Tom Bombadil

2009-04-29T23:43:23Z

Celedain: /* History */

<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>
[[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]]. He was known to the [[Hobbits]]. He seemed to possess an 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==
[[Image:John Howe - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|left|''Tom Bombadil'' by [[John Howe]].]]
{{quote|He is a strange creature|[[Elrond]], ''[[The Council of Elrond]]''}}
The origins of Tom Bombadil are unknown; however, he already existed when the [[Dark Lord]] came to [[Arda]]<ref name="house">''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[In the House of Tom Bombadil]]</ref>, 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.<ref name="CoE"/>

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">''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', Preface</ref>

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.

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"/>

I myself would like to add that Tom may have been the personification of Illuvatar in Arda. Of course there is no canon to support this claim but it is fascinating none the less.

==War of the Ring==
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Willow Man is Tamed.jpg|thumb|Bombadil rescues the hobbits from the [[Old Man Willow]].]]
On [[September 26]], [[Third Age 3018|T.A. 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">''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[The Old Forest]]</ref>.

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 Baggins|Frodo]] tell him of the [[One Ring|Ring]]. When Tom tried it on, nothing happened, and when Frodo put it on, Tom could still see him.

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"/>.

And they did come to peril. Tom chased off a [[Barrow-wight|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> ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[Fog on the Barrow-downs]]</ref>.

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>''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[A Knife in the Dark]]</ref>.

==Etymology and other names==
Tom Bombadil went by many names:
* To the [[Elves]] and [[Dúnedain]], he was known as ''[[Iarwain]] [[Ben]]-[[adar]]'', which translated to "oldest and fatherless"<ref name="CoE">''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[The Council of Elrond]]</ref>.
* To [[Men]] (of [[Rohan]] and [[Bree]]), he was known as ''[[Orald]]''. This is an Old English word meaning "very ancient<ref name="nomen">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], "[[Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings]]", published in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'' (by [[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]]), page 761</ref>.
* The Dwarves knew him as ''[[Forn]]''. This too is a reference to his age: it is 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>''[[The History of Middle-earth: Index]]'', "Tom Bombadil (VII)", page 435 <small>([[HarperCollins]] [[2000]] Paperback)</small></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"/>.

==Portrayal in Adaptions==
<gallery>
Image:BFME2 - Tom Bombadil 03.jpg|<center>''[[EA's The Battle for Middle-earth II]]''</center>
Image:Tom Bombadil LOTRO.jpg|<center>''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''</center>
</gallery>

Because he is left out of the three major adaptations ([[Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings|Ralph Bakshi]], [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|BBC's 1981 series]] and [[Peter Jackson's 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.

'''1955: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1956 radio series)|BBC Radio's The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:One of the few things known about this radio series is that [[Norman Shelley]] voiced Bombadil, and Tolkien thought his portrayal "dreadful". [[Goldberry]] was portrayed as his daughter, rather than his wife<ref>''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', [[Letter 175]] ([[November 30]], [[1955]])</ref>.

'''1979: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|Mind's Eye's The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:In this series, Tom was voiced by [[Bernard Mayes]]. Like Norman Shelley before him, he also voiced [[Gandalf]].

'''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]].

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|Vivendi's The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:[[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: ''[[Peter Jackson's The Two Towers]]'':'''
:In the [[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]].

'''2006: ''[[EA's The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Bombadil is a character in this video game. Unlike his nature in the book, he is shown strong and battleready, and plows through enemy lines whilst merrily singing. His most powerful weapon is a "Sonic Song", and all his other weapons are inspired by song and dance.

===Collectibles===
In [[April]] [[2008]], [[Gentle Giant]] released the [[Tom Bombadil Mini Bust]].

==Inspiration==
Tom Bombadil was inspired primarily from a doll Tolkien's son, Michael, toyed with; it also 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==
*[[:Category:Images of Tom Bombadil|Images of Tom Bombadil]]
*[[Tom_Bombadil/nature|Nature of Tom Bombadil]]

==References==
<references/>

== External Links ==
* [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/t/tombombadil.html Entry in the Encyclopedia of Arda] (a concise overview of the discussion)
* [http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/4786/76065 Count, Count, Weigh, Divide] discusses Tom Bombadil's moral aspects at length

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]

User talk:Celedain

2009-04-07T17:34:01Z

Celedain: Adding welcome message to new user's talk page

Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Tom Bombadil

User talk:Celedain