Who or what is Tom Bombadil?

[Bob_Scene]

Well, if you rearrange the letters in “Tom Bombadil” you get “Atom Bomb Lid.” I think that pretty much explains it.

[Just_Some_Guy]

Galadriel’s old, but she ain’t that old. She was born in Valinor. Cirdan was one of the elves who awoke at Cuivienen. Maybe the oldest surviving elf in middle-earth. Of the named elves, I think only Olwë and Ingwë and his sister Indis are of the same age, and possibly, Mahtan, Fëanor’s father-in-law.

Having just managed to finish the Silmarilion after re-reading LotR I did spot Galadriel getting mentioned the earliest while Cirdan not being spoken of until everyone gets back to Middle Earth, but presumably you’re going by some source that I haven’t gotten to yet. I didn’t notice Olwe, Ingwe, and Mahtan getting mentioned in LotR, either. Did I just miss it or were they hanging out someplace away from the front lines that comes up elsewhere?

[Triskadecamus]

Cirdan was chosen as Lord by a portion of the Teleri who would not leave Middle Earth after Elwë Singolo was lost. Many of them settled at the sea side, and after the Elwë returned and established Doriath, Cirdan and his people remained at the Havens, although they acknowledged the kingship of Elwe.

So, although he is not named among the elves of Cuivienen, and could have been born during the stay there or on the long journey as far as the sea, he was certainly older than any other named elf that is mentioned in the events of the trilogy. It is assumed, of course that Ingwë, and his people are still alive in Valinor, as are those of the Noldor who did not leave with Fëanor. (And, what with immortality, and all, some of the Nandor, or even the Avari might well be older than any of them, but their names are not known by the Eldar, or by Men.)

However, while it was after the rising of the stars that Treebeard was awakened, (and learned to speak) it might also have been the case that he was alive, and just standing around in the darkness, since being placed there by Yavanna, some time before the fall of Almaren. That would make him older than Cirdan by four ages. Galadriel doesn’t even make the cut, she’s Finwë’s granddaughter, from his second wife.

Tris

“It is unbecoming for young men to utter maxims.” ~ Aristotle ~

[Just_Some_Guy]

Cirdan was chosen as Lord by a portion of the Teleri who would not leave Middle Earth after Elwë Singolo was lost. Many of them settled at the sea side, and after the Elwë returned and established Doriath, Cirdan and his people remained at the Havens, although they acknowledged the kingship of Elwe.

Okay, got the relevant section now. Yeah, that does make Cirdan likely to be older. No guarentee since Tolkien didn’t attach birthdays to the characters but if had risen in stature that much right around the time that Galadriel was being born it seems likely.

It is assumed, of course that Ingwë, and his people are still alive in Valinor, as are those of the Noldor who did not leave with Fëanor. (And, what with immortality, and all, some of the Nandor, or even the Avari might well be older than any of them, but their names are not known by the Eldar, or by Men.)

Which is why I specified in Middle-Earth. The elves in the undying lands are cheaters hiding out and not letting us know what’s going on with them.

However, while it was after the rising of the stars that Treebeard was awakened, (and learned to speak) it might also have been the case that he was alive, and just standing around in the darkness, since being placed there by Yavanna, some time before the fall of Almaren. That would make him older than Cirdan by four ages. Galadriel doesn’t even make the cut, she’s Finwë’s granddaughter, from his second wife.

Well of the Elves hanging out in LotR she’s now number two.

[photopat]

I used to wonder why Tom didn’t destroy the ring or keep it and hide it from Sauron, since he apparently wasn’t affected by it. Obviously had that happened the book would have ended rather quickly, so that wasn’t the answer. I suspect Bombadil was just a higher order entity that wasn’t capable of completely living in the “normal” world, and maybe, felt that the events around him didn’t pertain to him.

I wonder also if he had foresight and knew how things would turn out?

[toadspittle]

Isn’t Treebeard said to be the “oldest of all living things” … which could, technically, apply just to “living things still in Middle Earth” or “mortals”–which would leave out all of the elves. Treebeard ages very slowly, and there’s no implication that ents share the elves fate of being bound to Arda.