The authority of Bombadil

Zinfandel

New Member
Hey!

I have begun listening to the podcast and enjoying it greatly! Currently on session 43 right after 'ol Bombadillos rescue from- and banishment of the Barrow-Wright.

My burning question, albeit very far behind, is; Why do Tom have the authority to banish the Barrow-Wright to the barren lands north of the mountain, when Tom himself is master "only" of his part of the world, the old Forrest?
Are Toms commands still in affect once it leaves his forrest? If so, do we know why?
 
Hi Zinfandel,

Good question. Some thoughts:

1. We do not really know exactly how to define or limit Tom's 'Mastery'. He chooses to remain within his own borders. He chooses not to 'master' most things (even dubious and evil things such as Old Man Willow, and Barrow-wights) within his borders, unless there is immediate cause to do so. When Tom does choose to exert 'Mastery', we do not really know how extensive this power is, or, whether it is strictly confined to within his borders.

2. We don't know exactly how Tom 'Masters' the Barrow-wight. His song instructs the Wight to 'get out!', 'vanish in the sunlight', 'shrivel', 'go wailing, out into the barren lands far beyond the mountains', 'come never here again', 'leave your barrow empty', 'lost and forgotten be', 'become dark (implied)'. From the text, it is stated, or we can infer, that the Wight does get out, leaves his barrow empty, goes wailing, and vanishes in the sunlight (at least no one sees it (whatever it is)). The rest of Tom's injunctions we might assume to have been imposed on the Wight (by analogy with the injunctions which we see to be imposed), but we don't actually know whether all of Tom's injunctions were literal, or whether some were metaphorical. We don't know whether the Wight actually ended up in the barren lands far beyond the mountains.

3. If Tom has absolute 'Mastery' of everything (should he choose to exert it), even if (self) limited to things within his chosen borders, it is possible that when he 'Masters' something within his borders, the 'Mastery' continues even when that thing leaves his borders. On the other hand, if Tom has the capability for absolute 'Mastery' of everything (within his borders), why not just destroy or disable the One Ring when it is in his house? Choice? (Tom does not exert his mastery lightly or often, nor interfere with evil within his borders just because it is there.) Or, is Tom's 'Mastery' not all inclusive, and he has not the power to 'Master' the One Ring?

There is a lot we don't know about Tom's 'Mastery', Tom's principles about his use of 'Mastery', or about the exact nature of Barrow-wights.
 
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