As soon as you saw the Argonath upon the opening of this great page, you probably started thinking, He’s got to have a Tom Bombadil article. So, here you go.
For those of you who haven’t read the book, this post isn’t for you. Sorry, if you haven’t read the book, this blog is not for you. Tom Bombadil was in the Old Forest between the Shire and Bree, and is the most puzzling enigma of Middle-Earth.
I have heard theories that Tom Bombadil is Eru Illuvatar, that he is Aule, or Ulmo, a random Maia, or even that he is a reincarnation of the Music of the Ainur itself, a theory which was quite interesting, but ultimately false. Each of these theories has one major flaw. I now present to you the true answer:
The answer to the Ultimate Question of Tom, Bombadil, and Goldberry is…. nobody knows, or will ever know. Tolkien even wrote in his letters: “Tom does not need speculation over, and is not improved by it. ” He is a nature spirit living in the Old Forest. That’s all there is to it. Tom Bombadil is, as Tom himself said, Tom Bombadil. When Frodo asked him who he was, he answered: “Don’t you know my name yet? That’s the only answer!” It really isn’t that complicated when you think about it.