Originally posted by Thordic
http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/Bombadil.html
There are arguements for and against just about anything he could be.
If I had to pick something, I'd say he's probably a Vala in disguise, walking Middle Earth. Its possible that one of the Valar would not be affected by the ring. You would think that Gandalf would recognize him if this is the case, but perhaps he is just that good at disguising himself.
If not a Vala, he's a nature spirit of extroadinary power. Perhaps an incarnation of the planet/continent. He has enough power so that he isn't limited like other spirits, on his planet/continent he is pretty much omnipotent.
BUt in the end, I don't think it matters who he is. How many people reading this have played an RPG?
Quite often in RPGs you need some sort of character who is so far above the PCs that they can't even comprehend his/her power. It could be an extremely high level NPC, an ArchMage, a demigod. Elminster from Forgotten Realms in AD&D is a good example. Books have been written explaining about him, but barring those, his function in a campaign is to guide or instruct, but he is so far above the characters powers and motivations as to leave them awed and probably confused as to his nature.
Tom Bombadil serves the same purpose in LOTR. Every other character in the story's motives are clear. They are all human, even for Gandalf and Sauron. Tom Bombadil has so much power and knowledge he is above normal human motivations. It add some mystery, and a sense that while this immense struggle over the ring is going on, somewhere there is a BIGGER tale going on. If Tom Bombadil is so casual about the ring, what sort of thing would he concern himself with?
Thats just my opinion anyway
http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/Bombadil.html
There are arguements for and against just about anything he could be.
If I had to pick something, I'd say he's probably a Vala in disguise, walking Middle Earth. Its possible that one of the Valar would not be affected by the ring. You would think that Gandalf would recognize him if this is the case, but perhaps he is just that good at disguising himself.
If not a Vala, he's a nature spirit of extroadinary power. Perhaps an incarnation of the planet/continent. He has enough power so that he isn't limited like other spirits, on his planet/continent he is pretty much omnipotent.
BUt in the end, I don't think it matters who he is. How many people reading this have played an RPG?
Quite often in RPGs you need some sort of character who is so far above the PCs that they can't even comprehend his/her power. It could be an extremely high level NPC, an ArchMage, a demigod. Elminster from Forgotten Realms in AD&D is a good example. Books have been written explaining about him, but barring those, his function in a campaign is to guide or instruct, but he is so far above the characters powers and motivations as to leave them awed and probably confused as to his nature.
Tom Bombadil serves the same purpose in LOTR. Every other character in the story's motives are clear. They are all human, even for Gandalf and Sauron. Tom Bombadil has so much power and knowledge he is above normal human motivations. It add some mystery, and a sense that while this immense struggle over the ring is going on, somewhere there is a BIGGER tale going on. If Tom Bombadil is so casual about the ring, what sort of thing would he concern himself with?
Thats just my opinion anyway
Comment