Goldberry's statement "Tom Bombadil is the Master" raises an interesting question. What is involved in being the Master?
Goldberry clarifies that "He is the Master of wood, water, and hill", but that "the trees and the grasses and all things growing or living in the land each belong to themselves". Gandalf explains "the Ring has no power over him. He is his own master. But he cannot alter the Ring itself, nor break it's power over others".
Let's consider some of the other ways the word "master" is used in the book. Hmm... the title is "The Lord of the Rings". What rings are these? Well, one of them is "the Master-ring, the One Ring to rule them all". In chapter 2, Gandalf explained that the "ring was trying to get back to it's master", Sauron. And what do with this master-ring is the central problem of the book.
The word master also seems to be a more general title, seemingly associated with allegiance of some sort -Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Hamfast, Samwise, Elrond, the Old Man Willow, Boromir, Gandalf, Saruman, Theoden.
It is also used when speaking to or of someone as in "Master Elf", "Master Dwarf", "Master Ferny", Master Wormtongue".
It is also interesting to consider some statements of the absence of mastery. Tom says, "I am no weather-master, nor is aught that goes on two legs". Also, "Tom is not master of Riders from the Black Land far beyond his country.
Master also refers to expertise or power. Denethor was "master of the lore of [Gondor]". Elrond Halfelven is "greatest of the lore-masters". Radagast is "a master of shapes and changes of hue; and he has much lore of herbs and beasts, and birds especially his friends". Treebeard says "Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master; but there is a Wizard to manage here." There are others.
The Riders of Rohan and horse-masters. Treebeard's poem has "Man the mortal, master of horses". But there is an interesting question about Shadowfax, chieftain of horses. I do not suppose that Gandalf would say he was master of Shadowfax, but I wonder what Shadowfax himself would say.
The palantir are associated with mastery. Each is either mastered or becomes and agent of mastery by or for someone, it seems.
Then there is Sam. He seems to use the word "Master" more often than anyone else, generally referring to Frodo, and it interesting to consider what it means in the relationship of those two hobbits. And Smeagol, who vows to "serve the master of the Precious", and calls Frodo "good master", though perhaps with a different meaning that Sam does.
I could "go on and ever on"; like the road in the poem, all paths seem to connect to this question and it can take us anywhere.
But, since this question begins with Tom Bombadil, I return to him. It is interesting to me that Tom spent a day with the hobbits talking about things that he might be considered the master of, "bees and flowers, the ways of trees, and the strange creatures of the Forest, about the evil things and the good things, things friendly and unfriendly, cruel things and kind things..." We are not told what he said to them, but "as they listened, they began to understand". There is much more, but I wonder if at least part of what the hobbits learned that day is what it means to be "Master", even over such as Old Man Willow, with his "pride and rooted wisdom, and great malice". Perhaps some of what Frodo learned was important later, when he had to be master of another creature of malice, Gollum or Smeagol.
Just a final thought. It was Goldberry's washing day. But I suspect that the hobbits were at least partly cleansed themselves by what happened that day.
Goldberry clarifies that "He is the Master of wood, water, and hill", but that "the trees and the grasses and all things growing or living in the land each belong to themselves". Gandalf explains "the Ring has no power over him. He is his own master. But he cannot alter the Ring itself, nor break it's power over others".
Let's consider some of the other ways the word "master" is used in the book. Hmm... the title is "The Lord of the Rings". What rings are these? Well, one of them is "the Master-ring, the One Ring to rule them all". In chapter 2, Gandalf explained that the "ring was trying to get back to it's master", Sauron. And what do with this master-ring is the central problem of the book.
The word master also seems to be a more general title, seemingly associated with allegiance of some sort -Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Hamfast, Samwise, Elrond, the Old Man Willow, Boromir, Gandalf, Saruman, Theoden.
It is also used when speaking to or of someone as in "Master Elf", "Master Dwarf", "Master Ferny", Master Wormtongue".
It is also interesting to consider some statements of the absence of mastery. Tom says, "I am no weather-master, nor is aught that goes on two legs". Also, "Tom is not master of Riders from the Black Land far beyond his country.
Master also refers to expertise or power. Denethor was "master of the lore of [Gondor]". Elrond Halfelven is "greatest of the lore-masters". Radagast is "a master of shapes and changes of hue; and he has much lore of herbs and beasts, and birds especially his friends". Treebeard says "Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master; but there is a Wizard to manage here." There are others.
The Riders of Rohan and horse-masters. Treebeard's poem has "Man the mortal, master of horses". But there is an interesting question about Shadowfax, chieftain of horses. I do not suppose that Gandalf would say he was master of Shadowfax, but I wonder what Shadowfax himself would say.
The palantir are associated with mastery. Each is either mastered or becomes and agent of mastery by or for someone, it seems.
Then there is Sam. He seems to use the word "Master" more often than anyone else, generally referring to Frodo, and it interesting to consider what it means in the relationship of those two hobbits. And Smeagol, who vows to "serve the master of the Precious", and calls Frodo "good master", though perhaps with a different meaning that Sam does.
I could "go on and ever on"; like the road in the poem, all paths seem to connect to this question and it can take us anywhere.
But, since this question begins with Tom Bombadil, I return to him. It is interesting to me that Tom spent a day with the hobbits talking about things that he might be considered the master of, "bees and flowers, the ways of trees, and the strange creatures of the Forest, about the evil things and the good things, things friendly and unfriendly, cruel things and kind things..." We are not told what he said to them, but "as they listened, they began to understand". There is much more, but I wonder if at least part of what the hobbits learned that day is what it means to be "Master", even over such as Old Man Willow, with his "pride and rooted wisdom, and great malice". Perhaps some of what Frodo learned was important later, when he had to be master of another creature of malice, Gollum or Smeagol.
Just a final thought. It was Goldberry's washing day. But I suspect that the hobbits were at least partly cleansed themselves by what happened that day.