the party.

1992: BBC Radio's Tales from the Perilous Realm:

When he adapted the 1981 radio series, Brian Sibley deeply regretted cutting Bombadil from the radio series.[13] When he made Tales from the Perilous Realm into a radio series, he decided to change the section "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil". Rather than several (unadaptable) Hobbitish poems, Sibley adapted the chapters from The Fellowship of the Ring. Bombadil is voiced by Ian Hogg.

2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game):

Daran Norris portrayed Bombadil with a Scottish accent. His role is much like that in the book, and as one of the few characters in this video game, he keeps most of his songs.

2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:

In the extended edition, some of Bombadil's poems are transferred to Treebeard, and so is his encounter with Old Man Willow.

2006: EA's The Battle for Middle-earth II:

Bombadil is a summonable power. Once summoned, he can plow through enemy lines. His most powerful weapon is a "Sonic Song". As soon as EA secured the rights to the books, it was decided that Tom Bombadil should be in it; his appearance is kept close to his description in the book.[14]

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Tom can be found either inside or outside his house in the Old Forest. He helps the player track down crebain scouts possessing important information, and later arrives to rescue the player from the Barrow-Downs when (s)he gets himself in more than (s)he is prepared for, much like the Hobbits in the Book.

Collectibles

In April 2008, Gentle Giant released the Tom Bombadil Mini Bust.

See also

External links

References