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To: Darksheare
Hmm, what are your views on Tom Bombadil?
44,818 posted on 11/24/2003 2:10:55 PM PST by Bear_in_RoseBear (Archivist to the Hobbit Hole)
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To: Bear_in_RoseBear
Iarwain Ben Adar?
He's an interesting figure in Tolkien's work.
He's important to the first book, and at the end of the last book when Gandalf 'vacations' with him.
In the first book, he 'tricks around' with the ring, and it doesn't do anything to him. And he can see Frodo while Frodo is wearing it.
Frodo asks him, "Who are you, master?"
He answers, "Eh? Who are you when you are alone, yourself, and nameless?"
He gives them good advice, but they get into trouble with the Barrowight anyway.
And Tom shows up to save them there, then gives them their swords from the barrow hoard.
He sits inside self-imposed borders which he doesn't go outside of.
Tolkien doesn't say who what or where he comes from, so it's speculation as to his kind.
I'm guessing that he's a Maiar or a Vala that stayed there in eastlands (As opposed to going and staying at Valinor).
But if he was a Maia, he'd have to be far stronger than Sauron.
Sauron's origin was as a Maiar of Aule, so it's more likely then that Tom would be a Vala.
Or something else entirely?
Tolkien's unfinished works mention some things and allude to ideas he never fleshed out.
He also wrote the book, "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" (Title?) and Smith of Wooten Major. (Farmer Giles of Ham..)
Which I haven't read yet.
Having to dig into deep memory here, since it's been awhile since my last read through of Silmarillion and Lost Tales.
44,826 posted on 11/24/2003 2:26:49 PM PST by Darksheare ("I'm not scary, but I play it on TV!")
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