Re: LOTR

--- The Grey Wizard wrote:
I always found the Tom Bombadil episode the least satisfying in the book.
Not only would it "be hard to translate the Bombadil episode to film without
making it look silly", but I found even Tolkien's rendition rather silly
<ducking>.  The whole "Hey dol! Merry dol!" thing came across as a bit too
disneyesque for me.
--- end of quote ---

I understand your trepidation, but I wouldn't call him a Disneyesque character.
"Disneyesque" makes me think of Snow White singing to the bluebirds and all
that. The interesting thing about Bombadil for me is that he looks like a
Disney character on the outside, but on the inside he goes quite deep.

--- beginning of quote ---
Nor am I sure that I agree about Tom's "importance to Tolkien's conception
of the Ring."
--- end of quote ---

Well, that was awkwardly phrased. What I meant is that the Bombadil
episode--specifically the fact that Bombadil can see people who are made
invisible by the Ring, is not himself made invisible when he puts it on, and
neither covets nor indeed expresses much interest in the Ring--plays a small
but crucial part in Tolkien's equation of the Ring with the concept of Power.
The greater one's power, the more he desires the Ring, and the more influence
it wields over him. The Bombadil incident illustrates that only someone who is
completely at peace with himself can withstand the lure of the Ring entirely.
Bombadil has found the Centre. It's significant that when Frodo asks Goldberry
who Tom Bombadil is, she replies simply: "He is."

Matt.

Matthew Pearson
Department of Linguistics
Reed College
3203 SE Woodstock Blvd
Portland, OR 97202
503 771 1112 x 7618

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