Tom Bombadil: The Man, The Myth, The Legend
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Merphy: Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the hobbits
Me triggered: What shoes? 🤷🏻♂️
haha~ 😅
The vest of hobbits?
Hahaha
HA!
Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow, bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow.
Legend speaks of a time, in the Elder Days, when Tom wore violet boots. And nothing else.
Sings the song describing himself and naming himself.
So Tom Bombadil is a rap star
Feeds the hobbits mom's spaghetti
I have, for a long time, referred to him as DJ Tommy B. :)
So you're saying that J.R.R Tolkien...invented rap?
When the LoTR Movies were coming out I thought Robin Williams would have been a great Tom.
Bro......
I would have loved this, though I would fear his performance might have distracted from the lessons of Bombadil. He absolutely had the talent, but I wouldn't trust Jackson with this particularly subtle balance.
stop....
You are not alone in this thought
don't make me fucking cry.
Tom's role is to show Frodo that the ring of power (which even Gandalf is afraid would corrupt him) is not all-powerful, and can be resisted. This gives Frodo hope: that as ring-bearer he can carry it without being corrupted. Tom also rescues the hobbits from the barrow wights, as the hobbits are still in babes-in-the-woods stage of their character development, and need to be shown to be reliant on others, before developing the independence through their adventures that allows them to triumph eventually in the Scouring of the Shire.
This is actually even more important, because if Frodo didn't believe that he could resist the draw of evil, he would have surely succumbed to the Morgul blade's magic before he could have reached even the farthest bounds of Rivendell.
Oh this is big brain
Unpopular opinion: Tom Bombadil is the best and the most underrated LOTR character. The mystery, the energy, the joy I aspire to eradiate. The unbothered king.
Moreover it also felt so safe there. Like after the dangers of Barrow Wights and almost losing your friends, it felt safe to be under Tom Bombadil's care
Gandalf the White about Tom Bombadil -- _"He is a moss-gatherer, and I have been a stone doomed to rolling. But my rolling days are ending, and now we shall have much to say to one another."_
There's so much beauty and wonder to be experienced in the chapters with Tom and Goldberry that really captures the magic of Middle-earth. It's no accident that the last line of Frodo's story reference them.
_"And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Bombadil, the gray rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise."_
I may be mistaken, but I believe Tom also rescues Frodo, et al, from the Barrow Wights and gives them their Numenorian blades.
No you are absolutely right 😁
Which leads to the Witch-king being destroyed.
He did
@@brooksboy78 which was ruined in the movie, of course
@@AJ0223Keeping him out of the films was fine. There's tonnes of characters and events that are changed since it's a different medium. But Tom is a great character in the book.
Minor spoiler from the first book:
At the council of Rivendel, someone (I believe it was Frodo) sugested to ask Tom to take the ring to mount Doom and Gandalf said somthing like: "He wouldn't be interested in"
Yeah, and when someone suggested to leave the ring with Tom to keep it safe, IIRC Gandalf said he'd just lose it.
Yeah, basically they agreed that Tom is so completely uninterested in the ring that he would just lose it in the woods somewhere. Sauron might not be able to take the ring from Tom by force but he probably wouldn't have to.
Nobody knows who Tom Bombadil is. Even the lore deep dive channels can only speculate as to his identity. And I think Tolkien intended to be that way. The mystery of magic is gone from modern fantasy because we have know everything and I think that's a shame. I think it's wonderful that with Tom Bombadil we are left to wonder.
Right? And what happened to the entwives? Even Tolkien said he didn't know.
I love the fact that even in Tolkien's world, with its incredible history and detail, he purposely still left some mystery and magic alive. That's the whole point of fantasy after all.
As i remember at the end Gandalf says that Tom would be more interested of hearing about the Ents that what just happened with the one ring.
He was so powerful that he didnt care. He just was.
I’m always happy to hear some Tom Bombadil appreciation! Tom reminds me of certain elements in the Finnish Kalevala, where there’s an ancient fellow who is a bit of a nature figure and sings his magic. I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that Gandalf/Bombadil chat. Enjoy the Bombadil poems!
Tom is definitely a character more appreciated on rereads. I loved him too the second time I read the story
I think part of that too is that when you meet him during the first read, the world is still pretty small. We've only really seen the Shire and its immediate surroundings, so you aren't quite sure where Tom fits into the larger world. On a re-read you realize immediately that he doesn't fit at all... he's truly unique and anciently powerful in a way literally NOTHING else is.
In response to a letter, Tolkien described Tom in The Lord of the Rings as "just an invention" and "not an important person - to the narrative", even if "he represents something that I feel important, though I would not be prepared to analyse the feeling precisely.
Which is pretty much the opposite of what a lot of people say when they stress how important he is to the plot.
@@oliverbrady6342 I mean the whole Tom Bombadil tangent DOES allow the Hobbits to get the barrow blades, which are the ancient Arnorian weapons that ultimately allow Merry to successfully cripple the Witch-king. Without it, Éowyn would never have been able to kill the Witch-king. It's interesting because the films don't have this kind of explanation so the Witch-king's death is perplexing. In the films, Aragorn lights them all on fire, they survive a giant tsunami, and Gollum even tells Frodo that they can't be killed... so the omission of this plot element actually creates a hole in the narrative. I'm not saying Bombadil should have been included, but I think they should have worked in the barrow blades somehow (with an explanation of their significance as well).
@@brooksboy78 the movie explains it by saying "no man can kill the witch king". Its implied this is some sort of spell.
Eowyn gets around it by, you guessed it, being no man.
@@oliverbrady6342That isn't how prophecy works. It was foretold by the Elves thousands of years before the events of LOTR (by Glorfindel specifically, who has the gift of foresight) that someone other than a Man would eventually kill the Witch-king (which is where the movie gets their line), but the Witch-king doesn't have some magical flaw that specifically makes him vulnerable to women and Hobbits. Literally why would this be in place? Did Sauron accidentally make the flaw when he created the Nazgûl? Why aren't the other Nazgûl randomly vulnerable to women and Hobbits as well? You say there is a spell, but what is the origin of the spell and who put it in place? It's just silly if this is the movie's explanation. Tolkien's prophecy from the novel is literally echoing Macbeth (and lots of different works of classical literature that utilize prophecy in the same way). The Weird Sisters knew that a man who wasn't born of a woman's womb would kill Macbeth, but that doesn't mean Macbeth was just magically vulnerable to men who were born of a C-section. The witches literally looked into the future and saw who would kill Macbeth and made the prophecy from that, which is what happens in "The Lord of the Rings" as well. Having the Witch-king be randomly vulnerable to Hobbits and women for no reason (other than narrative convenience) would be unimaginably stupid. Tolkien's version is extremely well thought-out and logical, by contrast. A simple fix would have been Aragorn giving them the barrow blades on Weathertop with some explanation of their significance and power. He already gives them swords in the movies so it wouldn't have taken much work.
@@brooksboy78 how does Eowyn kill him in the movie?
Even though Tom is outside of the Shire, I still think he contributes to the overall mood and atmosphere of "The Shire" segment of the work. It's a very cozy and comfortable feeling, which just serves to contrast with the rest of the novel (which is epic, grand, and scary). Furthermore, it contrasts even more starkly with the story's conclusion, which demonstrates that the comfortable and relaxed environment we saw at the beginning has been irrevocably changed.
First read: This guy's just a pointless self insert!
10 reads later: Ohh how did I miss this little detail about Tom?! Time to look for videos on it to see what else I missed!
Also, I swear Middle Earth is one of the only fictional worlds where you learn to give a shit about the random side characters and ancient events. Don't know why the dwarves are called Durin's sons? There's a damn song about it. Heard the song and got curious about the kingdom of Gondolin? Here's a book about its fall. What other world makes you genuinely interested in things that happen thousands of years before the original story?! Now if you'll excuse me, I have some Men of the West videos to watch 😂
I named my new puppy Goldberry, after Tom's wife haha! Nobody understands when I say it's from LOTR.
🥺 aww
I feel like one of the rare few that loves the beginning of the story the most with Tom’s section being an absolute high point and then my interest somewhat dissipates as we continue with the quest😅
I loved Tom the first time around!
It can take some time to feel the love for Tom. He doesn't care about having power or influens, which is why the Ring has zero interest by him. There is more of a enchantment about Tom than raw powerful magic.
I feel that adding Tom to the movie adaptation could've been the biggest mistake Peter Jackson avoided. Not just because of the pacing, but because of the power scaling. As you mentioned, Tom is completly uneffected by the Ring and shows up at the very beginning of the story. Given the very compact form that movies need to be, him being so powerful could easily feel like a setup without a payoff, as we never see anything as powerful as him. He works in the books due to them being more of an "old english epic", then contemporary fiction.
How is that a setup though? Tom is consistently characterized as being uninterested in power or war and there is absolutely no expectation for him to do anything beyond the chapters he's featured in. They even bring up the possibility of recruiting him and Gandalf states emphatically that he has absolutely no interest in doing anything beyond his own domain. He shows that there are powers in Middle-earth (and Arda at large) that have no stake whatsoever in the big historical events of the Ages.
@@brooksboy78 That's true, but he creates a precedent - tge existance of being stronger than the ring. Characters talking about Tom not wanting to get involved is not equivalent to the him having no intention of getting involved. This creates a setup, because inspite of what the characters say one might be led to believe Tom will show up at the end, because he's so powerful.
If Tom Bombadil was in the movies, casual moron film watchers would be saying "Why didn't that Tom guy just take it?" instead of "Why didn't they just fly the Eagles to Mount Doom?". Plus, as was mentioned by OP, movies work differently than books. In a movie, if you spend the first 30 minutes building up the power and evilness of the Ring, and then have some fat goofy singing guy in yellow boots treat it like its nothing, it takes all the air and suspense out of the rest of the movies.
I’ve always been a Bombadil head. He’s definitely my favorite side character.
Tolkien commented further that "even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. Tom Bombadil is one (intentionally)"
In the deep lore, there are three in-universe explanations for Tom Bombadil.
1. He is an aspect of Arda. Just like Ungoliant, the spider that destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor. Melkor, also named Morgoth, the original Dark Lord of Arda, the Vala that fell from the grace of Eru Iluvatar, used Ungoliant for obtaining the Silmarils. But after he left Valinor for Beleriand, as soon as he stepped out of the water he was attacked by Ungoliant, because she wanted the Silmarils for herself. So these "primeval spirits" were powerful enough to attack even the Vala. Tom Bombadil seems to be of that kind.
The genesis of Ungoliant isn't clear. In Book of the Lost Tales, Chris Tolkien mentions that initially J.R.R. thought she was made in the primeval void, even before the Valar were made by Iluvatar. Later, she is described as a "servant" of Melkor.
There are also many other interesting things in the LOTR text such as :
"Far, far below the deepest delving of the Dwarves, the world is gnawed by nameless things. Even Sauron knows them not. They are older than he. Now I have walked there, but I will bring no report to darken the light of day."
― Gandalf, in Mines of Moria.
Showing, that there are things that even a Maia such as Sauron doesn't know about. Things that never came up in Ainulindale, the creation of the World of Arda. These things are not of Melkor, whose servant Sauron was for a long time.
So, Tom Bombadil is one of these "things" of Arda.
2. He is the Vala Aule. This comes from the description of Goldberry - she is described in such a way that she could be similar to Yavanna, the Vala of Forests, Water, and Life. Aule was Yavanna's husband. What are they doing there? Who knows. Aule was Sauron's teacher, and could therefore have found out a method of negating the ring. Aule is also the creator of Dwarves.
But, I think this is the weakest theory. Since, Tom Bombadil says, "he was there before the Dark Lord came." This Dark Lord is Morgoth (Melkor), and not Sauron. And we know that Melkor was the first to come to Arda after the First Music (Ainulindale), the creation myth. So, he CAN'T be Aule.
3. He is Eru Iluvatar. Okay, hear me out! When Goldberry was asked by Frodo Baggins who he was, she simply said "He is" which parallels the scriptural name of God in Christianity.
However, Tolkien specifically hinted that Tom (unlike Eru) is a part of this world, and he would be destroyed along with everything else, if evil would triumph. So.... ????
Therefore, the first one HAS to be correct.
Tolkien writes:
"The spirit of this earth made aware of itself."
― J.R.R. Tolkien explaining Tom to Nevill Coghill, in a letter.
Which explains why he was there before the Valar came to Arda. Perhaps he is not of Eru, and of Arda itself. Thus, the name Iarwain Ben-adar. "Eldest Fatherless".
But at the conclusion, I'd like to quote Tolkien himself:
"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"
― J.R.R. Tolkien
Which is why I respected your first time opinion as well, Merphy. I'm glad you came back to like it, but damn, isn't Tom a big old Enigma! He was my inspiration to finish Silmarillion, and I'll be damned - Silmarillion didn't explain anything about Tom one bit!
Source:
tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Tom_Bombadil/Nature
I always considered Ungoliant, and the other nameless things, as evils that were created in Arda by Melkor changing his part of the Song of Creation, which allowed evils to exist in Arda. So while they were not "made" by Melkor, like Orcs or Dragons, he is partially responsible for their existence.
I think Tom was Arda's response to Melkor changing the Song, in defense of Melkor introducing evils into the world, Arda created Tom, who in his own domain, was the ultimate master. So that at least one small piece of Arda could always be as it was meant to, before Melkor poisoned its creation.
I know Tolkien really had no set mythology around these two other than something very ancient and more than any other characters allows the reader to really decide on the origin of these two... And whimsy is definitely the most apt word I can think to describe these beloved characters....
I always imagined Goldberry to be something akin to a water nymph, focused on growth & propegation, almost a world bound Maia predating Gandalf, whereas Tom is more earth focused, intune with the land around him... They made a perfect ying-yang couple of total nature's balance....
So glad Tom is finally getting the love he deserves
I love Tom Bombadil! When I was going through LOTR for the first time last year I was genuinely confused as to why I’d never heard of him before (having only seen the movies).
Such an eccentric, colorful addition to the story. Wish we could have seen him on screen.
I loved/love TB and Goldberry!
Toms my favorite character in literature. Every good book needs an enigma and Toms the best enigma. I don't think anybody has ever asked Sanderson but I think Hoid is inspired by Tom. In the Simarillian you learn that middle earth was sung into existence. I think Tom is one of those musical notes that manifested itself, particularly one of nature.
i only just startined going through the books just this week, and Tom is already my favorite character. I've been pouring through everything I can find about him
as a kid the barrow-wights terrified me, and Tom was a great way to satisfyingly extinguish that evil early on in the plot of a story where we gradually learn some evils are too big to fully comprehend, and some pains have no release (though the wights ended up being important in the Pelennor Fields, excitingly). his episodes were like stepping-stones from the more folk-tale kind of story I was used to towards a serious, adult epic. his playful unaffectedness by the ring also teaches Frodo an important lesson that Gandalf couldn't, i think. i also like the theory i read that when it comes to Sauron, Aragorn is his political opponent, Gandalf is his spiritual enemy, but Bombadil is his opposite.
One of the reasons that the ring has no power over Tom is that he has always been more powerful than saron
Yes and no. On his own turf he's all powerful but it's specifically stated that when everything else had fallen so would he.
@@christopherbacon1077 while you are right in what you say but any power would fall against the world if they are alone and in this context saron would certainly have the world behind him Tom is just not interested in power and gaining more power so doesn't get involved in the conflicts
I think it’s a great insight that after being so driven for so long, Gandalf wants to have a long chat with Tom now that his task is done. Tom’s merry, whimsical nature seems to stem from him having no desire to control things or have power or mastery over anything, whereas Gandalf was sent to Middle Earth with a specific purpose which he strove towards for 2500 years. It makes sense to me that having being relieved of the burden of purpose, Gandalf would then have a lot in common with Tom. Certainly plenty to talk (and sing) about!
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a book of Hobbit poetry. Only some of the poems are about Tom. Also, he does indirectly influence the plot when he gives them the Numenórean blades
I’ve grown to love the trilogy of Tom Bombadil chapters. Have you ever noticed Tolkien’s prose is particularly poetic and rhythmic in this section? Try reading the entirety with the rhythm and cadence of Tom’s song...it tracks through the entirety.
According to Tolkien’s letters, Tom represents a force of nature and of creation. He is the quintessential “Other.” Not of the events of society at the heart of the book, but of the nature of Middle-earth. He is there to remind us that there is more to the world than the war of the Ring and those who are fighting Sauron or beholden to him. The same may be said of the wights, huorns, and even Shelob. He is also of critical importance to gaining a deeper understanding of the Ring. Notice he describes himself as himself, as Master. He is fully self possessed and therefore unpossessible. In my Tolkien discussion group we came up with the theory that Tom and Goldberry represent the first and second note of the Music of the Ainur.
I loved Tom Bombadil ever since I first read the book at the age of 8...
"I want to know about where she came from, how they met..."
You're going to be so thrilled and yet so crushed to read the poem that describes their meeting, because as with so much of Tolkien's writing, the answers only fill out the outline of greater questions that we will always ache to know.
I absolutely love Tom Bombadil. I hate that he is left out of nearly all the adaptations. This was a great video. He is definitely something. The negative space regarding him in the story - I feel like he could have whole tomes of other stories.
Tom Bombadil is a power of GOOD in the world. It's something that Frodo and the Hobbits needed for courage, for encouragement, for purpose.
The biggest reason for Tom is to show Frodo that the RING is not an ultimate, unbeatable, evil power. It's all about where your heart and desires are...and Tom proves this by treating the one ring like a magician would treat a quarter in doing a trick. Tom is prior to the ring, and is not taken off guard by how it works...because he sees it for what it truly is...an object that has zero hold on anyone who is master of his own heart.
Tom is not a fighter ..but i think Sauron would be unable to hurt Tom by any means. Tom has the complete understanding of the world around him...while those around him are in the dark. And that makes all the difference.
It's like 40 years since I read that scene and yet I remember still that song - lol
Tommy is the essence of wonder in Tolkien's story. The literal embodiment of wonder to the point that even Tolkien didn't know who he was.
Finally, another video showing some love to Tom Bombadil 👍
Many people see him as filler and a waste of time to read but it seems you figured something out about him which fascinated me from the beginning. The One Ring had absolutely no power over him and he isn't tempted in the least.
In a world where this ring could sway the minds of powerful characters like Gandalf and the Lady Galadriel and this ring could decide the fate of freedom and life itself, Tom is above it.
ANOTHER LORD OF THE RINGS VIDEO? I AM BLESSED! I have been quite depressed lately due to stuff at home and basically my entire life being extremely chaotic but this video's gonna raise my spirits!!
Merphy you have no idea how much this video means for me
To Tom Bombadil🥂
Everyone talks about Bombadil, but no one shows my boy Radagast any love
That's because of the abomination that was his characterization in the Hobbit.
I love Tom Bombadil. I read the books before I watched the movie and I found him so interesting and made Middle Earth feel so much bigger than LOTR. Now, I consider him an easter egg for those who read the books.
Tom is the best. He fits so well into Tolkien's idea of what he was writing. I highly suggest reading his essay On Fairy Stories if you haven't.
Tom has lived so long and experienced so much that he knows what endures. When I was a child, I didn't believe my mother when she said, "Things have a way of working out." Now I have lived long enough to know, through experience, there is truth in that. Maybe Tom lives that truth.
I am finally on a reread and I am just at Toms chapters! I have always loved him, he is just so jolly and fun😁.
I've always imagined Tom as Santa Claus... This is what he does in between Christmases. He gallivants around mysterious forests, has elevensees with Wizards and stuff... It makes sense that the one ring does not affect Tom. Santa is more powerful than sauron.
He can’t be Santa… Santa is in Narnia.😉
@@JoeMama410 omg! Of course he's in Narnia! But that's really no surprise since Tom can travel between worlds. Sometimes I suspect he's also hagrid (the way he just sits back in his forest most of the time while the kids fight the big fight... And his relationship with dumbledore...hmmm)
When I first read LOTR back in the mid-seventies I enjoyed the Bombadil interlude and was sad it didn't make it into the movies. I saw it as a much needed respite from the difficult beginnings of a long and dangerous journey that none of the hobbits were prepared for.
Tom Bombadil has a presence that’s both good and amazing, due to how seemingly powerful he is within this world.
Tom Bombadil is amazing!!! Sad that Peter Jackson cut him from the adaptations. Stephen Colbert is even a huge fan and there are some great clips with him needing out over LotR & Tom.
I am definitely going to have to look into the book of poems you mentioned.
Lol I saw a video of a talk show where James Franco challenges someone to name 2 of the Valar??? The God beings lol
I can see why he did though. A movie has only a limited amount of time to tell the story and it was already seriously long and Tom was basically a detour.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. Bombadil Finally Gets Some Respect. I have read LOR 5 times. The first time was when I was about 13. The last time at about 50. Every time I read it I actually start visualizing the environment of Middle Earth. Tom has always been my favorite Character. To me he is an example of some one who could help with the little problem of Sauron but is much to busy with his own Job. He does not Show up to help. Kind of like an uncle who is fighting in IRAQ for the US Army and misses a funeral. Tom is very important though because of several of his actions. The most important is the saving of the Hobbits from the Wrath and them GIVING THEM THE ANCIENT WEAPONS. The Barrow-blades, also known as Daggers of Westernesse, were daggers from the Barrow-downs, given by Tom Bombadil to the four hobbits who would become part of the Fellowship of the Ring.
I forgot to say Merphy is actually Morraine from WOT.
The poems are a joy to read. Much like the children's stories Tolkien wrote, like Farmer Giles or Roverandom.
Goldberry is the River Woman's daughter. I'm guessing she's a Maiar
The River Woman must be a Maia for sure, but I have no idea if Maiar, being spirits, can reproduce among themselves or only with the more physical peoples, such as the Elves. In the latter case, Goldberry'd have to be a half-Maia (and half what else? Elf? Hobbit??)
@@taylor_green_9 The only demigod/half Ainur is Luthien, and she got the status from being similar to Edith. I think it's meant to be unique.
I love Tom so much, and I really enjoyed seeing your unpacking of this character.
I think we rush through books a lot of times because we want to get to the next one.
I'm still reading through the first book, but I was definitely intrigued by Tom and the centuries and centuries of things he's lived through! All the knowledge and wisdom he might have... But his nonchalant manner with Frodo's ring completely went over my head. I had no idea what the implications were, thanks for noticing!
Also, I was happy to learn that you are into stories and characters that are tied to water. I am too.
Tom was one of those characters and the section of Fellowship that I originally did not enjoy as much either, but on a re-read (in addition to reading along while listening to Phil Dragash's audiobook) I found everything about him to be both delightfully charming and fascinating. It feels like you are enjoying, not only LOTR as a whole, but Fellowship of the Ring even more on this re-read and I think that is wonderful. The Fellowship of the Ring is probably one of my all-time favorite books. It made me truly appreciate how beautiful of a world and story Tolkein created, in addition to his exceptional writing.
I never saw your earlier video, so I was worried that you would blast him. Every time an adaptation of the novels comes out, I hope beyond hope that they will include him. They Never Do. I loved Tom, and I used to belt out his songs at random. It's amazing how his introductory song sounds in the shower.
YES Tom bombadil is the best! It’s unfortunately popular to slander him. He’s a top 5 character in lotr
I’ve always been fascinated with Tom bombadil and how he’s been around since the beginning and stuff like that . I think he’s pretty cool.
as usual, i love this video, have an amazing day merphy
So glad to hear you changed your mind on Tom. When I heard you say Tom was “down point”, it made me really sad. Tom is great, and I’m so glad you are realizing his worth!
-T
when i first read the fellowship of the ring, i thought tom was _so_ dodgy. i was completely wrong but now i realise it’s due to the power he has!
We listened to LOTR on audiobook, so I remember Tom's sections being so much fun even if they added nothing else to the plot.
I never read the LOTR books, but the fact that the ring doesn’t affect him is really funny to me.
Okay I doubt anyone will care but since we´re already here to appreciate Tom, I´ll drop my musings. Based on what he says, he´s definitely older than Arda, so one can assume he was around from before the creation of Arda aka he was one of the ainur in the Timeless Halls. Now one could argue that he´s a mysterious void creature we don´t know much about the way Ungoliant is, but he simply does not strike me as such.
I personally like to think he´s a maia of Yavanna who went down to live in Middle-Earth. And this isn´t unheard of, Melian was also a maia who lived in Middle-Earth for almost an entire age and then some.
Goldberry... i´m not sure about her, but perhaps a maia of Nessa or Este?
Well no matter what they are, they´re positively delightful
@@hendrikscheepers4144 haha now that's one i haven't heard of! The wildest one I've heard was Tom being Maglor lmaoooo people these days really explaining everything weird in lotr with "it was Maglor"
I really appreciate you making this video. Tom has always been a favorite of mine. His complete lack of concern about the Ring was both hilarious and eye-opening at the same time.
“I’ll stop there, because there’s probably no place to stop.” Sounds like something Bombadil would say.
Speaking of fun world-building hints: Early in the Shire section some of the hobbits are sitting in the pub talking about strange happenings, and one mentions a walking tree. When we meet the Ents, we learn what that probably was...but it can't be one of the Fangorn Ents, because Treebeard would know about it. So is it one of the Entwives? Treebeard tells the missing lady-Ents would like the Shire, after all!
Good video. Feels like we're just chillin with ya.
I didn’t dislike Tom, he just seemed to come out of left field. But he was an interesting and good-to-Frodo character
Loved the video!
There's one theory of Tom's origin which I personally think is the most logical and acceptable. The theory that Tom came to be from the Music of the Ainur. The music which resulted in the making of Arda (the Earth).
That is why Tom is oldest. That is why Tom IS. He's the embodiment of the Music of the Ainur. That's why the world *listens* to him. They're his kin.
He has no power over things. It's just that no power or devices made by beings has any power over him. As Gandalf said, "Say rather that the Ring has no power over him. He is his own master. But he cannot alter the Ring itself, nor break its power over others..."
He is his own master, because he's not a being of Eru or anybody else's creation. He is.
Tom and Goldberry really are two of the most fascinating characters in the book, because they’re written in such a way that it feels like they must have entire books worth of history and backstory, and in reality I don’t think Tolkien himself ever settled upon an explanation for who they are or where they came from. They’re just bewildering and wonderful, like nature itself.
Thank you very much! I now appreciate Tom a lot more and will read his chapters more closely next time and not skipping them like the last! 👍
I loved that you revisited Tom and have found an appreciation for him! Think you hit some big points on him, really appreciate your analysis.
I find it amazing how you don't seem to have a very deep knowledge of the Tolkien lore but still you manage to capture the essence of this character so well! It tells a lot about your analytic skills and also a bit about how Tolkien is able to give a glimpse of his huge legendarium in this book, at times by dropping ancient names or making someone tell an old tale, or just the simple fact of encountering mysterious characters such as Tom and Goldberry. Thank you for this awesome video, your views are so fresh and your take on this 70 years old enigma is quite interesting.
I love the Tom Bombadil chapter. Idk how everyone complains about that one but the river Anduin chapter gets off scot free. I just reread fellowship as well and look I’d never dislike anything Tolkien writes and I love reading nature descriptions, but it was way more prevalent towards the back half of the book
Merphy talking about going back and re-reading the Tom Bombadil chapter again after just reading it, is exactly what reading is all about. Reading things for the joy of it, even if you've just read it.
The first time I read Fellowship, I really liked Tom; it was one of my favourite chapters. On second read through I just wanted to get through it. I must have just been in a different headspace the second time around
Past Murphy clearly had a lot of bad ideas.
- Past Murphy
Good analysis, thanks!
Tom is my favourite, he is a true legend
Now that I'm an adult fan the random Bombadil dose just adds to the charm. When I was a kid I skipped his chapters a lot, but now I enjoy the insane structure of Fellowship.
Tom's special. He's both a doll, and the embodiment of the Music of the Ainur.
I enjoyed that a lot Merphy. Thank you. When I first read LoTR (back in c.1983) I did find Tom a little irritating but with each re-read, I like him a little more. I always saw him - and Goldberry - as representing the good side of nature. Not quite nature spirits (I don't think that's how JRR saw them) but something like the traditional folk figure of The Green Man. But, I'm sure people who have read more of the JRR lore will perhaps have a better idea than I.
My mom read the hobbit and Lotr to me when I was little. I always loved Tom and in my first year in school I drew a picture of him for my teacher.
I always thought that Goldberry was something Tom called forth as a companion, either fully creating her or giving a body and sentience to some un-named nature spirit.
Looking at it from an archetypal stand point, Tom transcends the evil of the world. Gandalf's is certainly interested in knowledge, but his primary purpose, and reason for coming to Middle Earth was to *resist evil* and so he very much sits in the 'stare long enough into the void and the void stares back' space, he must be wary of being corrupted by the thing he fights, or face the fate of Saruman. At the end, he too has now transcended (both literally and figuratively) evil, and is now ready to learn to live like someone who does not need to resist evil.
There's more fascinating detail from Tolkien about Tom and a lot more, in the collection of his replies to fans (and other things), called The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien.
Oh the Amazon show isn't an adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings" btw! It's following Tolkien's writings about the Second Age and the creation of the Rings of Power! I mean I guess it's still possible Tom could show up haha.
Tom serves no purpose to the story but more of a purpose to the world and to the lore. I really love the mystery that surrounds him and his power.
This title is perfection! Also I think you might've changed my opinion about Tom! Based on what you said it almost seems like he's above the conflict, with him not actively participating but clearly having all the power necessary. It does give the impression that his 'deal' is above the pull of the ring and the battles. Because surely if he was normal and gandalf knows him, he would be the best person to carry the ring. But for some reason he isn't supposed to be a part of this battle.
first question for thought: if tom had sung a different song, would his appearance have been different?
second question for thought: if tom had not been living where he did, would the shire have been able to exist as did?
Love the enigma that is Tom! Him and "Dark King" Silvers Raleigh from One Piece are two of my favorite characters in fiction. 🧙♂️🤴🧝♂️🦅🐲🐎🌋🪓🗡⚔🏹
The "Tom, why??" was such a mood. 😆
Thats the major difference between world builders and story tellers. The world builders will introduce rich experiences that flesh out the world sometimes at the cost of time in the story. While storytellers will often get from point A to point B in the story with less added narrative because the world is secondary to the characters.
Merphy, I do believe you have expressed your feelings for this character through the use of verbal Purple Prose. 😁... AND I DIG THAT ABOUT YOU!!! LOL!! .... This is one of my favorite characters in what is easily my very favorite fantasy novel. Tom Bombadil is this elemental being that even the Ring of Power cannot sway. His power seems to represent a manifestation of Middle Earth itself. I really enjoyed listening to your description of this character and hear how moved and excited you are by it. In fact I think it's safe to say the best way that describes what you are feeling is Enchanted. 😃 👍
I really liked this video - I've never appreciated Tom enough because it's kinda easy to gloss over him at the beginning when they've barely left. I see him in a new way now.
I absolutely loved Tom Bombadil when I first read the book. ☺️