Tom Bombadil and the Music of the Ainur

[BlueWizrd]

I've been thinking a lot about Tom Bombadil and his penchant for singing, even when in conversation. Added to the fact that he often sings about elements of his surroundings, such as the color of his boots, and it makes for quite an unusual picture. But then I started thinking about that singing in the context of the Music of the Ainur, and how it was their singing which brought the world to life. "Then the voices of the Ainur, like unto harps and lutes, and pipes and trumpets, and viols and organs, and like unto countless choirs singing with words, began to fashion the theme of Iluvatar to a great music; and a sound arose of endless interchanging melodies woven in harmony that passed beyond hearing into the depths and into the heights, and the places of the dwelling of Iluvatar were filled to overflowing, and the music and the echo of the music went out into the Void, and it was not void." If you imagine that Tom singing about what he is wearing and what is going on around him makes those things happen, it would just be a continuation of that music. I don't think that we are meant to infer that literally, but it is an interesting comparison.

Additionally, I have often wondered about the bounds of Tom's territory, and how those were developed. Couldn't it be possible that the area he travels is what he sang about during the making of the music, which would explain both his knowledge and mastery of the area. "And many other things Iluvatar spoke to the Ainur at that time, and because of their memory of his words, and the knowledge that each has of the music that he himself made, the Ainur know much of what was, and is, and is to come, and few things are unseen by them. Yet some things there are that they cannot see, neither alone nor taking counsel together; for to none but himself has Iluvatar revealed all that he has in store, and in every age there come forth things that are new and have no foretelling, for they do not proceed from the past." Chance indeed, Tom Bombadil!

Perhaps Tom found the experience of making music so beautiful and compelling, he just couldn't stop.

 

[Ambrosius Aurelianus]

I like it! And when Tom describes himself in song, it's like he's re-singing (or perhaps doing a cover version of) the very song that brought himself into being. Perhaps not exactly, but certainly he is celebrating the main qualities that Iluvatar put into him, Goldberry, etc.

 

[amysrevenge]

Yeah he is demonstrably the sort to constantly re-enact happy events from the past.

 

[Haerangil]

I'

Additionally, I have often wondered about the bounds of Tom's territory, and how those were developed. Couldn't it be possible that the area he travels is what he sang about during the making of the music, which would explain both his knowledge and mastery of the area.

Well... Tolkien once wrote that to him bombadil represented the spirit of the dying landscapes of oxfordshire and berkshire. In the books they are the old forest. Now what is the old forest? It's a remnant of the great ancient woodlands that once covered almost all of eriador and rhovanion... So bombadils realm had once been huge, covering an entire subcontinent... But with covilazation and wars the ancient forest shrank and diminished and now exists only as small islets... And with it maybe also shrank bombadils domain and power. Now he's a funny little man... I wonder what he was like in elder days...

 

[Tungol]

If you imagine that Tom singing about what he is wearing and what is going on around him makes those things happen, it would just be a continuation of that music. I don't think that we are meant to infer that literally, but it is an interesting comparison.

I think we are invited to make this comparison in several passages. For one thing, Tom gives visions to the hobbits through his speech: the starry sky during the "washing day", and the vision of the men of Arnor in Fog on the Barrow-downs. Also indirectly, the dreams that the three hobbits have on the first night in his house, and the vision Frodo has on the last night before they leave.

Tom also says when he leaves them: "I’ve got things to do...my making and my singing, my talking and my walking, and my watching of the country". There he pairs making and singing together. I think it's pretty clear that Tom's words can make things happen. Tom defeats Old Man Willow and the Barrow-wight purely through his singing: "I'll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. Old Man Willow!"

How does this connect with Tom's singing about his clothing? I think in some places it sounds like an invocation. When Tom answers Frodo's song for help he also responds with "Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow, Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow." It's like him singing these words causes him to appear suddenly. Maybe he sings about his clothes as part of the "spell" that manifests his power?

Additionally, I have often wondered about the bounds of Tom's territory, and how those were developed. Couldn't it be possible that the area he travels is what he sang about during the making of the music, which would explain both his knowledge and mastery of the area.

A Haerengil wrote, something against this is that we're told at the council of Elrond that Tom's territory used to be a lot bigger (the Old Forest was basically all of Eriador). He only withdrew later. We also have his own words: "Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn." If he was there before the trees existed, then it's hard to see how they would have defined his territory. It seems more likely that he chose the forest because it suited him.

Just a larger point too: I don't think we really see any Ainur that are defined by their power over an area of land. It's more that they have particular talents/abilities and they choose an area that suits their power. For example Melian is a follower of Yavanna and loves forests, so she goes to Middle-earth and ends up taking over Nan Elmoth.

Note: this is not to imply that Tom is a Vala or Maia in the traditional sense

 

[Haerangil]

Tolkien once said bombadil was like a nature spirit. The embodyment of the dying landscapes of oxfordshire and berkshire...

So i guess in some way tom IS bound to a territory. Like caradhras to his mountain. It is just... The landscape he represents was once different, and it is becoming something even more different. Something tom does not really like , relate to or care for anymore... That's why he chose the old forest maybe. Because it's a place that is still as it used to be.. Of which he still does care and of which he is still master, while other places have become alien to him ( and he's not master of them anymore?)

 

[Tungol]

Tolkien once said bombadil was like a nature spirit. The embodyment of the dying landscapes of oxfordshire and berkshire...

So i guess in some way tom IS bound to a territory. Like caradhras to his mountain. It is just... The landscape he represents was once different, and it is becoming something even more different. Something tom does not really like , relate to or care for anymore... That's why he chose the old forest maybe. Because it's a place that is still as it used to be.. Of which he still does care and of which he is still master, while other places have become alien to him ( and he's not master of them anymore?)

Yes, to me it recalls the idea of Arda Unmarred. Tom is in one of the last refuges of "pure nature" in Middle-earth. It could be one of the reasons that he's so tolerant of Old Man Willow as well, given that the tree is trying to defend his territory from the "destroyers and usurpers".

 

[Haerangil]

Yes! Exactly... We see OMW as an evil being, but to Tom he's just a grumpy old man who needs some sleep. Same with the Barrow Wight whom he treats like an annoying Neighbour...