Some thoughts on the Old Forrest and Tom.

[Halstein]

Hi.
Listening to ep. 28, I came to think of some points. This might not be straight forward questions, but I hope you bear with me.
Old Man Willow's singing might have a sort of precedent, as Orpheus is somewhat associated with willows, and was said to have gotten his singing ability after touching a willow in a sacred grove. He could influence his listeners a bit with his song, according to the myths. Lyres also often had sound-boxes made of willow-wood.
In some British folk-lore, willows could up-root and stalk travelers at night, and weeping willows had a questionable reputation too, and was sometimes associated with death. Might these things have influenced Tolkien's choice of tree-species?
Old Man Willow is also pushing Frodo under the water. Might this be a attempt at the ring, as "The Watcher in the water" might be doing later? Maybe catch the Ring on one of his roots, and then cover the earth with willow-forests?
Then to Tom Bombadil. His jacket is blue. This colour is often associated with the the Virgin Mary and hope, as mentioned. However in Norwegian fairy-tales the colour blue is associated with the "Hulder"-people and the "underjordiske" (sub-terrain) folk, part of the faerie of Norway. "The blue people" are actually a name used in some of the faerie-tales for the "underjordiske"-people. Is it likely that Tolkien knew any of this lore?
As to Tom running off without taking the Hobbits along. He might think/know they were no longer in any actual physical danger, so he might have thought it safe to leave them. Angry trees might not be something he feared. Tom seems a bit cavalier about most things, and had also invited them, so he might run a head to get food and baths ready, and tell Goldberry. Tom might not actually be "bad" when leaving the Hobbits, as he probably felt they were safe.
Finally what I find significant about Tom, is that he is master, but not "master of". Is this important?
This did become a bit rambling, but hopefully understandable.
P.S. Listening to something and typing something else in English, might have overtaxed my English-skills, so I have edited to try to be more clear.

 

[Lincoln Alpern]

Interesting question about the attack on Frodo. As I recall, the Watcher in the Lake at Moria specifically targets him over the rest of the Company, whereas Old Man Willow attacks Frodo, Merry, and Pippin. Granted, he convinces Frodo to go splash his roots - I mean, feet - in the water, while he convinces the other two to take naps against his trunk. I can't explain the difference, but I don't see how drowning Frodo is a better strategy for obtaining the Ring. Indeed, Old Man Willow seems to have fought harder to keep Merry and Pippin in his clutches than Frodo. Lacking any other textual evidence in this scene, I'm going to say Old Man Willow probably isn't trying to obtain the Ring here.

Finally what I find significant about Tom, is that he is master, but not "master of". Is this important?

I think it is important, but let's hold onto that discussion until tonight's class (or maybe next week's class, given how many posts there are to answer already).

Also, I didn't have any problems following your English, though, so your edits must have done the trick.