October 10, 2002

Bombadil Good in Writing Bad on Film
Danny

Bombadil serves an important purpose in the book, but I have already posted why I don't think he would have worked in film.

Tom Bombadil was a foil to Frodo in many ways. Frodo was relatively incapable, but was a character of action. Bombadil was the exact opposite. Bombadil, had he had the desire could have taken the quest. The Ring wouldn't have had any lure on him so it is arguable that the quest would have been much safer in his hands, had he cared enough for the fate of the world to take it seriously. He is different from even Gandalf or Galadriel in that the Ring offered him no temptation.

Bombadil is a sad character in my mind. He is the extreme example of an isolationist. He was content to live in the boundaries of his own making and let the world spin around him. Frodo on the other hand felt a similar desire to stay in his isolated happiness in the Shire, but unlike Bombadil, Frodo took on a huge self sacrifice for the sake of others. I don't want to say that Bombadil was evil, nor that he was selfish, but to me he represents the selfish tendency we struggle with to let others worry about the world and to just go about our merry way.

By having a simple Hobbit, who overcame his desire to stay isolated and live an unbothered life on behalf of the rest of the world, meet a being who could have been far more capable of doing the task who nevertheless doesn't overcome the same desires Frodo overcame, Tolkien provides a powerful contrast. I see Bombadil as a sad example of wasted potential.

In the council of Elrond Bombadil is again brought up to once again point out his wasted potential for good. They state that he is a most unsafe guardian of the Ring because it has no hold on him and he would discard it. The fact that the Ring has no sway over him would make him the perfect guardian if, and only if he cared enough about the welfare of all living things enough to motivate him to guard the Ring with his life. The ring wouldn't have a hold on his mind, but the threat it poses to all living things should be enough to make him take it seriously, and guard it or destroy it.

So in summary, Bombadil is a character who, to me poses the question, "Am I wasting my potential for good in this world?" He is a very effective literary foil to Frodo, who despite being in every way at a disadvantage when compared to Bombadil, does all that he can do, sacrificing his home and life in Middle Earth because he cares for all living things. Bombadil on the other hand is not willing to sacrifice his life with Goldberry, or to even leave his own shell even to accompany several Hobbits, whom he knows hold the fate of the world in their hands, safely to Bree.