Welcome to the forum Curufinwe. Elrond, during the council, gave Tom's three other names, but they don't help us with the problem.

Is there anymore info on this subject in HOME or Tolkien's letters, anyone?

Erm... Fortunately Tolkien never explained this

Well it wouldn't at all be as much fun though... I mean it's the discussion that keep Middle-Earth so alive...

His imagination and talent with the written word is of course an important part, but it would not be enough to make people read his books ten twenty times... It's those enigmas and oddities that does that... (of course making enigmas can be seen as a proof of imagination and thus both our statments would be correct )

I don't think that Tom will be forgotten. Many people may be seeing the movie without him in it, but the movie is also increasing sales of the book no end, and some of the people who buy the book may actually read it as well...
Maybe.

It will be a sad, sad day when it arrives.

I don't wish to be forgotten you know. No nice thoughts at all. And did somebody say something, by the way? I'm hearing funny voices now... :P

I personally think Tolkien left all explanations on Tom behind, because he knew his readers weren't interested in those things at the time. He didn't get to publish the Sil for that same reason. And of course he didn't give a d*mn about explanations...

I´m little bit late... but...

Tom Bombadil is my favorite character in the Book...I love those kind of questions....I don´t know what or who Tom is but don´t want to know...I want to dicuss of it and think it in my little head...I´m very sad for Peter Jackson because he left Tom from the movie....I waited that meeting between the hobbits and Tom. But there is nothing what we could do to that thing...

Tar-Aldarion and any other interested members: Read Curufinwe's above question posted on 14/3/2002 and Plastic Squirrel's and Valedhelgwath's answers posted on 15/3/2002 at 12:45 and 24/4/2002 at 23:16 respectively.

If you don't find any acceptable answers there or if you have still have the question or a have an additional comment or answer, feel free to post it here.

(And remember, no matter what anyone thinks or what one of us tells you, we council members don't really know everything and aren't really experts; we are just a group of amateur Tolkienites who have re-read many of his books and are building a concensus about what we have read. We also find this website a fun place to share what we know and to learn even more from others with differing insights. We always are finding things new under the Sun.)

I have said it before but i was disappointed that Tom wasn't in the film. It would have been good to have him in and just to tell some people.He would not have been another Jar Jar Binks

From what has been written about him, Tom is an unknown, but I strongly suspect he was a maiar, possibly a servant of either Yavanna or Orome.

I don't think Tom Bombadill is a Maia, 'cause when he wore the Ring, the Ring didn't affect him at all! And we know that the Ring affects Maiar -- Gandalf for instance didn't dare to touch the Ring. But, of course we don't know how the Ring would affect other, more powerful Maiar like Eonwë or Ilmarë of course. So, he could've been a Maia. (but not in my opinion)

It has been suggested that Tom is Aulë and Goldberry Yavanna, but what would those two do in Middle-Earth??

According to me, Tom is not one of the Valarr, 'cause he mentions himself that 'he was here already before the Dark Lord came to the spheres of the Earth' , so he's no Vala as he came before Melkor (who is as we know the first of the Valar to come to Earth);

Tom could be Eru Illuvatar himself, of course but i don't think Eru is married...

No, according to me, Tom is just an Enigma!

Tom forgotten?! I know JRR wasn't much for allegory, but I think when he doesn't explain things in a story so full of description it is a way to highlight the subject, or in this case the character. Tom, over whom the ring had no power, lived confined in a world of his making. His merriment and control, suited only for his cage. I don't find it a strech that hobbits and Tom lived in such proximity, for in Jrr's M.E., men are consumed with power, elves and dwarves with contempt for each other. Tom represents the pastoral, the something that makes all things one, even when they forget they are. We all in our personal lives speculate who and what we are, whether it be a little or a lot. What depresses me is that those thoughts are tuned today so far away from what "living" is about. I am an idealist, I know life today is easier on many basis, but I lament the loss of the "Tom Bombabil Feeling", as I call it. How do you see your world, more importantly, how does the world see you. "Nature" looks back at you and its appearance is the reflection of your soul. I think that's what Tom is about. I think that's what we've forgotten?!

Well, even though Tom was a ring bearer, for however so short a time, he did not make that journey with the rest of them.

He may have made that final journey with Sam, but that of course is mere conjecture on my part.

Nice post elemuel. Although times were harder pre-industrial revolution, there is a certain feel about the unspoiled countryside that appeals to many of us. Whenever I get in a nice wood and smell the pine needles, and hear the birds, I get a rush of adrenalin and cannot help but take deep breaths.

Tom still lingers in few places, his home ever shrinking, but while there is still a bit oif woodland left, he'll be around. When he disappears with the last trees, so will mankind. His forests will return though and Tom truely will be the last.

Well, here i go.

Dwarfes had name for Tom, that was "Forn", but the elves used the name Iarwain Ben-Adar. I can see lot of things out from it.

a. Iarwain Ben-Adar means Oldest and Fatherless, the oldest creature is Eru so what do you say?

b. Tom´s dwarf name was Forn, in Icelandic (witch Tolkien knew´d) Forn means old, or Ancient. So that means he is very old, witch eru is.

My saying Tom was Eru on vacation was tongue in cheek.

If Tolkien in his letters says, "Tom Bombadil is an enigma," then by golly an enigma he shall remain. But speculating about him is fun and we can safely do so because Tolkien himself didn't know.

Wow, great stuff everybody! I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed reading what everyone had to say. I tend to agree with Val (and others who share a similar view) in that Tom was most likely a Maiar, and probably was a servant of Yavanna, or Orome, because that just seems to make the most sense to me. Like everyone else, I too have often wondered about Tom’s identity, and origins, and all of you have provided me with wonderful insight, and plenty of food for thought about one of Tolkien’s most intriguing, and mysterious characters. The kind of discussion in this thread is a shining example of what makes PT so great!

Thanks for that post Plastic I enjoyed reading the essay. Gene Hargrove certainly makes a very persuasive argument, and his essay does seem to examine all of the points of view brought up in this thread. After reading what Hargrove had to say, it’s very hard for me not to think that there is a strong possibility that Tom is Aule, and Goldberry is Yavanna. Given the clues, and descriptions that Hargrove uses to back up his argument, that theory really seems to fit. I’m still not sure exactly what I personally think who, or what Tom is, but after reading that essay, I feel pretty certain that Tom was definitely one of the Ainur.

BTW Grondy, my wife and I were discussing this topic last night, and I was telling her what you had said, and she really feels the same way as you (although she has not yet read the Silmarillion, or Hargrove’s essay). After examining some other facts, and really taking a closer look at your point, as well as some points my wife brought up, I was starting to lean a little bit to that side of the fence. However, after hearing about Tolkien’s denial of the possibility of Tom being Illuvatar (I haven’t read the letter myself), I have to take J.R.R. at his word. Again, the only thing I personally feel certain of at this point is that Tom was of the Ainur. Whether he was Vala, Maia, or even possibly Aule of the Aratar (for those reading this thread that don’t know, the Aratar were the eight most powerful Valar) is a debate I think will continue to rage for quite a long time to come (thankfully).

i like Tom Bombadil. I was really mad when they cut him out. GO TOM!!!!!

I`ve finally came to the part in FOTR, where Tom. is introduced. I was really anxious to meet him, in the books and my imagination. (In other words, read about him.) I even made up a tune to the song he sings!

In the description of him, it gives you the impression of him being dwarf-like, for some strange reason. The reason behind that is: In the first film, you see a pic of the whole fellowship together, at the council, gimli is the size that`s inbetween a hobbit and a human. That`s the same size as the dwarves. Well there you go.

Sheryl xx

I thought that Fangorn was the oldest living creature to walk the face of the world.....Isn´t it so?
Is Tom Bombadill the oldest creature???

Elrond says Tom was old when the Elves awoke in 'The Council of Elrond', while in The Silmarillion, Chapter 2, it implies that the Ents didn't start walking Middle-earth until the Dwarves awoke, which happened after the Elves.

Have I? I`ve seen Fangorn Forest but that`s a forest.

Okey thanks Grondy!