December 20, 2002

Bombadil Bombshell
Turin Turamber

i disagree about the isolationist theory regarding 'old' tom and think your missing the point. bombadil is a representation of the very 'force of nature', he is a version of the 'green man' (the european vegetation god). with his 'earthy' charm and his lovely wife goldberry- the ring couldnt touch him, the 'magic' or power tom has is as ancient as the very earth itself. toms 'magic' is akin to say- the changing of the seasons, the pull of the tide etc these magical actions that had our anscestors wondering for many thousands of years before the advent of science. many people believe that due to the events in europe and the world during the time tolkien conceived the whole middle-earth saga ie. the two great world wars, that this had a direct effect on his writing. certainly it MUST have influenced him! especially considering he fought in WW1 and his own son christopher flew in the RAF during WW11. the epic vista's he creates in the battles of middle earth must have been drawn to some extent from these experiences, but tolkien always said (when asked often) that the nazi build up and their invasion of europe had nothing to do with sauron and his actions in middle earth (as was often compared). no, tolkien main 'theme' as it where was, the industrial changes sweeping britain, the felling of forests, the huge mills dotting 'his' landscape. the general change of his nation from a once green a beutiful land to the industrial nation that was threatening to swallow all he had loved in his youth. the UK's massive swoop from being a mainly agricultural society to that of urban city dwelling, factory work. this is were tom bombadil came in as a representation of tolkiens fears, the power tom had was drawn from the hills, trees, grasses, flowers and the very earth itself, yet it and he had no power over anything or anyone that are moved not by these things or equally arent 'born' of the fabric of nature and arent 'tied' to it. toms seemingly non-concern with the quest of the ring bearer is the same as the flower's concern of the foot that may trample it any minute and also its power to stop its own demise by 'said' foot! yes, gandalf went to visit and tell tom of the events and deeds that had been done, but lets remember tom (and gandalf) are as old as 'time', and it would be like paying a visit to a (very) old friend one last time before one passed on (as is the case with gandalf, passing over the sea). but i suspect tom would never take the journey over the sea to the undying lands as toms fate is with middle earth and tied ever more to it.