The White Council

Rebuttal of Re: Another Minor Mystery

Tolkien and Inklings Discussion

: : Bombadil was definately, unquestionably, without a doubt a Maia.

: I have about 20 role playing books and all under classification state him to be a Maia.

: True it is the duty of the Maiar to serve the Valor and protect Middle Earth and all that wash. But Saruman is also a Maia who is supposed to do all of that and he doesn't.

: Saruman, the Maia doesn't serve so he can commit evil things, Bombadil, the Maia doesn't serve so he can can look out for himself and Goldberry only instead of the well-fare of all Middle Earth.

: Bombadil is just another of the Maiar who has drifted away from his asgined task. (whatever that may have been.)

: Gandalf

I'm not quite sure I buy that, Gandalf. First, in order to preserve game balance, RPGs occasionally --- make that frequently--- redefine literary characters. They either give them abilities/attributes that aren't in the originals, or place more limitations on their powers. The games may define Bombadil as a Maia simply as a kind of shorthand reference to the degree of power he wields (in the same way that TSR distinguishes between major deities, lesser deities, and demi-gods in AD&D). Game versions simply cannot carry the same authority as the author's own words, so relying on them doesn't move your statement out of the realm of speculation into fact.

I will admit that I'm not terribly familiar with "The Silmarillion". However, I am prepared to accept a statement from that source or his other writings as authoritative. If Tolkien says Bombadil's a Maia, I believe him. I'm also prepared to accept word-of-mouth evidence, such as "J.R.R. and I once had a discussion in which he said..." or "I asked Christopher Tolkien what J.R.R. believed ...".

That caveat aside, I'm interested in your speculation, although I don't quite agree with it. Again, I am operating without a strong knowledge of "The Silmarillion", so if you've got contradictory evidence from there, please feel free to introduce it. Please don't take these comments as a personal affront; Buzz and I are both just trying to point out that you have been operating on an initial postulate that may or may not be true --- we don't know of the existence of a proof for it. (Gee, and I hated geometry in high school! :-))

Given all that, let me explain my own *speculation* about Bombadil. Why does he have to be a member of the Maia? Why can't he be simply what Elrond calls him: The Firstborn --- something a bit different from any other sentient being in Middle-earth, a unique creation? Tom himself seems to indicate this to the hobbits when they encounter him. To my mind, a small point in favor of this is that as far as I can recall, none of the Istari in LOTR (Gandalf, Radagast, Saruman) is married. [Again, "Silmarillion" may have married Maia that I just don't know about.]

Of course, that also leads to corollary questions. Just who is Goldberry? Where did she come from?

One other piece of "circumstantial evidence" against Tom being a Maia: Gandalf and Saruman can be affected by the Ring, but Bombadil cannot.

Anybody else want to throw their two cents' worth in on this? How about you, Michael, with your pretty encyclopedic knowledge? Can this issue be settled conclusively?

Luned