this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2023
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He is not a hobbit, neither a man, but what is he? Is he a dwarf? A wizard? A god? Something else entirely?

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[–] Florn@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The Legendarium represents the cultural perspective of the Noldor and the Men who adopted much of their cultural tradition. It's not an objective history, and some things that exist in the world, such as Tom Bombadil and Ungoliant, aren't really accounted for by the Noldor cosmology, even though these beings are known to them.

Similarly, Morgoth isn't just an Elvish version of Satan, he's Satan himself as the Elves understood him - with the implication that Satan is just the same being, viewed through the Abrahamic tradition.

[–] EnsignRedshirt@hexbear.net 2 points 1 year ago

One thing I like a lot about LotR is that it's incredibly detailed and thorough, but there are still some things that simply exist regardless. In a world where magic is real, it wouldn't make sense if everything had an explanation.

[–] HiImThomasPynchon@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Eldest, that's what Tom Bombadil is.

Edit: In Magic The Gathering, he's listed as a god.

[–] Sivecano@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 year ago

He's old, very old

[–] wolandark@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I always thought tom is the embodiment of nature itself. Basically if nature was a man.

[–] CeruleanRuin@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago
[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago

Tom Bombadil was basically JRR Tolkien's id. the-more-you-know

[–] Drusas@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago

My opinion: mostly obnoxious and good he was left out of the movie.

[–] lily33@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

He's a character in the best story ever written...

My Immortal!

When I read about him, the first thing that came to mind is the concept of the "original man" from Manichaeism. However, the Lord of the Rings, being a trilogy that owes itself to Catholicism, would rule anything relating to Manichaeism out as a correct interpretation.

[–] Lemjukes@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago
[–] stallmer@lemmy.one -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The most boring part of the book…in my opinion.

[–] abbadon420@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's not Tom. That's the forest

[–] stallmer@lemmy.one 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah, that’s fair.

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